Captain Siya Kolisi says the Springboks are desperate to finish Saturday’s match against Ireland in Dublin with 15 men.
The Boks beat France 32-17 in Paris despite having to play the entire second half with 14 men after lock Lood de Jager was given a straight red card – and a four-match ban.
A week later, against Italy in Turin, second rower Franco Mostert received his marching orders in the 12th minute. The Boks still went on to win, 32-14, with the red card later rescinded by a disciplinary committee.
On Friday, Kolisi said discipline would be important against Ireland.
“Yeah, it is, because we want to play with 15 men,” he said. “We’ve been working really hard on all the controllables – level changing, wrapping – doing that over and over.
“We’re an aggressive team, and we can’t take that away, which is why we work so hard to make sure we stay on the field.”
Kolisi emphasised how difficult Ireland are to beat in Dublin.
“Ireland are a really good team and we have struggled for many years in terms of winning here. We’re going to need everybody. It’s all about taking opportunities. The games we’ve lost by one or two points or three points, we’ve had chances at the end and didn’t take them. We’ve learned a lot and worked really hard this week.”
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Asked where the Boks’ motivation comes from, Kolisi insisted it is internal, not based on the opposition.
“Our motivation and purpose is consistent every single game,” he said. “It’s an honour to put on the jersey. We know it’s a big year, World Cup pools are open [with the 2027 draw on 3 December] and we’ve been fighting to stay No 1. But our drive comes from within – who we play for, the people back home, and our own goals as a group.”
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Kolisi also paid heartfelt tribute to Snyman as the lock reaches 50 Tests after years of injury setbacks.
“I’m really happy for him,” the skipper said. “With everything he’s been through, he could have given up any time. Credit to the unions who stuck with him. Even when he wasn’t with the group, he was messaging us, supporting us.”
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Kolisi praised Snyman’s unique skills set and resilience.
“He’s one of the most talented guys in the group. A big human being, hard to put down, and the way he offloads … we allow him to be who he is. He knows the team comes first, and that’s what makes this team special.
“I’m happy for him and his family, and hopefully we can make it special for him.”
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Photo: Jean Catuffe/Getty Images
