Rugby
Boks quietly confident ahead of Brisbane Test─── MORGAN PIEK 10:24 Thu, 08 Aug 2024
“I made my Test debut here in Brisbane. It wasn't a good result then, but it’s good to be back in the team and it’s good to back in Brisbane.”
The Springbok winger Cheslin Kolbe wants to play his part this weekend when they face the Wallabies in Brisbane in the Rugby Championship.
The fleet-footed outside back made his Springbok debut in Brisbane and has since gone on to win back-to-back Rugby World Cups.
While he will be playing in his 34th Test this weekend it will only be his second Down Under, but there is a sense of excitement in the camp.
Kolbe said there is a renewed belief that they can improve on their poor record in Australia.
“I made my Test debut here in Brisbane. It wasn't a good result then, but it’s good to be back in the team and it’s good to back in Brisbane,” said Kolbe.
“It’s a new coaching staff and it’s a lot of new players that have come in, which is quite exciting. For us, we just we need to stick to what we've done throughout this week and execute our plans.
“Once we can do then the forwards can get some go-forward, then hopefully we can get the opportunity to exploit out wide, we'll get the opportunity to exploit things out wide.”
“It’s just great to be back in Brisbane and be a part of the Springbok team.”
Kolbe added that they have not good the best record Down Under, and if they are to win the Rugby Championship for the first time in five-years, a win this weekend will be imperative.
“We haven't won a Rugby Championship since 2019 and it will be unbelievable to get another one,” Kolbe added.
“For us as a team, we are just looking forward to this coming Saturday and we also don't have a very good history here. That said, we have not played them a lot down here recently, so we can't look too far ahead of ourselves.
“We just going to put our focus purely on Saturday and try to deliver our best performance.”
Saturday’s eagerly anticipated Test between the Wallabies and Springboks in Queensland kicks off at 6:30am.
Wallabies - 15 Tom Wright, 14 Andrew Kellaway, 13 Len Ikitau, 12 Hunter Paisami, 11 Filipo Daugunu, 10 Noah Lolesio, 9 Jake Gordon, 8 Harry Wilson, 7 Carlo Tizzano, 6 Rob Valetini, 5 Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, 4 Nick Frost, 3 Allan Alaalatoa (captain), 2 Matt Faessler, 1 Issac Kailea
Replacements - 16 Josh Nasser, 17 James Slipper, 18 Zane Nonggorr, 19 Jeremy Williams, 20 Luke Reimer, 21 Tate McDermott, 22 Tom Lynagh, 23 Dylan Pietsch
Springboks - 15 Willie le Roux, 14 Cheslin Kolbe, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 9 Cobus Reinach, 8 Elrigh Louw, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Siya Kolisi (captain), 5 RG Snyman, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Ox Nche
Replacements - 16 Malcolm Marx, 17 Gerhard Steenekamp, 18 Vincent Koch, 19 Ben-Jason Dixon, 20 Marco van Staden, 21 Kwagga Smith, 22 Grant Williams, 23 Handré Pollard
Morgan Piek OFM Sport