SIYA WAS SO PROUD
SKIPPER: IT WAS SPECIAL TO SEE THE GUYS’ ENERGY Rassie sets a high priority on winning final two Tests.
He was no longer on the field when his side scored the clincher against France in Paris at the weekend, but that didn’t make it any less tense or exhilarating for him, according to Springbok captain Siya Kolisi.
Kolisi, who led the team to a sixth win in his 11th Test as skipper, left the field in the 67th minute at a time when the Boks were trailing 26-22.
The tourists went on to snatch a 29-26 victory in the dying minutes of the match.
“We kept on fighting and it was special to see the energy of the guys at the end of the game,” said a thrilled Kolisi.
The Bok captain admitted he was nervous when first a try by replacement Cheslin Kolbe and later another by leftwing Aphiwe Dyantyi were both disallowed.
“We thought Cheslin had scored and Aphiwe’s try was ruled out because of a forward pass, but we pressed on and I’m glad we were rewarded,” Kolisi said after his Stormers team-mate Bongi Mbonambi scored the winning try in referee’s optional time.
With lock Eben Etzebeth expected to be back in the selection frame for the Scotland Test in Edinburgh this weekend, after missing last week’s clash because of a foot injury, it could make coach Rassie Erasmus’ selection choices more complex.
Should Etzebeth make a return, it could result in the moving of Pieter-Steph du Toit back to blindside flank and Duane Vermeulen out to No 8 at the expense of Warren Whiteley.
Whiteley is likely to miss the Test due to a calf injury.
Causing another potential headache for Erasmus were the eight players who had yet to receive any game time on tour, including No 8 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, lock JD Schickerling, hooker Schalk Brits, centre Ruhan Nel, scrumhalf Louis Schreuder, prop Trevor Nyakane, wing Sergeal Petersen and fullback Gio Aplon.
Aiming to win their two final Tests of the year was high priority for Erasmus, however, and wholesome changes were unlikely with Scotland showing a big upward curve under coach Gregor Townsend.
Looking back, the Boks hadn’t faced Scotland since 2015 when they won 34-16 in Newcastle, and they hadn’t lost to Scotland since 2010 when they went down 21-17 in Edinburgh, in only their fifth loss in the 26 Tests played between the two sides.
The penultimate match of the Boks’ end-of-year tour kicks off at 7.20pm on Saturday night.