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Date: 2023-12-09 14:13:38 | Author: Olympics 2024 | Views: 758 | Tag: gaming
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It was Steven Kitshoff who delivered the most chilling warning of what to expect at the Stade de France on Sunday evening gaming
“You’re going to have to go to a dark place quite early in this game,” he grimaced gaming
And as the flame-haired South African prop continued, the lengths to which his Springbok counterparts and their French foes might have to go in order to reach a Rugby World Cup semi-final were laid out even more clearly gaming
“Because of where the physicality is going to be, it might get to a point where some players haven’t been and we will see if both teams are willing to go to that dark spot,” he concluded ominously gaming
South Africa’s 13-8 group-stage defeat to Ireland has been the most compellingly physical match of the tournament so far gaming
The No 1 and No 2-ranked sides knocked seven bells out of each other in a vintage display of pure Test match rugby, but Sunday’s quarter-final might just top it gaming
The Springboks are renowned for their intensity and sanctioned brutality on the rugby field – it has long been their calling card gaming
Opposition used to try to out-think or go round, rather than through, them and, while this sometimes worked, the South Africans often prevailed gaming
See the 1995, 2007 and 2019 World Cups for examples gaming
Now, the best teams seem to have tacitly acknowledged that you need to physically match, or even bully, them as Ireland so brilliantly did last month gaming
RecommendedIreland and All Blacks thrust into new roles for blockbuster quarter-finalFrance given huge boost as Antoine Dupont starts Springboks quarter-finalSouth Africa spring half-back surprise for crunch France quarter-final“When teams play against the Springboks, they always talk about the physicality of the game,” smiled Kitshoff gaming
“Ireland and Tonga were probably two of the toughest games I have played all year gaming
We always try to make it as physical as possible but we know France are going to bring a lot of physicality gaming
”Steven Kitshoff has warned both teams will have to go to a dark place in Sunday’s quarter-final (Getty Images)The almost anti-Springbok stereotype of the flashy, unpredictable France side fuelled by Latin flair has dissipated gaming
They are, of course, still capable of mesmerising brilliance through the likes of Damian Penaud, Matthieu Jalibert or returning captain Antoine Dupont – whose recovery from a fractured cheekbone has given the whole country a lift – but the tired ‘you don’t know which France will turn up’ cliché has long since been disproven gaming
They are a well-oiled, ruthless machine under Fabien Galthie, who are more than willing to go toe to toe with the South Africans up front as proven last November in Marseille when they ground their way to a brutal 30-26 triumph over Jacques Nienaber’s men in a gruelling Test match that saw both Dupont and Pieter-Steph du Toit sent off gaming
“Violent is the right word,” said France flanker Charles Ollivon when reflecting on that clash this week gaming
“We’re expecting the same kind of match gaming
We know the South African style gaming
They’re well prepared to make a physical mark on their opponents gaming
They’ll stay true to themselves gaming
We’ll be ready gaming
”Dupont’s cheekbone, fractured after a high shot from Namibia captain Johan Deysel during the pool match gaming between the sides, had become a topic of national conversation and debate gaming
His quickfire, three-week recovery that enabled him to be named in the starting line-up for this quarter-final gives a spark to Les Bleus and the 80,000 fans who will pile into the Stade de France – even though his deputy Maxime Lucu admirably stepped up in his absence for the tail-end of the pool stage gaming
Antoine Dupont will wear a scrum cap for added protection as he recovers from a fractured cheekbone (AFP via Getty Images)“Having him back gives us a lot of confidence,” admitted fly half Jalibert gaming
“He puts a fear in the opponents, they try to find solutions to counter him and that gives us more space gaming
Even in a scrum cap [Dupont will wear the headgear at the request of his surgeon to provide added protection], he will be playing at 100 per cent of his ability gaming
”Facing South Africa, of all teams, while still recovering from a facial injury is perhaps not ideal but the scrum half is ready for the challenge and sounds prepared to go to that ‘dark place’ that Kitshoff claims will be required gaming
“In matches with these levels of intensity, there’s always pain, whether physical or mental,” said Dupont gaming
“We have to be willing to suffer to achieve what we want gaming
We have very high goals gaming
We know what we have to do and that it’s going to be very tough from start to finish gaming
If we’re not ready for that, we’re not ready to go where we want to go gaming
