Kolisi after Wales series win: ‘Exactly what we needed to start season’

It was a dominant final performance, but in the end the Springboks were pushed all the way, eventually prevailing with a 2-1 series win over Wales after a 30-14 triumph in the third Test decider at the Cape Town Stadium on Saturday.

 Bok captain Siya Kolisi was proud of his charges and happy with the effort in the series overall, that included seeing all 42-players in the squad getting a run.

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“It’s been a tough series. I think it’s exactly what we needed to start our season. I am just grateful to the coaching staff, they had a plan from the beginning and stuck to it. A lot of players got opportunities and that’s important,” said Kolisi.

“The coaches are always open and clear with us and we knew exactly what the plan was. I am so grateful that we could stand up in the last game. We treated this as a final, we prepared for it like a final and we all pitched up (and performed) today.

“I am so grateful  to play in front of so many South Africans. With everything that has happened in our country for everyone to come out today is really special.”

Magnanimous in defeat

Welsh captain Dan Biggar was magnanimous in defeat as always, praising his side for their overall efforts in pushing the World Champs all the way in the series, while also acknowledging that the hosts were the better side.

“I am massively proud. We have a group of players who back themselves and are an absolute delight work with. We copped a bit of flack towards the end of the Six Nations. But this is our standard and it’s important to keep raising it and not go back on it,” said Biggar.

“Congratulations to South Africa. I thought in particular in that last 25 minutes they just squeezed us and we couldn’t get a foothold in the game. We had a couple of chances and against a top team like this you’ve got to take them. So we are disappointed (with the result) but very proud overall.”

The Springboks latest and youngest Test centurion Eben Etzebeth was thrilled with the teams effort and admitted that the day was more about the team sealing the series than about himself.

“There are 23 guys (in the match day quad) and we all wanted to win the Test match and series against Wales. I think everyone put up their hands today and it was unbelievable,” said Etzebeth.

“This was about the team and it was great to win the series today. We approached the game as a final and luckily we pulled it through in the end.”