World Cup: “It's about more than sport,” reactions after South Africa's win in the final
Project frustration mixed with great pride in the New Zealand camp, and overwhelming joy among the Springboks… It is clear that the feelings were completely opposite after this final, which South Africa won by a small margin (12-11). Sam Keane, the All Blacks captain, was particularly affected by his red card. Siya Kolisi thought about the happiness he brought to his country.
Jack Nienaber, South Africa coach. “We have come a long way with the players. We have been preparing for this World Cup for a long time, since 2018. Big congratulations to our fans. Over there in South Africa, it was special for 62 million people, and we saw that in the videos they sent us. It was unbelievable.”
Siya Kolisi, South Africa captain. “Winning two World Cups in a row, there are no words to explain it. I would like to congratulate the All Blacks. They pushed until the end, they pushed us to our limits. It shows the type of team they are, fighting with a man down from the start of the game. They put us under pressure People who are not from South Africa don't understand what this means for our country. It goes beyond sports. We are just grateful to be able to be here and as long as we agree to work together, anything is possible “No matter the field: on the field, in the offices, it shows what we are capable of. I am grateful to be on this team, and I am very proud of it.”
World Cup: South Africa is unique in the world after its victory over New Zealand (12-11)
Sam Kane, captain of the New Zealand national team. “I'm having a hard time finding the words to explain everything I'm feeling right now. It's hard. I'm very disappointed but also proud. The team hasn't given up. This is a great group and this match proved that. The players have the All Blacks in their hearts. They are proud to represent New Zealand.” On my red card, I let myself get caught. I know the head is a heavily guarded area. I'm going to have to live with this forever. I'm disgusted and disappointed, especially for my teammates who had to play with 14 players for almost 50 minutes. They showed incredible courage “Congratulations to South Africa, they retained their title. They are a great team. They have gone through a complicated journey and proven they know how to win.”
Ian Foster, New Zealand coach. “A final always brings emotions and today it is still the case. Well done South Africa, they showed character throughout the tournament. Congratulations, they had a great competition. They destroyed us. We played well, we came back in the second half but we paid for some decisions and the red card. I am proud of the players. They overcame that red card and fought. They did everything they could to try to win, it is strong. We came close, it hurts. I wish South Africa the best, they are a great team. They won some games by small margins. They are very strong. It is true that this is a unique victory for them, but it is also difficult for us. But hey, we could not have done better. We gave everything.”
At the Stade de France, Arnaud Clergue