Man Of The Match Willemse Shifts Focus To Ireland

After facing a barrage of high balls and through balls, providing terrific defensive cover and reading Italy’s attacking kicking patterns, Damian Willemse delivered a man-of-the-match performance that gave the Springboks the springboard to leap into victory in Turin, 32-14. 

Following the bruising encounter, the two-time World Champion shared his thoughts on one of the most demanding Tests of the season, whilst also keeping a keen eye on the next opponents, Ireland! 

He admitted the recognition was special, particularly given the nature of the contest, but offered plaudits to his teammates as well.

“It was a very tough game, and for me to get man of the match – considering how well the forwards and tight five performed, especially after Franco had to go off – means a lot. We had to work incredibly hard and adjust our plans on the field,” he said.

“Overall, we’re very happy with the resilience and character everyone showed, and credit must go to the coaching staff for the plans they put together when we went down to 14 men. For the guys who haven’t had much game time to step up the way they did gives us a lot of confidence. It makes us feel proud.”

Italy put plenty of pressure on him with its kicking, but he believes his improvements stem from strong guidance behind the scenes.

“I have to give thanks to the coaches for helping me with my game. Getting consecutive games has been massive for my confidence. I missed last year, so to be back is a real privilege, and to put on the Springbok jersey again means everything. My job is to nail my role, and the team deserves credit too – a lot of players helped me.”

Sighting trust as an important aspect of togetherness and cohesion among the squad and coaching staff, Willemse emphasised that the players trusted the coaches to put plans together while the coaches trusted the players to execute the plans.

“The biggest word to use is trust,” he emphasised. “At halftime, the coaches gave us clear messages and plans to go out in the second half. Italy put a lot of pressure on us in those first ten minutes, but we stuck to the plan – it takes a team and trust to do what we did out there.”

Elaborating on the motivation behind their performances, the Springbok fullback added, “This team keeps on showing up and performing and keeps showing what it means to play for this badge and our families. It’s hard to put into words and to describe what this means to the team.”

As games are coming thick and fast and with the shift in focus moving to the game against Ireland, Willemse shed light on the importance of that fixture.

“We have an eye on Ireland, but we need to enjoy this win. We have not won at Aviva Stadium yet, so that’s a goal for us. It’s going to be a massive game, and we look forward to playing there.”

In the past two games, the four-time World Champions have had a player permanently red-carded. Grit, resilience, and the ability to dig deep were something Willemse is aware will need to be portrayed again going into next Saturday’s game.

“We are going to need every player and squad member, whether they are playing or not, every coach, to get the result. We know they are a world-class team with a very good coaching staff. We’ll dial our plans in with an eye on the challenge in Dublin.”

It’s been a tough tour for the Springboks. A tour in which they have risen to the occasion and shown immense mental fortitude through difficult moments. With this being the final game in rugby’s international window, Willemse and his teammates will want to keep the high they are on and break their duck at the Aviva Stadium.