Boks have bonus-point fever
09/26/2023 08:46 AM
Kwagga Smith says with no more opportunities to slip up, the Springboks need to get all five points from their final World Cup pool match against Tonga on Sunday.
A loss to Ireland in the Pool B blockbuster has left South Africa in second place and four points adrift of the world's number-one side, with one fixture to go for both teams.
MORE: Boks only have eyes for Tonga
The Springboks, who won their opening matches against Romania and Scotland, lock horns with Tonga on Sunday night, needing as many points as possible out of the game to secure a place in the playoffs.
"We know we need to get those five points, so we will go into that game with the mindset of getting a bonus point,” said Smith
“For us also, they're a physical team so to play against them will be great for us to know that our physicality is also at the highest level."
Looking back at the defeat to Ireland, Smith said that the breakdown was a key area where the Springboks struggled and called on his teammates to keep the intensity up for their final pool match.
"Our supporters might feel disappointed, but we are also disappointed in losing that game,” the loose forward explained.
"We had a lot of opportunities and we didn't use those opportunities, which cost us the game. We take the learnings from that and we make sure that it doesn't happen again because from here on there's no opportunity to slip up.
"The breakdown was definitely one of the places where they slowed the ball down. Not necessarily made turnovers, but that ball's one or two seconds slower than what it should be and that takes away the opportunity to score a try or get momentum.
"It was great playing there, but for us it's to keep that standard and to have that intensity in every game we play. We'll need that intensity this weekend against Tonga. Tonga is a physical side and they're really hard players to play against so we've got to be ready."
Photo: MARTIN BUREAU / AFP
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