News

Boks not finished product - PDV

August 30 2008

Springbok coach Peter de Villiers was a happy man on Saturday after his Springbok team thumped Australia 53-8 in their Tri-Nations match at Coca-Cola Park.

But, said the coach who has been under a huge amount of criticism, his Boks were not yet where he wanted them to be.

"This (this performance) is what I expect from the team, but we're only about 60-70 per cent of where we want to be," said de Villiers.

De Villiers said it was fair to say that the Springboks' huge win came because of more structure and the fact that they had opted to play the game in Australian territory.

"It wasn't an opportunity to show up their critics," he said, "but an opportunity for the players to showcase their talents."

Getting back to the game itself, De Villiers said that he knew that "when the guys put it together, somebody would get a beating."

Jongi Nokwe, who set a new Tri-Nations record by scoring four tries, said he didn't realise it was a record until after the match.

"I'm very happy," he said speaking through an interpreter.

De Villiers added that he had confidence in the young speedster who played in only his second Tri-Nations and third Test overall on Saturday.

"There has been plenty of criticism, but it shows that the process is now beginning to work," he said.

Nokwe will have an ankle scan on Sunday or Monday to determine the grade of ankle injury he sustained.

Wallaby coach Robbie Deans said that his team would not take much from this game into the decider against the All Blacks in Brisbane.

"We will rather focus on what is a great opportunity for us," he said.

"It has become a winner takes all match," said Deans.

"A Test is a Test. I'm not concerned with the numbers (score), but it hurts if you lose," he added.