Heat is on de Villiers’ wounded Springboks

SPRINGBOKS captain Jean de Villiers insists that today’s encounter with Samoa is a must-win for a nation still struggling to come to terms with their loss to Japan. South Africa is still in shock at the reverse to Eddie Jones’ side and the criticism of their team has been fierce. Fikile Mbalula, South Africa’s sports minister, has warned them that they will be branded ‘a bunch of losers’ should they fail to improve on last weekend’s display. Coach Heyneke Meyer was quick to ‘apologise to the nation’ immediately after the Japan defeat, but his efforts to appease supporters and the media alike have not been terribly successful. Not least after making eight changes only to stand by de Villiers, whom it is felt has not recovered sufficiently from serious knee and jaw injuries to warrant a place in the squad. ‘This kind of thing can break a country apart,’ admitted de Villiers. ‘Rugby is just a game to most people, but in South Africa it is so much more than a game. We have a responsibility to people. ‘We need to stand up. We got ourselves in this position and now we have to get ourselves out of it.’ Notoriously physical, Samoa do represent dangerous opponents for the two-time world champions, but anything other than victory cannot be entertained. As Meyer himself said this week, it is ‘a game the whole country depends on’.