SA get 'fear expert'

HEIMLICH MANOEUVRE EXPERT? Explorer and motivator Mike Horn will be looking to rid the South Africans of their nerves. PHOTO: AFP

South Africa have turned to a grizzled adventurer, who has explored the Amazon and trekked to the North Pole, to help them navigate their path to a maiden World Cup.

Coach Russell Domingo drafted in South Africa-born adventurer Mike Horn to help put Wednesday's quarter-final against Sri Lanka in perspective.

Horn has plenty of experience working with sports teams, having spoken to the India squad during their victorious 2011 World Cup campaign. He also worked with the Proteas in 2012 and advised the Germany team before they won football's World Cup in Brazil last year.

South Africa captain AB de Villiers said of Horn: "He brings great energy to the team. He'll have a bit of a chat to us. He had a chat to the Germans who won the World Cup, things that worked for them. We can learn a bit from that."

Horn, explaining his philosophy, said: "I don't lose a match, I lose a life and my commitment is completely different. I don't just play, I play to win, I have to win.

"If you have that mindset where losing is no longer an option and the whole team believes in it and you can create the team that helps each other to move forward and everybody is willing to give more than what's asked for, then you can create a dynamic that the Germans have," he added.