FRANCE: RUGBY - South Africa prepare to face the very physical Samoa players in their first round of the Rugby World Cup

Record ID: 452758

  • Title: FRANCE: RUGBY - South Africa prepare to face the very physical Samoa players in their first round of the Rugby World Cup
  • Date: 10th September 2007
  • Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (English) JOHN SMIT, SOUTH AFRICAN RUGBY TEAM CAPTAIN SAYING: "We spent the last four years talking about his, preparing for this, using Tri Nations and incoming tests and taking off...(inaudible) and leaving things behind. We've done so many things in preparation for these seven weeks in four years that it is you know, that is about to dawn upon us. It's not only a massive event because on how big it is and how well organised it is but it is a massive event for us as a team over the last four years."
  • Embargoed: 25th September 2007 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: France
  • Country: France
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVA3CK77Q9PXKSKAIERYPBBREQR3
  • Story Text: South Africa prepare to face the very physical Samoa players in their first round of the Rugby World Cup.
    Another big team is about to step on the Rugby World Cup stage. The springboks will face the very physical Samoans on Sunday (September 9) in Paris in a warm-up for their Pool A decider against defending champions England next Friday.
    After a training session at the Parc des Princes stadium on Saturday, South African captain John Smit says it's a tough but good start to the competition: "I think there will be a couple of nerves in the first quarter of the game, but in the first quarter of the game as well but that is just part and parcel of what a huge tournament this is. I mean, we saw on Friday night what this tournament menas and how big it is and the pressure that creates for players which is a great thing. And I think is going to take our guys the first quarter of the game just to settle in and find their feet," Smit said.
    The Springboks, who were knocked out in the quarter-finals in 2003, have had a relatively smooth preparation compared to their own rocky standards and are regarded as one of few sides capable of stopping the All Blacks from ruling the world.
    "We've done so many things in preparation for these seven weeks in four years that it is you know, that is about to dawn upon us. It's not only a massive event because on how big it is and how well organised it is but it is a massive event for us as a team over the last four years," Smit said.
    The Samoans, arguably as naturally talented as the New Zealanders but not as resilient nor as well organised, have a reputation for giving the top sides a tough time.
    In 2003 they were just 16 minutes from upsetting eventual world champions England in a pool game before several tactical substitutions enabled Clive Woodward's team to pull ahead and grind out a tense 35-22 win.
    Against South Africa, however, Samoa have always suffered.
    The Springboks have crushed the Pacific Islanders all five times they met them, scoring a total 257 points and conceding 58, with an average score of 51-12.
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