Boks not taking bait on hanging goal-kickers out to dry: 'We understand they are not at their best'

The Springboks are not making excuses for their inaccuracy in front of the posts over the past two weeks against Wales, but there is an understanding that they are not at their best.

The Springboks and their Welsh counterparts have the series deadlocked at a win-a-side and its winner-takes-all after referee Matthew Carley blows the final whistle on Saturday.

Assistant coach Mzawandile Stick, together with his coaching box, would have observed some unimpressive goal-kicking displays from their trusted flyhalves in Pretoria and Bloemfontein.

A capacity Loftus Versfeld and millions watching at home also saw how unsettled Elton Jantjies was in the first Test against Wales and how Handre Pollard was not up to standard in Bloemfontein last week either.

Stick, though, knows he's got a safe pair of hands in both players and knows they will be firing in no time after getting valuable minutes on the training and playing field.

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The Bok top brass has been at pains to say that both their 10s haven't played a lot of rugby this year. However, being the professionals that they are, Stick cannot wait to see them at their best.

"There's nothing we can do [about their absence from rugby], the best we can do is to give them an opportunity to be on the field," Stick remarked on Friday ahead of the 3rd Test decider.

Springboks

15 Damian Willemse, 14 Cheslin Kolbe, 13 Lukhanyo Am, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Makazole Mapimpi, 10 Handre Pollard, 9 Jaden Hendrikse, 8 Jasper Wiese, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Siya Kolisi (captain), 5 Lood de Jager, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Trevor Nyakane

Substitutes: 16 Malcolm Marx, 17 Steven