Two-time World Cup quarterfinalists Samoa will give it their best shot against South Africa on Saturday, coach John Boe said on Tuesday, but it will take a mighty effort to beat them.
The 47-year-old Kiwi, who toured France with the All Blacks in 1981, said the sterling effort in Sunday’s 35-22 defeat by England had come at a cost and the two extra days the Springboks had had since their last match with Georgia could prove invaluable.
”This week is an even more difficult assignment,” said Boe, who is in his second spell in charge and will be aiming not only to gain Samoa’s first-ever victory over their opponents but also eradicate memories of last year’s 60-18 reverse in Pretoria.
”We have had only a few days to prepare for it whereas the South Africans have been here a couple of days more and they had an easier game than us [winning 46-19].
”We are a bit tired and a bit bashed but nevertheless we will be focusing on the game and doing our best on Saturday,” added the former New Zealand Under-19 handler.
Boe, though, expressed his great pride at the cash-strapped Samoans’ performance against England.
”To get so close to the world number-one team is just a fantastic achievement for all the Samoans all over the world but in particular those on the island.”
However, Boe said it had been achieved in spite of familiar obstruction from teams in New Zealand as he searched to replace winger Ron Fanuatanu, whose tournament ended when he injured his cruciate ligaments against Georgia.
”We are still trying to get a player from New Zealand but at the moment we have had no luck.
”The hurdles are still the same old hurdles,” he admitted wearily.
Samoa team manager Kenape Tuuau said that the player in question had been winger Sosene Aneesi, who turned down the offer as he had already pledged his international future to New Zealand.
Assistant coach Michael Jones said their tactics against the Boks — who beat them 42-14 in the 1995 World Cup quarterfinals — would be little different than those they employed against England, throwing it out wide and exploiting their pace.
”We have given the boys two days’ rest because there is no point in flogging a dead horse.
”This is the game of their lives [the Samoan players] and it represents a great challenge.
”However, I think the result will boil down to who makes the least mistakes and who retains their discipline the best,” said the former All Black flanker, who made his international debut for Western Samoa in 1986. — Sapa-AFP