Danie Rossouw prepared for his role in Springboks second row for last pool match against Samoa
The South African national Rugby Union team’s second row forward, Danie Rossouw, has expressed his confidence that he is all set to embrace his expected new role in their last pool match of the 2011 Rugby World Cup (RWC) against Samoa.
Rossouw has been simply exceptional for the defending champions in the absence of their injured World Cup winning lock, Victor Matfield. He is aware the adjustment he will have to make to his playing style following the return of Matfield. He said, “Yes
my role changes as Victor will be calling the line-outs. I must clean a bit more and there might be less running from my side.”
With the anticipated return of Matfield from a hamstring injury, which he sustained earlier in the tournament, Rossouw will move from his current number five position to the number four position.
Rossouw has made most of the opportunity provided to him in the absence of Matfield. He became the Springboks stand-alone players as the team regained their lost momentum. In the forwards packs, he has called more lineouts than any other Springboks players
and his impressive running with the ball and its handling has earned him appreciation from the team management and from the fans.
The South African Super Rugby Bulls player has termed his friendship with Matfield as the main factor behind his impressive performance in the last couple of matches of the RWC. He said, “Victor played a huge part in the lineout-calls I had to make, because
that is the way we have done things at the Bulls where he would always help me.”
Commenting their upcoming encounter against Samoa, the 33-year-old Rossouw has termed the Samoan’s as a dangerous outfit. He praised the Samoan’s current style of playing characterized by a steady structural built up of their plan and their consistency.
Springboks will play their fourth match of Pool D against Samoa on Friday, September 30.
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