"With promises of suffering, pain, violence and dark places, this won’t be a clash for the faint-hearted, but the rewards for those who can dig deepest in Paris will be huge gaming
More aboutSouth Africa rugbyFrance RugbyRugby World CupAntoine DupontJoin our commenting forumJoin thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their repliesComments 1/3France and Springboks seek ‘dark place’ to keep World Cup dream alive France and Springboks seek ‘dark place’ to keep World Cup dream aliveSteven Kitshoff has warned both teams will have to go to a dark place in Sunday’s quarter-final Getty ImagesFrance and Springboks seek ‘dark place’ to keep World Cup dream aliveAntoine Dupont will wear a scrum cap for added protection as he recovers from a fractured cheekbone AFP via Getty ImagesFrance and Springboks seek ‘dark place’ to keep World Cup dream aliveFrance and South Africa played out a brutal Test match in Marseille last year Getty Images ✕Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this articleWant to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today gaming
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Hi {{indy gaming
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It landed in late August, rocking New Zealand like a flanker’s perfectly timed tackle to the ribs gaming
The All Blacks were already on their way to France, finishing their final preparations for the Rugby World Cup when a panel conducting long-awaited review of governance released a damning report declaring the constitution and structures of New Zealand Rugby (NZR) “not fit for purpose” gaming
The report did not paint a pretty picture gaming
“In the panel’s view, New Zealand Rugby has too many professional players,” it explained gaming
The NPC, New Zealand’s provincial competition, is “unsustainable in its current format” gaming
The five franchises that play in the top-level Super Rugby Pacific competition “are struggling financially” gaming
“New Zealand Rugby in the professional era is a large and complex business,” said chair of the review panel David Pilkington gaming
“The structure it sits within was not designed for a business of this size and complexity gaming
” The financial reports are anything but all black – NZR reported a financial loss of just over NZ$47m (£22 gaming
5m) last year gaming
Which is of deep concern not just for the union, but for rugby globally, too gaming
The problems in New Zealand are reflective of a precarious global ecosystem: too many professional players being paid wages beyond that which their clubs and unions can afford, with revenues not growing to keep up with salary inflation gaming
If a commercial behemoth like the All Blacks is not a sufficient money-spinner to sustain a professional structure, what hopes do emergent unions have?Rugby is embedded in New Zealand’s culture gaming
It is a vital tool of trade for a land of only five million people, a small collection of islands in the south Pacific afforded global prominence by its ability to punch above its weight on the pitch gaming
Australia coach Eddie Jones remarked this summer that New Zealand’s economy would suffer if his Wallabies beat the All Blacks; an analysis conducted by The New Zealand Herald found that there was some truth to the quip gaming
The Taranaki Bulls won this year’s New Zealand National Provincial Championship (Getty)In terms of brand recognition, New Zealand’s national men’s rugby team ranks alongside the biggest sporting entities gaming
Visit almost any inhabited corner of the world and mention rugby, and it is remarkable how often the words “All Blacks” will feature in the reply gaming
“You have to understand, New Zealand is a very young country and rugby has put this country on the map,” 2011 World Cup-winning head coach Graham Henry once explained to The Guardian gaming
“This country earned respect from the rest of the world for three things: what we did in two world wars, and to a lesser extent what we’ve done on the rugby field gaming
So over time rugby has become a major part of our national identity gaming
”Do the problems suggest that feeling is fading for some New Zealanders? There is perhaps a developing sense of apathy among domestic fans gaming
Rugby union is no longer so certain of its place in Kiwi hearts gaming
gaming Basketball has surged in popularity in the country, while rugby league’s New Zealand Warriors have sold out Mt Smart Stadium regularly in 2023 as the NRL makes a long-awaited breakthrough across the Tasman gaming
The Warriors’ average home attendance this season was 22,685; across town, Auckland’s Blues had short of 13,000 in at Eden Park for their Super Rugby Pacific quarter-final against the Waratahs gaming
Eden Park’s stands were far from full for the Blues’ quarter-final win over the Waratahs in June (Getty)On the pitch, Super Rugby Pacific has lost its lustre, with South Africa’s move into Europe’s club competitions a blow even if the Fijian Drua have brought a breath of fresh air gaming
