Roelof Kotze hopes his heart conquers his head and that he will be seeing his beloved South Africa lifting the Rugby World Cup trophy aloft in celebration at Twickenham in six weeks’ time.
The Springboks are in wretched form heading into the tournament, having lost five of their nine games since a brilliant 27-25 triumph against New Zealand last October broke the All Blacks’ 22 match winning streak.
Since that victory at Ellis Park, however, Heyneke Meyer’s men lost to Wales for the first time in 15 years, suffered a first ever defeat to Argentina and finished rock bottom of the Rugby Championship after three straight defeats.
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“I am hoping South Africa can play themselves into a bit of form in the pool,” said the 45-year-old, who has been UAE rugby’s performance manager since January 2014.
“The problem is that South Africa are expected to breeze through Pool B, although it is not easy. There are plenty of banana skins for them.
“Samoa will be tricky and Scotland are going through changes. I also think the USA are getting much better and Japan seem to be touching on something too.”
Despite their recent woes, Kotze thinks other teams underestimating the Springboks do so at their peril. “Don’t write us off because if things go right, we could go all the way,” he said. “With my heart I think we can make the final but, if I take emotion out of it, I think it will be a New Zealand v Ireland final.”
Kotze accepts the All Blacks are odds on favourites to claim successive Webb Ellis Cups and finds it hard to make a case for anyone other than the established guard challenging them.
He said: “I don’t think it will be a new nation who will have their name on the trophy, you can’t look past the old guard. Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, England, Australia, Wales and France, I will be very surprised if a team outside that group wins it.”
He claims he would not be shocked if the mercurial French turned it on, like they did four years ago when they made the final. He also believes England’s stance as hosts will have its pressures as much as its advantages, and feels Fiji will stir up trouble in Pool A.
“The Rugby World Cup is always something to look forward to,” said Kotze. “England are playing as the home team and you can’t underestimate that, but that also brings pressure and that will mount the longer the tournament goes on.
“France, you never know which team will pitch up. They have a tough route to the final but, the French being the French, they could even knock out New Zealand but then fall at the next hurdle.
“Ireland, I thought were in with a good chance of reaching the final and they will be up there, but they’re a bit out of form after a brilliant two years in which they
became the No2 ranked Test nation, came close to beating the All Blacks and won the Six Nations.”
He added: “In Pool A England have got better this year, Wales started well but now they have had their injuries while Australia have been quiet, which I think should worry people.
“Fiji are a bogey team, look at the shock they caused in 2007. They could make things interesting. I don’t think they will go through but they can have an influence on who does go through.”
