Springbok wing JP Pietersen paid tribute to the young players who helped the Springboks to a 2-1 test series win over Ireland. A World Cup winner in 2007 himself, he also suggested that preparations for the 2019 tournament in Japan are looking promising.
Springbok wing JP Pietersen paid tribute to the young players who helped the Springboks to a 2-1 test series win over Ireland. A World Cup winner in 2007 himself, he also suggested that preparations for the 2019 tournament in Japan are looking promising.
Speaking to the media after South Africa clinched the series against Ireland with a 19-13 victory in Port Elizabeth, try-scorer Pietersen said: "In 2007, that was guys that had been experienced – that had been around the block and that had played the game [for]very long."
"This is a new group of guys – a very inexperienced group of guys – but in four years time, they can achieve that goal of [winning the World Cup in] 2019."
"It's a good foundation we've built now with the four weeks that we've been together – and you can see that they've put their hands up as players to close the gap quickly from Super Rugby to test rugby. It's a big step."
"We all know test rugby is a different level and we have to give credit to all the guys that put their hands up – especially guys that played in new caps."
Pietersen insisted that the inexperienced players in the side would improve as the years passed – and left one final message for critics to ponder:
"I think you just need to be patient and support us, and we'll see [what happens] when 2019 comes."
