The Springboks and France will clash in the quarter-finals. Photo: @RugbyWorldCup via X.
Springboks braced for French inquisition in quarter-final showdown
Springboks are preparing for a demanding examination of their Rugby World Cup 2023 credentials on Sunday when they’ll take on Les Bleus at the Stade de France in Paris.
The Springboks and France will clash in the quarter-finals. Photo: @RugbyWorldCup via X.
The Springboks booked to place in quarter-finals of the World Cup, where they will meet the host nation and second-ranked Test side, France, in a last-eight encounter.
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While the Springboks lost one of their pool games (against Ireland), France advanced to the knockout stage unbeaten and are favoured to win their maiden Rugby World Cup title on home soil.
The quarter-final Test is likely to be the Springboks most challenging match of the season to date, because France appear to have no real weaknesses in their game at the moment. As their No 2-ranking suggests, Les Bleus are strong in every facet of the game, while their style of play is as bruising as it is beautiful.
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Speaking ahead of the qaurter-final, prop Trevor Nyakane has singled out France’s scrum as the biggest threat to the Springboks.
“It’s a very important facet in the game in France and in the Top 14 competition,” said Nyakane. “They put a lot of emphasis on that area of the game. If you get it right, it’s a beautiful thing and it gives you a mental boost.
“France will certainly have a difficult set piece to move, but we also pride ourselves on our set pieces and gaining dominance from that. We’ve been working hard on our set pieces and there’s a lot more to do, but we are looking forward to the challenge.”
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The 34-year-old veteran was thrilled to be in the 33-man squad and in with a chance to defend the title the Springboks won in Japan in 2019.
“I’m very pleased and excited to be here and I can’t wait for the next few weeks of rugby. We’ve been working as hard as we can to achieve our goals and hopefully, we can continue to do so,” said Nyakane, who plays his club rugby for French club side Racing-92 based in Paris.
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