Boks can’t rest on laurels
CAPTAIN KOLISI: WE WANT TO STRIVE TO BE THERE AGAIN OR EVEN BETTER IT
‘Both the Boks and Australia are in a difficult situation’.
The Springboks are under no pressure from their coaching staff to at least match the intensity they achieved in the previous Test against the All Blacks, said skipper Siya Kolisi yesterday.
Kolisi said obviously they want to maintain the high levels today against Australia in the Rugby Championship clash that they set in Wellington.
“The coaches haven’t put pressure on us, but we want to maintain the level we set last week. That’s the kind of pressure between us, but it’s not coming from the coaching staff,” he said.
“Obviously the coach would love us to be in that mindset the whole time, because we know how much pressure we can handle.”
“But that game was special with the standard we have set ourselves. We want to strive to be there again or even better it.”
Kolisi, who has been tipped as a hot contender by coach Rassie Erasmus to lead the side at next year’s World Cup, will captain the side for the eighth time but the first time in the city of his birth.
“It’s always exciting to come home. It’s an honour to be here – we enjoy playing in PE and it’s been a good week for us as a team,” he said.
“But if we start looking ahead to next week’s All Blacks Test we could lose focus on this game which we know will be tough, both us and Australia are in a difficult situation where we need to win.
“Both have good packs and the one who dominates will win, but we have tweaked a few things and need to be up for a tough challenge.”
New No 8 Sikhumbuzo Notshe is, according to Kolisi, a different kind of player to the injured War- ren Whiteley and said he loves playing with ball in hand.
“He is extremely excited and I know his family will be here, while Pieter-Steph (Du Toit) has been immense and he will take a lot of the pressure of Sikhumbuzo and myself,” he said.
“The break was good after the All Blacks Test but what was good about that game was that when an opportunity came along we took it and that was something we have been struggling with before.
“Some of our guys came in early while others played Currie Cup and it will help us to be more fresh for this weekend and next,” he added. Kick-off: 5.05pm.
The weight of expectation lies heavily on the Springboks ahead of today’s Rugby Championship Test against Australia in the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium where they are still unbeaten.
With all 46 000 tickets sold out, the Boks will be keen to continue where they have left off in their win against the All Blacks in Wellington and expect a Kiwi backlash next weekend at Loftus Versfeld.
While gale-force winds swept through the Friendly City yesterday, coach Rassie Erasmus has stopped short of saying this is a must-win game after losing 23-18 to the Wallabies.
“We haven’t had one game where we could say this is a walk in the park, like maybe in the previous seasons somewhere, the end-of-year tour is even tougher,” he said.
“I think if we are going week by week and say ‘this game is so important or that game we need to win’ , we will keep on saying it until the World Cup final.”
Erasmus will however be keen to see whether players like Sikhumbuzo Notshe at No 8, Cheslin Kolbe at rightwing and Andre Esterhuizen at inside centre pass their tests.
“If we can grow we should get the result. But if we take a step back it will be a tough game and a losing game probably,” he said.
“So we have to grow every single week and make this week better than last week, so getting the result is something we are striving towards to.”
Wallaby coach Michael Cheika is however in an even worse position having lost three of his four Championship Tests and his head could be on the block, but Erasmus reminded everyone he was in the same boat just a week ago.
“His (Cheika) first year of coaching he was Coach-of-theYear and then the next year you lose a few games and the pressure is on,” said Erasmus.
“I just see the way the people are talking about the All Blacks now and suddenly see holes in their defensive system, but we don’t see it that way.
“They (Australia) beat us the last time, so a week in rugby is really short and teams can turn around really easily,” he added.
Erasmus however doesn’t believe Argentina will beat the All Blacks later tonight to keep the Boks’ title hopes alive.
“Argentina beat us convincingly and then we managed to beat the All Blacks, so a Puma win is not that far-fetched, but I think the All Blacks will pitch up and probably give them a hiding,” he said.