Stick lays down a marker for Boks

11/23/2024 12:08 AM

Mzwandile Stick said the Springboks must dominate "until the final whistle" in Cardiff on Saturday, for a clean sweep on tour and strong end to 2024 for the world champions.

Rassie Erasmus' charges are looking to wrap up their impressive season with victory over Wales at Principality Stadium. They go into their 13th and final Test of the year with 10 wins and two losses, both single-point defeats to Argentina and Ireland.

A win in the Welsh capital would also be the first time the Boks have won all their matches on their November tour since 2013.

It has been a different story for Wales, winless in a record 11 Tests since the 2023 World Cup in France and tipped to suffer a second defeat this year to South Africa after a 41-13 loss at Twickenham in June.

“We are looking for a complete team performance for 80 minutes,” Stick told reporters during a Bok conference on Friday.

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“We were not as effective in our execution and discipline as we would have liked to be against England and that's not the way we want to play, so we are determined to improve on that performance.

“We take pride in the way we do things, so we want to finish the season on a strong note and see the forwards and backs complement one another until the final whistle.”

The assistant coach added there would be no underestimating Wales while playing down the favourites tag on the Boks.

"We certainly don't see things that way. Wales had good moments against Australia, and they fought their way back into the game, so we know it will take an effective performance for 80 minutes to come out on top," Stick said.

“The motivation is high in the team to finish the tour with three wins out of three. It's been a tough season with two matches against the All Blacks and Ireland, so we want to make sure we finish it strongly.

“Wales may be going through a tough time as a team, but we've also been there before and turned things around, and they'll feel exactly the same in their changing room [on Saturday].”

Photo: Steve Haag Sports/Gallo Images

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