Despite all the odds ‘against him, Andre Markgraaff’s Springboks have scored the points
Rugby: Barney Spender
Remember all those headlines eight weeks ago? The shock, the anger, the emotional outrage from pundits and public alike? The botched television announcement of the Springbok touring party? The absence of Francois Pienaar, the inclusion of Theo Oosthuizen, the hate mail for Andre Markgraaff?
A nation up in arms. A time for revolt and rebellion. A time, can you believe it, for traditional Springbok venerators to cast off their replica jerseys in a desire to see the team lose. Not so much Amobokaboka as AmaBickerBicker.
And yet, the sun still rises every morning, the rand still plummets by the day and the Springboks have beaten Argentina, France and Wales, winning all five tests on tour.
Suddenly Markgraaff’s view that Pienaar was not good enough to make the side has gained currency and credibility. Whose place would he have taken? Not Gary Teichmann’s at eighthman, and certainly not Ruben Kruger’s and Andre Venter’s on the flank. Perhaps Pienaar himself read the tealeaves before opting to continue his career in England.
Pienaar remains a fine player but life moves on, and in the new age of professionalism there is no room for loyalty. The World Cup was yesterday, not today. The South African team, which extended its winning streak to six tests, is not yesterday’s team but today’s team. With some minor tinkering it is tomorrow’s team as well.
Inevitably, there will be debate as to the true merit of the Pumas, French and Welsh. Argentina, some will say in spite of the close call they gave England, are a second division nation, the French were missing six players though injury and the Welsh were, well, the Welsh were Wales. What more can you say. Of course the Boks should have won the lot.
But that misses the point. That misses the achievement of comfortably beating an improving Puma side on their home turf; it misses the accomplishment of beating France, injuries or not, in a wet and miserable Bordeaux and in the potentially overwhelming cauldron of Parc des Princes; it misses the sweet pleasure of running in five tries against Wales at the Arms Park.
The most notable achievement was the series win in France ‘ something which great teams of the modern era, such as Nick Farr-Jones’s Wallabies and, last year, Sean Fitzpatrick’s All Blacks, failed to do.
It is not an easy place to tour. Unfamiliar language and culture and the pusillanimous obstructions make it a nightmare for the uninitiated. Stories of replacement boots and studs as well as training equipment being withheld were rife.
One episode summed up the French attitude. After the narrow win in Paris, the players retreated to the changing room. With a series win to celebrate, they were surprised to find that the habitual courtesy crate of beer was not there. It was politely summoned but the flunky refused to hand it over until silver had crossed palms.
Certainly the French were deprived through injury of some key players, but that is rugby and the game of ‘what if’ is as futile as Speedos in a snowstorm.
But it is also important to look beyond the results at the fabric of the tour and the progress made.
On the management side, the recruitment of Hugh Reece-Edwards, Nick Mallet and Carel du Plessis was inspired. It brought about a relaxed and happy Springbok squad. Mallet’s presence in France was a particular bonus. His fluent French and sense of humour kept the local media happy and, more to the point, he also made an impact in charge of the dirt-trackers.
On the playing front there were those five test wins to cheer. The style, at times, may not have pleased the purist but there were hints of greater things to come. Tries for one thing. The Springboks scored 21 in the five tests and amazingly kept clean sheets twice against the French. The first halves in Bordeaux and Cardiff were superb.
Everyone contributed, but the efforts of Kobus Wiese and Andre Venter suggested two men who have found their niche at international level.
Teichmann was outstanding and passed the captaincy test. His relaxed style is different to Pienaar’s, but it seems to work and he also has the support of his players.
To an extent, also, this tour must be taken in conjunction with the A tour which won 10 of its 12 matches in Britain and Ireland. The development aspect of that tour generally worked well although there was little point in taking players, whether coloured or not, if they did not have a future in rugby. The emergence of McNeil Hendricks was an exciting find, while Rassie Erasmus, Ollie le Roux and Joos Joubert all threw their hats into the ring for a step up to the big time.
Le Roux arrived as second choice to Robbie Kempson, but the combination of being made captain for the game against Oxford University and Kempson’s red card gave him an impetus it may be hard to stop. In the last two internationals against England and Wales he was back to the bullocking, buffeting Ollie who forced his way into the test side in 1994.
Joubert was the outstanding player on tour and it will be an aberration if he is not in the starting line-up for the first test against the Lions next year. But then it seems an aberration now that a place in the main party was given to Justin Swart, Pieter Hendricks and Breyten Paulse ahead of him. Jacques Olivier will be struggling to keep his place.
On the down side for the Springboks is the worrying trend of building an early lead and then allowing the opposition back into the game. Markgraaff has shrugged it off as a lack of concentration which comes with battle-weary players, but the All Blacks have made a habit of turning the screw once they get clear water and the Boks must do the same.
Yes, we can downplay these five wins as much as we want. Yes, maybe the opposition could have been tougher. Yes, we can all play imaginery matches with imaginary teams in our head. But it counts for naught. What matters is the 15 on each team who run out of the tunnel.
When the All Blacks took their first series in South Africa earlier this year, there was no apologetic shuffle of the toe from Fitzpatrick, no comment that it wasn’t such a big deal because the Boks had been savagely hit by injuries. It was a series win, the All Blacks over the Springboks in South Africa, and they had just cause to celebrate.
The Springboks have earned the same right. They have had a long and difficult year which has taken in 13 Test matches but they are a good side who will give the Lions and the All Blacks a fierce time next year. And the country should enjoy the celebration as well. After all, it is Christmas.