The Springboks continued their unbeaten run this season with a convincing 41-7 win over Japan on Friday, finishing off their warm-up matches as they prepare for their opening match of the Rugby World Cup.
With the fixture being their final match before the tournament, and against the side that upset them four years ago, South Africa took no chances and picked a strong squad to take on the RWC hosts.
That included a formidable bench with plenty of experience and firepower.
This brilliant behind the scenes video from Supersport focuses solely on those players, as we get to see all of their emotions and the way that they support their teammates from the sideline.
It features Jesse Kriel, Francois Steyn, RG Snyman, Francois Louw, Trevor Nyakane, Bongi Mbonambi, Tendai Mtawarira and Herschel Jantjies. There’s quite a bit of Afrikaans but you should get the gist of it.
At one point Steyn asks why it’s only them that are screaming.
It’s a side of the professional game we don’t ever get to see and shows just how engaged and passionate the squad are. If that alone is anything to go by, it looks as though Rassie Erasmus is building a strong unit, one that will surely be a realistic contender for the title this year.
Catch up on match highlights below (Japanese commentary):
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