South Africa captain Siya Kolisi will play through pain against New Zealand in Cape Town on Saturday as they bid to take a giant step towards the Rugby Championship title and wrestle the Freedom Cup from the All Blacks.
Kolisi suffered a nose fracture in the Springboks’ 31-27 victory over the All Blacks in Johannesburg last weekend but has come through training since having deferred surgery until after the showdown with South Africa’s greatest foes.
“I’m fine, there’s nothing I can do about it,” Kolisi told reporters on Friday. “I spoke to the team doctor and he said it’s all about how much pain I can take.
“The worst that can happen is that it (the nose) breaks further, but I’m planning to get it fixed anyway.”
World champions South Africa are chasing a fourth successive win over New Zealand for the first time since 1949, while victory would make them almost certain Rugby Championship winners for the fifth time.
They have also not held the Freedom Cup, a trophy contested between the two sides most years, since 2009, and need to at least draw to do so.
“The match is huge for the whole team,” Kolisi said. “We are in a place we’ve (rarely) been before in the Rugby Championship and over and above that, we’ve only seen photographs of the Freedom Cup; most of us in this group haven’t touched it.”
The Springboks clawed their way back from a 10-point deficit with 12 minutes to go against New Zealand last week and Kolisi wants his side to be more assertive from the off having trailed for most of that game.
“The key is to put our front foot forward from the outset, rather than trying to fight back the way we did last week,” he said.
“The players the All Blacks have selected shows how they want to play, so it is crucial for us to start this match strongly.”
Unbeaten South Africa lead the Rugby Championship table with 14 points after three rounds, ahead of second-placed New Zealand on six.
Reuters
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