Springbok captain Siya Kolisi and assistant coach Mzwandile Stick billed their penultimate Castle Lager Rugby Championship match against the Pumas in Durban this afternoon as a “semi-final” and said they would treat the visitors with the “respect” they deserve going into the crucial encounter.
Kick-off for the match is at 5:00pm.
With the Wallabies, Boks, All Blacks, and Argentina all still in the title race, Kolisi and Stick expected a blockbuster encounter, but they stressed that they were completely focused on what they wanted to achieve in the match.
“We all know what’s at stake,” Kolisi told SA Rugby. “They are a team that brings physicality and skill, so they are certainly not going to just give this game to us. So, for the team, it will be about doing our best to give ourselves the best possible chance to win the match and stay in the running for the title.”
Praise for the opposition
Kolisi added: “The Pumas are extremely professional on and off the field, and they always play with passion, so we are under no illusions about the challenge ahead.
“But at the same time, we want to do something we’ve never done before, and that’s to win back-to-back Rugby Championship titles, so we have a lot of motivation within this group as well.”
Zooming into the threats the Pumas posed, Kolisi said: “Their coaching staff have done very well to bring the team together, and they have a good pack, while they also play with more structure, but still have that flair in broken play, so they are a dangerous team to face.”
Carrot and Stick
Stick echoed Kolisi’s sentiments and added that they had set specific goals for the match and that those would be their main focus points, rather than zooming too much into what the opposition would do.
“That said, the main aspect for us is to keep improving. We’ve had a few inconsistent performances this season, and over and above that, Argentina are also in a good space, and they have players who have been playing together for a few years, so they are a settled outfit.
“We are also mindful of the fact that they are still in the title race, so they’ll give everything.”
Kolisi expected a massive breakdown battle and said: “They have physical and very experienced loose forwards and we’ve been playing against them for years, but similarly to them, Jasper (Wiese), Pieter-Steph (du Toit), and I complement one another really well, and we know who needs to fulfil each role according to our strengths.”
The Bok captain admitted that while it was a special match for the team, given that it marks their last match in South Africa for the year, they would be driven by their on-field objectives, as opposed to putting up a good show.
“For us, it’s not about putting on a show,” added Kolisi. “We are playing Test rugby, and this match is basically a semi-final for us because Argentina, the All Blacks, and Wallabies can also still win the Castle Lager Rugby Championship, so for us the focus is on getting the desired result.”
