Frightening times for wee abs and their nervous supporters!
Ex Supersport
Springbok captain Jean de Villiers is adamant – the Boks have firmly set their sights on beating New Zealand this year. (I guess Oz has simialr plans)
After two years where they have lost both home and away to the reigning World Champions, this Springbok team sees a win over the old foe as important to continue their development as a team and to take another step forward in the evolution of the Boks under coach Heyneke Meyer. (Note the word evolution Snapster - here sed in a benign manner)
At the Chris Burger/Petro Jackson Springbok banquet on Tuesday night, De Villiers made the bold assertion that this Bok side would break their drought against the All Blacks this year.(Well why not - we outplayed them in 3 of the last 4 tests)
True he was playing the crowd, who had all paid to come and meet their Bok heroes, but there was also a serious side to matters as the Boks want a victory to confirm they are on an upward trend heading towards next year’s Rugby World Cup.
Last year there was enough evidence that this could happen and was it not for the Romain Poite incident in Auckland, it may already have happened there.(QUITE SO WE ALL SHOULD KNOW THAT!!!)
At Ellis Park the Boks were forced into playing an expansive game plan, a game which exposed some of their weaknesses and forced them to look for a bonus point. In the end the All Blacks were just too streetsmart and way too good to be beaten with an expansive game plan and the Boks paid the price.
But in both those games there were elements that would make any Bok coach happy. The Boks managed to rattle the All Blacks, score tries against them and both in Auckland and in Dunedin the previous year where kicking woes cost them victory, there was evidence that this side is maturing fast. (QUITE SO WE ALL SHOULD KNOW THAT!!)
Add to that the way the Boks have been scoring tries (hENCE NO WORRIES ABOUT aRGIES IN aRGENTIANA AS WELL). Those who beat the same old drum about one-dimensional rugby should think again given the Boks scored 47 tries in 12 tests to the All Blacks 51 in 14 tests last year and have already scored 23 tries in four games this year. Things are changing fast and the Boks are evolving. (cOULD ALL THE OAKS GET UPTODATE)
But despite all of this a win over the old enemy would be the evidence the greater public would want, and the Boks themselves would get a massive boost in confidence going into 2015 if they can achieve it this year.
With only four tests scheduled in 2015 before Rugby’s showpiece event, it is clear why the Boks would want to tick that box this year.
De Villiers reminded all who would listen that the Boks still need to take it one game at a time, and if they wanted to complete their other goal – that of winning this year’s Castle Lager Rugby Championship – they will need to secure wins over the other teams and get bonus points both home and away.
Simply put, to be the best you need to beat the best. But first you need to beat the rest.
“It still is one game at a time, and for us the focus is still on Argentina,” De Villier said.
“But for us to go forward as a team and to make strides as a team, and get confidence going into next year, I think it is important for us to beat the All Blacks.
“We haven’t done so in the last two years, that is one of our goals. We want to be the best team in the world and to get back to No 1. To do that we need to beat them.” (NO PROBLEME - A[PART FROM THE DREADED RAWS ISSUE!!!)
When one sly journalist asked De Villiers would it not be a negative psychological impact if that didn’t happen this year, the Bok captain was keen to remind him that this team doesn’t focus on negativity and would not even think that way.
“I don’t think the focus is just on them, the Wallaby team will be very competitive this year as well. You can’t just focus on one team and think that if you’ve beaten them you’ve made it,” De Villiers explained.
“But it is one of the boxes we haven’t ticked in the last two years and we want to tick it this year and go into next year confident. From a mental and confidence point of view, we take it one step at a time.”
First the Boks need to negotiate home and away games against Los Pumas, who have once again locked themselves away in camp for over a month preparing for their assault.
The Pumas arrive today in South Africa, knowing their task will be great at Loftus Versfeld.
But as they’ve shown before in this Rugby Championship, they can mix it with the best.
The Boks cannot afford to keep one eye on New Zealand at the moment. That time will come but De Villiers knows that when it does, this Bok team needs to be ready to fire.
GO JEAN AND THE BOKKE IT TIME TO TAKE BACK THE NUMBER 1 SPOT THAT THESE AB PRETENDERS HAVE HELD FOR TOO LONG IN RECENT YEARS.
