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'When Rassie spoke to me (about coming out of retirement) I was sipping cocktails in Ibiza'
South Africa captain Schalk Brits has warned his side not to underestimate Namibia and make sure they avoid another potential World Cup shock in Toyota. The Springboks are expected to have little trouble disposing of their African rivals in a second Pool B fixture on Saturday as they aim to bounce back from defeat by New Zealand.
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However, having been part of the South Africa squad which suffered a seismic upset when beaten 34-32 by Japan in Brighton four years ago, the veteran former Saracens hooker will not allow any thoughts of complacency. “We are making sure we are up for it from a physical and mental point of view,” Brits said.
“I was involved in the group that lost against Japan, so I know the feeling – when you should win and don’t. From a team perspective, we have been training so hard this week – it was intense, and that is just the way we have prepared for it.”
Brits added: “We had a couple of learnings against New Zealand and we want to change a couple of things and focus on that. We didn’t know what team they were going to field. Hopefully we’ve learnt our lesson against New Zealand.”
Brits is set to roll back the clock and play at number eight against Namibia, while fly-half Faf de Klerk will be rested as part of sweeping changes to the starting team. The 38-year-old came out of retirement to help Springboks coach Rassie Erasmus move the squad forwards and now finds himself leader of the pack.
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“When Rassie spoke to me I was sipping cocktails in Ibiza… so far, it has been a great decision,” Brits said of his return to the international fold. “I have met new friends and we are on a growing path since last year June, and it is unbelievable to be a part of this group of players.
“To see a group of players coming through, and where we were 18 months ago and where we are now – it is an upward path. I still believe we can do wonderful things in this World Cup. We are a group that is learning quick.”
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A ‘shocker’ that ‘single-handedly’ cost the game. South African fans went in on Handre Pollard rating Jerome Garces above his performance.?https://t.co/bqGORYDqfJ #NZLvRSA #RWC2019
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) September 25, 2019
Namibia are ranked one place below Canada at 23rd in the world – with their squad including university students, a full-time banker, a brewery engineer and a qualified dentist. The 47-22 defeat by Italy in Higashiosaka means Namibia have lost all 20 of their World Cup matches to date and been on the receiving end of some of the tournament’s biggest thrashings.
Namibia wing PJ Walters, though, maintains the Welwitschias will be more than up for the challenge against one of rugby’s traditional heavyweights. “I don’t think any love will be lost,” he said. “We represent Africa together and it will be a great clash between the two countries as we are neighbours. It is going to be a great atmosphere and a big opportunity.”
– Press Association
WATCH: Alun Wyn Jones reveals the blood, sweat and tears of Wales’ preparation to face Australia
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Comments on RugbyPass
Je suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
1 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusades , you can keep going.
1 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
25 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
25 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
25 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
25 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
11 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
11 Go to comments