Springbok wing Ethan Hooker says there is nothing quite like facing the All Blacks after playing his part in a thrilling 29-24 victory at FNB Stadium on Saturday.
The world champions claimed a famous victory in front of 85,976 spectators to take a 2-1 lead into the final Test of the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series in Baltimore, USA.
Man of the Match Hooker was especially strong when competing for the ball in the air and on defence.
But despite his own contribution, the 23-year-old wing was quick to put the emphasis on the collective effort required to overcome a quality All Blacks side.
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“I’m absolutely loving it,” Hooker told SuperSport. “New Zealand are such a quality team, so when they come on to the park you’ve got to give it everything for 80 minutes – all 15 players plus the bench.
“We have so much respect for them as a nation and we know when we come on to the pitch, we’ve got to give it our all.”
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Hooker was equally modest when reflecting on his own performance.
“It’s one of those games where I was fortunate enough for the ball to come my way. The flow of the game happens like that sometimes,” he said.
“We talk about it as a team, just giving it everything for South Africa, for our people, for our families, and at the end of the day if I feel like I am after the game like I am now, then I know I’ve done my job.”
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The Springboks were forced to work hard defensively against an All Blacks side renowned for their high-paced attack and testing defensive structures.
Hooker said the key was not taking a step back and meeting the visitors’ attack head-on.
“New Zealand are a team that like to shift the ball. We know that we have to build some phases against them, stay disciplined, stay fighting and get those dominant tackles,” he said.
“Credit to them – they’re an incredible nation and I love playing against them.”
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Photo: Johan Orton/Gallo Images
The post Hooker: I love playing the All Blacks appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.