Boks look to unite nation with title
Kolisi’s rise inspires all South Africans
TOKYO: South Africa head into Saturday’s Rugby World Cup final knowing not only that they have beaten England at the same stage before but also understanding the power a win has to unite their country.
The Springboks have won both Rugby World Cup finals they have played, against New Zealand in 1995 and England in 2007.
“South Africa is a country with a lot of challenges, but we are resilient people,” assistant coach Matthew Proudfoot said yesterday.
“I suppose the history and what 1995 meant for the country created a new opportunity for people in South Africa.”
It was a point picked up by Lood de Jager, though the giant lock said the current Springbok side needed to put the social and political meaning of a win to one side for now, as they concentrate on preparing for the game at International Stadium Yokohama.
De Jager said South Africa’s win in 1995 — just a year after Nelson Mandela was elected the nation’s first post-apartheid president — had had “a massive impact on the country and on rugby as a whole. But we cannot get caught up in all that. We are now preparing to play a very good England and hopefully beating them.”
One reason such questions are constantly raised is the make-up of the current South Africa side, and particularly the captain who leads them.
Siya Kolisi will run out for his 50th Test on Saturday, and de Jager and his teammates were unanimous in their praise of their captain.
“What he has achieved has been remarkable,” prop Tendai Mtawarira said of Kolisi, who grew up in the impoverished Zwide township outside Port Elizabeth.
“To rise above that background to be the Springbok captain has been inspirational to all South Africans. We are very proud of him and want to make him feel special on Saturday.”
However, Mtawarira, like de Jager, said, “We have to focus on the process. We don’t want to get ahead of ourselves.”
That process will involve working out a way to match the England pack, which was at the heart of their semi-final win over the All Blacks.
“They were very efficient and very powerful against New Zealand...For us to match that intensity, it’s something we’ve spoken about,” said Proudfoot.
The former Kobe Kobelco Steelers forwards coach then explained that England’s win was not just the result of “brute force, there was a lot of intelligent play, very effective play from their pack.”
The two sides played each other four times in 2018 with South Africa winning the first two encounters and England the others.
“Their efficiency in execution is a lot better [since then] and that’s what we need to match,” said Proudfoot.
Prop Vincent Koch has firsthand knowledge of many of the English players, having spent the last three years with Saracens, a club which has contributed many players to the England World Cup squad.
“Different jerseys but similar game plan, but we are ready for that,” he said when asked about similarities between the national team and the London-based Premiership side, which won the European Champions Cup last season.
Koch said he has spent many hours scrummaging against England prop Mako Vunipola at the Saracens training ground.
“This is a bit different, as it’s not on a training field, but in quite a big Test... Our focus is mainly on us.”
And that focus is driven by a desire to unite the country.
“The Springbok is the tool people use as a symbol of hope, a symbol of opportunity,” said Proudfoot. “It shows, if you look at the stories of the players in the team, what can be achieved with hard work. I suppose it is wrapped up in the psychology of a lot of people.”
When asked about the diverse background of the Springboks, the Zimbabwe-born Mtawarira, who has won 116 caps for South Africa, said “It’s really important that the team is well represented.”
“It’s been a privilege to see the team evolve. From the outset, [head coach] Rassie Erasmus wanted to get the balance correct so it really represents our country, and he has achieved that.”