Bok playmakers: Italy Test laid foundation for Le Bleus showdown
SPOTLIGHT: Springbok backline duo Damian Willemse and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu said their 66-7 Nations Championship victory over Italy set the perfect platform for their upcoming Test against France in Paris.
The duo pulled the strings against the Azzurri as the Boks powered to a 45-0 lead at the break, with Feinberg-Mngomezulu scoring the opening 10 points of the match in as many minutes with a penalty, try and conversion to boot.
Feinberg-Mngomezulu credited the team with not getting loose when the game broke open and said the Boks’ performance was far from finished.
“We did very well at the start of the match to stick to our structures,” The Bok playmaker said.
“It was far from a perfect performance from us; we still have a lot to work on for the next three big fixtures.”
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The Bok flyhalf also explained why the match against Italy was the perfect preparation heading into the rest of the tournament.
“The nice thing about these back-to-back fixtures, your preparation from week to week all accumulates by the time you need it the most.
“Next week [against Ireland] we’re heading into that clash with two weeks of preparation under our belts, which will help us, and I think we set a good foundation [against Italy] and it’s a good confidence booster for the boys.
“But it’s also a great reality check to know that we are not nearly where we need to be.
“I think it’s a really special feeling to get into a change room after a match and not be 100 percent happy with the performance you put out there despite the lopsided scoreline.”
Fullback Willemse echoed Feinberg-Mngomezulu’s sentiments.
“It definitely prepared us well for the upcoming fixtures; our first half start against Italy was crucial, and on top of that our conversion rate was key, especially when we got into their 22 metre area.
“We converted some of our opportunities, and that’s something we are pleased with, but as Sacha said, there are still some work-ons for us heading into the Paris Test when coming up against a tough French team.
“So there is still some stuff to work on, but we are quite happy with some areas of our game.”
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Willemse added: “For us, going into the Paris Test, we know what we are in for.
“Last year against France was a tough match; we only managed to break through around the 70th minute mark to secure the win.
“We’re just focusing on the next task and areas we need to improve on, and then we’ll take it from there.
“This coming Friday will be a massive one, so we’ll keep our focus on that.”
Watch the full interview below…
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