A Springbok-All Blacks Test in the best of the tradition.

Springbok elder statesman Jean de Villiers called it like it really is for the Springboks when he emphatically said that a positive result against the All Blacks on Saturday will count more than anything else (World Cup planning, being the inference).

“Performance versus the result could potentially be a tough question (for other teams) in a World Cup year but as Springboks it is easy to answer … Representing South Africa comes down to winning, it is as simple as that,” the 30-year-old said proudly. “Winning is what you have to do when you pull on a Springbok jersey. Unfortunately we could not do that in Durban.”

De Villiers said that the Boks could not be satisfied with taking positives from the defeat to the Wallabies, their third successive Tri-Nations defeat this season and their eighth in their last nine matches in the competition.

“The bottom line is that we had to win at Kings Park and we didn’t. Winning was the ultimate goal last week, just as it is this week, no matter what is round the corner,” the 68-cap veteran said. “Look, hopefully if we improve the performance the result will take care of itself, but victory is the most important thing.”

The coaching staff has endeavoured to put a different spin on matters, so good on Jean de Villiers to cut to what really matters to players and fans alike.

De Villiers’ honesty extended to him dismissing the excuses that his team was rusty.

“I don’t buy the rustiness excuse. You can’t blame lack of game time because in the first half we played really well,” he said. “We were fine in the first half – it was in the second half that we lost the game, and it is just not good enough that we allowed them into the game to win it.”

The centre said that it was lamentable that his team could not score a single try for all their dominance of the Aussies in the half and he said much of that was down to efficiency at the breakdown.

“We have to concentrate on keeping the scoreboard ticking over when we are on top of teams,” he said. “We have to get quicker ball when we are dominating and then make good use of it. We were more than six points better than them at half time, and if just one try had been scored from the opportunities we created… well, that is the fine line between losing and winning a Test, and everybody saying we are on track for the World Cup or in crisis.”

De Villiers said that harsh words were exchanged between the players at a team meeting yesterday morning and “this will continue through the week”.

“We need to be better, we need to work harder and above all we need to win. And if we do that, then we will go to the World Cup in the right frame of mind.”

The fact that so many All Blacks on Saturday will be playing for World Cup places makes then more dangerous than ever, De Villiers said, no matter that they have left eight first-choice players at home.

“That is some carrot to play for – a place in the All Black squad for a World Cup on their own turf,” De Villiers said. “They have some very classy players here with a lot at stake. The All Blacks are no less dangerous or in any way weakened. For instance, just look at who they have here in the midfield and who else is in contention – Sonny Bill Williams has been fantastic in Super Rugby, Ma’a Nonu has been brilliant for the All Blacks this year, then there is Richard Kahui with much to prove, and Conrad Smith has had a good tournament…

“Flyhalf Colin Slade has everything to play for,” De Villiers continued. “He has proved his versatility in playing flyhalf, wing and fullback at Super Rugby level. He has great skill, a good kicking and passing game, and pace, so he is an all-round flyhalf and he will look forward to this opportunity of starting for New Zealand in South Africa, and it will be a big test for him.

“So yes, there is a lot for all of us to play for, and this will be a Springbok-All Blacks Test in the best of the tradition.”

by Mike Greenaway