It’s make or break time for Jake White’s Springboks when they face France in the series-deciding second Test in Port Elizabeth on Saturday.
The result in this Test will determine the outcome of the series and may have massive bearing on the fortunes of the Springboks as they attempt to defend their Tri-Nations crown in the next couple of months.
It is a fine line between confidence and complacency, but hopefully the Springboks will have learnt the lessons the French served up in Durban.
A victory could be just the tonic to lay the platform to again defy the odds and become the first South African team to win back-to-back Tri-Nations titles.
A loss on the other hand could spell disaster and all the momentum White has spoken about this week as being crucial for the remainder of a tough season will be snuffed out in 80 bruising minutes.
With the series and indeed the season on a knife-edge, the Port Elizabeth rugby public could be in for a humdinger at the 3 5000-seater stadium.
Under White the Boks have never lost on home soil and that proud record will come under intense scrutiny again this Saturday.
The Boks were surprised by the ferocity of the French challenge, particularly in the opening quarter of the first Test and the talk this week has been of slowing the ball down and playing at their own pace.
Neither side will stand back in the heat of the moment and, with so much pride and passion at stake (not to mention the series win), a match of colossal proportions is in the offing. White surprised many when he selected Lawrence Sephaka in the somewhat unfamiliar role of tighthead in place of the out-of-sorts Eddie Andrews, and picked Enrico Januarie ahead of first Test man-of-the-match Fourie du Preez in the number nine jersey.
”This could be viewed as a do-or-die clash,” admitted Sephaka.
”We really want to win the series and then take that momentum into the Tri-Nations.”
”A win on Saturday is very important,” he emphasised.
Januarie, a long time favourite of the coach, is relishing the tussle with French scrumhalf Dimitri Yachvili. It is likely to be one of the telling points of the game.
”It’s going to be interesting. Yachvili is one of the best, but I’m not going to do anything different. I’ll just go out and play my game,” he said.
”The team is relaxed and looking forward to the challenge. This is a big opportunity for a number of the guys — myself included — to prove ourselves. It’s going to be very tough.”
The weather seems set to crash the party in PE, with wind and rain forecast on the day, which might suit the French who have a number of big boots in their backline.
Crucial — as always — will be the clash of the packs, where Sephaka is likely to come in for some special treatment from Sylvain Marconnet, one of the most potent front rowers in the game.
”I’m looking forward to playing tighthead. I must be positive. I will throw everything at it and give my all.”
If the Boks are to emerge with their reputation intact, the rest of Sephaka’s teammates will have to follow suit, because anything less than 100% against the French on Saturday could be catastrophic for the rest of 2005. – Sapa