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Sir John Kirwan on the Springbok strength 'you can't measure'
By Ned Lester
The bright lights of the Rugby World Cup have once again proved to be a whole different challenge compared to any other stage in World Rugby. The teams with championship pedigree have progressed over an enthralling quarter-finals weekend in France.
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The Springboks are one of those teams. The reigning champs prevailed in a brutal contest against tournament hosts France, facing the might of the Antoine Dupont-led team and their uproarious fans in Paris.
There was just a single point in it after 80 minutes of gruelling action and in the end with that slightest of leads, South Africa backed their defence to finish the job.
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Replacement halfback Faf de Klerk kicked the ball back to France in the 79th minute, a striking statement of just how confident the Springboks are in their ability to absorb pressure, even in the dying moments.
Former All Black Sir John Kirwan was impressed by the winning effort.
“You know what you can’t measure that the South African side are very good at? Pressure,” he told Sky Sport.
“They deal with it really, really well. They know it’s coming, we saw it in the last 20 minutes.
“I just think that it’s all planned out. I think they’re meticulous planners and I don’t know how they’re going to play against England because they might come out with another game plan.
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“I think their game plan against France was very different to what they play on other occasions, so they’ll have it all planned out.”
Knockout
11 - 12
Final
6 - 44
SF1
15 - 16
SF2
17 - 29
QF1
24 - 28
QF2
30 - 24
QF3
28 - 29
QF4
The Springboks’ semi-final clash pits the three-time champions against their 2019 Rugby World Cup final opponents, England.
There have been two heated Tests between the two nations since that final, with the record split one each. However, with a poor run of results to end 2022, England parted ways with coach Eddie Jones and the team has been forced to rebuild quickly, limiting expectations for their World Cup campaign.
“Pressure is an amazing thing. Who’s under pressure now? Not Argentina. Not England.
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“South Africa and New Zealand are under pressure as the incumbent one and two now. South Africa, incumbent world champions.
“So, England and Argentina go into it with nothing to lose and that makes it a little bit easier for you.”
The South Africans will be full of confidence having downed the hosts who were one of the leading favourites to lift the Webb Ellis Cup in two weeks’ time.
Kirwan said it was a well-executed performance by Jacques Nienaber’s side.
“I think just their balance was way better, I’ve been critical of them in the past, sometimes using the boot too much but I think they got the mix incredibly right.
“The back three were bringing the ball back strong, their kicking game was a little bit shorter. Their first two tries came from errors from France.
“France were good early but South Africa just know how to finish those games off.
“A bit of controversy around the HIA with guys coming on and off, but that’s South Africa, they know how to use the rules and they know how to really put pressure on the opposition. So, you’ve got to say the best team won.”
Bill!! Get your facts right you always get it wrong, why lreland lost? They lost because they were not good enough,secondly every team cheats but they must cheat very clever, cos TMO is watching the referee & his 2 assistance are watching, for U to say Boks lost deliberately to Ireland l think is absolutely rubbish which doesn’t need any recognition
Bill grow up, take the magnificent way that is legendary in which the Bokke play and being coached as talent and simply the best,,the scoreboard have no place for pathetic comments mate..
The last paragraph says it all. Knowing that you have all the WR officials on your team cannot be valued. In spite if this, I just can’t see us getting into the final again, we just aren’t there yet but Borthwick will hopefully do some good things in the next 4 years.
I have noted the sudden rise in affection from the All Blacks towards Springboks’ rugby after this performance. Love it or hate it, it was heroic, from both teams. The French gave everything and outplayed us, but we still won fair and square.
It was a similar game to the one played between New Zealand and Ireland, France and Ireland were after our scalps! And although New Zealand were slightly less uncomfortable in the way they won, both games hung in the balance until the last second and both winners displayed fairly deep courage in order to to win it for their people. Because it means a lot to the Kiwies when the All Blacks play well. It’s not only the South Africans who play for their people.
I also noted the support for the reeling All Blacks from a lot of ex-SBok players and fans before the Ireland game and their cheers when the men in black showed their metal. I absolutely love to hear Marshal or Merthen’s comment on the game because they are straight and unbiased. Man, it’s always a delight! They are the Kiwi archetypes. I really enjoyed these expressions of affection despite disagreeing on certain rugby ethics, and I wish they would influence both fan groups’ perception.
May be I’m being romantic, but I feel privileged to be part of this friendship-rivalry or friendly rivalry (and I can’t omit the rise of Ireland as a rugby super power and even France) where the 2 rugby giants of our era might be on a collision course come the RWC final. You can’t really compare their styles, but their quality as men is comparable. These 2 last games displayed this. And we are on the cusp of what we wished for since 1995, that the 2 would meet in a RWC final.
Well, we’re very close to get what we wished for, and win or lose, what a wonderful feeling to anticipate such feat!!!
Good luck to the Kiwis, we love you!
Green and Gold blood…
Conrad🖕
Interesting how quickly the conspiracy theorists jump feet first into the fray. South Africa “deliberately” lost to Ireland to avoid facing the All Blacks in the quarters. South Africa took four scrum halves to the RWC so that one or two of them could get “injured” and allow the call up of Pollard and Am. Now “Boks coaching staff have cheated”…………………………..
A bit of controversy?
World rugby needs to urgently investigate who called for HIA’s, with five minutes left the Bok hooker was taken off as ‘HIA’ and many other instances.
I hate to say it but from where I'm standing it looks like the Boks coaching staff have cheated, utilising a system set up to protect the players they've ran an interchange bench like in rugby league.
This of course can only be done via ‘HIA’ once the bench has already been emptied.
France used the HIA ethically and their reward was to be up against refreshed forwards, losing by one point. If it can be proven that Rassie gamed the HIA system the Boks should be defaulted as it's really the same as if they were micro dosing. Rassie should then be censured with consideration for another lengthy ban, perhaps permanent from coaching at a senior level.
World rugby needs to urgently ban the coaching staff from calling for or instructing their medical staff to invoke HIA and appoint neutral medical officers to oversee that important safety protocol for the remainder of the world cup.