Winning close games is not limited to the rugby gods. Bok scrumhalf Cobus Reinach feels that proper preparation helps you get to the inside lane when the chips are down.
Last year, the Springboks won their fourth Rugby World Cup after three one-point victories in the tournament’s knockout stages. Reinach does not believe this is a surprising coincidence as they prepare to face England at Twickenham on Saturday, a team they defeated in the semifinals last year.
“Rugby is a strange game,” explained Reinach. “In a close match, you may find yourself on the winning side. For me, it’s about how you plan your week and prepare. Do you prepare for specific events in a game or situations that arise?
“With our coaching staff, we are planning for everything that could happen. The players then feel confident and know what to do in specific situations.”
Reinach expects England to come out firing after losing their last two games against the All Blacks and the Wallabies, but believes the Boks can counter that by sticking to what they do well.
To say that England and South Africa have had beef over the years would be an understatement, and it didn’t take long for things to simmer and then boil over during and after their World Cup knockout match last year.
Reinach was questioned, if not in such colorful terms, if the Tom Curry affair had left a terrible taste in everyone’s mouth.
“If we get into that it will take us away from the Test match,” Reinach told the crowd. “We need to concentrate on what is coming up on Saturday – how to execute our strategy on the pitch. If we lose sight of what we want to do, we may be humiliated and dissatisfied with our performance.
Reinach is 34 years old and still has a spring in his step. He’s been in the Bok setup for almost a decade and shows no signs of slowing down. The advent of offensive coach Tony Brown earlier this year has taken some of the leash away from a player whose inclination is to tear away.
“I’m loving it,” he remarked of Brown’s effect. “Tony altered the way we perceived attack. He showed us how to be brave when attacked.
“How we nines can scoot a little. Take the ball three steps before making a decision. It’s good to have the ball rather than constantly passing it off the deck. Everyone has joined in, and it has worked out extremely well for us.”
Reinach and the rest of the squad will return to the field where he made his Bok debut in 2014. He scored a breakaway try in the Boks’ 31-28 win, and he has recently been showing Father Time a clean pair of heels.
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