Good vibes and strong set piece, Boks are ready for Soweto – Ruan Nortje
· Citizen
There is a good vibe in the Springbok camp and the players are looking forward to playing at the 94,000 capacity FNB Stadium in Soweto on Saturday, according to lock Ruan Nortje.
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It is a crucial third Test of Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry, with the Boks and All Blacks locked level at one-all after the first two Tests at Ellis Park and the Cape Town Stadium.
On Tuesday Nortje said that not much had changed in the camp form last week in Cape Town when they were preparing for the second match after losing the opener.
“The vibe has been really good. It’s not very different to last week. We know they got the better of us in that first Test, and for us it’s all about sticking to our processes,” explained Nortje.
“We are working hard every week, and this week it’s exactly the same. Just sticking to our processes, and when we work, we work as hard as possible.”
Set piece performance
Asked about the Boks’ strong performance in the lineouts and mauls during the second Test, Nortje admitted that they had gotten the better of the All Blacks, but that there was still plenty to work on and improve going into this weekend’s match.
“Our set piece (in general) was good. But we will never be satisfied with just good. We always strive to be as good as possible and I think we just want to be better,” said Nortje.
“Some weeks they’ve got your number, some weeks you’ve got theirs, that’s the quality you’re up against. It’s about making sure that when we’re in camp we work as hard as possible, put plans in place to put them under pressure, and I’m sure they’ll have their own plans for this weekend too.
“It’s about handling it when they put us under pressure and adapting as quickly as possible, especially in that situation in the game.”
The Boks haven’t played at the FNB Stadium since 2013, when they thrashed Argentina. Before that they lost twice to the All Blacks there in 2010 and 2012, with only Eben Etzebeth and captain Siya Kolisi of the current group having played at the ground.
“I think it’ll be an amazing experience. Last week was 56,000 people (in Cape Town), this week it might be 85,000 or 90,000. We can only imagine how awesome that will be,” said Nortje.
“No matter where we play, we know what we have to do and what we have to stick to. It’ll just be awesome to have that many people supporting you, feeding off them, getting energy from them, and enjoying every moment.”
Talking to the ref
With the Boks having struggled with some of the reffing decisions over the two Tests so far, particularly in the scrums in the second Test, Nortje explained how he approaches talking to the ref as a captain.
“I’m only captain at the Bulls, so I can speak to that. You’ve got to understand where the referee is at in the game and how he’s communicating,” explained Nortje.
“Certain referees have different styles, different profiles, different ways of communicating and running the game, so it’s important to understand the person you’re working with, and what the best way and the best time is to talk to him, and when not to.
“If you feel like you’re not getting the rub of the green from the ref, for me it’s about standing back a bit, making sure you work through your own actions in the game, play as close to the laws as possible, and then leave it to him to make his decision rather than putting too much pressure on him.”