BJ: Why the Boks will win
With the Tri-Nations kicking off this weekend, Springbok prop - and iafrica.com columnist - BJ Botha returns to our pages this week to discuss the build-up and the mood in the camp ahead of the tournament opener against the All Blacks in Auckland.
The past month has been all about the football in South Africa, but with the last game this weekend, I think the focus will fall back on the rugby from next week, although we have had plenty of support during the build-up to this weekend's Test anyway!
It has been a great vibe with the Football World Cup in SA, even it was a little tough at times (sleep was hard to come by ahead of the France Test, courtesy of the vuvuzelas!), and it was awesome to get down to see some of the soccer live and to show our support for Bafana Bafana.
Even when the boys were knocked out, most of the guys selected another team to follow, and get behind, for the duration of the tournament. Obviously our focus was on the rugby, and the incoming tours, but it was fantastic to be in South Africa when the tournament took place, so we could soak in the vibe.
Now, when the final moves on past us, all the attention will move to the Tri-Nations, but rugby supporters have still been following us, because as we all know, there is great support in the game and we always received plenty of coverage.
The squad is our strength
I have heard there has been some talk coming out of the All Blacks camp, but I haven't read any of it personally. For us, the biggest thing is to focus on the All Blacks game in Auckland, and not what is happening off the pitch. We have tried a couple of combinations during the incoming tours, and the coach will now settle on what he thinks is best.
As a group, our squad is our biggest strength. We are all on the same page, and no matter which team takes the field on Saturday, it will have the support of everybody in the squad. We are looking at the next game, no further than that, and as a side we are focused on what we want to do, and what we feel is necessary to take on the All Blacks this weekend.
The mood in the squad is fantastic as well. We had a great flight in and a quick changeover in Sydney as well. Obviously, the jetlag does affect you, but we have our first meeting tomorrow and I am looking forward to it. I just want to get out on the training field now - as do the rest of the guys.
The Tri-Nations is the competition we look forward to and the guys are eager to get going!
Both sides have their strengths
A lot of people have been asking who we consider the greater threat - Australia or New Zealand. But they are totally different sides, with their own strengths and weaknesses. As the Super 14 has shown, Australian and New Zealand sides do things differently and pose their own challenges as well.
It will be interesting to see what they put out on the park - both sides have done their own experimenting on the inbound tours - but we have played one another so many times, and the rivalry is so heated, that it does matter what team they put out, they will come out firing and there will be a massive onslaught from both teams.
Obviously the World Cup in New Zealand next year is in the back of our minds and winning in New Zealand will provide a boost for next year, but the focus is still very much on the Tri-Nations this year. We have shown that we can win in New Zealand and Australia and we want to continue doing so in 2010.
We also have to remember that next year will bring its own challenges and other teams involved as well. So while we definitely have our eyes on next year, and the World Cup, we are firmly focused on what is in front of us now, and that is the Tri-Nations and this weekend's match against the All Blacks.