VIDEO: 'The real McCoy is on the way'
REACTION: Springbok Women performance coach Swys de Bruin was a proud figure following his team’s historic win over the Black Ferns XV on Saturday at Athlone Stadium in Cape Town.
However, the coach has warned his team that the real work starts now as the World Cup approaches.
The Springbok Women ended a three-match losing streak in fine style, beating the Black Ferns XV 41-24. South Africa dominated proceedings, scoring seven tries to four to level the series and deny the New Zealanders a historic series win.
Despite the significance of the result, De Bruin was quick to shift focus to the road ahead.
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“They [Springbok Women] needed this game just to know they can do it,” De Bruin told reporters in Cape Town.
“Last week we said we don’t realise how close they are.
“However, in saying that, we haven’t arrived. This is just another game, and now the real McCoy is on the way.”
Saturday’s fixture was the Boks’ final World Cup warm-up match. They will open their campaign against Brazil on August 24, followed by fixtures against Italy and France in England.
The Bok Women have never made it out of the pool stages, and they will have to be at the top of their game to overturn that record and book a spot in the quarterfinals for the first time.
Although the objective is clear, De Bruin knows the challenge that lies ahead and is wary not to look too far ahead.
“The mistake, the trap we’re not going to fall into, is looking too far ahead,” he warned.
“The next hurdle, the must-win game for us, is Brazil. I think afterwards it’s Italy.
“So I don’t even want to think of Italy. I’m thinking Brazil and Brazil only. And so are the players.”
De Bruin will announce his World Cup squad on August 9.
Springbok Women captain Babalwa Latsha revealed that the team had finally made the much-needed mental switch.
“We needed to start believing that we actually are capable of taking games like this and winning games, especially going into a World Cup where we want winning to feel familiar to us.
“So that was the importance of this game. Sometimes it takes just one person to get that message across.”
Latsha described the win as a pivotal moment for the squad.
“I think it was a matter of players realising that this is it.
“This is the last game in South Africa before we head to one of the biggest stages in the world.”
