Springboks hungry for more
KOLISI: WINNING WHILE WE ARE LEARNING CRUCIAL FOR OUR DEVELOPMENT
Captain excited over returning to the blindside flank against the Pumas.
There is a hunger within the Springbok ranks to build on the solid start in June when the Rugby Championship opens against Argentina this afternoon, said captain Siya Kolisi yesterday.
Kolisi has led the Boks to two wins in three starts against England with the final Test loss an anticlimax after coach Rassie Erasmus made experimental changes.
“We want to build on what we started in June. We always want to improve and get better and the coach have a long-term plan with the World Cup in mind,” Kolisi said. “And we want to win while learning – not losing and learning – and make sure our effort and intensity are always on top.”
While an half-empty stadium could await them, Kolisi said they know it’s going to be tough as the Pumas have a new coach in Mario Ledesma which brings new excitement, but said they are excited to start off the Championship.
“It helps a lot with a guy like Warren (Whiteley) in the side and his good leadership skills and he will take a lot of responsibility off my shoulders,” he said.
“I’m also excited about returning to the blindside position and that’s where I originally started playing under coach Rassie in my first few years at the Stormers.”
Kolisi just laughed when asked what he made of lock Eben Etzebeth’s remark that he just “loved” Kolisi as a player and as a Stormers and Bok team-mate.
“I thought he was joking, but our friendship started when we were still in high school and that’s one of the reasons why I moved to Cape Town from PE,” he said.
“A lot of people would think that he being captain before and me being captain now will stand between us, but in fact it made the friendship just stronger.
“At times it was tough, but I know how hard he has worked and how much it hurt him not being able to play back in June.”
After struggling with form at openside, Kolisi said he is excited with what the game could hold.
“You definitely get more ball there than at the openside so it’s an exciting prospect. I do feel really good, I had a week off after our last match in Super Rugby and then obviously we had a two-week camp in Stellenbosch,” he said.
Kolisi said he struggled after getting injured before the first game of the competition.
“Which made it really tough but I feel a lot stronger now than in the June Tests or any stage of Super Rugby.” Kick-off: 5.05pm
Baby steps have been taken in the June Tests but now in the Rugby Championship the Springboks have to take their growth up a notch and become the best team they can be.
After losing the opening Test of the year against Wales, two comeback wins were recorded against England, before an experimental line-up lost the final Test against England at Newlands.
Bok coach Rassie Erasmus believes the opener in the Championship against Argentina this afternoon could be a real tester for his side with the visitors having won 37-25 the last time the two teams clashed at King’s Park in Durban.
“I think (referee) Ben O’Keeve will have a tough time at the breakdown,” said Erasmus.
“We are definitely going to go hard at the breakdowns, as do the Argentinians, and they fight real hard at every breakdown.”
While the Boks were somewhat exposed in the wider channels against England, it is through the middle where the Argentinians could hold the biggest threat, close to the contact areas.
“On both sides of the breakdown there is good attack and defence, it would be a case of whoever gets there first and makes sure your ball is secure,” he said.
The strongest Bok players on the ground are undoubtedly hooker Malcolm Marx, flank Francois Louw and on the bench, new openside flanker young Marco van Staden.
“If Malcolm had to go off as well as Marco and Francois we would struggle in terms of breakdown speed,” said Erasmus.
“But I think Marco will pretty much play like Flo, just with a bit more of an engine and also he’s a bit younger.”
With Pumas openside flank Pablo Matera and flyhalf Nicholas Sanchez probably looming as their biggest attacking threats, Erasmus said they had to juggle the backrow combination in terms of finesse and momentum gaining and tempo stopping and speed.
“We have got speed and bulk, Marco is 112kg and Flo is a big boy himself and then captain Siya (Kolisi) and Warren have speed and Malcolm is another guy on the ground who can poach.
“I think what we might have lost with Duane (Vermeulen) will be made up with Malcolm,” said Erasmus.
And while the Pumas are not the All Blacks, it could shape the Boks for three tough Championship matches on the road after this weekend’s action.