Pieter-Steph du Toit may be one of the most experienced players in the Springbok squad, but even on the eve of his 99th Test, he admits the prospect of facing the All Blacks at Ellis Park still makes him nervous.
And, as he prepares to captain the Springboks for the fourth time this season in the absence of the injured Siya Kolisi, Du Toit believes those nerves are something to embrace rather than suppress.
“As a young boy, it is your biggest dream to stand there, especially at Ellis Park, with the Springbok jersey on, facing New Zealand and the Haka,” he said.
“And now the older you get, the biggest dream is to keep doing it. As soon as it’s gone, it’ll be something you’ll never be able to do again.
“At the moment, I’m trying to do everything I can to keep that dream alive and still be there, add value and contribute to the team. Hopefully, I can do it on Saturday.
“Am I nervous? Yes, always.”
For Du Toit, Ellis Park is one of the most evocative venues in South African rugby, a stadium where the weight of history is impossible to ignore.
“It’s an awesome stadium for us, especially for the Springboks, and it’s close to my heart as well,” he said.
“If you stand there and sing the anthem and you see the supporters and the fans get behind the Springboks, it’s unbelievable. Of course, the 1995 World Cup was won there as well, so it’s a very special place for us as a country.”
The occasion will be made even more significant by the launch of Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry, a four-Test series against the All Blacks that has generated enormous interest on both sides of the Tasman.
Du Toit, who has played against New Zealand on numerous occasions, said the scale of the series had not been lost on the players.
“It’s the first time I’ve done a tournament like this, especially with New Zealand and South Africa,” he said. “It’s a massive privilege to be able to play against them again, especially at Ellis Park.
“It’s impossible not to know about this wonderful series we’re going into and what’s going on around it, all the noise and the build-up. I never dreamed about playing against the All Blacks for four straight games or in a competition called Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry.
“The supporters of South Africa, and rugby overall, will benefit from this tournament. But what happens on Saturday is the main thing, and that’s what we prepare for.”
Du Toit expects the All Blacks to bring their trademark intensity and pace and believes the set pieces will be critical.
“We know New Zealand are going to bring intensity, and we believe the lineouts and the scrums are going to be something where we’re going to have to perform well,” he said.
“They’re fast and skillful players, so they’re going to try to exploit that and come with good plans. “So, we need to just stay awake and not get caught out.”