Where Freedom Cup stands on Boks' list of success
09/07/2024 05:41 PM
REACTION: Springbok captain Siya Kolisi rated their historic Freedom Cup win as second only to their World Cup victory in France.
The Springboks secured a hard-fought 18-12 win over the All Blacks at Cape Town Stadium on Saturday.
The win saw the Boks end their 15-year-long Freedom Cup drought and remain unbeaten in the Rugby Championship.
It was a very tight contest, with the Springboks trailing 3-9 at the break in front of a packed crowd of more than 55,000.
However in pure Springboks fashion, the hosts introduced the famous Bomb squad - Malcolm Marx replaced Bongi Mbonambi and Lukhanyo Am was in for Canan Moodie in the 45th minute - and the momentum shifted and they secured the important win.
Marx was incredible and scored the match-winning try in the 73rd minute.
Speaking after the match, captain Siya Kolisi revealed that coach Rassie Erasmus's honest talk in the second half was the key to the victory.
"We all wanted this game, we know how big it was." Kolisi, who played with a fracntures nose stated.
"And for me, coach basically gave me a chance when I said I'm okay, so I had to prove myself. I couldn't go half-heartedly. Nobody will celebrate you if you play and you don't go flat out when you say you are fine.
"I know there is Kwagga Smith, there is Marco van Staden and other guys that would want this opportunity.
"We didn't start the way we wanted to start and then the second-half coach [Erasmus] was quite honest with us.
"The way we started the second half we did exactly what we wanted. The subs came on and they did what they always do because it was a little tight."
The captain admitted the Freedom Cup could not downplay the importance of securing the win for the group.
"This game was really big for us and we spoke about it.
"After the World Cup Final, this was the biggest game for this group.
"I'm so happy for guys like Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu and Canan Moodie, who came back from injury, so really happy as a group."
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Given the massive occasions, head coach Erasmus attributed the players' emotions to the slow start.
"The players were too emotional when we started. We were not accurate, however, we were on it," Erasmus said.
"After half-time, we calmed a little bit and started playing a little better."
The result means it is the fourth straight win by the Springboks over the All Blacks.
It is the first time since 1949 that the Boks have managed four consecutive victories of All Blacks.
"It is important for us to understand, to have the four wins in a row record is nice to have, but they have beaten us six times in a row, where we were well outplayed with 57-15 in Durban.
"So there is nothing to brag about, they have done worse to us.
"But it feels good that we can pip a team of this calibre.
"Like last weekend [at Ellis Park], this game where they made us worried so [if they won it] no one could say they didn't deserve it.
"But for us this week, it was about the Freedom Cup. I don't really talk about it, or say a lot of South Africa [as a country], but if you attached the Freedom to that, it was special and we wanted to win this one."
