'Their heart rate is 200; emotion is very high all over the world'
Seasoned Springboks utility Willie le Roux can’t wait for Saturday’s Rugby World Cup final versus the All Blacks, the first time the arch-southern hemisphere rivals have clashed in the decider since 1995. South Africa grabbed the glory that day, a drop goal from Joel Stransky splitting the teams in extra time.
Le Roux was a small boy at the time, unaware of the significance of South Africa taking the trophy. Twenty-eight years later, though, he is fully aware of what it means, not only in his home country but also to Springboks fans around the world.
Asked on Wednesday about his likely involvement off the bench in the Stade de France final, le Roux said: “That would be unbelievable. I was six years old in 1995 and I can just remember my dad and mum screaming in the house and I couldn't understand exactly what was going on. But to be able to have a chance to play in the final against them would be amazing.
“The emotion for the last two weeks was pretty high. My friends and everyone sends me messages after the games and their heart rate is 200 (bpm). So, the emotion is very high all over the world, and for us as well.
“But when we step off the field, when you go to bed that night and when you wake up the next morning, it's the next job, you start all over, it's a new process. The high has gone now."
It was 2013 when the now 34-year-old le Roux made his Test debut, so he is well-versed about the rivalry heading into the final. "There is always respect. The rivalry goes back a long time.
"The games that have been played against each other, always it's hard-fought and after the game, you can see the guys, they gave it their all. It's just a hard battle out there, there are no friends when you are on the field.
“I don't think you can ever write the All Blacks off. It's no surprise at all for them to be in the final,” he reckoned, going on to reference Will Jordan, the New Zealand winger who needs one more try to break the record for the most scored in a single tournament.
“The 23 that goes out there on Saturday, we all buy into our defensive plan, stick to what we think is best. We can stop them, everyone from scoring, not just him, stop the All Blacks from scoring.
"He [Jordan] is an amazing all-round player. He chips and chases, he can do anything, scores from anywhere, create something out of nothing. An unbelievable ball player."
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> It would be best described as an elegant solution to what was potentially going to be a significant problem for new All Blacks coach Scott Robertson. It is a problem the mad population of New Zealand will have to cope with more and more as All Blacks are able to continue their careers in NZ post RWCs. It will not be a problem for coaches, who are always going to start a campaign with the captain for the next WC in mind. > Cane, despite his warrior spirit, his undoubted commitment to every team he played for and unforgettable heroics against Ireland in last year’s World Cup quarter-final, was never unanimously admired or respected within New Zealand while he was in the role. Neither was McCaw, he was considered far too passive a captain and then out of form until his last world cup where everyone opinions changed, just like they would have if Cane had won the WC. > It was never easy to see where Cane, or even if, he would fit into Robertson’s squad given the new coach will want to be building a new-look team with 2027 in mind. > Cane will win his selections on merit and come the end of the year, he’ll sign off, he hopes, with 100 caps and maybe even, at last, universal public appreciation for what was a special career. No, he won’t. Those returning from Japan have already earned the right to retain their jersey, it’s in their contract. Cane would have been playing against England if he was ready, and found it very hard to keep his place. Perform, and they keep it however. Very easy to see where Cane could have fit, very hard to see how he could have accomplished it choosing this year as his sabbatical instead of 2025, and that’s how it played out (though I assume we now know what when NZR said they were allowing him to move his sabbatical forward and return to NZ next year, they had actually agreed to simply select him for the All Blacks from overseas, without any chance he was going to play in NZ again). With a mammoth season of 15 All Black games they might as well get some value out of his years contract, though even with him being of equal character to Richie, I don’t think they should guarantee him his 100 caps. That’s not what the All Blacks should be about. He absolutely has to play winning football.
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