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Cronje: There's no pressure on me

Cronje missed his side's 0-57 defeat to New Zealand due to a "viral illness". He has since recovered and is set to make a return to the No.9 jersey at the Free State Stadium, where many believe that he will make a big difference. 

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"First of all, I would have loved to play that game [in Albany]," said Cronje.

"I love big games like that, I love a challenge. I don't feel that there is pressure on me. It is not an individual sport, it is a team sport and I believe the guys around me will make my life a lot easier [against the Wallabies]. 

"I am excited to be back – the team hasn't been announced yet, but I am just excited to be back in the mix."

Cronje: There's no pressure on meThe Boks are still hurting after their humiliation in Albany and Cronje said he and his teammates are hungry to show what they are capable of against Australia.

"Obviously we were hurting from that past game, but that is in the past now. 

"We've got to focus on this weekend and we got to go out there and perform. 

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"The whole of South Africa expects the Springboks to win and to put a good performance out there. That is what international rugby is about and that is what we intend to do," the 28-year-old scrumhalf added.

If the Boks are to turn things around against the Wallabies they will need to put in a better performance in the set pieces.

Allister Coetzee's side was shocking in that aspect of the game against the All Blacks in Albany, but Cronje believes his forwards will come good in Bloemfontein. 

"I just think it was a bad day at the office. Those things happen.

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"If you have a look in the previous games, that [set piece] was our strength and going forward the guys have reevaluated everything. 

"They [forwards] have done a lot of homework in line-outs and scrums and I do believe they are going to fix it this weekend," said Cronje.

By Warren Fortune, in Bloemfontein

@FortuneWarren

@rugby365com

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