The Springboks are embracing the challenge of facing the 2023 Rugby World Cup hosts, France, at Stade de France in the last of four quarter-finals at 21h00 on Sunday.
Springbok No 8 Jasper Wiese added that the pressure on the team to perform was everything but a burden, saying: “We talk a lot about pressure, but it’s the pressure that we see as a privilege. We are representing the whole squad and 60 million people in South Africa, so we want to give everything on the field.”
Wiese added: “They have a very big pack, but we’ll be up for it. It’s always a nice challenge going up against a pack like that. It will be a big forward battle and even bigger collisions.”
"You saw against Tonga as well, we like it when teams play with big packs against us. That’s when we rise to the opportunity."
“It’s definitely going to be big but the collisions will be bigger and there will be a few sore bodies.”
The hard-running Bok No 8 said the team had taken valuable lessons from their last encounter against France, which will serve as good preparation going into this match.
“It was an intense game, and we learned a few things from that match,” said Wiese.
“We know we need to front up and try to take their momentum away. They are big boys and if you let them run hard at you, they’ll do it throughout the match.”
