Boks and Canada can raise the roof
Louw expects a rise in humidity inside stadium, but says Springboks will stick to battle plan
The Boks are in Kobe and it is perhaps fitting that they square off against a team with whom they famously had beef. The “Battle of Boet Erasmus”, which almost came to define the Springboks’s 1995 Rugby World Cup triumph‚ has become the stuff of legend.
The Boks are in Kobe and it is perhaps fitting that they square off against a team with whom they famously had beef.
The “Battle of Boet Erasmus”, which almost came to define the Springboks’s 1995 Rugby World Cup (RWC) triumph‚ has become the stuff of legend.
The brawl that saw Rod Snow‚ Gareth Rees and James Dalton all red-carded is etched in the memory of those who witnessed it.
In their only other meeting‚ the Boks triumphed 51-18 against Canada in East London in 2000 and it is worth noting they both finished the match with a full complement.
On Tuesday‚ they clash under a roof, and the already barely bearable humidity may well raise the temperature.
Bok No 8 Francois Louw expects to break into a sweat.
“With a closed roof, there should be an increased humidity level‚” said Louw.
Louw‚ a man of calm and considered opinion‚ believes the Boks will stick to their battle plan no matter what.
“Our game plan and structure will stay the same, really. Either way‚ whether the roof is open or closed, it is slippery most of the time. There will be emphasis on ball carrying, and at the breakdown making sure we provide a good platform for our halfbacks to take off from. I think it is more an attitude of taking care of the ball.”
Indeed‚ not taking care of the ball cost them dearly against the All Blacks when they squandered an opportunity of immense promise and coach Rassie Erasmus wants his team to be more ruthless when they play themselves into the strike zone.
Louw’s role changes for this match as he will operate in a back row that also includes captain Siya Kolisi and Kwagga Smith.
“We are all No 6s. It is an interesting combination. These days I find myself at No 8 quite a lot, which is another role I really do enjoy. I’m looking forward to playing with Siya and Kwagga. They bring quite a dynamic game. I’ve played a lot with Siya and I know what he’s about‚ not so much with Kwagga.
“I’m very pleased he made the step up into the Springbok squad. He’s a tough sevens player. He brings a different dynamic to the back row. He also likes getting stuck in in the tight stuff.
“We will complement each other where we can. Hopefully we can put together a good performance.”
At the same time Bok assistant coach Mzwandile Stick has taken note of Japan’s electrifying performances in pool A‚ but he has not spent time to look at them with an analytical eye.
“So far our focus has been the games we play in the group stages‚” said Stick, when asked about the high energy and intensity game that has helped Japan to three wins from three starts, including over Ireland and more recently Samoa.
“There are a number of things they do well. They play at a high tempo with width‚ they gang tackle with gusto‚ while their dexterous handling of the greasy ball has been sublime.”
Though Japan are top dogs in their pool‚ Stick has a soft spot for the underdog.
“It is good to see a country like Japan [doing well] as the host nation.
“You can feel the vibe around Japan. Everyone’s excited about the games and tournament. It is good to see the country united behind their team.
“They have shown that if you don’t pitch up on the day, you are going to get hurt‚ you are going to get punished. I’m happy to see Japan where they are currently. They are a very dangerous side.”
They have not commanded his full application just yet but they will grab his attention should Japan top their pool and the Springboks finish runnersup in theirs.
“We will only think about them once we get to that stage. We have a 10-day turnaround after our next game, so we have enough time to make sure we get prepared for whoever we have to play in the quarterfinals.”