Springbok heavyweights revisit iconic 2023 Rugby World Cup speeches

The first was by former head coach Jacques Nienaber ahead of the final against the All Blacks, and the second was from less than a week earlier by flanker Pieter-Steph du Toit.

Both speeches featured in The Chasing the Sun 2 documentary series and ranked among the best they have heard during their careers.

"It's a tough one. I'd say Jacques Nienaber's one with the Springboks when he was telling us that the world says you're not supposed to be here but you from Bushbuckridge, from Paarl, from wherever, you decided screw this, I'm going to write my own story," Nyakane said on the For the Love of Rugby SA podcast.

"When he said that, I went like 'Damn, I'm about to write a book, I'm about to write a chapter, I'm ready to go to war'.

"With him and coach Rassie, they just know how to push each player's button. They don't just press one button; they know how to press that button individually. And then once they get us going, that rev count is up there, and it stays up there.

"So that was a really emotional one because he went through the room and picked one for one, saying you are supposed to be at a farm somewhere, people think you're rich or whatever but you show them that you can get stuck into the mud and work hard. You are not supposed to be at this level because you are from a poor, disadvantaged background, but you decided, screw this, I'm going to come out of this. And we came together and have a common goal.

"That stood out for me and at that time I was like, 'Okay, we have got this, we have got a common goal and ground now'."

That speech inspired the Springboks to a clutch one-point victory over New Zealand in the final, and it was one that Kitshoff remembers 'clearly' as it got all the players pulling in the same direction to achieve 'something special' as a group.

However, Pieter-Steph du Toit's now iconic half-time talk when the Springboks were trailing to England edged it for Kitshoff. The double World Rugby Player of the Year is known for being a quieter, more reserved player, letting his actions do the talking, but in the crunch of the World Cup knockout match, he felt it was necessary to say something, which took the players and coaches by surprise.

"The one for me was Pieter-Steph du Toit's little speech at half-time of the World Cup semi-final when we were down 12-6 against the English," Kitshoff said.

"Pieter-Steph stands up in the middle of the circle, and he goes, 'Is julle f**ken bang?' I still get goosebumps thinking about it."

"I do too," Nyakane added. "'Is julle f**ken bang? As jy bang is, sê.' Which literally translates to 'Are you scared?'"

"It wasn't Oscar-worthy words," Kitshoff replied. "But it was the shock of it."

"Exactly, someone like Pieter-Steph standing up and asking, 'Are you scared?'" Nyakane said.

"I wasn't playing that game, but I was sitting at the back, and I'm like, 'Pieter, I'm scared of you right now. I don't want to go against you right now'."

Kitshoff agreed, adding: "Yeah, I'm scared of what you are going to do.

"That one is ingrained in me because it was such a big moment for us as a team in that semi-final, and then I don't think anyone was scared, but it's just the way he said it, and everyone just bought back into the plan."

Nyakane was ready to get his boots on and get stuck into the action after Du Toit's speech, which he felt was questioning the manhood of the players while silencing the coaches, too.

"It was quite amazing because I felt like I needed to go play now," he said.

"And it almost felt like he's asking you, as a man, are you scared of this? If you can't do it just say so, I'm not going to be mad at you. We'll just put on the next guy.

"He got something out of everyone. I think the coaches were also thinking, what's going on? Maybe we need to keep quiet and let this be."

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