'It's about Japan now‚' says Elton Jantjies as Boks aim at Rising Sun

It may have been warm at the OR Tambo International Airport where the Springboks were preparing to depart for the World Cup but Springbok flyhalf Elton Jantjies has been in hotter situations.

He’s always had to prove he belongs at the highest level even though he’s a quality pivot for the national team and the Lions. Now that he’s on the plane to the Land of the Rising Sun‚ it was easy to sense how happy and relaxed he was.

The fact the World Cup also doesn’t quite have an outright favourite is also something that makes him comfortable.

The Northern Hemisphere teams have asked serious questions while the Southern Hemisphere contingent‚ especially the Springboks‚ have found form when it matters.

Jantjies said the World Cup is going to be a difficult one to predict.

“That’s what everybody is saying and you can see with the Northern Hemisphere team and how they’ve evolved their way of attack‚” Jantjies said.

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“Look at the way the Southern Hemisphere game has evolved in terms of defence. By that stretch‚ it’s going to be a nice and interesting World Cup.

“We’re going to Japan and it’s going to be special from my point of view in terms of the people. It’s going to be a quality World Cup and a World Cup is always open.

“There’s big expectations and you don’t know what individuals can do in high pressure moments. We need to focus on ourselves and make sure we execute our gameplans for the respective games.”

While the Boks have a warm-up game against Japan next week‚ the match on everyone’s lips is the club banger against the All Blacks in Yokohama on September 21.

It’s going to be some game to start SA’s World Cup campaign and while Jantjies knows it’s going to be a difficult match-up‚ he said the team’s focus is on the fixture at hand instead of looking forward to the All Black opener.

The Springboks left for Japan on Friday so they could acclimatise to the conditions better. They’ll be the first travelling team to get to the Far East.

“I can’t exactly tell you who’s going to be the threat‚ but in terms of our group‚ we’re going on a week-by-week basis. Japan is going to be a different challenge even though it’s going to be a warm-up game‚” Jantjies said.

“It’s still part of our preparation and they’re going to challenge us big time. It’s not a Southern or Northern Hemisphere team‚ it’s Japan.

“They play their own style of rugby and we’re looking forward to their challenge. Then the All Blacks will follow and we know what that game will bring. We’ll look forward to that game‚ but it’s about Japan now.”