[WATCH] Mthethwa calls Kolisi ahead of Japan game
Sports Minister Nathi Mthethwa has shared video of him video calling Springbok captain Siya Kolisi ahead of the team’s crunch Rugby World Cup quarter-final against Japan on Sunday.
Mthethwa told Kolisi that country has full confidence in the team and that everyone will be rooting for them.
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"It was an absolute pleasure to chat to the @Springboks Captain Siya Kolisi via video call to enquire on the team's well-being & wish them well for their match against Japan on Sunday,” he wrote on Twitter.
Watch: It was an absolute pleasure to chat to the @Springboks Captain Siya Kolisi via video call to enquire on the team's well-being & wish them well for their match against Japan on Sunday. It's great to hear that they are in good spirits & dedicated to making us proud. #RSAvJPN pic.twitter.com/DDJHWUdmNZ
— Min. Nathi Mthethwa (@NathiMthethwaSA) October 18, 2019
Kolisi says his team has embraced the mental challenge of a quarter-final as the countdown begins in earnest to Sunday’s kick-off.
“It has been do-or-die for us since the first game so we have been in that mindset for a couple of weeks now. This is not like any other Test match – it’s play-off time at the World Cup and we have prepared mentally for it.
“Each of us will have different ways of doing that and the coaches haven’t put us under pressure mentally – we have prepared as a normal Test match week – but we know as players what we need to do and what needs to be done.”