The Springboks are just two wins away from achieving the goal that has consumed them for four years.
Eben Etzebeth insists that the Springboks would have motivation regardless of whether they were facing England or Fiji.Etzebeth said that a semi-final win is always special no matter who it comes against.“All four two teams have two more hurdles before they can claim the trophy and that’s more than enough motivation to not let your form dip,” he said.
“I think at the knockout stages of the World Cup it doesn’t matter who you play, a win brings so much happiness.“When we beat France at the weekend everyone was so happy and knowing you have another shot and another week to prepare – and you are not sitting back at home – is the main thing so whether it was England or Fiji wouldn’t have changed our desperation to win the game. That will be our motivation.
“You always want to respond after a setback – obviously 2019 was a big one – it was a World Cup final,” he said.“We know that they will still be thinking of that, and everyone, and you guys remind us of that now and then. But there are two more hurdles and it’s very important for us to get to that last hurdle, so we will be focused on that.
“Obviously we know how physical and aggressively they will come at us on Saturday, and we will go exactly the same fashion against them. It’s a world cup semi-final, it’s the biggest prize in rugby you can win so I think the guys will keep on being focused.”
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