Springboks prop Steven Kitshoff says his team will have to go to a “dark place” if they are to overcome host nation France in Sunday’s Rugby World Cup quarter-final (9pm kickoff).
It is all or nothing for the Boks at the Stade de France, and the enormity of what is at stake for both teams will ensure the physicality levels soar.
“We are going to have to go to a dark place quite early in this game because of where the physicality is going to be, where you're going to try to push it, tempo-wise,” Kitshoff warned on Friday.
“It might get to a place where some players haven’t been, and we will see on Sunday if both teams are willing to go to that dark spot quite early.”
Pushing it to ‘new levels’
This is likely to mean that the Boks have to take their level of performance to an unprecedented level to beat France.
“Every Test, you need to be 100 percent switched on,” Kitshoff said.
“There is going to be an unbelievable atmosphere in the stadium. It's going to be loud, and there are going to be big moments in the game that could swing it either way.
“It’s about being mentally switched on and not letting those small moments cost you, or missing out on the finer details and conceding points.”
The Bok pack have a reputation of being the most bruising in world rugby, but the French beg to differ – according to reports from their camp, they are planning to take the physicality to the Boks.
“France have a big pack, and they live for big moments at the breakdown and turnovers,” Kitshoff said.
“We need to make sure we nail down our detail. When it comes to the big scrum battle, you have to make sure you are mentally in there – get onto the front foot and get a lot of go-forward for the team.
“There’s going to be a lot of big collisions, but it is something we have prepared for since June.
“We have working hard on the way we tackle and the way we impose ourselves physically, so we are pitching up on Sunday.”
‘The physicality of the game’
Regarding the war talk from the French camps, the Bok loosehead prop smiled and said: “When teams play against the Springboks, they always talk about the physicality of the game.
“Ireland and Tonga were probably two of the toughest games I have played all year.
“We always try to make it as physical as possible. We know France are going to bring a lot of physicality, and that will make it very interesting on Sunday.”
At the same time, Kitshoff believes that the Boks have to be ultra careful of not going overboard.
“It’s extremely crucial to avoid yellow or red cards,” he said. “It has been one of our big focus points.
“We have to make sure our discipline is in the right place, our tackle heights are spot-on, and the way we hit the breakdowns and collisions.
“When it comes to the knockouts, getting your tackle technique right is going to be a key difference in close games.
“If you concede a penalty and a yellow card, you give the opposition an opportunity to enter your 22 or kick at goal.
“Big games like this normally end in small margins on the scoreboard, so we have to do everything we can to get the result in our favour.”
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