VIDEO: Siya wants an 'ugly, but beautiful' game
Don’t expect a try feast or a touch-rugby game with lots of expansive play.
When South Africa faces off against arch-rivals New Zealand at Twickenham in a World Cup warm-up game on Friday it will be brutal.
Or as Springbok captain Siya Kolisi suggested, ugly and beautiful at the same time.
Kolisi, fronting up to the media at his traditional pre-match captain’s briefing, said the Boks are treating this game as vital for fine-tuning before the World Cup.
“The fact that the All Blacks selected a full-strength side for the match shows their intent,” Kolisi said.
“This is not a friendly.
“In fact, we’ve never had a friendly against them.
“It’s going to be a big physical battle, and we are excited about it.”
As one of the biggest rivalries in the sport, the sell-out 82,000 crowd will be richly rewarded.
“We will not hold anything back,” the Bok skipper said.
“There are 82,000 people coming to see us and we don’t want to disappoint those who have paid money to watch this game.”
Kolisi said this is perfect ‘preparation’ for the World Cup.
“It’s our last match before the World Cup, so we want to make the most of the occasion.
“You want to test yourselves against the best.
“You go flat out and see what works and what doesn’t work.
“Hopefully it will be an ugly, tough game, but also beautiful at the same time.”
(WATCH as Springbok captain Siya Kolisi fronts up to the media ahead of his team’s encounter with the All Blacks at Twickenham on Friday…)
The Springbok skipper admitted he’s relieved to be involved after battling back from knee surgery in April, which had threatened his participation at the World Cup.
“I felt good this week, and going into the match I’ll give as much as I can again, and see for how long I can go,” said Kolisi.
“Everything I wondered about I experienced last week, so I am certainly feeling more confident and I’m not going to hold back.”
Springbok assistant coach Mzwandile Stick expected an equally epic challenge.
“Playing against the All Blacks is always tough,” he said.
“So, this will be a good measure for the guys to test themselves before the World Cup.”
The Springboks’ next assignment after this Test will be to defend their World Cup title in France, where they will line up against Scotland (September 10), Romania (September 17), Ireland (September 23) and Tonga (October 1) in the pool stages.
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