South Africa, winner in New Zealand mid-September but beaten in its last two tests, is "in the right direction," welcomed his captain Siya Kolisi on the eve of facing the XV of France in St Denis.
"It is not good to lose, I do not take any pleasure," commented the first black captain in the history of the Springboks after the two defeats of rank, just suffered against New Zealand (32- 30) in October in Pretoria and against England (12-11) on Saturday at Twickenham.
"We are better"
"But we are progressing, we are better," added the third wing (27 years, 38 selections), named captain in June for the series of tests won at home against England.
"It's hard to lose a point. The match could have been different and we have to put our tour (in the northern hemisphere) back on track. We are going in the right direction, " Kolisi said. The Boks have taken the lead this year since the arrival of new coach Johan "Rassie" Erasmus, appointed in replacement of Allister Coetzee, with whom the selection had the worst year of its history in 2016.
We fear the Blues
The highlight of this renewal: the success snatched in New Zealand (36-34), a first since 2009, said the flanker, who fears the Blues "who have made a lot of changes by getting fit guys " Including Louis Picamoles, "very experienced" and who "will guide his two young wingers" Wenceslas Lauret and Arthur Iturria, or the back Maxime Medard, "who plays for a long time" at the international level (50 selections since 2008).
The Stormers player, the Cape franchise, expects "a big challenge, especially with their big pack of forwards. They are very good in closed and spontaneous melee. (..) They have some X factors, guys who can do something from scratch . "
The Boks record for this test returns in the starting XV of scrum half Faf Klerk, "who knows how to make the difference" according to Kolisi, and back Willie le Roux.