VIDEO: 'We are comfortable with being champions'
New Zealand are the bookmakers’ favourites and hosts France are the populace’s choice to win the 10th edition of the World Cup.
Bookers have installed New Zealand at three-to-one favourites, followed by France (100/30), South Africa (9/2) and Ireland (5/1).
Australia (14/1), England (16/1), Argentina (28/1) and Wales (49/1) make up the ‘outsiders’ grouping that is chasing the leading pack.
Despite not fancied by all pundits, Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber believes his team does have something very powerful going for them.
Speaking from the team’s pre-World Cup training camp in the Mediterranean island of Corsica, Nienaber pointed to their status as defending champions as a significant factor.
“France are the favourites,” Nienaber told a media briefing at a training session in Corsica.
“[However,] we are the World Champions, and we can’t deny being world champions.
“It is something we are comfortable with, going into the tournament.
“There are a couple of teams [in the running].
“I believe this is going to be one of the most closely contested World Cups in history with a couple of teams that can win it on the day.”
The Springboks, who will wrap up their training camp in Corsica on Friday, said they are not in Corsica for a bit of R&R.
(WATCH as Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber addresses the media at the team’s training camp in the Mediterranean island of Corsica…)
“It’s not a holiday,” Nienaber said, adding: “It’s a proper training camp.
“There are a lot of things we need to work on.
“We are in a knock-out pool [mindset] from game one, so there’s a lot we need to get right if we want to be competitive and defend the World Cup [title].”
Basing themselves on the idyllic Mediterranean island for a week allows the Boks to focus on the important aspects of their game.
“From a rugby perspective we can work hard here and can prepare,” he said.
However, there are also opportunities to engage with the locals.
“From a team perspective, it’s nice for us to meet and mix with the people of Corsica.
“We enjoy that – to engage with the fans and the people who play the game.”
At the conclusion of the training camp on Friday, the Boks will make their way via a 10-and-a-half hour ferry journey to their World Cup training base in Toulon on Saturday.
Zooming in on the pool stage of their campaign, Nienaber said: “In our pool, Scotland is No.5 in the world, South Africa No.2 and Ireland No.1, and one of us is not going to make it out of the pool.
“But it is what it is, so we have to be on form from the outset.
“And if we do get out of the pool, we’ll either face France or New Zealand in the quarterfinal, so it will be really tough.”
Source: @Springboks
* Picture and video credit: @Springboks
