Boks ready to deliver in epic battle
‘It will rank up there with a World Cup final’
T HE progress of the Springbok team’s evolution under coach Heyneke Meyer will come in for its sternest examination when they clash with world champions the All Blacks in the Rugby Championship decider at Ellis Park today.
Captain Jean de Villiers was in no doubt yesterday that it was time for the Springboks to deliver a performance of fist-thumping authority and show just how far they have come. They have huffed and puffed but it was now time to bring the house down.
“We know where we are going,” De Villiers said. “We know what we have to achieve and we know where we are at as a squad. We feel the time is right that we show what we are capable of. The hard work is done now. We’ve been together for nine weeks. The squad has grown so much in stature if you look at the last 16 months – in the way we’ve improved and the way we play. It all comes down to this game.”
Meyer set off with a largely young squad last year but they have reached a high level of maturity. Part of the Springbok advance has been the ability to take smart decisions and to that end they will not be blinded by the glare of the silverware up for grabs .
Much has been made of the permutations for them to win the competition but the captain was very clear about their ambitions.
“Four tries will definitely not be our focus. We won’t play any different to the way we have been playing. Our game plan hasn’t changed. I think to be successful we have to execute well and put up a performance maybe like the first 20 minutes last week and do that for 80 minutes. This is not a Mickey Mouse team we are up against.”
Set piece excellence and a judicious kicking game will be their focus but first their powers of re-organisation may be tested, with centre JJ Engelbrecht on the doubtful list.
Injury to Engelbrecht means the focus could shift squarely onto the shoulders of the greenhorn Jan Serfontein. “He’ll be ready,” De Villiers said. “He’s a quality player. He may only be 20 but he’s shown that he is ready to play at this level.
“When he came on at Eden Park I thought he made quite a difference.”
This match has been much anticipated since the Boks’ defeat at Eden Park. The sheer weight of expectation is not lost on De Villiers. “I’ve never played in a World Cup final but this ranks up there with a World Cup final, a British and Irish Lions test. That’s why we play rugby.
“We realise our responsibility on the field. That we need to perform there. We also realise our responsibility off the field to give hope to the whole of South Africa. To unite this country as this team has done before.”
New Zealand captain Richie McCaw says he will fulfil a boyhood ambition today.
The flanker has achieved much in his previous 119 caps, lifting the World Cup trophy in 2011 the crowning moment, but he has one last Everest to climb, beating the Springboks at what New Zealand considers South African rugby’s spiritual home.
McCaw was 14 years old when the Springboks defeated the All Blacks in extra time to lift the 1995 World Cup at Ellis Park, a scar that still runs deep in New Zealand rugby.
“Growing up, you heard that this is the place to really test yourself, the reason why they call it test rugby,” McCaw said yesterday.
“This will be my first test here and the boys and I are pretty excited about it.
“All the guys have played Super Rugby here, but this will be something pretty dif- ferent and a really big challenge. The atmosphere will be tough and pretty noisy, it always is when we play in South Africa.”
South Africa have, statistically at least, long been the All Blacks’ toughest opponent in test rugby.
New Zealand’s 58% win ratio against the Boks is far below that which they enjoy against any other nation, with Australia next on the list at 70%, and their only triumph at Ellis Park in the last 20 years was a 35-32 victory in 1997.
McCaw is returning to lead the side for the first time since he injured his knee against Argentina on September 7 and is confident his fitness will hold in a match he was desperate to participate in.
“I wouldn’t push myself to play if I wasn’t ready, I have done all I can to get fit and I feel like I am there,” he said.
He is expecting a fast and furious start from the Boks and believes his side will have to match that intensity.
“The first 15 minutes are pretty key to be honest and we expect them to come at us, but hopefully our boys will be on the same level. The Rugby Championship is on the line and we just need to stick to our game-plan and perform.”
South Africa need to score four tries and beat New Zealand by more than seven points to lift the trophy this season. The teams are Springboks: Zane Kirchner; Willie le Roux, Jan Serfontein/JJ Engelbrecht, Jean de Villiers (captain), Bryan Habana; Morne Steyn, Fourie du Preez; Duane Vermeulen, Willem Alberts, Francois Louw; Juandre Kruger, Eben Etzebeth; Jannie du Plessis, Bismarck du Plessis, Tendai Mtawarira. Substitutes: Adriaan Strauss, Gürthro Steenkamp, Coenie Oosthuizen, Franco van der Merwe, Siya Kolisi; Ruan Pienaar, Pat Lambie, Jan Serfontein/Juan de Jongh.
All Blacks: Israel Dagg; Ben Smith, Conrad Smith, Ma’a Nonu, Julian Savea; Aaron Cruden, Aaron Smith; Kieran Read, Richie McCaw (captain), Liam Messam; Sam Whitelock, Brodie Retallick; Charlie Faumuina, Andrew Hore, Tony Woodcock. Substitutes: Dane Coles, Wyatt Crockett, Ben Franks, Steven Luatua, Sam Cane; Tawera Kerr-Barlow, Beauden Barrett, Charles Puitua. Referee: Nigel Owens Kick-off: 5pm