Springboks scrumhalf Ross Cronje was a bundle of nerves in the hours ahead of his Test debut against France at Loftus on Saturday.
But the 27-year old Cronje‚ who debuted together with Courtnall Skosan‚ Andries Coetzee‚ Raymond Rhule and substitute Dillyn Leyds at the weekend‚ admitted after the 37-14 win that he started to relax shortly before kickoff after a few passes of the ball.
"To be honest‚ I was pretty nervous earlier on in the day but as soon as we ran out to the warm-up and I started passing the ball around I started to feel better‚" he said.
"I think the nerves were more about excitement of the big occasion but at the same it was a pretty awesome experience.”
Cronje also had the enviable experience of scoring a try on his debut and he revealed that they tried the move at training but they could not get it right.
“We worked on that move during the week and it didn’t work out‚ I am just very happy that the one on match day worked out‚” he said‚ adding that their winning performance was down to team-work and following the plan of coach Allister Coetzee.
“It was pretty much everything and more‚ the boys really rocked up today‚ we stuck to the plan that the coach set out for us.
"The forwards did an unbelievable job giving the backs balls for some exciting running space and that was a great start.
"I think the forwards gave us great balls‚ one or two bounces of the ball did not go our way but we can’t be disappointed with the performances but there is still a lot of work to do.”
Looking ahead of the second Test match on Saturday at Kings Park in Durban‚ Cronje said they must regroup and be professional in their approach of the encounter because the French are a top quality side.
“This is a series and we still have a lot of work to do and you can never write off the French because they are a top quality side with ball players.
"We have to regroup and front up again in Durban on Saturday as a professional team does.”
Eben Etzebeth was another key performer at Loftus lock and he said they were prepared for a tough battle against the hard running French.
“We always knew that it was going to be a tough battle‚ I must say that guys stepped up and our forwards were great.
"The plan that we put in place the whole week paid up and we are happy and thankful. We have put 2016 in the past‚ we are looking forward to the future and our goal for this year is to take each game as it comes.
"Like Ross (Cronje) said‚ it is a three match series and we are looking forward next week and we are looking to it‚” said Etzebeth.
- TMG Digital/TMG Sport
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