Kolbe: Boks determined to avoid another ‘Blou Maandag’
IN THE SPOTLIGHT: The Springboks knew another defeat to the All Blacks would not sit well with South African supporters.
After suffering a bruising 16-33 defeat at Ellis Park, South Africa responded in emphatic fashion, producing a hard-fought 33-26 victory over New Zealand at DHL Stadium in Cape Town.
The result levelled the Greatest Rivalry series at 1-1, with two Tests still to come.
While the All Blacks crossed the try line four times to the Springboks’ three, Cheslin Kolbe’s accuracy off the tee proved decisive.
The winger contributed 18 points, landing three conversions and four penalties.
Kolbe, who will shift to fullback for the third Test, admitted the disappointment of the Ellis Park defeat was still evident around the Springbok camp during the build-up to the second Test.
“We could feel the atmosphere, not negativity but less energy, throughout the week because of the loss last week,” Kolbe told reporters at DHL Stadium.
“As they always say, when we lose, it’s ‘n Blou Maandag’ [a Blue Monday]. We felt that, but we just wanted to rectify it.
“It wasn’t easy at all; we needed to stay in the fight. It’s going to be like that for the next two matches.”
The Springboks will now travel to FNB Stadium knowing the All Blacks will be desperate to respond and reclaim the advantage in the series.
Kolbe expects a fired-up New Zealand side in the third Test.
“When you lose, the team is always going to come back with a point to prove,” Kolbe admitted.
“We need to go back on Monday and see where we didn’t capitalise on opportunities.
“New Zealand are a quality team; they attack well and they cut us open a few times. We definitely need to look at where we can improve and get better as a team.”
Best known for his phenomenal side-stepping ability, blistering pace and exceptional aerial skills, the 32-year-old has added another valuable weapon to his Springbok arsenal.
The winger has emerged as an increasingly reliable goal-kicking option for the world champions.
And while it may appear to be a relatively new role for the Stormers-bound star, Kolbe revealed that he has been working on his goal-kicking throughout his professional career.
“I’ve been doing it, I’ve been training since I started my professional career,” Kolbe said.
“This season in Japan, I had the responsibility of taking over the goal-kicking, and that’s contributed to my style and technique.
“I can also give credit to the coaches in Japan, and Tony [Brown] in the Springbok set-up is doing a few things for me so I can get more consistency.
“That’s the same for every rugby player. You always need to bring something new to the team. It’s [about] contributing to the team’s success.”
