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Pierre Schoeman is hellbent on extending his \u201cmiracle\u201d World Cup beyond this weekend as he gears up for Saturday\u2019s critical Paris showdown with Pool B rivals Ireland.<\/p>\n
Just under two years after winning the first of his 25 caps, the South Africa-born prop is enjoying the time of his life in France as Gregor Townsend\u2019s first-choice loosehead.<\/p>\n
But Schoeman knows he would likely have missed out on playing for Scotland at the tournament if not for the fact the Covid-19 pandemic led to a delay in World Rugby changing the three-year residency rule to five years.<\/p>\n
That meant the 29-year-old \u2013 who left Bulls in his homeland to join Edinburgh in 2018 \u2013 was able to make his debut in October 2021 as opposed to having to wait until this summer to become eligible, by which time it would probably have been too late for him to force his way into the World Cup squad.<\/p>\n
\u201cI can only say with gratitude that it is a miracle, to be honest,\u201d he said. \u201cIt would have actually been five years but because of Covid, it was three years, so two years less.<\/p>\n
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\u201cI would have only made my debut for Scotland now (this summer) if it wasn\u2019t for Covid so there is always a blessing in disguise somewhere.\u201d<\/p>\n
Schoeman is savouring every moment of a tournament he described as the highlight of his career.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt has been massive,\u201d he said. \u201cRepresenting Scotland at the World Cup is the best thing I have experienced in my rugby journey.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have been honoured and privileged to do it. And with the team we have, the management and the players are a really good group.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt has been amazing. I have to give credit to our partners and our families for the sacrifices they have made but in the south of France, the passion they have for their rugby and having all the Scottish fans here as well, that\u2019s massive.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe amount of fans that came over makes you realise that you have to play a bit harder for them as well.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s not just about you and the team, it\u2019s about playing for the fans and the country you represent.<\/p>\n
\u201cPutting on the jersey for Scotland in a World Cup in the south of France gives you that extra fuel to prep. You want to do it 100 times.\u201d<\/p>\n
Schoeman and his Scotland colleagues know their World Cup adventure will end if they are not able to get a bonus-point win over Ireland on Saturday or deny their opponents a losing bonus.<\/p>\n
The prop is unable to countenance the prospect of leaving France this weekend.<\/p>\n
Being a prop, you want to go against the best. As a pack and as a team, we can\u2019t wait<\/p>\n
\u201cI haven\u2019t even thought about making plans for a holiday or time off or going back to play with my club,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s all this now, this week, this test, to get another three weeks or however long it is.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are confident, we are going to go for the win and we believe we can get the win. As a group, we are ready to go.\u201d<\/p>\n
Schoeman is braced for the biggest game of his career in Paris.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere have been some big Six Nations games but this is a World Cup and we\u2019re against the world\u2019s best in Ireland,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
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\u201cThese are the games you want to play in. They are the games you want to measure yourself against, especially the set-piece battles.<\/p>\n
\u201cBeing a prop, you want to go against the best. As a pack and as a team, we can\u2019t wait.\u201d<\/p>\n