Willemse before the All Blacks: "There are always people who are not 100% behind us"

In Marcoussis

We imagine that there is a particular excitement before facing the All Blacks ...

Yes, we can feel that it is a special week.

But we have made a lot of effort not to go beyond what we have been doing for three weeks.

We stay focused on our schedule, our way of doing things.

But it's normal that we feel that this is a special week.

You were spared last Sunday against Georgia. How do you feel physically?

Physically, I feel very good because I haven't played a lot in the last two matches. I am fresh. I'm ready for this weekend's contacts! (To smile)

You only did one high intensity workout this Wednesday. Did the group need to regenerate?

We had done a lot of work over the past three weeks. We put in place what we wanted, the big jobs were done. There, it's just so that we let go a bit, to get out of our rooms a bit ... (Smiles) We do a bit of physics but we're not here to change things. We did most of the work. We knew this match was going to happen. We did everything to be ready this week.

This is the first time you will face the All Blacks. What does this mean to you who are of South African origin?

Yes, it's a southern hemisphere team. So, yes, in my international career I have almost only played against teams from the North. I am really playing this weekend. It's really special to me. We all know it's not a game like any other. This does not happen every year.

Did you give any advice to Cameron Woki who is discovering the second-line position?

I think he plays a certain role.

He is selected to do his thing, to play his way.

He doesn't need to change his style of play, to adapt.

Nothing changes for him, for me either.

We each have our strengths, we stay focused on that.

That's why the staff trust us.

We respect the instructions.

Do you have the impression that the XV of France is passing a real test to find out where it is?

Yes, although for the past two years, every match has been a real test for us.

There, it's an opportunity for us to know what we have and what we need to improve.

I think we've improved a lot over the past three years.

Do you need to validate this progress with a victory over the All Blacks?

I don't think we have to validate something. But I feel like we always have something to prove. There are always people who are not 100% behind us. It's normal, it's the game. But, for us, it will be a good opportunity to prove. We're ready.

We are two years away from the opening match of the World Cup against these same All Blacks. You won't be playing against them by then ...

We have to show what we can do. It's a real test. But we saw that Ireland had a very good match against them. We know it's possible. We know exactly what to do. This will give us experience for the World Cup. At the very least, we'll always learn something from that game. Many of our players have never played against New Zealand. It's good to play them now, rather than meeting them directly in the World Cup opener. We will benefit from this experience.

In 2012, you beat the Baby Blacks with the South African Under-20s in the World Cup final. You got a red card (58th). But what do you remember from this match?

Apart from the red card? (Laughs) We won this match and I feel that we have, with the France team, the same state of mind as at the time. We were ready for the fight. We had confidence in everything we had prepared. I have the same feeling today. We have confidence in us. We have things well, we are ready physically and mentally. There isn't something that could have been done better over the past three weeks.

How do you see New Zealand second-line pair Sam Whitelock and Brodie Retallick?

They are two of the best second lines in the world.

I grew up playing against them when I was playing New Zealand as a kid.

For me, it will be a good test to measure myself against them.

Even if we don't have the same profile, it's always good to measure ourselves against this type of opponents.