Barney Spender : Rugby
Crossing the road in Bologna can be a difficult and dangerous business. The drivers of the cars and buses at least have the decency to lean on their horns before flying past; the ubiquitous Lambrettas, on the other hand, do not. They come from nowhere and are gone before the dawdling tourist can even register the whining on his shoulder, a kind of thrust with a hairdryer engine.
No, the only safe way to negotiate the streets is to use the official crossings, the ones which colourfully read “Halt” and “Avanti”.
With the grace of God, and given the enormous number of old and wondrous churches in the city, there should be plenty of that on hand, Nick Mallett, the new Springbok coach, and his charges will avoid the temptation to go jaywalking whether it is on the streets looking for a cosy cafe or on the playing field when they meet Italy on Saturday afternoon. For this is not a place to cut corners.
It is tempting, of course, to look forward to the fixtures which follow, against France (twice), England and Scotland, and dismiss the Azurri as a tasty little hors d’oevures to be swallowed up and gulped down. Such a complacency however can only bring indigestion.
Two years ago, the Boks almost choked in exactly that fashion when, with all the talk about the showdown with England at Twickenham the following week, the newly crowned world champions scraped to a win in Rome which was closer than the 40-21 scoreline suggests.
That, of course, was a mighty fine Springbok side which had jsut come off the back of beating New Zealand in the World Cup final. They could play on half a tank and get away with it.. Whether this present side, which includes only four of those who played then, could do the same remains to be seen.
It has, after all, been a traumatic year for South African rugby, beaten by the Lions and again made to look comfortably second best by the All Blacks. There is a new coach and the side is far from settled. Off the field, another presidential battle has ended with Louis Luyt retaining control which is excellent news for Louis Luyt.
The Italians are in a mood to celebrate, preferably with the Springbok scalp. Their top clubs Milan and Treviso have performed better than expected in the European tournaments and this week came news that their patient bid to be allowed to join an expanded Five Nations was about to be accepted from 2000 onwards. Recent performances in the Latin Cup also suggest that they are a well-drilled side with enough incisive players to cause problems for any defence.
Their strenth lies in their backs where Diego Dominguez, probaby the best international stand-off in Europe, fires a line which includes the elusive ivan Francescato in the centre as well as Paulo Vaccari, a wing whose try against England at Twickenham last year was one of those blessed by divinity, more the purring Ferrari than the coughing Lambretta.
Mallett, however, seems unlikely to allow complacency to creep into the preparations for his first Test in charge. Influenced perhaps by a trip to the Ferrari factory outside Bologna on Wednesday, the practice sessions have been completed at 100km/h with full contact. And the mood has been upbeat throughout. It may have been a long season but to these players it is as if it is all the start of some big, new adventure.
For some of them of course it is, none more so than Dick Muir who will make his Test debut at the age of 32. For years the unsung brains in the Natal backline, it is a delightful quirk that he has finally got his chance after his move to Western Province. And it seems there isn’t a begrudger in the house.
Watching the Currie Cup final on television at the London Scottish clubhouse, John Allen, his old cadre and former Springbok hooker, commented on Muir’s selection for the tour: “Fucking ridiculous, isn’t it,” he said. “Age 32 and Tricky Dicky’s going to win his first cap. Fucking riciculous, should be winning his 50th.”
In the same way as Iain Dowi’s presence at West Ham gives hope to all park duffers so Muir’s selection is a vindication to everyone that it really is never too late.
The Springboks should certainly enjoy themselves on Saturday because if they play to their ability then they ought to win. But Teichmann and co will still have to watch the Italians like hawks; no jaywalking, just straight to the robots and wait for the signal – “Avanti”.