VIDEO: It's going to be a brutal game of 'patience'
INTERVIEW: No quarter will be asked, nor given when world No.1 Ireland hosts South Africa in what is set to be a brutal game of patience at Lansdowne Road in Dublin on Saturday.
Springbok captain Siyamthanda Kolisi vowed that his team would give everything when facing off against the men from the Emerald Isle in the match of the weekend.
The Springboks know they can reclaim the top spot on the world rankings with a comprehensive win in Dublin, but getting a win is not going to be easy – let alone the 15-point margin that is required.
In fact, Kolisi expects a brutal arm wrestle in the Irish capital.
The Springbok skipper said while a victory would require an effective performance all around, he singled out the breakdowns and defence as two vital areas in the match.
“The breakdown is going to big this weekend,” he told a media gathering during his traditional pre-match captain’s briefing, adding: “If you look at their loose forwards and locks, and also what they’ve done against us in the past.
“Their lock Tadhg Beirne and prop Andrew Porte are very good at the breakdown.
“So that’s going to be important for them securing the ball and forcing us trying to slow their ball down.
“We know they are capable of and don’t mind going to 15-plus phases.”
Kolisi said while the Irish will test the Bok defence, South Africa trust themselves and their systems.
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“You know we’ve done it before and believe we can do it again,” he said of holding out in the face of repeated raids on their line.
“It’s all going to be about patience in the game,” the Bok captain said.
“It is about being disciplined during those phases.”
He also touched on the threat the hosts’ halfback pairing of scrumhalf Conor Murray – who will earn play his 100th Test for the Irish this weekend – and Johnny flyhalf Sexton would pose.
“Johnny Sexton has a big boot.
“You know if we give penalties away, he will put us back in our 22.
“So I think discipline and patience are going to be important.”
Asked if the ghosts of their 3-38 loss to Ireland five years ago were in the back of their minds going into this match, Kolisi said: “We touched on the last match we played against Ireland here and looking back, it was one of the darkest days for us, but this is a new team, and we want to build on what we have done this year.
“We are the third-ranked team in the world and they are No.1, and we plan to give everything against them.”
