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Cobus Reinach downplays pressure talk on Bok with 'rugby in his blood'

Cobus Reinach/ PA

South Africa head coach Rassie Erasmus scoffed at the idea of dropping rookie flyhalf Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu to the bench this weekend for the visit from the All Blacks, emphasising that they have been building towards this moment for him all year.

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The six-cap Springbok may only be 22 years of age, but he has overcome every challenge thrown his way so far since making his debut against Wales in June, so the only logical step for Erasmus was to see how he fares against their greatest rivals.

Feinberg-Mngomezulu’s selection at flyhalf for round three of the Rugby Championship may have surprised many who expected the Boks to revert to a more experienced side. Springboks legend Percy Montgomery was one who was fairly convinced that Handre Pollard would start at Ellis Park when joining RugbyPass TV’s most recent episode of the Boks OfficeBut Erasmus has never been afraid to make big calls.

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Percy Montgomery on the greatest players he played with and against | RPTV

Springbok legend Percy Montgomery chats about some of the All Black greats in the latest episode of Boks Office, available now on RugbyPass TV.

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Percy Montgomery on the greatest players he played with and against | RPTV

Springbok legend Percy Montgomery chats about some of the All Black greats in the latest episode of Boks Office, available now on RugbyPass TV.

WATCH NOW

This match is perhaps as big as Test rugby gets outside of the World Cup, and is indeed a repeat of the World Cup final last October. But Feinberg-Mngomezulu’s halfback partner Cobus Reinach has backed his teammate to rise to the occasion, saying he has “rugby in his blood”.

The Montpellier No9 knows a “big team effort” will be required to win in Johannesburg, but has downplayed any suggestion that there is pressure on his young teammate.

Fixture
Rugby Championship
South Africa
31 - 27
Full-time
New Zealand
All Stats and Data

“Sacha has rugby in his blood,” he said. “I saw a thank you speech he did when he was 13 years-old, and that’s the type of confidence he has on the field.

“When he goes out there, he just wants to express himself, and as a team we all back him.

“He may be young, but he is not under pressure. We all have a job to do, and we back each other to do it, so if someone makes a mistake, we help each other, try to fix it, and move onto the next job.”

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H
Hellhound 1 hour ago
South Africa will beat England at a canter

You forget that this was the 3rd Test between the AB's and the English this year. They were prepared and they knew how to keep NZ quiet. The Boks is not NZ.


The Boks is a whole other level. You overestimate England and underestimate the Boks. Clearly you haven't really looked at the teams. Besides the Irish games earlier this year, the Boks have mainly used experimental sides, even against the AB's.


Now they have chosen their best team available. They have targeted this game. The Boks mean business. Man for man, this Bok team is better. In strategy and player abilities there is no comparison and they are outmatched.


There isn't just monster strength, but unreal speed. In broken play there is currently no better team as well as defensively, not to even talk about the attacking threat, both from front and the back.


I'd say read between the lines, see what everyone is seeing, but clearly you are wearing blinders and is also putting too much emphasis on an AB's team the Boks beat twice this year, the same AB's that beaten England 3 times this year.


When Rassie gets serious, the players become machines. There is no stopping them. That bench is loaded with players that is fast, strong and have exceptional skills. This is a team not many teams will face before the 2027 WC, because the Boks doesn't use their best between WC's in one game. All experimental.


You will be proven wrong on Saturday and then you will wonder how you could have been so wrong. This Bok team means serious business. They came to conquer and not just by a close score. They want to demolish and they will. This England team at most is a 60 min team. Against the Boks that just won't cut it

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H
Hellhound 1 hour ago
South Africa will beat England at a canter

Not bizarre, but needed. Everyone usually lifts their game against the Boks. Now instead of facing reality, they prefer to live in the past and look hopefully toward the score of the WC semi, hoping they can recreate that result and by some miracle snatch a victory.


It's better than the alternative knowing what is going to happen. Especially looking at the experimental squads the Boks put up against the Wallabies in the RC, not using their best team. That same Wallabies beat them last week.


Now the Boks isn't using an experimental squad. They put out as close to the strongest team the Boks have available at the moment. That must scare the pants off of them. If an experimental squad can destroy the Wallabies, what would the strongest team be able to do to the English?


Instead of sinking into dispear, they prefer to hope that their players can match the Boks. Even though they know what is coming. The English are scared and they won't show it.


Now imagine how Wales must feel knowing they are up next weekend? They don't even have the dubious record of at least close losses like the English. It's a complete nightmare for these 2 countries and rightly so.


The Boks usually take the pedal of the medal post WC's, but not this Bok team. They are better than the WC winning Boks of both '19 and '23. They are stronger up front. They are faster at the back. They can hit front and back. In broken play they are the most dangerous team. They have the best defence and attack also scoring the most tries.


In a way I feel sorry for both the English and Wales. Only those with blinders on expects a close game. Looking at both teams man to man, strategy to strategy, play to play, they are so outmatched it would be a joke if it wasn't so serious. We need the NH to be strong and we need the gap to become closer in rugby so the game stay exciting because runaway scores sometimes is fun, but it doesn't bring as much joy as a close game won.

14 Go to comments
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