Mzwandile Stick, assistant coach

On reports of a ‘death threat’ made against scrum-half Cobus Reinach after South Africa’s quarter-final win over France:

“Personally I haven’t received anything on my phone so I am not stressed about it. But obviously we are aware of the situation with Cobus and his family. The players do their job to make sure they represent their country. All the players were on the field and we are here to represent South Africa. If someone has got a problem with that, the French authorities will have to deal with it.

“From our side we will make sure we protect each other as a team, our players, managers, everyone involved. Once again, we don’t have a place for that in our game. You win some, you lose some. That’s part of the game. I am actually disappointed to have to send that message to a player.  We will keep doing everything in our powers to make our people proud at home.”

On the England team selection: 

“I don’t think there is actually big surprises. It’s actually what we expected from the team Rassie (Erasmus) ‘announced’ earlier in the week. I think there’s been two changes with Marcus Smith not cleared to play because of concussion. (George) Martin has been doing very well for them, one of the top upcoming young players and for him to get a starting place against the Springboks shows that the coaching staff really believe in his physique. He is a good player.  

“At the moment, England in general are in a good place as a team. They are getting the results they are looking for and you can see a shift in their mindset, they are really physical. How they played against Fiji in the quarter-final, we were impressed with the physicality in the game. Not really many surprises, I think they have selected their best possible team.”

On if he is concerned by England’s form in recent games:

“As a team they are getting the results they are looking for. Going to the play-offs, especially semi-finals, you can never under-estimate anyone. We know it is going to be tough and we know for sure England will pitch up tomorrow. We have seen what they have done in the past, against the All Blacks in Japan. That was one of the most physical games I have ever seen from an English side and I expect the same tomorrow.

“As a team we are well prepared and if you look at our side, the game we played against France was one of the toughest games to be involved in. From the first whistle the tempo and the intensity of the game, how France started against us, it really challenged us and the scoreboard speaks for exactly that.

“That game was a very, very tough game in the sense that both teams when they got their opportunities they capitalised. That’s a play-off game. We expect the same tomorrow. England will pitch up and we will make sure we pitch up. The team that converts their opportunities into points will stand a good chance to win the game so it’s going to be a tough one.”

On how Reinach is despite an online death threat:

“I’ve seen him every day. He’s in a good space. He’s got his family around him.

“I must also give credit to the French [organisers], the security around our hotels, with all the teams in the World Cup, the security was just another level. So I don’t think at the moment, there is something to worry about because we know for sure we are well protected in our camps.

“It’s good to see our players also in a good space when they’ve got their families around. That’s one thing we as a coaching staff and management, we are finding a good balance in the sense of getting the human side first to be happy, you know.”

On how South Africa must find another huge performance as England prepare for their first major test:

“I can’t comment on what they think about themselves but one thing I can tell you for sure about us is that every game we’ve played in this World Cup our boys, even with all the changes sometimes we normally make in our squad, they always pitch up.

“I know one thing for sure, they’re going to be up for this because of the history between the two sides. For sure, we are not going to disappoint. But like I said, England at the moment, they’re in a good space.

“In the quarter-final against France, if you look at both sides, when France got an opportunity early in the game to convert it into points, they really put us under pressure. So, I think it was a good game for us in terms of the way we stayed in the fight.

“I think it’s going to be the same tomorrow. Whoever is going to pitch up and execute their plan very well, and also play the conditions very well, will stand a chance to win.

“To win the World Cup you are going to have to go through tough times. We have been there before.”

On England having evolved under Steve Borthwick and being a different team to 2019:

“One thing I know for sure, without even going too deep to 2019, in the past year they are a totally different team. I know they started slow under the new coaching staff with (Steve) Borthwick, because we analysed them and we go deep into how they do things and what they stand for. To be honest, there’s been a lot of changes in how they do things.

“If you look at the way they are kicking, you know (they are) probably the closest team to France, the amount of kicks you get in a game. We analysed some of the games and even when they played against teams like Chile, they will probably go over 40 kicks in a game. That shows you that there’s a bit of tweaking in how they do things.

“We would never, ever, under-estimate them because we know on a good day, when they switch that right button, they can be a dangerous team. So, I think they are a better team, where they are now, at the moment.”

On why it seemed the South Africa coaching staff called a number of HIAs themselves during the match v France:

“The two that I remember in the game was called probably by the match officials. So, once again we want to protect everyone and we trust the medical experts, you know. I am not a medical expert.

“Also, us as coaches, we go through courses to make sure that we protect our players. When it comes to the moment, you suspect something, you have to call it. I think we as a coaching staff only called one that we’ve requested from our team doctor, just to check one of the players. I think our team doctor made a call to go and check. I think it was Duane (Vermeulen) at that moment.

“Otherwise, the other ones that were called, it was from the match medical doctors.”

On South Africa also playing England in the Cricket World Cup on Saturday:

“Firstly, I think at the moment it’s good to be South African. If you look at what the Proteas are doing, I know the last game they played against Netherlands things didn’t go well, but I think where they are as a team they are actually doing very well. I also wish them the best. They must understand we are fully behind them as Springboks.”

Source: RWC 2023