Boks keeping pedal to the metal

Halfback pair Grant Williams and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu say the Springboks are keeping their foot on the pedal going into their rematch with the All Blacks in Cape Town on Saturday.

The Springbok halfbacks both played influential roles in the comeback 31-27 victory over New Zealand at a sold-out Emirates Airline Park.

Feinberg-Mngomezulu kicked 16 points in the win, including a 61m penalty, while Williams’ try handed the hosts the lead five minutes before the full-time whistle.

“It was special,” said Feinberg-Mngomezulu, after facing the All Blacks for the first time in his career.

“I think our preparation in the week was valuable going into the match, especially with all the players putting the team first and helping each other. We put our best foot forward and the crowd was amazing, which always helps getting us through such tough games.”

Williams, whose last game against New Zealand was in a 35-20 defeat in Auckland last year, was thrilled with the way the Boks fought back after trailing by 10 points going into the final 20 minutes in Johannesburg.

“It was special for the group as a whole. We placed a big emphasis on sticking together, especially during the tough times, so we are happy about the result.

“The last time I faced them was in New Zealand last year and we got a hiding in that match, so it was a great feeling to get a victory against them this time.”

With the epic encounter at Ellis Park now behind them, the Springboks have quickly turned their attention to Saturday’s clash at Cape Town Stadium, where they could take a significant step towards the southern hemisphere title.

“We don’t want a repeat of losing the second Test, like what happened against Ireland in July, and that’s something we pushed for in Australia,” said Feinberg-Mngomezulu, referring to the back-to-back wins over the Wallabies last month.

“So, if we can be as hungry and determined next week and get a good result, it would take us one step closer to hopefully securing the Rugby Championship title.”

The Springboks lead the competition on 14 points, ahead of New Zealand (six points), Argentina (five) and Australia (four), who recorded their maiden win of the championship over the Pumas on Saturday.

“Attempting win the competition is a massive goal for us, so we need to ensure that we maintain the consistency in our performances,” Williams said.

“We are pleased with how we are growing as a team, but I don’t think we’ll take our foot off the gas. We are really looking forward to next week’s match, and we know is going to be equally as tough, if not tougher.”

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