Kolbe: 'We shouldn't get ahead of ourselves'
SPOTLIGHT: Springbok winger Cheslin Kolbe shared his thoughts regarding his side retaining the Freedom Cup and the upcoming two Tests against Argentina.
Kolbe bagged a brace in the Boks’ demolition job against the All Blacks, defeating their arch rivals by a record 43-10.
After their loss in Auckland in the first Test, it appeared that New Zealand had their mojo back and were en route to reclaiming the Freedom Cup they relinquished to the Boks in Cape Town last year.
The Boks’ win also kept the Rugby Championship race wide open, whereas a New Zealand win would’ve almost certainly made them favourites to clinch the title.
Kolbe highlighted how special it was to retain the Freedom Cup after going down at Eden Park in the first Test.
“We would’ve loved to have won last week [at Eden Park] but God had different plans.
“Tonight [Saturday] was a special night for us, and to bring the Freedom Cup back to South Africa is special.
“It means a lot to us as a team and a country.
“We’re very pleased with the result, and I feel we owed ourselves a good performance, and everyone just did their best and sacrificed for the team.”
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Los Pumas have defeated both New Zealand and Australia in this season’s tournament.
They also claimed a win against each of their SANZAAR rivals in the 2024 edition of the Rugby Championship.
Last year, the Boks blew a 17-0 lead against Argentina to go down 28-29 in Santiago del Estero.
The Boks will be wary of the danger Argentina poses, as they will, in all likelihood, need two bonus-point wins over Los Pumas to ensure their best chance of retaining the Rugby Championship title.
Kolbe warned that he and the team shouldn’t get ahead of themselves, as two Tests against Argentina in two weeks would be a make-or-break situation.
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“We’ll take it week by week,” said Kolbe.
“We should look at this game and see where we can be better for the next two games.
“Argentina has been playing some great rugby, and I’m sure it will be a good challenge, as it is whenever we face them.
“The hopes are there, but we should just take it training by training and game by game and remain humble and continue to put in the hard work.”
