WELLINGTON, 13 Sept. – “Remember Marseille” should be the rallying cry for South Africa if any players start to slacken off in their Rugby World Cup 2011 Pool D match against Fiji at Wellington Regional Stadium on Saturday.
It was four years ago in the French port city that Fiji almost ruined the Springboks’ World Cup campaign at the quarter-final stage, scoring two tries in three minutes to draw level with 20 minutes left after South Africa had led 13-3 at half-time.
Fiji could have kept the momentum going with a third try if not for a smothering tackle from JP Pietersen that just put Ifereimi Rawaqa into touch. South Africa went on to save the match 37-20.
“As seen in the last World Cup in 2007, when you look too far ahead you bump your head at the next step and actually go two or three steps back,” South Africa hooker Bismarck du Plessis told a news conference at the team hotel on Tuesday.
“I think of the last World Cup where JP tackled a guy out at the touchline, he could have scored and we could have been tipped out.”
Prop Gurthrö Steenkamp was a replacement that day and is another who will not be taking Fiji lightly, saying it was vital to “play to the last minute” against them.
Turn the tide
“We do expect a tough challenge. We know it’s not going to be an easy game,” he said.
Steenkamp and the other replacements helped turn the tide that day against Fiji and did the same in the 17-16 RWC 2011 round one win against Wales on Saturday.
“We’re all eager to play in the World Cup and guys like ‘Bissy’ (du Plessis) and Willem (Alberts) when they came on they made a huge difference,” he said.
“And that’s the responsibility of the bench, to make sure you make a difference in the side when you come on.”
Du Plessis said the Springbok defence was another key factor against Wales and he paid tribute to the work of specialist defence coach Jacques Nienaber, who helped make the Stormers the best defensive side in Super Rugby.
“When we heard who was in our pool it (defence) was one of the aspects we were looking at,” said du Plessis.
“Island teams, like Fiji on the weekend and Samoa, they’ve got very good athletes from one to 15 who can outrun most of our guys. It’s been one of the things we’ve been working on very hard.”
RNS pr/ar/mj
