The Springbok camp is convinced that French referee Jerome Garces will have a big impact on Saturday’s World Cup opener against the All Blacks.
With assistant coach Mzwandile Stick having asked Garces to call the match down the middle earlier in the week, his sentiments are echoed by head coach Rassie Erasmus.
Garces has whistled 13 Tests involving South Africa, nine of which they lost, with five of those results coming against New Zealand.
And Erasmus believes that, with nothing to separate the two sides, Garces’s whistle might be a determining factor.
He says: “Our last three matches have ended in stalemate, one win each and a draw, for an aggregate score of 82-82. You couldn’t say there is a favourite.”
HAS HISTORY: Jerome Garces. Photo: Dylan Marinez/Reuters.
He adds that hopefully the referee also doesn’t have a clear view of the favourite either, before explaining: “If you’ve been there like in 2009 with the Springboks - the number one team in the world and in 1999 when I played when we were on that 17-Test match roll, you get a lot of support from fans, opposition and referees.
“There is certainly a time when you get that respect and even referees buy into that.
“Because you are playing so well, referees almost find it tough to penalise you in 50-50 decisions.
“The way rugby has evolved in the past year or so, all the teams are so close
“The gap between the teams has shrunk so much and because New Zealand were No.1 for so long, there was a time when they got respect even from every level, even referees.
“It was a well-known fact that it was really tough times and teams were under the pump, some of the 50-50 decisions went their way because they deserved that being No.1 so long.”
The Boks, meanwhile, will take the field with the same match 23 for the first time since the last World Cup.