The young Sharks utility back said it was great knowing the players have the freedom to express themselves in the Saturday's Test against the All Blacks.
Rising Springbok utility back talent Ethan Hooker is fired up and ready for his first Test start, in one of the biggest games of the season, as the reigning world champions target a win over the All Blacks in their Rugby Championship encounter in Wellington on Saturday.
It will be Hooker’s third Test for the Boks, after making his debut off the bench against Italy in Gqeberha in July, followed by his cameo off the bench at Eden Park last weekend.
He has been named to play on the wing this Saturday, although coach Rassie Erasmus has said he prefers him at centre, but the versatile back has played in both those positions and at fullback for Sharks, so will have no problem with the adjustment.
‘Everyone keen to express themselves’
The Bok backline named for the game at the “Cake Tin” features a number of inexperienced players, including fullback Aphelele Fassi, flyhalf Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu and centre Canan Moodie, but Hooker said that there was an excitement in the group and that the combinations were gelling well.
“I think everyone’s a bit edgy. Everyone’s really keen to get onto the pitch and just express themselves, but I think the combinations are working very well in training,” said Hooker.
“Guys are linking up and we’re not really feeling any pressure, we feel like we can express ourselves and I think that’s a very positive thing to take into this weekend.”
With the Boks in third place on the Rugby Championship log and five points off the All Blacks, they know another loss will likely end their chances of retaining the trophy they won last year, and that usually adds pressure, but Hooker says they are unfazed by all of that.
Excitement and nerves
“There’s definitely a bit of both excitement and nerves. The (Rugby) Championship’s on the line, it’s a must-win game,” said Hooker.
“I think excitement comes from just being on the pitch and being able to represent your country, and then obviously the nerves come from the whole stage, the whole fact that you’re playing New Zealand.
“But I think you’ve just got to get a good mixture of both and use that to your advantage … don’t get too nervous and don’t get too excited. Just, you know, keep a calm head going into the game.”
Hooker added that the presence of veterans Jesse Kriel and Damian de Allende in the squad is helping keep the younger guys calm and in the zone, ahead of what is the biggest game for many of them in their fledgling careers.
“I think we’re very privileged to have people like Jesse and Damian in the team. They’ve calmed us down quite a lot. We’ve been training with them for a couple of months now and learning from them, so they do give us a lot of confidence going onto the pitch,” said Hooker.
“We do try to play without fear and I think we go out and try to express ourselves just like anyone else. But having people like Damian and Jesse, they really do help to just narrow that and channel it into the weekend.”
