South Africa captain Siya Kolisi says the world champions won’t let criticism of the team’s style of play alter their game plan going into Saturday’s series decider against the British and Irish Lions.
Commentators, including New Zealand coach Ian Foster, have accused the Springboks of playing boring rugby with their forward-based kicking game, while the Lions suggested the home side had deliberately tried to slow play in the second Test – which the Boks won 27-9 – to help them conserve energy.
Kolisi said on Friday that the criticism would not distract his team from their task, while assistant coach Mzwandile Stick said the Boks would take no lessons from the Lions on how to play.
“We are going to play the same way, that is who we are. We are South Africans and it works for us,” Kolisi told reporters ahead of the Cape Town Stadium clash.
(Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)
“We wouldn’t go look at another team that is winning and complain about how they are playing. You can’t do that. They are winning.”
With the series poised at 1-1, the Lions have pledged to try to speed up the game on Saturday, both with ball in hand and between stoppages by avoiding confrontations.
Stick said the Lions were welcome to play a more expansive game if they wanted to.
“We don’t go into a game to slow things down. If the Lions want to play touch rugby, that will be very nice for us and they are more than welcome to do so,” he said.
“We are not going to decide what they must do and they are not going to tell us how to play the game.”
Kolisi, who suggested previously that the series was bigger for the Boks than winning the World Cup two years ago, said his team would “play what is in front of us”.
“If there are niggles, we are going to get involved, we never leave a man behind, that is our system and what we believe in,” he said.
“It’s a final for us… Tomorrow is everything. For most of us this is it – we will never get another opportunity to play the Lions.”
The match will kick off in Cape Town at 6pm local time or 2am AEST.
Johann Olivier
Guest
Nah. The rugger is actually really enjoyable for purists. Do all the antics please? Of course not. But the games are engrossing. It's not all about flash. Nothing like a drawn out scrum battle...notwithstanding the constant bleating about scrum-stoppages. And I used to play 11!!
BleedClub
Guest
'Don't tell us how to play' Okay. But can I just leave you with one comment... Boring as F%$*
P2R2
Roar Rookie
Another punter who like Checka/Cheika didnt like using All Blacks....pfff....and the 3rd test ended due to a blunder by the French Ref...who to give him credit...owned it this year...better late than never....but I do agree....these kicks are getting out of hand and not sure why Halfbacks feel/think its their right to do so....
Mike moerse baas Lopez
Guest
Let's rather look it this way brother .Game is growing big time in the Republic .Townships ,schools rugby prospering everyone gets opportunity. The big thing South africa dont stand in your way .They all over the world japan ,Europe,America,Australia,new zealand ,,even small non traditional rugby like Portugal,Germany. Rugby creates opportunity for all our people.Now go and check the numbers in Oz ....Then you come back to me
Scotty P
Roar Rookie
Test match rugby doesn't matter? Wow. Luckily most of us don't think like you.
Chester B
Roar Rookie
3 from 7 I mean.
Chester B
Roar Rookie
Not everything is about the All Blacks. The Bok's record of wining 3 out of 5 World cup's is their primary measurement for success.
Praetorian
Guest
It matters not what happens between RWCups . As it matters not what happens in ,say , swimming or athletics between Olympic games . He who wins in the Olympics gets a gold medal and he is the Olympic champion . The best in the world at that moment .And that is everything. Similarly SA are the RWC 2019 champions. Of no importance what happens between world cups .So if NZ beats SA in the RC they will not be the world champions. SA won RWC 2019 in which NZ was not capable. The next champion side is to be decided at the next RWC in 2023 .
JamesD
Guest
Embarrassingly for you it was every 102 seconds in 2017... every 78 seconds in this series. As you say, boring!
BackInBlack
Guest
The Rankings lost integrity since dubious members of the IRB promised SAF’s faux ranking would remain even if they ducked the Rugby Championship. Of course the spineless imposters promptly hid under their bed as the rugby world watched on. See you in Dunedin :boxing:
Jimbob
Roar Rookie
I would like him to just shut up honestly – a bit of grace and humility would be a refreshing change from anyone associated with this Springbok team. Attacking refs, dog whistling, deliberately misinterpreting reasonable comments from people of standing within the game to feed a siege mentality. SA might end up winning two out of three games this series – but they have lost an enormous amount of respect and standing from the rest of the rugby world at this point. With the odd exception most the organisation has shown a total absence of class this series. If you want to see how rugby should be done check out the mutual respect between the AB’s and the Wallabies. Both Aaron Smith and Michael Hoopers post match interviews restored a bit a faith that rugby is a game that still has a soul.
Ex force fan
Guest
According to World Rugby the Boks are #1, just look at the rankings...
Waxhead
Roar Rookie
Haha I'm not telling Boks how to play rugby. I'm just not gonna waste my time watching them... And if they continue to serve up this negative rubbish the only people who will are their die hard fans from SA :thumbup:
Praetorian
Guest
Really half glass. Where do you get your facts from re " the world hating all South Africans equally " ? Please explain.
BackInBlack
Guest
ChesterB. The All Blacks have won 17 times plus a draw from the last 21 matches against the Boks. I’d hate to see what a ‘losing Bok team’ looks like :laughing:
Praetorian
Guest
Ten man rugby, 15 man rugby , whatever rugby and however it is played in Australia the crowds are pitifully small . Supporters have voted with their feet .Losing matches simply not attractive . They are turned off .
BackInBlack
Guest
They can congratulate themselves all they want SP but World Rugby know it means SFA until they can defeat the All Blacks. They are insecure because they’ve had classy teams in the past with players like Matfield, DuPreez, DeVilliers, Habana etc but know the current one is on a lower shelf. Pollard is world class and maybe PSDT. I’m not convinced by ‘the Bomb Squad’ and am not the only one :thumbdown:
Praetorian
Guest
How would you know the Bok style is turning people off if there is no crowd LK ? If you are correct presumably the crowd will be down when SA plays NZ. I doubt that !!!!! Guess you're probably just joining in the anti SA pile on, on this site .
CPM
Roar Rookie
Foster didnt critisize either team Commentators, including New Zealand coach Ian Foster, have accused the Springboks of playing boring rugby with their forward-based kicking game Read Jacko, read!!
Just Nuisance
Roar Rookie
Still managed to cross the opposition tryline more often than any other team WC 2019..clearly tells you they have more than just one strategy.