Tokyo (AFP)

Ballet lovers will pay for it: South Africa does not plan to change its game plan on Saturday in the World Cup final against England, where it will again rely on the raw strength of its fronts .

We do not change a winning team, nor a strategy that has allowed you to scatter Japan in the quarterfinals (26-3) and then put Wales in the semi-finals (19-16). Especially not a few days of a final of Mondial, prepared in a short time.

"In two training sessions and six days, you can not change tactics, so you can expect us to do the same on Saturday," South Africa coach Rassie Erasmus told reporters on Tuesday. bring a third world title to the Boks in Yokohama (suburb of Tokyo).

After those acquired in 1995 and 2007, each time thanks to the domination of their forwards, a solid conquest and a game at the foot of long and precise occupation. The DNA of South African rugby, of which Erasmus has been the cornerstone of the recovery since its arrival early 2018, replacing Allister Coetzee, apostle of a more open game.

"Our goal was to redeem ourselves and become a global rugby power again" after two catastrophic years 2016 and 2017, marked notably by the heaviest defeat in their history (57-0 in New Zealand in September 2017) and their first in Italy (20-18 in November 2016).

"For that, we have to rebuild stone by stone, we have followed a certain path, a certain style of play, depending on the data and the way the game is refereed, which gives you immediate results," stressed Erasmus.

- The DNA of the Rose -

In function, too, of the material under the hand: heavy, with in the XV of departure Duane Vermeulen (1.93 m for 117 kg), Eben Etzebeth (2.03 m for 117 kg), Lood de Jager (2, 05 m for 122 kg) or Pieter-Steph du Toit (2 m for 119 kg). And on the bench, where Erasmus places in general six fronts, Franco Mostert (1.98 m for 112 kg) and RG Snyman (2.06 m for 117 kg).

"We totally accept that we still have things to improve, we accept the criticism but we are happy to be about to play in the World Cup final, where we wanted to be," he added.

As in 2007, it will be against England, which has the answer in this sector. "We are going to witness a clash between the two most powerful teams in the world. (The South Africans) are strong, well trained, the battle for the advantage line is going to be huge," said John Mitchell, coach of the English defense.

The XV of the Rose also goes "back to (his) DNA" added the technician New Zealand, a direct and frontal game.

He did not, however, particularly deny him in the semifinals, where he strangled and physically dominated the All Blacks, double title holders beaten for the first time in the World Cup since 2007. That promises.

© 2019 AFP