THE sold-out ‘Calabash’- FNB Stadium had young and old, all races brazing the cold and wet Joburg to witness the 29-24 Springboks win over the stubborn New Zealand on Saturday afternoon.
With taxis, busses and any form of transportation ferrying excited fans emblazoned with Boks colours and flags, sans vuvuzelas, Boks did what was required of them registering a 2-1 lead in the series.
Soweto was different- it came to an abrupt standstill.
Unfortunately, the injury suffered by on-form Cheslin Kolbe, who left the field with fractured jaw and will not make the trip to the USA next week, as the winning Boks face All Blacks in the ultimate finals of the the Castle Double Malt Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry tour- will be missed, but coach Rassie Erasmus has enough depth to fill in the void.
Talk of coach Erasmus, who substituted his usual track-suits to a formal attire, says he was happy with the performance but as always improvement is needed.
“I know a lot of people said that this is the series here in South Africa, but it is not – we’ve played three games here and we’re one up, but the final game is still to come,” he said.
“I know we can’t lose it anymore because there’s not points difference or tries scored (as a tie breaker). But the trophy was actually designed in two halves to be shared if it’s a draw. So, it’s game on,” remarked the winning Erasmus.
“Hopefully me and Dave (Rennie, All Blacks head coach) will have a beer. His will be a little bit more bitter and mine will be a little sweeter. But then on Sunday we arrive there and we get into camp again.
“We assess the injuries; we start planning and it’s number one and two again. It’s the greatest rivalry and we play to try and win the series, and they will try and to draw the series. So, no, it’s going to be flipping important.”
“Now we’re on the same flight and now we must try and go replicate that in Baltimore. They were definitely on top (in the first half). All of us I think envy the way they can handle the ball and they’re certainly brilliant at that.
Luckily we went in level at halftime which gives you some hope.
“I’m not sure what my heart rate was but we were certainly nervous. And I think they were nervous.
“It’s massive, this is. You’re playing number one and two in the world and it switches one week to the next and it certainly lives up to that (hype), and I can tell you now, we’re not sitting here thinking we are flipping awesome. We’re thinking there was also a lot of luck that that went our way.”
Some of the players remaining with Kolbe because of injuries includes props Carlu Sadie, Boan Venter, Ntuthuko Mchunu, as well as utility forwards Cobus Wiese and Ben-Jason Dixon.
Uility forwards Cobus Wiese, Ben-Jason Dixon, backs Damian Willemse, Grant Williams and Canan Moodie, will travel with the team to Baltimore, fresh from injuries.
As winning captain alluded Siya Kolisi, “for some of us, it was the first playing at the colossal FNB Stadium” and what a way to create another sweet victory, sweet memory for the RWC champs.
All Blacks- intimidated by Sowetans, you might ask…?
Image provided (All Black’s player recorded ‘kissing’ the ground or better still taken to the cleaners as Boks register a win against All Blacks 29-24 at the packed FNB Stadium, Soweto on Saturday afternoon.)
