South Africa director of rugby Rassie Erasmus says he was pleased with the Springboks romping 61-7 win over Japan on Saturday, but is now looking ahead to tougher challenges on their European tour.
The Boks ran in eight tries and a penalty try against the Brave Blossoms at Wembley, and made light work of a team that has shocked them in the past, like at the 2015 World Cup. As such, an easy win was a relief for Erasmus.
But the coach said they'd quickly be shifting gears to focus on Les Bleus in Paris this coming weekend: "We know what it's like to play France away from home. The passion, intensity, and atmosphere in which you play there is very different.
"I think we have sufficient depth, experience and youth in the team, but it's a totally different ball game going there.
"It's a pressure cooker, and it gets to you. We beat them in the (2023) World Cup quarter-final, but we know how close that match was, so it's a massive game, and then there's Ireland ahead as well as Italy and Wales.
"So, although we are building, we need to keep reminding one another about that. We knew what was coming at Eden Park (against New Zealand in the recent Rugby Championship), and we couldn't pull it through, so we have to do some intelligent and physical stuff to pull it through next week."
Two of the eight tries were scored by emerging superstar flyhalf Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, who shot to prominence and the starting XV in the Rugby Championship.
Erasmus said of the youngster: "Sacha - who scored two tries in the match - he played for us for the SA 'A' team (three years ago), and he worked with the coaches on that tour.
"[Saturday] was a wet game against a Japanese team that we've struggled to put away before, and he was physical for a No 10. He kicked well, tackled well, and he's got the magic feel for the game. So, with him, Manie (Libbok) and Handre (Pollard), we are in a good position with flyhalves.
"Obviously, you can see Sacha is getting more comfortable in the position, but we face France next week and we also have Ireland lined up later on tour, so we always need to make a step up."