‘BOKS MUST BE BETTER THAN USUAL’

Veteran Habana and Co know that if South Africa are to beat the All Blacks they will need to play the perfect game

THE SOBERING reality for the Springboks this week is that they will have to improve by at least 10 percent in every facet of their game if they hope to beat an All Blacks team that ominously hit their straps last week with a 62-point demolition of France.

That is the view of Bryan Habana, an elder statesman in the Bok team and a veteran of 22 Tests against the All Blacks.

Habana has been on the winning side in eight of those matches, and lost 14 times, so if ever there is a player to run the rule over the current Kiwi vintage, it is the Springbok record try scorer.

“First of all, everyone knows that New Zealand have been the No 1 team for the last four years. They have been playing some fantastic rugby and the performance they put in last Saturday was really special against the French.

“To beat New Zealand, you have to be better than your ‘usual’ best in every facet of play. Your discipline has to be unbelievably good. Your defence has to be as sound. Your physicality and intensity has to go 10 notches up. You know you are in for a massive 85-90 minute game,” Habana said.

“We understand the threat they pose and that if we do not substantially improve on how we played against Wales, we are not going to win,” he said.

“It is going to be an awesome semi-final against our arch-rivals and the good news it that whenever we play them, our intensity automatically lifts significantly.”

Habana said that every instinct of a Springbok when fac- ing the Haka was to prove himself against the world’s best.

“You desire to lift your game sub-consciously jumps up just at the sight of those black jerseys,” he said. “That intensity, that physicality, that pressure cauldron you are thrust into tends to bring the best out of you for 80 minutes.

“The challenge that lies ahead now is that we have been playing knockout rugby every week for the last six weeks, but we are going to need to be better in every area of the game if we want to beat an All Blacks side that is arguably the best I have seen.”

Habana said the traditional rivalry between the teams would be heightened because the stakes are so high — a place in the World Cup final.

“I think South Africa v New Zealand clashes have always been special. It is a massive honour and privilege to play against the best team in the world and their players tell us they still regard us as their traditional foe.

“It can’t get much better than playing against your old enemy in a semi-final of the World Cup, only playing them in the final would eclipse it,” the 32-year-old said.

“We have two sides who are hitting good form and two sides that are wanting to do their country proud. Both sides have a lot of legends who might not be playing post this World Cup so it is going to be truly epic.”

Habana said that both teams would want to put on a display of rugby that would showcase the best of the Southern Hemisphere, and make rugby something to be endeared and watched.

“I think both teams in their all-round play have really improved. I think New Zealand’s attacking flair has been very impressive to watch,” Habana said.

“After our knock-down in round one, the way we have got back up and stayed standing has been pretty special. Going into this weekend, both teams are going to lay everything out there on the field.

“It is going to be huge”.