MITCH PHILLIPS, London | Thursday 12.45pm.
SPRINGBOK number eight Bobby Skinstad hopes there would be more attacking rugby in the remaining games of the World Cup but feared it be the defences that would continue to dominate.
Skinstad is famed for his adventure from the back of the scrum and his marauding runs were a feature of his early international appearances. However, in the current tournament he has been less adventurous and has played a vital role in his team’s impressive defensive efforts.
”I’m pretty pleased with my defensive contribution considering some people might have earmarked me as a weak link in that department,” he said on Wednesday.
”In fact I’m chuffed to be holding my own with Andre (Venter) and Rassie (Erasmus) defensively and honoured to have taken over from Gary Teichmann.”
Skinstad said he was a lover of the adventurous and was a little disappointed with the number of tries scored by the major nations in the big games. But he said that for everyone involved, the first and only target was to win the World Cup and doing it with flair was a consideration that could not be factored in.
”Four years ago a very good, very attacking All Black team were beaten by some committed defending and if we win the Cup this time no-one in South Africa is going to be looking back in another four years complaining about a lack of tries,” he said.
”I wish it was different and that there would be some great attacking play but our game on Saturday will probably be two tries to one or one to nil — there certainly won’t be 10 tries in the game.
”I still see the more attacking side of the game as its future but it’s now up to teams to find a way through modern defences.”
Skinstad said he was expecting a big battle against the Australian back row but said he probably would not see much head-to-head action with his opposite number Toutai Kefu, back in the Wallaby lineup after a two-match suspension for fighting.
”I’ve said before that you don’t usually have much direct contact with the other number eight but I rate him very highly, he is an exceptional player. He’s got a lot of power and pace and has great skills for a big man. He has uncanny reading of the game and pops up to score important tries.”
But despite his love of the attacking game, a Kefu score on Saturday is unlikely to get much applause from Skinstad. — Reuters