RSA team announcement (v NZL) media conference: head coach De Bruin, captain Booi, Malinga
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South Africa head coach Swys de Bruin, captain Nolusindiso Booi (pictured left) and Ayanda Malinga (right) look ahead to their quarter-final against New Zealand at Sandy Park on Saturday.
Swys de Bruin, head coach
On selection:
“We like playing with 10 forwards in a lot of cases. New Zealand display with 10 or 9 backline, their centres are more in the backline.
“We like the physical stuff, we back our strength and we feel it’s the right thing to do. If the Boks [men] can go 6-2, we can go 7-1.”
On confidence:
“We were 13th and 12th in the rankings last year, and Italy 7th. So that gave us massive confidence. Even in the Ferns game when we played them in Cape Town, their ‘B’ team, to beat them gave us massive confidence.
“It’s a matter of belief, anything can happen. We believe in miracles, so you never know.”
On pressure:
“I think the pressure if you’re underdogs is on them. There’s nothing on us. I’ve seen with these ladies, if you put the bar there they push it higher. They are unreal if it comes to challenging them.”
On key messages to the squad:
“There’s so many clichés, it’s just love the moment."
Nolusindiso Booi, captain
On this potentially being her last international:
“I already had nerves, so it’s a good thing I’m feeling that way now, so that when we get to the field, I know exactly what’s expected of me.
“I have to give everything for the team, because I don’t believe we are going there to just play the game. I believe we can do something. Coach always talks about miracles, and we have a strong pack, 32 players which are behind us, including our fans at home, our families and everyone out there, so we’ll give everything we have.
“It’s my last World Cup, so for me it’s about giving everything because I know that after we’re done, I won’t touch a rugby ball again.”
On the squad:
“As much as we are different people, when we hit the changing room we have the same spirit, we have the same energy, because everyone is going to war. Everyone’s mind and body is there.
“We have a certain way of processing things, and believing that we can stick together, beautiful things will happen for us.”
Ayanda Malinga
On facing the Haka:
“What we are going to try is to not let them get under our skin. Just keep calm, focus on the main goal that we have, because we’ve been working very hard to get to this point."
