Coach Jake White insists the Springboks are keeping their eyes on the ball as they face the tantalising prospect of a dream run to the Rugby World Cup final.
The South Africans take on quarterfinal surprises Fiji in Marseille on Sunday and should they win they have a semifinal against either world number four Argentina or Scotland for a place in the October 20 final in Paris.
South Africa’s main title rivals, top-ranked New Zealand, hosts France, two-time winners Australia and defending champions England are on arguably the toughest opposite side of the draw.
White’s Springboks tuned up for the knockout rounds with a comprehensive 64-15 win over the American Eagles on Sunday and will now take on Fiji, who eliminated Wales 38-34 in the game of the tournament in Nantes on Saturday.
The 1995 World Cup winners are treating the Fijians with due respect but in their only international meeting the Springboks smashed the 11th-ranked Pacific islanders 43-18 in Pretoria in 1996.
White is anxious for his team not to lose focus and let their minds wander to the potential of playing in their second World Cup final in three weeks’ time.
”When we got here we knew that we had to win four pool games and three play-off games to win the World Cup.
”But that makes no difference as to who we’re supposed to play or who we have pencilled in to play because so many things have changed from the time the competition started, literally from the opening game.”
Argentina rocked France 17-12 on the opening night’s match in Paris to send French rugby supporters into despair.
While South Africa are taking on Fiji this weekend, New Zealand have their first big serious test against France in Cardiff on Saturday, and traditional rivals Australia and England stage a re-match of their 2003 World Cup final in Marseille.
”We might still have to play France in this World Cup, we might still have to play the All Blacks, and still might have to play Australia, we may even play England again,” White pontificated.
”I don’t think we should start worrying about who we are going to be getting [in the final].
”It’s quite simple to say focus on what’s coming next and this week it will be Fiji.
”We are probably a bit fortunate in that we’ve played Samoa and Tonga so we now have enough practice of playing Pacific island teams.”
The Springboks lost tight-head prop BJ Botha for the rest of the tournament with a knee injury against United States. Jannie Du Plessis was on Monday called in to replace him
A team spokesperson said Du Plessis is expected to arrive in France on Wednesday or Thursday. — Sapa-AFP