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All Black great Ma'a Nonu leaves Toulon for new role at South African club
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'Their heart rate is 200; emotion is very high all over the world'
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Seasoned Springboks utility Willie le Roux can’t wait for Saturday’s Rugby World Cup final versus the All Blacks, the first time the arch-southern hemisphere rivals have clashed in the decider since 1995. South Africa grabbed the glory that day, a drop goal from Joel Stransky splitting the teams in extra time.
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Le Roux was a small boy at the time, unaware of the significance of South Africa taking the trophy. Twenty-eight years later, though, he is fully aware of what it means, not only in his home country but also to Springboks fans around the world.
Asked on Wednesday about his likely involvement off the bench in the Stade de France final, le Roux said: “That would be unbelievable. I was six years old in 1995 and I can just remember my dad and mum screaming in the house and I couldn’t understand exactly what was going on. But to be able to have a chance to play in the final against them would be amazing.
“The emotion for the last two weeks was pretty high. My friends and everyone sends me messages after the games and their heart rate is 200 (bpm). So, the emotion is very high all over the world, and for us as well.
“But when we step off the field, when you go to bed that night and when you wake up the next morning, it’s the next job, you start all over, it’s a new process. The high has gone now.”
It was 2013 when the now 34-year-old le Roux made his Test debut, so he is well-versed about the rivalry heading into the final. “There is always respect. The rivalry goes back a long time.
“The games that have been played against each other, always it’s hard-fought and after the game, you can see the guys, they gave it their all. It’s just a hard battle out there, there are no friends when you are on the field.
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“I don’t think you can ever write the All Blacks off. It’s no surprise at all for them to be in the final,” he reckoned, going on to reference Will Jordan, the New Zealand winger who needs one more try to break the record for the most scored in a single tournament.
“The 23 that goes out there on Saturday, we all buy into our defensive plan, stick to what we think is best. We can stop them, everyone from scoring, not just him, stop the All Blacks from scoring.
“He [Jordan] is an amazing all-round player. He chips and chases, he can do anything, scores from anywhere, create something out of nothing. An unbelievable ball player.”
