After a resounding win over Japan to kick off their end-of-year tour in style, the Springboks departed for Paris on Sunday to begin their preparations for a huge Test against France this weekend.
It will be a rematch of the unforgettable 2023 World Cup quarter-final – regarded by many as one of the greatest international games of all time – and there will plenty at stake when these two teams go head-to-head once again, while Siya Kolisi is also set to earn his 100th Test cap.
Kick off for the Springboks’ clash against France is at 22:10 (SA time)
On Saturday, the Springboks scored eight tries and were awarded a penalty try and limited Japan to only a converted try for their efforts, and while it was a fantastic start to the tour, Rassie Erasmus said the next few weeks would pose completely different challenges.
“We know what it’s like to play France away from home. The passion, intensity, and atmosphere in which you play there is very different.
“I think we have sufficient depth, experience and youth in the team, but it’s a totally different ball game going there.
“It’s a pressure cooker, and it gets to you. We beat them in the (2023) World Cup quarter-final, but we know how close that match was, so it’s a massive game, and then there’s Ireland ahead as well as Italy and Wales.
“So, although we are building, we need to keep reminding one another about that. We knew what was coming at Eden Park (against New Zealand), and we couldn’t pull it through, so we have to do some intelligent and physical stuff to pull it through next week.”
Special milestone loading
After earning his 99th cap against Japan, Kolisi was equally pleased for his team and said the versatility within the group and the support they enjoyed really carried them through at Wembley Stadium.
“It’s good to have versatile players, so the coaches can pick who they want on the day, and that helps a lot if there is an injury in the game, and it enables us to adjust and not panic,” said Kolisi, who opened the scoring with his 14th Test try.
“It was special to see the people come out in numbers and enjoy the match and even wait around at the end in the rain. We have four more matches on tour, and we need them, so we encourage them to come to the games, and we’d like to thank them for their support tonight.”
