The Springboks are fully focused on doing what they need to this weekend to come out on top and level the series against the All Blacks.
The Springboks will head into the second Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry Test with the pressure off, as they focus solely on what they need to do to get a win at the Cape Town Stadium on Saturday (kick-off 5:10pm).
It is a huge game in the context that if the Boks lose, they will be unable to win the series, after the All Blacks triumphed in the first Test at Ellis Park, and then would only be fighting for a drawn series over the final two games.
Bok prop Thomas du Toit, however, said on Thursday that they had already put last weekend’s disappointing loss behind them, and had put this weekend’s game into its “own box” which will allow them to focus only on what they need to do to achieve their goals.
“The important thing was for us to park that game [last Saturday] and take the learnings as quickly as we could. I think we have done an incredible job over the last couple of years in putting every individual week and game in its own box,” explained Du Toit.
“It does take the pressure off a little bit. It has to when you are focusing on a single game. I won’t say that we don’t focus or reflect on the game before or what comes after … but we just put things behind us quickly and move forward.
“You put those (other) things in the back of your mind and take stuff that you need from it, but it doesn’t become an overbearing feeling throughout the whole week.
“And that is what is important about putting each individual week in its individual box. You’ve got your things to work on and focus primarily on that, and put the other stuff to the back of your head.”
Du Toit further said it was good to have captain Siya Kolisi back in the team, after he missed the first Test through injury.
“It’s great having Siya back in the team, he has done very well with his rehab to get back as quickly as he could,” said Du Toit.
“He was really trying hard to get back into the team and every time he didn’t really feel 100% he would be big enough as a person to say ‘listen I am not ready’ and take the extra week. The physios and the doctors have looked after him.
“I think it was very big of him to make those types of decisions. He made very responsible calls, not only for the team but also for himself because you don’t want to play with a niggle.
“So it’s great having him back again. He is a very vocal person and I feel that helps a lot. He gives a lot of confidence to the younger guys and obviously the more experienced guys speak his language.”
