The defeated Springbok rugby team returned home from their tour down under to a lukewarm reception at Johannesburg International airport on Sunday night.
The Boks were greeted by a mere handful of fans in the arrivals hall, despite registering what many had considered ”positive” results over the past three weekends.
First, they recorded a comfortable win over the Pacific Islanders, before pushing New Zealand and Australia to the very limit in tough Tri-Nations encounters.
”We can’t be too negative. There are huge expectations but there is enough here to suggest we have the makings of a great team,” countered coach Jake White, shortly after touching down from Perth.
White and his captain, John Smit, both lamented the disappointment of losing at the death in both matches in Christchurch last weekend and in Perth on Saturday.
”It is disappointing,” said White, ”after we did all the hard work. It was difficult to lose in the manner which we did.”
The Boks came within eight seconds — and ”two passes”, according to White — from gaining an historic and rare win over the All Blacks in New Zealand.
After that narrow 23-21 defeat, which was dominated by a fierce defensive Bok pattern and a combative first-phase performance, the Boks were expected to give the Wallabies a torrid time in the tight exchanges.
Australia, however, emerged from the scrums and line-outs with more ball than they surely had bargained for in this weekend’s match. It laid the platform for a deserved 30-26 victory.
”I must give credit to how they [the Aussies] competed, ” said Smit, whose errant line-out throwing contributed to the problem. ”We knew we would be up against it. This performance was not good enough.”
Although the Boks have lost their customary two Tri-Nations matches away from home, the feeling among South Africa’s rugby public is that White’s charges have restored some of the battered pride and put South African rugby back on the world map.
Meanwhile, the saga surrounding Blue Bulls lock Victor Matfield was still not cleared up by late on Sunday night with White saying he would speak to the giant second-rower soon and get his fitness assessed again.
”I don’t know why he isn’t playing at the Blue Bulls, but I can’t really comment. I have only just landed, ” said White. ”All I do know is that our medical team declared him unfit while we were on tour and under Sarfu [South African Rugby Football Union] laws I’m duty bound to send him home, otherwise I’m liable for his rehabilitation.”
Sarpa [South African Rugby Players’ Association] bosses Hennie le Roux (president) and Piet Heymans (CEO) were spotted lurking around the arrivals hall shortly before the Springboks had landed.
When approached for comment Heymans said: ”We are just here to welcome the players back. Nothing more.”
They were last seen being ushered through the arrivals gates before the Boks came through customs.
The team will have a week’s rest before reassembling in Johannesburg on Sunday ahead of the Ellis Park Tri-Nations Test against New Zealand on August 14. White is not expected to make many changes to the current squad. — Sapa