Jacques Nienaber and his Springboks know a thing or two about overcoming adversity, transforming a negative outcome into a positive triumph and on Tuesday, his advice to Banyana Banyana was simple: Don’t panic and remain resolute in your abilities and gameplan.
Banyana, currently in New Zealand for the Fifa Women’s World Cup, narrowly lost their opening game of the tournament to Sweden 2-1 on Sunday, after taking a shock 1-0 lead early in the second half.
In 2019, at the Rugby World Cup, the Springboks – under the tutelage of Rassie Erasmus and Jacques Nienaber – suffered a similar setback in their first game of that tournament, losing 23-13 to the All Blacks.
They bounced back immediately thereafter, beating Namibia, Italy and Canada to progress out of Pool B. They would go on to win the Webb Ellis Cup, famously beating England 32-12 in the final.
Banyana will have to attempt a similar feat in Group G in Australasia, with only favourable outcomes against Argentina on Friday (kick-off 2am) and Italy next week Wednesday, ensuring that they qualify for the last 16.
“I think they had a sterling performance,” said Nienaber of Banyana’s recent defeat to Blagult.
“They lost it right at the end. It was a very competitive game.
“When we lost to New Zealand,” he added, referring to that loss four years ago in Yokohama, Japan, “we created our own reality in terms of where we were.
“The thing is just to focus and be steadfast in your plan at hand and what you had drawn up before. Just to stay steadfast in that,” he reiterated.
The Springboks play their final game on South African soil this Saturday against Argentina in the closing matchday of the Rugby Championship.
Jacques Nienaber and Co can still win the Championship, but will have to beat the Pumas handsomely, while hoping that the Wallabies beat the much-fancied All Blacks on Saturday morning at the MCG without conceding any bonus points to the visitors.
IOL Sport