We’ll take France to a dark place tonight...

Boks’ stark warning before titanic tussle

IF YOU compare South Africa’s class of 2023 to the side which won the last World Cup in Japan, there is a good argument to say it has more strings to its bow and is more dangerous in an attacking sense.

But as the Springboks prepare for a huge test of their title defence against France tonight, they have vowed not to go away from what has given them success.

Physical dominance and winning the collisions is at the heart of South Africa’s DNA. It is their intention to try to beat Fabien Galthie’s side to smithereens.

‘We’re going to have to go to a dark place quite early in this game because of where the physicality is going to be and where we’re going to try to push it,’ said Springbok prop Steven Kitshoff.

‘It might get to a point where some players haven’t been and we will see if both teams are willing to go to that dark spot quite early.

‘We try and make it as physical as possible. We know France are going to bring a lot of physicality. It’s going to be quite interesting.’

As warnings go, it couldn’t have been starker.

‘You live for these moments,’ said South Africa wing Cheslin Kolbe, after being named in a Springbok side which includes Cobus Reinach and Duane Vermeulen.

Jacques Nienaber and Rassie Erasmus caused a surprise by naming Reinach at scrum-half over Faf de Klerk and picking veteran Vermeulen at No 8. Leicester’s Jasper Wiese misses out.

Personnel aside, South Africa aren’t going to change their approach even if they have opted for five forwards and three backs on the bench. That is the standard practice, but recently head coach Nienaber has opted for six forwards and on occasion, seven.

‘We do play physically and we do play on the edge, but we train to tackle correctly and stay onside,’ said South Africa’s iconic captain Siya Kolisi. ‘We can’t be worried about doing something crazy. We have to live on the edge. That is what our game is as a South African team — to play as hard as we can for 80 minutes.

‘People enjoy rugby because it’s brutal. We need to go forward so our backs can do their thing.’

The last of the four World Cup quarter-finals is near impossible to call. France haven’t lost at home in two years and as hosts, they will be backed by a fervent Paris crowd.

South Africa have prepared for what is expected to be a raucous occasion by training with a speaker blaring out noise to replicate the Stade de France atmosphere.

‘When we last faced France in Marseille we couldn’t even hear each other and we’ve learned from that,’ said Kolisi. ‘It is very loud and the French fans are really passionate. It is difficult having a speaker next to you when you are trying to make a call in training but hopefully it will help us.’

South Africa’s starting side for France is the second most experienced to take to the field in their rugby history and contains 880 Test caps. It is, undoubtedly, a team capable of victory.

Springbok chances may well depend on how Manie Libbok performs at No 10 after he was selected over Handre Pollard. Libbok’s missed kicks cost his team victory against Ireland.

But Nienaber likes his attacking game. ‘With Manie, if you look at the way he drives the team, he is obviously on form. We score points with Manie at 10. Looking at what the French will bring, we feel this is the best option for us.’

South Africa were brutally physical against Ireland. Contact was intense but players from both sides stayed within the laws. Neither team received a card.

Kitshoff acknowledged a yellow or red for either side is likely to have a hugely significant outcome on tonight’s encounter.

‘Big games like this normally end in small margins on the scoreboard.

‘We have to do everything we can to get the result in our favour.’