Reigning world champions the Springboks went through some intense and noisy training sessions this week in preparation for France and the partisan crowd expected during Sunday’s World Cup quarter-final in Paris.
Although it would have been tough to simulate what they are in for at the Stade de France (9pm kickoff) at the weekend, the Boks have tried to create as close an atmosphere to the one they are expecting when they face the host nation for a spot in the semi-finals.
Even though they played against France in Marseille last year, and took on Ireland in front of a vociferous Stade de France during the pool games, Bok hooker Bongi Mbonambi believes it won’t come close to what they can expect come Sunday.
“I think the intensity will be much more than in Marseille. That was an end-of-year Test match, and this is a quarter-final. There is a lot on the line,” said Mbonambi.
“It will definitely be a different atmosphere, a different intensity, 100%. We will just take the atmosphere as it is.
“We have played them in Marseille, which was a very hostile atmosphere, so we have experience of that.
“We know it will be sold out, and they will be singing. We have had noise in training. We just try to make sure that when it comes on Sunday, it is not the first time we have experienced it.
“But, it will be very important for us to shut out the noise. We need to make sure we execute our plan as a team.”
In the 2019 World Cup in Japan, the Boks faced the home team in the quarter-finals.
So, they have a bit of experience coming up against a hostile crowd.
And although France are a different side to the Japanese, it’s still an experience the Boks can bank on and take inspiration from.
The last time the two teams played in Paris was in 2018, and it was a match the Boks won.
“It was 2018, a long time ago, but it was a special game in a special stadium. We know they are not the same team that they were then. They have been working hard,” Mbonambi said.
“They have a good forwards pack, very well coached, so we are expecting a totally different challenge. And obviously, the atmosphere will be way different to what it was in 2018.
“We know we are the defending champions, and we know we have a huge task playing the host nation again in a quarterfinal. It is very exciting.
“That (the Japan win) was four years ago. Rugby has changed – players are bigger, stronger, fitter.”
Being in the middle of the scrum, Mbonambi is one of the Boks who have been studying the French scrum to find some cracks.
It’s one of the pillars of the home team, and a titanic battle is expected when the pack of forwards crouch down over the ball for possession.
But one can expect a scrum trick or two from the South Africans as well.
“They have been scrumming very well throughout the whole competition. We have been analysing their pack, but you have to go out and train and do the scrums live,” Mbonambi said.
“We as South Africans pride ourselves on being confrontational, but the French pack also like being confrontational. We embrace that, and we will express ourselves. It is a rugby game, it is a collision sport, and it’s something we love doing.
“It is going to be a massive challenge, and we are looking forward to it.”
@LeightonK