Wilco Louw says the Springboks remained focused on the task at hand against France in Paris after Lood de Jager was red-carded.
The Boks defied the odds to beat Les Bleus 32-17 at the Stade de France on Saturday night – a result made even more impressive given they played the entire second half with 14 men.
“It’s an incredible game to be part of,” said Louw, who came off the bench in the 47th minute. “The French are a really good team, and obviously we didn’t think we’d win by that margin.
“The boys were out there with 14 men for a whole half, so we’re really proud of the effort. Everyone stayed focused on our task today. The guys really stepped up, especially defensively, and we managed to get a bit of momentum in the maul.”
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The Stade de France atmosphere was electric, with the home crowd desperate for revenge after the Springboks’ 2023 World Cup quarter-final win over Les Bleus.
“It’s an incredible experience going out in that stadium,” said Louw. “Everyone is singing and cheering – and not always for you! We spoke before the game about focusing on ourselves, especially during the warm-up with all that noise.
“It was a great first half, and when the red card happened, the boys really wanted to lift each other in that second half.”
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The victory was also significant for captain Siya Kolisi, who marked his 100th Test, and for Rassie Erasmus, who oversaw his 50th match as Springbok head coach.
“Rassie is an incredible coach, just in the way he gets everyone up and focused on the task,” said Louw. “Both he and Siya are incredible human beings.
“Siya’s such a servant for this team – and not just this team, but for our whole nation. He’s an amazing leader and player. We all admire him for the person he is and for everything he’s gone through in his life. He plays with his heart on his sleeve and leads by example.
“We’re really proud of both of them and hopefully there are many more milestones to come.”
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The Boks, who now have two wins from two on their five-match end-of-year tour, will next face Italy, who are coming off a 26-19 win against the Wallabies.
“This was a big one for us, but next week Italy will be up and ready,” said Louw. “They’re always physical, they’ve got a good scrum and maul, and they like to throw the ball around. It’ll be another big challenge.”
Photo: David Rogers/Getty Images
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