No room for complacency as Boks open November tour against Japan

The Springboks are taking nothing for granted ahead of their November tour opener against Japan at Wembley Stadium on Saturday evening (6.10pm kick-off), with captain Siya Kolisi stressing the importance of treating the Brave Blossoms with full respect.

Despite the world champions being heavily favoured to win, Kolisi has made it clear that there will be no room for complacency, especially as the team looks to build early momentum.

The Boks know from bitter experience that Japan is capable of producing major upsets on the world stage — their famous victories over South Africa in 2015 and Ireland and Scotland in 2019 still resonate within the international rugby community.

While the Springboks have beaten Japan twice since that loss, dubbed the ‘Miracle of Brighton’ during the 2015 Rugby World Cup, they are determined to give their opponents the respect they deserve.

“They are a great team, and you saw what they did last week against Australia,” Kolisi said, referencing the Wallabies’ close 19-15 victory.

“Australia beat us this year, and that game was really close. We also have a lot of players who play in Japan, and they let us know about the guys we are facing and what kind of players they are. We are prepared and want to start the tour strong. We don’t see this as a warm-up game.”

With Cheslin Kolbe shifting to fullback, tighthead Zachary Porthen making his Test debut, and a couple of tweaks across the side, the Boks will look to blend their physicality with tactical discipline. Wembley’s fast surface should encourage running rugby, but Kolisi and his men are determined to impose their blueprint early and set the tone for the month ahead.

If the Boks respect their opponents and execute with precision, Saturday could mark the perfect start to their European campaign.

“It will be a special day for all of us putting on the jersey and having that opportunity. I am also excited for Zach, who will get his first Test. We want to make it special for him as well.

“What we’ve learned from playing against Japan is that we must dominate physically. We must control the breakdown; they play fast rugby. In that 2019 quarter-final, it was close until we scored a maul try. They don’t go away; they are well-structured. We can’t try to play like them — enforcing our game plan will be vital.”