Dunedin - The All Blacks can run at the Springboks if they want to, says Flip van der Merwe, but the big lock growled: “We will see how far they get.”
Van der Merwe will start his first Test for the Boks since the 2010 clash against New Zealand in Soweto. He replaces the suspended Eben Etzebeth in the second row, and can’t wait to run out at the Forsyth Barr Stadium on Saturday.
“The last time I started a Test was against New Zealand at Soccer City. There is maybe a bit of unfinished business from that game, as we were a bit unlucky in that Test. But I’m very excited about Saturday,” Van der Merwe told Independent Newspapers this week.
“I’m really looking to Saturday’s game, and unfortunately in this world, you have to make use of your chances. It’s very sad about what happened to Eben, but my chance is now.
“Every rugby player wants to test himself against the best in the world, and that is what lies ahead of us on Saturday. To beat New Zealand in New Zealand is probably one of the biggest tasks out there, so we want to do that.”
Van der Merwe will emulate his father, former giant Bok prop Flippie van der Merwe, by starting a Test in New Zealand. Flippie was at tighthead during the infamous 1981 tour, and made his debut in the Bok victory in Wellington. Scrumhalf Ruan Pienaar’s father, fullback Gysie, started all three Tests in the series, while reserve lock Andries Bekker’s father Hennie and Flippie van der Merwe started in two out of the three matches.
“It’s a dream come true for me. I hope I can play as well as my father did,” the Bulls No 4 said on New Zealand TV show The Crowd Goes Wild this week.
He will have to fulfil Etzebeth’s role of enforcer for the Boks on Saturday, where he will line up alongside Bulls teammate Juandré Kruger in the second row.
The 27-year-old, who holds an accounting degree, is known for his abrasiveness in the collisions, but can also lose his temper and discipline at times as he has a tendency to give away penalties and concede yellow cards.
But he is not going to hold back tomorrow, where he will face off against impressive new All Black lock Luke Romano. “I am in a good physical condition and feel that I’m playing good rugby. I had an impact role in the last few Tests, and now I’m looking forward to displaying the form I had with the Bulls in Super Rugby, and show what I can do if I start in the number-four jersey,” Van der Merwe said.
“If you pull a Springbok jersey over your head, then you go out to win, and that’s what we will do on Saturday.
“The belief is definitely there. We learnt a lot out of the previous two Tests, and you can see that we are playing better every week. The guys are finding each other, and the training sessions we had in Auckland this week have been the best since we came together,” he said.
“With (Bok conditioning coach) Basil Carzis here, and even coach Heyneke, we are one of the fittest international teams. If they want to run, then they must run – we will see how far they get… ”
Cape Times