TOUGH win as Springboks overcome the equally strong New Zealand.
The sold out DHL Stadium in Cape Town also rallied behind the boys, who needed this win having lost last week due to poor handling errors.
The Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry Test- second of the four matches- saw RWC Boks win 33-26.
Flawless kicking performance from Cheslin Kolbe with four penalty goals to add to three conversions of tries by Jesse Kriel, Damian de Allende and captain fantastic Siyamthanda Kolisi, who also scored a try, showed the team was equal to the task. Kolbe was named Man of the Match.
“They are a brilliant team and there are definitely things we must fix,” remarked coach Rassie Erasmus.
“I don’t want to be technical about the edge defence, but they have really smart players, and they are two classes up from what they were last year.
“The one thing we immediately agreed in the changing room is that this is a really good New Zealand team. This week we did a lot of things much better, and I can tell you now that this is not the same New Zealand team we played last year.
“They attacked with width, they got offloads away, they’re really well coached and they’ve got athletes who can beat you on a dime. A couple of more phases at the end and it could have been a draw.”
He continued:” We 100% understand the pressure and why people are upset because no one wants to support a losing team.”
“No one in South Africa wants to support anything that’s not working. A loss here and there doesn’t make you a losing team immediately, but it’s when you go on a losing run that the pressure comes on. But of course, I felt the pressure, I think the players will tell you I felt the pressure. I was nervous.
“We must make sure we’re not comfortable after this win and think we’re all good again because there were things we didn’t do well.”
The match marked the 100th cap for Pieter-Steph du Toit (celebrated the moment with family) who took over the captaincy once Kolisi was replaced in the second half.
“I started at Newlands and now to be here at Cape Town Stadium was very special for me; being able to have all my family here. I’m just very grateful for how things played out,” said Du Toit who was a captain on the day.
Erasmus explained that the late switch of front rows – starting with the trio that had been named on the replacements’ bench – was due to the drier weather conditions.
“The closer we came to the game the weather was said to be dry, so we felt that a front row that was a little bit lighter would be better on a dry field,” he said.
Now the focus turns to the World Cup Stadium- Calabash- just outside Soweto for the final SA leg on Saturday September 5- before they met in London for the final clash the following week.
Kolisi, who averted will be his ‘first game at the stadium in Soweto’, says he ‘looks forward to the experience’.
Kick-off 17:10.
Meanwhile, SA Rugby is seeking legal redress against travel agencies who have claimed that failures on the part of SA Rugby were responsible for fans being left ticketless for Saturday’s Castle Double Malt Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry Test at DHL Stadium- Cape Town.
In subsequent communication with disappointed clients, claims have been made that the issue lay at the door of SA Rugby. This is completely untrue.
Agencies sold the promise of tickets they did not have – and could not secure – for the Test in breach of the events terms and conditions of sale, and without ever having been given access by SA Rugby or its ticketing agency.
These companies acted illegally and recklessly in pursuit of their own commercial gain at the expense of their clients.
SA Rugby has turned the matter over to its attorneys.
Image provided (Man of the Match, Cheslin Kolbe kicked all his conversion against All Blacks on Saturday in Cape Town to equal the series 1-all.)
