RASSIE HAS HIS SAY

ON LOUW’S SELECTION

Francois was available last week but we had an arrangement with the club that he would go back and play that one game. We are lucky enough to get him back and with the respect we have for the All Blacks, experience is going to be vital and with losing Warren Whiteley, you lose a lot of experience. A guy like Notshe played really, really well last week and that is why is deservedly still on the bench, it is just the experience we need against the number one team in the world that we get from Francois.

ON DOING THE DOUBLE

I think definitely if we win again then it is progress, and that is what we have been striving for since June. And there have been times when we have went back a step or two, and playing the No 1 team in the world, and having a chance to beat them again will be a massive boost to our confidence, our hopes and our dream of becoming one of the top two teams in the world again. It is easier said than done but we know it will mean a lot. It doesn’t help we just dream about it, we need to go out there and do it.

ON LE ROUX’S 50TH

It’s funny, I was saying to Willie today I was at the Stormers and he came over on trial from Boland and I said he wasn’t good enough. Then he went to the Cheetahs and now he is the backbone of our Springbok team playing his 50th Test cap – so he has definitely proved me wrong. So I am happy for him, he looks like such a tense character from the side, he is very animated on the field but he is very calming, he brings experience to the back three and he helps a lot and I am proud of him to have played 50 Test matches this weekend.

ON THE ALL BLACKS STRONGEST

Overall, with Naholo on the wing, the team they selected sends the right message out as to what will happen on that field on Saturday. I think it will be very physical match with all the soft skills in the world as well. They will be hurting after that loss and they will bounce back and give one hell of a performance which we will have to match.