Red alert: Jacques Potgieter issues warning Waratahs aren’t planning on letting up anytime soon

CULT figure Jacques Potgieter has issued a blunt message to the Reds ahead of their clash with the Waratahs in this interstate rivalry week.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - JULY 06: Jacques Potgieter of the Waratahs celebrates scoring a try during the round 18 Super Rugby match between the Waratahs and the Highlanders at Allianz Stadium on July 6, 2014 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)

CULT figure Jacques Potgieter has issued a blunt message to Queensland ahead of their clash with the Waratahs in this interstate rivalry week, saying NSW will treat the game like a final despite having already secured the minor premiership.

The Tahs can’t be dislodged from first place and have secured a home semi-final at Allianz Stadium on July 26 (7.40pm kick-off) but they have no plans of taking their foot off the gas against their bitter rivals at Suncorp Stadium this Saturday.

“Knowing we’ve got a home semi-final, it doesn’t mean anything to us, we’re just going into this week as another final game for us,” backrower Potgieter said.

Jacques Potgieter and Kurtly Beale during the Waratahs’ recovery session at Clovelly.

“If we’re going to play well this week, it’s just going to carry on to the [game] after that.”

Potgieter has become a huge crowd favourite in Sydney in just his first year with the Tahs.

The three-Test Springbok receives standing ovations each time he leaves the field, including the biggest of the season so far following his brutish display against the Highlanders last Sunday.

The 28-year-old is relishing the derby match in Brisbane, which falls just three days after the third State of Origin match, which Potgieter has become a giant fan of since his arrival to Australia.

“I loved it, so nice to watch. Back home in South Africa we don’t watch league, so coming here starting to watch all the league games, when I get home I just watch league all the time and start to know the game and know the players,” he said.

“All the [Tahs] boys talk about league all the time and I can’t talk about it, but now I can chat to them about it because I’m watching and following it.

“I’ve never seen a league game until this year. For me, I like the bashing rugby, it’s so nice to watch.

“It’s just massive, the NSW-Queensland derby is just unbelievable, it’s so big, and it’s nice to play in games like that — that is why we play rugby.”

Potgieter is at a loss to explain the adulation he receives from Waratahs fans, which would exceed anything he ever experienced in his native Pretoria.

Jacques Potgieter crosses untouched to score a try in the second half against the Highlanders ...

“I don’t know what’s going on, I must say I love it,” Potgieter said.

“The Australian fans have just accepted me so well. Everyone, when I see them in the malls or the streets, they’re just so friendly and talking so positive.

“Playing in front of that crowd [last Sunday] was just awesome, and just the way they’ve supported us the whole season, that is why we’ve never lost a game at home because they’re really out there to support us and really bring out the best in us.”

When Pogieter first arrived at NSW, he revealed that their forward pack wasn’t highly rated in South Africa.

... to cue crowd-invoking celebrations from the South African import at Allianz Stadium.

However, his kamikaze approach has played a huge role in transforming the Tahs forwards into one of the most feared in the competition.

“What Michael [Cheika] is bringing into the side, he is an unbelievable coach, and just the way he wants you to go out there and play your game and leave nothing on the field, he’s big on physicality and it doesn’t matter of you’re No.1, No.9 or No.15,” Potgieter said.

“We’re just trying to be as physical as we can, and it’s working for us. It is a big difference from the beginning of the year.

“In the beginning, everyone was believing in winning Super Rugby, but now the boys are really starting to believe in it and starting to really play for each other.”

But Potgieter refused to take personal credit.

“Everyone’s different, I just think our whole team is just doing so well together,” he said.

“Just for me, playing with them, we all give each other so much energy so I won’t say it’s anything I’m doing.”