Tendai "Beast" Mtawarira’s quietly powerful contributions have mirrored the team’s ascendant Test performances this season, says Springbok scrum coach Matt Proudfoot. Saturday’s Rugby Championship clash between Australia and SA at the nib Stadium in Perth will be Mtawarira’s 93rd Test. He is already the most-capped Springbok prop‚ but that is not the enduring quality that has impressed Proudfoot. The coach said Mtawarira has rolled back the clock to the 2009 British and Irish Lions series, when he destroyed celebrated England tight-head prop Phil Vickery. "He’s the guy with 92 Test caps and you have to respect that and it’s a pleasure to work with the most-capped South African prop‚" Proudfoot said. "He’s eager to learn and he’s getting back to carrying the ball more and passing the ball more. "His defence has also been exceptional. When a guy gets that‚ they become confident and that’s probably what’s evident in the squad at the moment. "Coach Allister Coetzee did say at the start ...
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