Springbok skipper seeks to build on French success

South Africa scored a winning 37 in both the first and second test over the last fortnight to begin their rehabilitation after a miserable 2016 when they suffered a record eight losses in 12 matches. "France are a proud team, and I’m sure they will be looking to finish their season on a high,” Whiteley told a press conference on Friday on the eve of the match at Ellis Park.

“We had to work hard for the last two wins and this week should be no different. We haven’t spoken about a whitewash at all. We’re also not about sending statements to anybody. We know what we want to achieve, and we know that we still have a lot to improve on.”

South Africa compete in the southern hemisphere’s Rugby Championship against Argentina, Australia and world champions New Zealand from August to October. At the end of the year, the Springboks play away against Ireland, France and Italy.

“We’re chasing perfection. We feel we’re headed in the right direction, although we know that there will be a lot of challenges to come this season. What’s good to know is that we have laid a foundation and have built a strong team culture,” Whiteley said.

(Reporting by Mark Gleeson; Editing by Andrew Heavens)