/ 27 October 1999

BOKS BECOME VIDEO ADDICTS

SOUTH Africa’s World Cup squad are becoming video addicts. It was through repeated watching of videos that coach Nick Mallett came up with the strategy that enabled fly-half Jannie de Beer to kick a world record five drop goals as the Springboks downed England at the weekend. Mallett on Monday put his team through another course of video watching in a bid to work out the best way to beat Australia in Saturday’s semi-final at Twickenham. Whichever way they decide to play against the Australians, however, De Beer has booked his semi-final spot. De Beer only played against England because first-choice Henry Honiball failed a fitness test on his injured hamstring – but his personal haul of 34 points prompted Mallett to immediately hand him the fly-half shirt against Australia. “It would be unfair to make a change to the team at fly-half after a match-winning performance like that,” said the coach.