'The real World Cup starts now'
Sun, 29 Jun 2008 22:36
Fronting up: Peter de Villiers and Victor Matfield face the media
South Africa will not be able to call themselves world champions until they have beaten New Zealand, according to Springbok coach Peter de Villiers.
Despite winning the Web Ellis trophy in France last year, De Villiers said his team first has to overcome the challenge of a series win in New Zealand before thy will be able to lay claim to the title as 'world champions'.
"We didn't play New Zealand in the World Cup [tournament in France], so we have to beat them to call ourselves proper world champions," De Villiers told a media gathering in Wellington at the weekend, adding: "That will be a great motivation for them."
Victor Matfield, who captained South Africa in their 26-0 win over Italy recently and who will be fronting up to the media until captain John Smit arrives on Tuesday, echoed similar sentiments.
"It's probably tougher coming here [to New Zealand] and getting a win against the All Blacks than winning a World Cup," Matfield said.
The Boks and All Blacks will kick off the Tri-Nations competition when they go head-to-head in back-to-back Tests - in Wellington this coming Saturday (July 5) and Dunedin a week later.
Matfield dismissed the notion that the injury-enforced absence of captain Richie McCaw will diminish the effectiveness and strength of the Kiwis.
McCaw is out of action for at least six weeks with an ankle injury and is expected to miss the All Blacks' first four Tri-Nations matches.
"It's always a pity if guys get injured," Matfield said, adding: "I think we all play this game because we want to be tested by the best.
"But we're still playing New Zealand, you're not playing individuals, and we know New Zealand will be a very hard team to play against and it's going to be a very hard two weeks for us."
South Africa have not won on New Zealand soil since a 13-3 victory in 1998 and, even with McCaw on the sidelines and facing a relatively inexperienced looking All Blacks squad, the Springboks are not talking up their chances of breaking the 10-year hoodoo.
"You will never get a bad All Black team. At their worse they will still be the best in world," said De Villiers.
"I think Richie is a very inspirational leader and player and in any team it will have an impact if he is not there. But then again New Zealand has got a whole wealth of brilliant rugby players and I think anybody who thinks they will be a weakened side is a fool."
