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Springbok captain Siya Kolisi says Saturday’s ‘tryouts’ will usher in a new era with a host of youngsters getting a chance to impress. DYLAN JACK reports.
A host of up-and-coming players, along with some senior Springboks and players returning to the national fold, will be in action when two 25-man squads take action at Newlands this Saturday.
GRAPHICS: Springbok Showdown Teams
There will be multiple players on both teams who would have experienced their first week in a senior Springbok setting.
The Springbok Showdown itself will serve in a sense as a kind of national test, giving players a chance to raise their hands for the next Rugby Championship, should the Boks take part.
However, as Kolisi outlined in the captain’s press conference on Thursday, the week’s preparation has also served a greater purpose by exposing younger players to what it takes to be a Springbok.
‘I was excited to see them. I was so happy and excited to see you all, ” Kolisi said. “I was also a young gun in 2012 and I proved it well. It was pretty amazing. You just feel and see what is happening throughout the week and it makes you want it more.
‘I hope we welcomed the boys. They loved the environment, from what I heard. That was the message I got from guys like Evan Roos, before he left, and now JJ. [van der Mescht] he starts to play. So I’m very excited about that.
‘Talking to them made me realize that I really want them to want to be part of this group and see how amazing it is, that everyone has a voice and that is how the coaching staff speaks.
“The guys loved it and they know exactly how to be part of the team. There are no gray areas, they know this is how the team is made. They also have guys like Lukhanyo [Am] when they return to their unions, who can remember them. You can see what the standards are.
‘I’m looking forward to seeing them and I know that many of them can. Myself, Arno [Botha], French [Malherbe]We were all young at the same time and we all got to play. ”
ALSO READ: Opportunity for Bok hopefuls in Saturday’s showdown
Kolisi added that with the 2019 World Cup firmly in the past, Saturday’s match will allow the Boks to start over.
“It is the beginning of a new era for us. We are chasing a new sun, ‘explained Kolisi. “The World Cup seems so far away. So we have to start from scratch now. It’s been great seeing new faces, chatting with the guys, and letting them know what kind of work we’re doing.
That is what we have exposed you to. What a week looks like in a Springbok environment. How the messages arrive the day before a match and how you prepare. It is mainly the work that you do at night, looking at all your works. Anyone can do the physical work, but you still have to have a heart.
“I think a lot of the guys will take that off this week, especially the youngsters.”
Photo: Thinus Maritz / Gallo Images
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