Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus admits Saturday’s 11am World Cup final against England will be an emotional affair.
It will be the last time that Erasmus will coach the national team, having stepped into this role after the axing of Allister
Coetzee at the start of last year.
Continuing in his role as Director of Rugby at Saru, Erasmus will still have a say on on-field matters after the World Cup.
But he says of Saturday’s game: “It is the last Test that I will be the head coach.
“For me, it’s an emotional one in the sense that I didn’t think 25 Test matches would go that quickly.
“It’s wonderful to be here. It’s sad that it’s only three days, and then it is all over.
“But I will be heavily involved, hopefully, still after this - whatever way we are going to go with the head coach.”
ONE MORE TIME: World Cup 2007 winner Francois Steyn. Picture: Mark Baker/AP.
Another player that will probably play in his last World Cup match is Frans Steyn, who won the tournament with the Boks in 2007.
And he desperately wants to win it again for the fans back home.
Steyn says: “You don’t realise [the hype] until you get home.
“We don’t really realise that because we’re in Japan. Our main thing is to put up a good performance.
“If we win, the guys are in for a massive shock when we get home.”
Erasmus echoes the utility back’s sentiments, saying nothing but their best will be good enough.
The coach adds: “The only failure would be if we don’t pitch up and give everything.
“The main thing is how we play rugby. When we win, people will start supporting us again and start talking about us again.
“We knew scoreboard is what counts. Expectations will grow as you get better.
“[And the] only failure is if you don’t go out there and give everything.
“When we walk off on
Saturday and were beaten by a better England team, then that’s life.”
WATCHING FROM THE SIDELINES: Bok veteran Schalk Brits. Picture: Mark Cristino/AP.
Another player that will be involved in a Bok squad for the last time in the final will be veteran Schalk Brits, who has not been included in the match 23.