Willie le Roux tackles critics, explains his new bomb squad role
Seasoned Springboks full-back Willie le Roux has addressed the criticism he regularly receives and has also spoken about what it has been like in recent weeks to be a new part of the famed bomb squad. The soon-to-be 33-year-old, a veteran of 74 caps, twice came off the bench in the three-game series versus Wales and remains very much a part of South Africa’s plans for the 2023 World Cup despite the negativity he often gets from the public.
This criticism doesn’t negatively affect le Roux. Instead, he flips it on his head and looks at it as a positive, suggesting it shows that the supporters care about what happens on the field.
Speaking at an online media briefing from Mpumalanga ahead of a week in which the Springboks will launch their Rugby Championship with a home game next Saturday in Nelspruit versus the All Blacks, le Roux said: “Sometimes you play well and you still get criticised. That is just how our supporters are.
“It means they care. If they don’t criticise you about anything then you know they don’t care. For me, it is always about going out there and doing my best and then I know I got the backing of the team, the coaching staff and everyone.
“At the end of the day what they say to me matters, my family, the close ones, but if the supporters didn’t criticise then you know they don’t care about us. Sometimes you just have to take that and move on and then do your best when you get an opportunity again.”
The Springboks bomb squad has gained notoriety in recent years for its ability to change games and leave South Africa the dominant team coming down the finishing straight. In 74 Springboks appearances, le Roux has been a starter on 67 occasions and his recent appearances off the bench versus the Welsh were his first as a replacement since a June 2018 run against England in Cape Town.
He helped turn the tide in the first Welsh Test as a half-time substitute, the Springboks fighting back from a 3-18 deficit to win 32-29, but there was less pressure when he appeared as a first-half replacement for the injured Cheslin Kolbe in the series decider as his team were comfortable winners. What did he make of the experience?
“Being part of the bomb squad was something new for me. When I had to go on in the second half of the first Test it was a bit funny and a different feeling. It was just about bringing a vibe and a lot of energy to lift everyone up around me and do my job as best as I can. It was a bit new, but I was really excited to do it.
“Unfortunately, Cheslin got injured in the last game and I had to go on early and then it was a bit of a different game that you have to play, we were leading and we just had to keep it simple whereas in the first game we were behind a few scores so we could play a little bit more and get the scoreboard going.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Wasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
3 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
3 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
3 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
30 Go to commentsJe 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
3 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 Crusaders , you can keep going.
3 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!😭😭😭 !!!
30 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
30 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.
30 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.
30 Go to comments