Kolisi - Urgency at breakdowns key for Boks
Springbok captain Siya Kolisi is well aware of the threat the All Blacks pose at the breakdown ahead of their Rugby World Cup opener in Yokohama on Saturday.
All Blacks coach Steve Hansen’s announcement on Thursday sent a clear message of their intent to disrupt the Springboks at ruck time this weekend.
The selection of both Sam Cane and Ardie Savea, two out-and-out fetchers, is going to keep the Springboks honest at the breakdown and could prove to be a major factor in the outcome of the eagerly awaited Pool B clash.
Given that Springboks director of rugby Rassie Erasmus has selected a bulky forward pack for the encounter, a lot of the responsibility is going to fall on the shoulders of Siya Kolisi.
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The Springbok skipper will be tasked with working quickly to the breakdown point to nullify the threat of Cane and Savea in open play. While Springbok number 8 Duane Vermeulen has a reputation for forcing turnovers himself, he’ll be doing a lot more of the work on the carry.
Speaking at the captain’s press conference on Friday morning at the International Stadium Yokohama, Kolisi cut a calm and collected figure as he addressed the upcoming battle between the two teams’ loose trios.
“I know how good they are. I’ve played against them for a while, me and Sam Cane played each other in the U20s so I’ve known him for a while and we chat and learn a few things from each other. You can’t wait for the ref to help you at the breakdown. They’ve been doing it for a while and they’ve been doing well, Ardie had the most steals in Super Rugby,” Kolisi said.
“We’re going to have to sort it out ourselves, we’re going to have to get in there quickly. That’s where they were strong in the game we played in Pretoria last year. That’s where they won the game. It’s a big focus for us because it can be won or lost there.”
Calm before the storm
Both the New Zealand and South African camps have had an air of calm in the build up to the big Test this week.
Both players and coaches have been laid back and fairly jovial before a match that is being touted as the final before the final. It is easy to get over excited in the days before big matches and Kolisi says the Springboks have tempered that by focusing on training while enjoying the sights and sounds of Tokyo’s famous Shibuya Crossing.
“We’ve had two weeks before this week here, the people have been amazing and the facilities are top quality. We’ve worked hard on the training fields and done a bit of sightseeing,” the Springbok captain said.
“Since we got here now, walking around Shibuya Crossing you can feel the excitement and you can that people are very keen and vibing, the buzz has been great. We’ve been looking forward to this moment and I think there’s no better way than to start a tournament like this. We know people at home are excited. I’m really looking forward to it and I hope it’s an amazing Test.”
The Springboks face the All Blacks in Yokohama on Saturday. Kickoff is at 12h15 South African time.
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