- Springbok assistant coach Mzwandile Stick said they are happy with the selection pressure that comes with a high-performing team after their 43-12 win over the Wallabies on Saturday.
- The Boks have selected several important players, who have pressed their cases for selection for next week’s match against New Zealand in Auckland.
- Part of the Springbok team is already in New Zealand while the rest of the team left on Sunday evening.
Springbok assistant coach Mzwandile Stick said they’d rather have a great selection headache than fret based on few playing options after their comprehensive 43-12 win over the Wallabies at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.
The Boks did not choose their stronger side, but they were pleasantly surprised by the manner in which the second officials managed the proceedings in the capital.
The Boks took an early 5-0 deficit but took the lead for the rest of the game as Kurt Lee Arendse’s three tackles helped bury the visitors.
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Jan Klein, Marco van Staden, Andre Esterhuizen and Manny Libbock raised their hands with great performances.
“The more competition, and the more players raise their hands, the better,” Steck said.
“As a coach, you’d rather be stressed by not knowing who to choose than by not having options.
“At the moment we’re in a good space and when you look at guys like Jan Klein and Marco van Staden, they’ve done really well.
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“The more competition our players have, the better for us.”
Steck said there were players who should not have traveled to New Zealand who booked their tickets by virtue of their good performance.
The travel group to New Zealand was announced after the game, with 14 Boks players already in New Zealand.
Thirteen New Zealand players are eligible for selection, with regular captain Sia Colesi still returning to fitness.
Steck said the brilliance of Saturday’s display had a lot to do with how well players took advantage of their chances.
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“We had an original team that was supposed to join the guys in New Zealand,” Steck said.
“Some of the guys in this game who weren’t part of that group, they join the team, which comes down to taking chances.
“Sometimes these opportunities are not just about those who present themselves on the field, but the ones that come to life.
“Everyone kept saying they were in the B team, but some tickets were booked for New Zealand for this match.”