Here's what's on the Boks' plates to power up for matches

If you thought the Springboks had a lot on their plate in France, you'd be partly right.

The emphasis in their diet, though varied, isn't so much the size of portions, but rather the timing of their meals.

Their meal on the eve of a match is augmented by a post-dinner smoothie courtesy of fullback Willie le Roux. He doesn't just whizz past defences, but also mixes bananas, peanuts, milk, ice, electrolytes and casein protein into a concoction that helps facilitate a good night's rest.

The 9.30pm smoothie isn't exclusively a pre-match snack, but is available throughout the week as part of a healthy eating routine.

Before a game, I tend to go for spaghetti bolognese ... That is one thing I will always eat before a game 

—  tighthead prop Vincent Koch

The most popular go-to meal on the eve of a game is spaghetti bolognese. Tighthead prop Vincent Koch tucks into vast quantities, much to the amusement of his teammates.

“Before a game, I tend to go for spaghetti bolognese. It is a thing I enjoy and eat quite a lot of. If you ask the boys, I consume quite a lot. Sometimes people will take pictures of my meal a day before the game. That is one thing I will always eat before a game.”

He is not alone in his love of the Italian dish.

Hooker and this weekend's stand-in captain Bongi Mbonambi is also a devourer of bolognese. He describes it as his “go-to” meal.

“I like pasta, especially spaghetti bolognese,” nodded lock Jean Kleyn. “[But] it depends on who makes it. You get bad ones and you get good ones. Everyone loves a good bolognese.”

While broad-shouldered centre André Esterhuizen is not a picky eater (“I'll eat whatever there is,” he says), power utility forward Marco van Staden has one culinary non-negotiable — meat.

“I eat nothing specific, as long as there is meat,” says the versatile Van Staden, who comes from farming stock.

Koch, who spent eight months with Stade Français in Paris, knows his way around menus. “I'm pretty used to it. The hotels are good with their food,” he says.

“It doesn't differ a lot from back home. If they have meat, we are happy. [And] baguettes, of course. For some reason, you don't really pick up weight if you have too many. Crêpes as well — always a good thing to keep the big boys happy.”

As for the Boks' wider diet is concerned, nothing is off the table. They can tuck in as they wish, and there are no banned foods. The timing of their meals, however, is essential.

Fuelling up before training sessions is important, which means breakfast and early lunch are key if they are training in the afternoon.

In France, especially when they were in Toulon, their diet has a Mediterranean feel to it, though with some variation. Fish or meat is always available, while their vegetable intake has increased since the team dietitian came on board.

Their desserts are often fruit-based to facilitate rehydration in the hot, humid conditions, especially in the south of France. Watermelon is the preferred fruit, as it rehydrates.