Malherbe: I was scared it was all a dream

Cape Town - Springbok prop Frans Malherbe says that winning the Rugby World Cup final on Saturday felt like a dream.

The Boks beat England 32-12 in Yokohama to lift their third Webb Ellis Cup, and the celebrations that followed showed just how much it meant to South Africans. 

"I can’t describe it yet. It’s definitely not sunk in," Malherbe said after the match.

"Hopefully throughout the night, throughout the celebrations tomorrow morning, I will have to pinch myself.

"I was sitting on the bench and I was so scared that this was a dream – but obviously it's not.

"It's an amazing feeling, to be part of something like this, to be part of a group that achieved something like this."

Malherbe and the Bok forwards dominated England in the scrums from start to finish. 

"The game worked out well for us," he said.

"The scrums went well in the first half and, as a prop forward, there is nothing more you can ask for. Really, really happy with the performance from everyone.

"We tried to isolate ourselves from all those talks going on outside. We had our plan and tried to stick with our plan.

"We only had two training days and the focus was on executing our plan, and all the outside noise and mind-games or whatever.

"It’s amazing. As I say, it’s not about the individual. It’s just awesome to be part of this and to share it with a team."

Malherbe also spoke about the moment he laid hands in the Webb Ellis Cup for the first time. 

"It was crazy," he said.

"Hopefully I will get the opportunity to hold it a bit more.

"I’ve had more than a beer out of it, but hopefully we will get an opportunity to keep it for a few days and spend some time together."

- Compiled by Lloyd Burnard