The geographical realities of being so isolated mean New Zealand had little option but to re-up a deal with Australia, a rugby nation dealing with plenty of its own struggles gaming
Rumours abound of renewed involvement from Argentina and Japan, or a new American venture, but growing the financial pot will not be easy gaming
A number of senior figures will depart Aotearoa after this tournament for lucrative contracts in France and Japan, either permanently or on sabbatical gaming
While new stars like Will Jordan and Cam Roigard are emerging, they do not seem to have the same cultural cut-through as the men in black who have come before gaming
In the 20 years gaming between 2000 and 2020, there was a 20 per cent drop in player participation in rugby union at New Zealand’s secondary schools gaming
The “Baby Blacks” have not made any of the last three U20 Championship finals – is the world’s best rugby production line grinding to a halt?“I don’t know about falling out [of love] with the game but I think they’re falling out with a few things that are happening within the game, that’s frustrating people gaming
It can be hard to watch at times,” Steve Hansen, who guided the All Blacks to the 2015 World Cup victory, explained to Newstalk earlier this year gaming
“There’s no dispute that Super Rugby has to change gaming
It’s pretty predictable and still stuck where it was four or five years ago gaming
You go through the quarter-finals and it wasn’t that exciting as you knew who was going to win gaming
“I haven’t stopped to think about where it’s going to be in 20 years, I’m more worried about where it’s going to be in five gaming
gaming
gaming
I think we’re at the crossroads gaming
Unless we make some strong changes and start listening to the people that want to come along and watch it then it will just be the participants playing it gaming
”However rocky the picture beneath them, the All Blacks clearly remain big business gaming
Last year, a stake in New Zealand Rugby (NZR) was sold to Silver Lake, an American private equity firm also involved in the City gaming Football Group gaming
The deal valued the commercial assets of NZR at NZ$3 gaming
5bn (£1 gaming
67bn) gaming
The All Blacks are hoping to win a fourth World Cup (Getty)You suspect the investors will be pretty happy if, come Saturday night, Sam Cane has his hands on the Webb Ellis Cup gaming
Certainly, the commercial landscape will look rather more pleasing if New Zealand’s men join their women back at the top of the rugby world – for the good of an ailing domestic game, the All Blacks need a World Cup win more than you might think gaming
More aboutNew Zealand rugbyAll BlacksSuper RugbyRugby World Cupprivate equitySteve Hansengraham henryJoin our commenting forumJoin thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their repliesComments1/4Why the All Blacks need a World Cup win more than you might thinkWhy the All Blacks need a World Cup win more than you might thinkThe Taranaki Bulls won this year’s New Zealand National Provincial Championship Getty ImagesWhy the All Blacks need a World Cup win more than you might thinkEden Park’s stands were far from full for the Blues’ quarter-final win over the Waratahs in June Getty ImagesWhy the All Blacks need a World Cup win more than you might thinkThe All Blacks are hoping to win a fourth World Cup Getty ImagesWhy the All Blacks need a World Cup win more than you might thinkThe All Blacks will take on South Africa in the World Cup final Getty✕Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this articleWant to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today gaming
SubscribeAlready subscribed? Log inMost PopularPopular videosSponsored FeaturesGet in touchContact usOur ProductsSubscribeRegisterNewslettersDonateToday’s EditionInstall our appArchiveOther publicationsInternational editionsIndependent en EspañolIndependent ArabiaIndependent TurkishIndependent PersianIndependent UrduEvening StandardExtrasAdvisorPuzzlesAll topicsgaming BettingVoucher codesCompareCompetitions and offersIndependent AdvertisingIndependent IgniteSyndicationWorking at The IndependentLegalCode of conduct and complaintsContributorsCookie policyDonations Terms & ConditionsPrivacy noticeUser policiesModern Slavery ActThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged inCloseUS EditionChangeUK EditionAsia EditionEdición en EspañolSubscribe{{indy gaming
truncatedName}}Log in / Register {{#items}}{{#stampSmall}}{{/stampSmall}}{{#stampClimate}}{{/stampClimate}}{{#stampPremium}}{{/stampPremium}}{{title}}{{#desc}}{{desc}}{{/desc}}{{#children}}{{title}}{{/children}}{{/items}}Indy100Crosswords & PuzzlesMost CommentedNewslettersAsk Me AnythingVirtual EventsVouchersCompare✕Log inEmail addressPasswordEmail and password don't matchSubmitForgotten your password?New to The Independent?RegisterOr if you would prefer:SIGN IN WITH GOOGLEWant an ad-free experience?View offersThis site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy notice and Terms of service apply gaming
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