Heyneke Meyer: ‘Semi-final against Wales could have gone either way’

“I cried for about 24 hours after losing to Japan”.

“Even though they are not the most experienced, I truly believe in these guys. I’m so grateful to be in a semi-final and as South Africans only a win will be good enough”, Meyer added.

“I can imagine they are just as excited about it as we are”. You have to pick guys with character.

Players and coaches have not had time to dwell on these issues – it is up to the logistics manager to deal with it – because all their focus has been on perfecting their own game plan as well as analysing the opposition. It’s knockout rugby so we have to eliminate mistakes. The most important thing about bouncing back was not to make any excuses.

“He has been a revelation around the team as a leader and he knows exactly what I want. The mind starts to wander because every Test for us from the beginning has been a must win, so we need to regroup and anyone of the teams can make it. We need to regroup and hopefully we can go all the way”, Meyer said.

South Africa have two new injury concerns following the Wales match.

But for the Springboks outside of the injury to Victor Matfield, it’s been a flawless week of preparations with all the odds seemingly stacked in their favour.

Hooker Bismark du Plessis has a gash on his hand after being trodden on by Louw, while lock Lood de Jager has injured a tendon in his foot.

But Bok centre Jesse Kriel, who has come in for criticism for his alignment on defence, is aware that he will be targeted by the powerful Dragons’ midfield of George North and Jamie Roberts, both 110 kg British Lions. “Right at the end, to score that try, he showed a few pace, my captain”, Meyer said.

“Sometimes the big occasion doesn’t count”.

The Springboks have flattered to deceive in the tournament thus far with much of their success coming from playing with desperation but Meyer believes that this year’s World Cup was always going to be a tightly contested affair with the amount of information teams have on each other. Mike Tyson was a machine at 21 and I can keep on going.

Number eight Vermeulen, in an energetic performance in which he made the most metres of any player on either side, created the game-winning try with a deft offload round his back but it was Burger’s all-action display that stood out.

“Luckily in Pieter-Steph du Toit we have another young player who has been performing very well and will slot in easily”.