OWN CORRESPONDENT, London | Saturday 12.00pm.
THE Springboks have built up an unstoppable momentum four years ago that propelled them to victory in the World Cup. Skipper Joost van der Westhuizen says he senses a similar momentum building among the current side.
The Springboks face southern hemisphere rivals Australia in the first semi-final at Twickenham on Saturday and van der Westhuizen said the self-belief of his teammates could give them the edge over the Wallabies.
“There is a lot of self-confidence – the same feeling we had in 1995,” he said. “There is a feeling that the guys are ready to die for each other.
“The Springboks are a side that plays best under pressure. We are a really tough nation and we prefer when it comes to the crunch games.”
South Africa were criticised for their performances early in the tournament, but their gradual improvement saw them sweep aside England in the quarter-finals with fly-half Jannie de Beer kicking a world record five drop goals in a 44-21 triumph.
“We didn’t come here to beat Spain or Uruguay,” van der Westhuizen said. “We came here to win the World Cup – and we are building towards that.”
The Springbok skipper said it was unlikely that de Beer would get the opportunity to test his drop-kicking skills against the Wallabies, but warned that discipline would be a key factor.
“We know that it’s a do-or-die situation and that it will be a difficult game to win. The fact it is a semi-final just means there is that much more pressure.
South Africa go into the game with the only unbeaten World Cup record. They missed the first two tournaments during the apartheid era before winning on home soil four years ago. They’ve also won all four of their matches this time around. — AFP
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