VIDEO: Fassi reveals how Willie is pushing him to be the best
SPOTLIGHT: Springbok fullback Aphelele Fassi has opened up on his relationship with Willie le Roux in the Springbok squad.
The Sharks star will wear the No.15 jersey again on Saturday when the Boks come up against Wales in Cardiff.
That match will cap off an “unbelievable” comeback for Fassi in 2024.
After falling out of favour and biding his time in previous seasons, Fassi established himself as a prominent figure at fullback for the Boks this year and is not taking anything for granted.
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“It’s been unbelievable. When you come from a setback, it’s never easy,” Fassi told @rugby365com.
“You have to follow your own processes and change what you normally do, so to get the opportunity to come back to a setup like this is unbelievable for me.
“I want to grab every opportunity with both hands and never lose it again because I know that feeling.”
Fassi and Le Roux are at opposite ends of their careers, but their relationship in the Bok squad will ensure that the No.15 jersey will remain in good hands in the years to come.
“There were two games, one against the All Blacks in Johannesburg and the other in Mbombela [against Argentina], and he [Le Roux] was on the side of the field shouting and commanding what he sees and letting me know what’s happening on the field,” Fassi explained.
“That is one thing coach Rassie [Erasmus] always puts on us. Everyone has a job to do.
“I think my relationship with Willie is good and we understand the plans that the Springboks are trying to build in the future.”
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Last weekend’s 29-20 win over England at Twickenham Stadium was a different challenge for Fassi.
“I spoke to Willie after the game and I told him that I probably touched the ball like four times,” he said.
“He told me, ‘That is Test match rugby for you’.
“The challenge was good, but we didn’t execute the way we wanted to.
“We looked at that during this week and we have a plan going into this [Wales] game on how we want to play.”
@rugby365com
