Springbok assistant coach Mzwandile Stick said that while he expects a desperate performance from the All Blacks in the Castle Double Malt Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series decider in Baltimore on Saturday, their inspiration to finish with a win and clinch the trophy was fuelled by making their supporters proud.
Adding to the motivation for the team, it will mark Rassie Erasmus’ 100th Test match in his two roles with the Springboks since his appointment in 2018, as head coach and Director of Rugby.
Stick said it was no surprise to the Bok coaches that Mo'unga would start the match at flyhalf following the All Blacks’ team announcement on Thursday, and he shared his skipper’s sentiments about what the team had to do to be victorious in the inaugural series.
“As coaches, we expected that selection,” said Stick.
“Richie is world-class, and we know him well. Ruben Love has also been playing really well as one of the young and upcoming stars in that team.
“I think the All Blacks are going to be even more bold tomorrow when it comes to keeping the ball alive and using the wide channels, and we know how dangerous they are.
“But we’ve played against them many times, and the most important aspect for us is to enforce our game on them physically and go from there. They have a top-class team, and they’re desperate to level the series. But we are also a passionate nation, and we want to make our country proud.”
Stick was thrilled to see all the Springbok supporters in Baltimore, many of whom are expats who have travelled from different states in the USA to attend the match in Maryland.
“America has been great so far; it’s very humid here, but most guys are used to it, especially those who have played in Durban, where the conditions are similar,” said Stick.
“There are a lot of South Africans here, and the vibe is great, so we are excited about the opportunity to promote rugby in the USA. Everywhere you go around the hotel you see green and gold and people are proud to see us, so we want to make sure we represent them and put up a good show.”
Asked if he had experienced something uniquely American this week, Stick said: “I went to watch a baseball game, so I managed to tick off a bucket list item. It’s always nice to learn from other codes. I thought (Kagiso) Rabada (Proteas bowler) was fast until I saw those pitchers. It was an amazing experience.”