Success judged after November
The Springboks will look to maintain their high standards and success rate in the November Tests when they travel to the Northern Hemisphere to compete against Ireland, England, Italy and Wales.
They have normally struggled in the third year of the four year World Cup cycle and despite being much improved this time around, captain Jean de Villiers insists the success of the year can only be determined at the conclusion of the November Tests.
"The stats show we are doing better this year than we did in 2006 and 2010, so it all depends how we finish the year. We have to finish strong and put in good performances in the four upcoming Tests.
"Whenever we play, we play to win. We've been pretty successful the previous two years on the November tours and we have high standards, so hopefully we can have a successful one again this time around," he said.
Playing conditions in the Rugby Championship could have assisted the Springboks with preparations for their Northern Hemisphere challenge as de Villiers believes the rain affected games made the contests slower, which bodes well for upcoming Tests.
"The challenge of the Northern Hemisphere lies in the slower pace of the matches due to the conditions but then again we had a lot of wet games in the Championship this year. There will be more of a battle at the breakdown which also depends on the referees you have.
"The teams themselves will each pose a different challenge and they'll definitely compete at the breakdown. We have to be sharp in that facet of the game and our first phase play will remain of high importance to us which allows us to keep ball in hand but also play in the right areas," he added.
The Boks will be looking to select their strongest possible squad for the tour, which could see some younger players being given the opportunity to stake a claim for a World Cup spot.
"The strongest possible squad available will be selected, no matter who they are – young or old – whoever that might be. Handre and a couple of other guys were fantastic and took the opportunities given to them but we will wait and see if another couple of guys get the same opportunity," he stated.
There is a positive mood in the camp following their recent results, a mood which has helped the new players to easily settle in despite being shy and hesitant at first.
"It's good when you join a Springbok team, and the guys who are involved at the moment try to create a positive atmosphere. Obviously after the result of the last game [against the All Blacks], it's very positive and it's a good environment for the new guys to come into.
"They [new guys] are a little shy and hesitant but it's nice for them to be part of the squad," he said.
By Tauriq Ebrahim
@Tagels03
