Boks sweat in hot, humid Corsica and put All Blacks stunner behind them

If the Springboks were searching for similarities from their build-up to the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan, they have found it on Corsica.

They have set up camp in the Mediterranean outcrop since Saturday and will be based there until next week when they board a ferry and head for their initial tournament base in Toulon.

They took a two-day break in the aftermath of their stunning 35-7 beating of the All Blacks and were greeted with hot and humid conditions.

“It’s a little humid,” noted scrumhalf Cobus Reinach. “When we first arrived, we had to shower a few times, so it’s something we have to get used to.”

Reinach believes the conditions will benefit them immensely before they travel to their World Cup warm-up base in Toulon.

“Corsica has been good so far,” said the diminutive Reinach of the island that gave the world Napoleon Bonaparte.

“The weather is unbelievable and very different to London. It’s good to finally get here and get used to the conditions we are going to face in France.

Flyhalf Manie Libbok added: “It’s hot over here, but it’s good for our preparation because we are expecting similar conditions in Toulon.”

Four years ago the Springboks made a point of travelling to Japan early to acclimatise in exceptionally humid conditions before the tournament. Their last warm-up match was against Japan in Saitama in energy-sapping conditions but it wasn't just the physiological benefits that stood the Boks in good stead.

The humidity also made for a greasy ball and their “early bird catches the worm” thinking paid off handsomely in the tournament.

Again, much like 2019, the Boks are going into the tournament on the back of good form.

Both Libbok and Reinach echoed Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber’s sentiments that though the victory against New Zealand was a confidence booster, it didn’t offer them any material benefits in the World Cup.

“The clash against New Zealand was good, but it doesn’t count for anything. The World Cup only starts now. Each game from now on is important, and there’s still a lot of work to be done.”

With the team’s opening World Cup encounter less than two weeks away, Reinach said the players were excited about the challenge and were raring to go.

“It’s been a long wait with a lot of games in-between, with the Rugby Championship and our warm-up matches. But the boys are eager and excited to get started. We had our first training session on Monday, and you could see the energy is there.”

Though surrounded by vast natural beauty on the French territorial collectivity, Libbok is trying to keep his eye on the ball.

“It’s a unique and beautiful island, and we are enjoying being here. This is an important week for us and we are looking forward to getting our preparations in place for the match against Scotland.”

The Boks meet the Scots in Marseille on September 10 in their pool B opener, Romania in Bordeaux a week later; before they make their way to Paris for the crunch clash against Ireland on September 23. They return to the south for their last pool match against Tonga on October 1.