Springbok fullback Aphelele Fassi said players such as Eben Etzebeth, Siya Kolisi and Pieter-Steph du Toit, along with several other seniors in the Bok squad, inspired him immensely to further his international career after becoming a regular feature in the squad this season.
Etzebeth became the most capped Springbok of all time on Saturday when he earned his 128th cap in the Boks’ 48-7 victory over Argentina at the Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit to claim the Castle Lager Rugby Championship.
The 26-year-old Fassi – who had a notable influence in the match, which included scoring a brace of tries – brushed the attention off his performance and said it was a full team effort throughout the season that saw the Boks cap off a memorable few months which included winning the Rugby World Cup for the second time in a row in France last year, claiming the Freedom Cup against New Zealand for the first time since 2009, and the Nelson Mandela Challenge Plate against Australia.
Such has been the quality of the team’s performances since the end of 2022, they now boast an impressive win record of 22 wins in their last 26 matches.
Fassi, who was thrilled about winning the Castle Lager Rugby Championship title, spoke highly of his more experienced team-mates, saying: “It’s an honour and privilege to play with guys like Eben, Siya, Pieter-Steph and so many other of the senior players. They drive me to work harder and inspire me to want to play as many games as I can for the country.”
The exciting fullback also praised Bok flyhalf Manie Libbok, who bounced back from immense criticism last week with a strong performance in the competition decider on Saturday.
“Manie is a special player, and I enjoy playing with him,” said Fassi. “He plays a lot like me in the sense that he wants to attack space, so it’s great when we are on the field together.”
Commenting on the marked improvement in his game which has caught the attention of the Bok coaching staff this season in particular, Fassi remained grounded and said: “Rugby is a team sport, and it was a big focus for us to enforce our game on them (Argentina) and to take our opportunities.
“Unfortunately, we left a lot of chances out there, but we’ll continue working on trying to capitalise on them.”
Asked about how he remained positive and waited his turn to work his way into the Bok team after making his debut in July 2021 against Georgia and only entering this season with three Test caps, Fassi said support and honesty from the coaches kept him mentally strong.
“I wouldn’t say I lost hope,” said the talented fullback. “But it certainly gave me glimpses of reality and the way I had to change my mentality, so all credit to the coaches for ensuring that they got me in a better space.
“The Sharks coaches also ensured that I didn’t doubt myself, and they helped me worked on the areas that I lacked in.”
He added: “I do think my game has improved, but in sport nothing is ever perfect and there’s always room for improvement. Personally, my goal will always be to just go out there and play the best.”
The Springboks will enjoy a well-deserved rest before gathering for a one-week training camp in Jersey – one of the largest of the Channel Islands between England and France – to allow them to acclimatise to the conditions, while at the same time focussing on their conditioning and preparation for the November tour, when they will face Scotland, England and Wales.
Source: SA Rugby
