‘Incredible Warriors’: van den Berg Reflects On Turin Triumph As Boks Turn Focus To Stade de France

Morne van den Berg described his Man of the Match performance in the Springboks’ opening game of their Nations Championship European tour against Italy as a special occasion, highlighting the significance of representing his country at the historic Allianz Stadium.

Reflecting on the achievement, Van den Berg expressed his pride at wearing the green and gold jersey.

“I must say it was very special. It’s a special stadium, and it’s very special to wear this jersey,” he said.

The Springboks produced a dominant first-half performance, racing to a commanding 45-0 lead at half-time. However, Italy responded strongly after the break, showing determination and character to put the visitors under pressure.

Van den Berg acknowledged the hosts’ fighting spirit, praising Italy for their resilience and competitive attitude.

“They have incredible hearts, so we did expect it. They are incredible warriors,” he said.

Despite securing an impressive victory, the Springboks know there is still plenty of work to be done as they turn their attention to their upcoming encounters against France and Ireland.

Van den Berg, who has formed a halfback partnership with Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu ahead of Friday’s clash against France at the Stade de France, stressed that the team would use video analysis to identify areas for improvement and continue developing their overall performance.

“There is so much to improve on, so we’ll keep working on our game. We’ll study the video and see where we must improve, but credit to Italy for putting us under pressure,” he explained.

The victory provided an encouraging start to the European tour, particularly as the Springboks look to build consistency and carry positive momentum into their next encounter against France.

For Van den Berg, getting the fundamentals right and successfully executing what the team has been working on during training remain key priorities.

“It was important to get our game right, to get stuff right that we practise, and we need momentum for the next game against France,” he said.

While the Man of the Match accolade represents a memorable personal milestone, Van den Berg’s focus remains firmly on the team’s progress.

With France and Ireland still to come, the Springboks will be determined to build on their opening victory, address the areas requiring improvement and maintain their momentum as the European tour continues.