What Jakkie Loves

Jakkie Cilliers loves kicking for poles, and added pressure – like lining up a potential match-winning kick – does not change her approach, and she admitted that some sage advice by a former Springbok flyhalf helped her adjust to this new role entrusted to her.

That was the view of the Springbok Women’s wing and goal kicker after a perfect strike from the tee – in the dying minutes of their Test against Spain on Saturday – secured victory for South Africa.

The kick put South Africa ahead by 15-13 with time on the clock almost up, but more drama followed. The Bok Women were ruled to be offside at a ruck from the restart and Spain had an opportunity to win the match, with the clock in the red.

The kick was wide and South Africa could celebrate a hard-fought win in Valladolid, but Cilliers said she had sympathy for her counterpart.

“I felt for the Spanish kicker, as I know what pressure she was under,” said Cilliers, who played in her 10th Test.

“Not only from her own team-mates to secure the win, but also the home crowd who came to support their team. But we were in different jerseys and I wanted the outcome for the team in green and gold. Those are the margins kickers live by, I suppose.”

The margins are small, as Cilliers had an earlier conversion that shaved the post. Her approach remained the same when she lined up her second kick, she confirmed.

“The first kick was against the wind in the first half and the second one with the wind from behind, but that was the only difference for me,” she said. “I still needed to go through the process, but to be honest, I did not realise how important the kick was until my team-mates came rushing in to congratulate me.”

Cilliers took over the kicking duties for their current tour of Europe after regular kicker, Libbie Janse van Rensburg, was ruled out of action for the first part of the year due to a groin injury.

Cilliers was mostly used for long range efforts, but she has no problems with her new role. In her first nine appearances in the green and gold, she had slotted five conversions and two penalty goals leading up to the Spain Test.

A word of advice by head coach Louis Koen – a prolific kicker in his playing days – early in the week worked wonders for Cilliers’ confidence.

“Coach Louis told me about his warm-up routine during a week and I decided to follow suit and as it happened, it worked out for me,” she said.

“He basically suggested to start the week with ‘easy’ kicks in front of the poles and get the brain to visualise the ball going through the middle. You then move wider as the week progresses. I did that and it certainly helped.”