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JJ trusts Rassie’s judgement

Northampton Saints lock JJ van der Mescht says Rassie Erasmus will know when he is ready to play for the Springboks. The giant 26-year-old recently received a call-up to a Springbok virtual alignment camp for overseas-based players, but is parking excitement around a possible Springbok future. “I don’t need to dwell on whether I’m ready or not. Rassie is a very smart man and a great coach. He will know when I’m ready,” he told Off The Pitch Rugby. The towering lock, who has impressed with his physicality and mobility in England, admitted that he placed too much pressure on himself earlier in his career. “I always worried and thought, ‘I need to do something special to get into the Springbok team,’” he said. “But lately I’ve just been focusing on what I’m doing, getting through my processes, playing rugby and enjoying it.” ALSO: Season over for Bok big gun He says that shift in mindset has proven crucial to his current form and subsequent call-up to the alignment camp. “When I put too much pressure on myself, I started playing badly,” he explained. “I was focusing on the wrong things, playing selfishly and thinking about myself instead of the team.” Instead, Van der Mescht has embraced a simpler approach. “My end goal is to enjoy my rugby,” he said. “That’s why I started playing in the first place. If I play well enough, the rest will follow.” READ: ‘Springbok schedule not sustainable’ While the 2027 World Cup looms as a tantalising prospect, the lock is determined not to get ahead of himself. “I’m not really thinking about the World Cup,” he said. “It’s something I don’t want to dwell on because it can take my mind away from how I’m playing now. “Don’t get me wrong, I would love to play for the Springboks and I’d take the opportunity with both hands. But if it doesn’t happen, it’s not the end of the world.” Photo: David Rogers/Getty Images The post JJ trusts Rassie’s judgement appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.

4 hours ago

Lights go out on Super Rugby

The lights went out on Super Rugby and also Tana Umaga’s Moana Pasifika side on Friday. A power outage at North Harbour Stadium in Auckland forced a 20-minute halt in play in the match between Moana and the Highlanders. The stadium went dark in the 60th minute and when power returned, the match resumed under reduced lightning and with no further broadcast coverage. The Highlanders won 39-19 and dealt a death knell to Moana hopes of making the playoffs for the first time in their five-season existence. Highlanders coach Jamie Joseph believed his team lost their rhythm after the power outage. KEO & ZELS: Boks beware, the real All Blacks are coming Moana coach Umaga admitted his young side faced a mountainous task to climb off the foot of the Super Rugby standings following a sixth successive defeat. The Highlanders had raced into a 32-0 lead early in the second half before Umaga’s side launched a late response with three tries. However, it couldn’t halt a miserable run of heavy losses for Moana since winning their opening-round match against the Fijian Drua. Umaga, who was announced as All Blacks defence coach earlier this week, said he had a less experienced core of players at his disposal than last year, when All Blacks great Ardie Savea was an inspirational figure. Savea led Moana to their best record of six wins to narrowly miss the playoffs last season. However, his departure this year for Japan, along with the absence of several other important players, had weakened Moana’s know-how, Umaga said after the match. Meanwhile, NSW Waratahs coach Dan McKellar hailed a “special memory” after his team snapped a run of eight straight defeats against bitter rivals ACT Brumbies in Canberra with a thrilling 30-28 win. The Sydney-based side went into the clash after three consecutive Super Rugby losses and with their backs against the wall. But against the odds, they raced to a commanding 21-7 lead after converted tries from Clem Halaholo, Andrew Kellaway and Joey Walton. They then withstood a Brumbies comeback to taste victory in the Australian capital for the first time since 2018. “Tonight’s a special memory. To come into a place that we’ve got enormous respect for … we fronted up and delivered,” McKellar said. It was touch and go after the Brumbies clawed back to 21-21 as the Waratahs faltered, only for the hosts to concede three crucial late penalties. Young fullback Sid Harvey, in only his fourth Super Rugby game, stepped up to convert them all and secure the win. – AFP Photo: Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images The post Lights go out on Super Rugby appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.

7 hours ago