PDV: 'We can win Tri-Nations'
Fri, 22 Aug 2008 15:00
Springbok coach Peter de Villiers emphasised in unequivocal terms on Friday that the Springboks have a singular goal in mind - to win the Tri-Nations.
The Boks have to beat Australia twice and secure two bonus points over the next two weekends and hope that the Wallabies then account for the All Blacks in Brisbane to achieve that.
"It is our internal belief [that we can] and our goal," De Villiers said when asked whether the players believed they can achieve the unlikely target.
"We all realise we gave it away against the All Blacks, we realise that we didn't take our chances. We believe we can do it with a little luck, which is needed in any sport," he said.
He also made it clear that the Springboks will not deviate from their new style.
"We can't go back now, that will mean we don't trust ourselves. We want to throw the ball around, I want the players to enjoy it and the supporters to enjoy our type of rugby.
"But to do that, we must dominate the first phase. We did that at Newlands where our line-outs and scrums were good. The players' decision-making then comes into play.
"I believe we're developing a style here that the whole world will fear," he said.
"I know and the team know where we're going."
Forward coach Gary Gold admitted that the breakdowns were not good in Cape Town but said that they had worked hard on that facet of the game.
"We've worked hard on the breakdown. I'm confident it will go well this weekend," Gold said.
Although the new lock paring of Dan Vickerman and James Horwill will pose a new challenge, Gold felt that the Boks would be up to it.
"As a challenge it is on par with that from Ali Williams and Brad Thorn, he said, and added that the Boks line-out worked well despite a few "human errors" as he called them with the thrower and jumpers not finding one another.
"I thought our scrums were exceptional last week," he said, and lauded the front row in particular for this improvement.
As far as penetration goes, backline coach Dick Muir felt that the Springboks had shown against the All Blacks that they can create opportunities.
"The players realise the wrong options they had taken and we want to finish what we didn't last week," said Muir.
"There were lots of line breaks and we simply have to finish them."
Muir conceded that the Aussies have a "top defence" but felt it can be breached.
"We won't be hasty but know we can break the line like last week," Muir added.
SAPA
