“From that aspect, that is what Rassie always speaks about is having the right people, not necessarily the best people, because I mean, he said to us many times, ‘there are much better rugby players than you guys all around the world that could be in the team’, but he always speaks about having the right people,” Kriel added.
“That is a very important thing because, when it comes to squad selection and things like it, obviously, you’re disappointed if you are not playing, but you understand that you’ve got a role to play.
“Everyone is so clear of their roles, whether you’re in the team or whether you’re not in the team, whether you are on the water, different things like that. Just understanding your role, putting your ego to the side, and understanding what’s the best for the team.
“Understanding that there’s something bigger than yourself that you are playing for. You play for your country, and it sounds like a cliche, everyone plays for their country, but I think we’ve really got something special here, and we speak about it a lot as a team as well. We are constantly reminding each other of the importance of wearing the Springbok jersey.”
Responding to Kriel’s admission, Burger and De Villiers – both former Springbok captains – underlined the importance of creating that kind of culture within a team, even as they acknowledged that the Boks haven’t always operated in that way.
“I love the fact that you are competitive, but you are trying to make your mates better,” Burger said.
“That wasn’t always the case [with the Springboks], certainly not when we started in the early 2000s.
“We worked hard at it over the time, and with the bulk of our generation, we sort of got that attitude.
“You push each other hard if I’m playing better rugby, then the next guy, for example, he’s going to push himself harder to become better, and that’s how you create this squad with depth. It’s so lekker to see if you can add to your mate’s success; I think that’s one of the biggest tricks in life.”
De Villiers added: “There is nothing worse than being on a training pitch and there is someone sulking.”
Kriel agreed and emphasised that rugby is a team game, and if that is not your attitude, then you are better off playing an individual sport.
“When you got up there to get your World Cup gold medal, everyone gets the medal,” he said. “Winning together is better than winning alone. If you want to win alone, go play tennis or another individual sport.”