OWN CORRESPONDENT, London | Thursday 11.50am.
JOOST van der Westhuizen leads a side that have never known defeat in a World Cup match but the Springbok scrumhalf, captain and leading try-scorer says the past counts for nothing.
”We are proud to be World Champions but 1995 is ancient history,” he says. ”This season’s Tri- Nations and even last week’s game against England are irrelevant — we are looking forward only.
”I can’t believe that last week the English were still going on about the (1997) Lions tour — we always look to the future.”
Australia, who play the Springboks in the semifinals on Saturday, cannot afford to so easily ignore the lessons of history and will have targetted van der Westhuizen as a player vital to Springbok hopes.
His incisive and often unexpected breaks from behind a scrum or a maul could be South Africa’s best chance of a try against a quite outstanding Wallaby defence that has let in only one try in the tournament.
It was van der Westhuizen’s try in the corner in first half injury time against England that swung the quarter-final South Africa’s way and his ability to see and squeeze thorugh the smallest of gaps makes him a constant danger.
He has crossed the line three times in the tournament to take him to 29 tries in his 56-match international career. It is an incredible strike-rate for a scrumhalf yet could have been higher.
”I’ve had to adapt my game in recent seasons and sometimes sacrifice what I see as a try chance for the better percentage,” he said. ”But I’m not going to abandon my instincts and if I see a chance for a break on my my own I’m going to take it.”
It is one of several changes that have emerged since the last World Cup that indicate a new maturity in the the 28-year-old.
In the past he has been guilty of feigning or at least exagerating injury, been accused of racism on the pitch and of selfishness.
But a long period out of the game with a knee injury and the arrival of the captaincy earlier this year in the wake of the sacking of Gary Teichmann have contributed to a calmer and more team-orientated attitude.
”Being captain is easier than I expected,” he said. ”Players listen to what I have to say. Obviously, having already played a World Cup helps. I can tell the young guys how to be more relaxed.
”On the pitch it is usually just a question of calming them down. When we get over-eager, that’s when the mistakes come.”
His role in keeping a lid on the emotion does not, however, extend to the dressing room where he describes the feeling of wearing the Springbok shirt as ”the ultimate.”
”I’ve played in 56 tests and still you can’t explain what it means to pull that jersey over the head. There’s 100000 people in South Africa dreaming that they could do it and we have the privilege — it is something we never take for granted.”
That pride in the jersey, shared by the All Blacks and the Wallabies, is one of the factors that bonds the Springboks into such a formidable force.
They also have a refusal to be beaten that, in World Cup terms, is based soundly on the facts. Van der Westhuizen says there is a fierce determination in the squad to keep that run going for two more matches.
”Saturday will be a very hard game but there is little between the two teams in terms of quality,” he said. ”It will probably come down to who can keep their concentration and which side can grab a half-chance when it appears.”
Of the 30 players taking the field at Twickenham on Saturday there is no-one better-equipped to do that. — Reuters