Stick: 'Eddie can take players to dark places'
NEWS: Springbok assistant coach Mzwandile Stick says Wallaby coach Eddie Jones can take players to dark places to get the best out of them and that is why the visitors will be an unknown factor for the Springboks in their opening Rugby Championship game at Loftus on Saturday.
Stick and captain Duane Vermeulen faced the media on Friday and emphasised the importance of being at the top of their game as they are not sure what to expect of Jones’ new Australian team.
Both teams will take the field for the first time this season in a Test which both sides will target for a victory to set the tone for what is a very important season with the World Cup kicking off in September.
The visitors will have the extra motivation of possibly making history by becoming the first Australian team to win at Loftus Versfeld – a factor the Boks are well aware of.
“A Test against Australia is always big,” said Stick. “The match was sold out a long time ago, and the boys are excited. So it’s going to be a big game.
“They have a strong team and they’ll be up for it. We’ve tried to analyse them and we know what we’ve looked at won’t be 100 percent correct because Eddie [Jones] can take the players to dark places to get the best out of them.
“Having been involved with the Springboks in 2007 he also knows South Africa’s strengths, so we are expecting to face a team that is highly motivated and who will want to impress Eddie.
“They’ll come to Pretoria wanting to change history.”
Stick, however, said there was an air of excitement in the Bok camp for the clash: “There’s a big feeling of excitement in the squad, especially with it being a World Cup year. The balance of youth and experience in this team excites me, and there are some guys coming back from injury. So, I like what I’m seeing.
“That said, we know if we are not at our best, it could be a long day because this is a good Australian side and they have a lot of experienced players in the squad,” he added.
With Australia being somewhat of an unknown factor, Vermeulen said he and his teammates had to be ready for anything Australia produced on the day.
“We have to be adaptable,” said Vermeulen. “We have our plan, and they’ll have theirs, but we’ll have to see how things play out and make plans accordingly. It will come down to us stopping what they bring.”
On being handed the captain’s armband, Vermeulen said: “It’s unbelievable to have the honour of leading a Springbok team, and we’ll go out there and give our best. There are a few players in the team that have captained their club or franchise teams, so we can make decisions together.
“My thing is, I want to contribute as much as I can. If it’s on the pitch and playing, or if it’s off the pitch supporting the guys and helping the younger guys coming through.
“If I can be a part of this squad, it’s the best feeling in the world for me. That’s my personal view. Everyone has their own view about it.
“I would love to contribute in any way that I can and for as long as I can. If I am a player or if not, that’s up to the guys who make the decisions.”
