NZL team announcement (v RSA) media conference: head coach Bunting, captain Demant, Miller, Joseph

Head coach Allan Bunting, captain Ruahei Demant, Jorja Miller and Maia Joseph look ahead to New Zealand's quarter-final against South Africa at Sandy Park on Saturday

Allan Bunting, head coach

On squad selection:
“We had a few knocks last week, we are obviously working through that, so this is the best team that we are left with for this week. Sylvia Brunt was known after the game and is in safe hands with our medical team.”

Thoughts ahead of the South Africa match:
“We were proud of our performance last week, there’s areas across the field that we want to improve and build on and certainly want to get better, we know what’s coming this weekend with South Africa. We are here on a mission and this weekend is really important for us.”

On the squad selection:
“Some of it was looking after our players, obviously, but we're all 32. We picked them here for a reason and we've got all the faith in the world of them to go all the way in this tournament and we know they're going to put the best forward and we know the challenge at is coming.”

On the Springbok physicality:
“There has been a bit of a focus on that, but we're pretty physical too and they probably haven't come up against a team like that.”

On Risi Pouri-Lane’s non-selection:
“Obviously got a knock on the weekend too, she’s not quite there to be in contention for selection yet.”

On the young stars, Braxton Sorensen-McGee and Jorja Miller:
“They are both doing really well, they’ve been getting a bit of ball in space. But it comes down to the work that’s gone on in the middle, the work rate and the stuff that our forwards are doing.”

Ruahei Demant, captain

On South Africa:
“There is no next week for us guaranteed, that’s the mentality that we are approaching this game with. South Africa are an exciting opposition for us because we haven’t had the chance to play them. In addition to that, they bring a physicality that we haven’t felt yet, so that will be the big challenge for us.

“We don't get a lot of games each year, and when we do, we're often playing the same teams with Pac[ific] Four, their WXV.
So playing teams that a lot of us haven't had the opportunity to come across and learning about their DNA, their strengths and the opportunity. That's the exciting thing about a World Cup and other tournaments that bring all the best teams together.”

Jorja Miller, New Zealand

On playing against the South African ‘bomb squad’ (RSA named a 7-1 forwards-backs split on their bench):
“We're really going to have to front up against South Africa, they're very physical and we've seen the split on the bench so we know it's going to be a tough fight for the full 80.

“If they're physical they may not be as agile or as fast, so I'll be focusing on using my abilities and my strengths to get around that.

“Physicality is one of our strengths as well. We've got one of the strongest, toughest packs in the World Cup, so we’ve analysed how physical they are but at our training it’s about us, and getting the reps in through the week so we front up on Saturday.

“We're building from last weekend and just making sure we stand on our own DNA, because if we can execute that well we should be able to execute a really good performance."

On the Black Ferns’ speed giving them the edge:
“I hope so. we've got some amazing outside backs that can really light the stage up, so they should have a field day this weekend. That's the plan."

On handling the media attention as such a young player:
“For me it’s an outside thing, external, so it doesn’t matter if I’ve got 18 Instagram posts or none. My performance is how I pride myself and what I’m striving towards. Being in such a successful team in sevens and 15s helps you to deal with social media.”

On the rivalry between New Zealand and South Africa:
“Growing up as Kiwis we know about the rivalry between the All Blacks and the Springboks, and even in the last week, but we also want to grow our rivalries now, especially with the South African women’s team because they’re just at the beginning but they’ve got a really strong team so it will be exciting."

Maia Joseph

On returning as starting scrum-half after injury:
“It's my first start this World Cup so it's really exciting, especially with it being the quarter-finals. I'm super excited to play, and play in front of my family as well.”

On what she brings to the team:
“I've got a long pass so that can help us get around them, and then my kicking game as well, which I'm hoping to use this weekend."

On the extra kicking practice they’ve been doing:
"Riki Flutey has been our kicking coach and he's been an amazing addition to our team. Every day off he and the other coaches come out and we do kicking on our day off just to keep it up and do as much training as we can. So credit goes to them for that.”

On finishing New Zealand’s sensational length-of-the-pitch try at the end against Ireland:
“In the moment it was pretty amazing and Jorja gave me the pass at the end so thanks for that (looking at Jorja). I guess it gives us confidence that we can do that in the 85th minute from our own try line but the focus shifted pretty quickly to this week.”