All Black captain Sam Cane has been surprised at the support he's received from back home following a disastrous Rugby World Cup final.
All Black superstar Ardie Savea has been motivated by the narrow loss in the Rugby World Cup final to rivals South Africa.
New Zealand captain Sam Cane was in a dark place after being shown a red card and then watching his team narrowly lose the Rugby World Cup final against South Africa.
The Springboks delivered when it mattered on the greatest stage of them all as they hung on for a 12-11 victory over the All Blacks to successfully defend their Rugby World Cup trophy in Paris.
Former World Cup winners Schalk Brits and Kieran Read have hailed the Springbok coaching staff for having the guts to select seven forwards on the bench for Saturday's final.
Springbok captain Siya Kolisi described Saturday's Rugby World Cup final against New Zealand as one of the biggest matches in his life – a sentiment widely shared by his teammates.