They will be the smallest men in a battle of giants on Saturday but the clash of Joost van der Westhuizen and Justin Marshall will have a huge impact on their World Cup quarterfinal.
The rival scrumhalves of South Africa and New Zealand share an intense competitive fire and a resilience which has seen them survive in a highly pressured and crucial area.
Van der Westhuizen has endured several knee operations and believed his international career was finished in 2001 when overlooked for test selection.
Marshall was under pressure from Byron Kelleher during his career but saw off the challenge to remain the All Blacks’ undisputed top scrumhalf.
They stand close to each other on the field — snarling and straining at each other like pitbull terriers waiting for a mistake, a sign of weakness — but have never been close off it.
”Out of all the halfbacks I’ve played against, I probably haven’t got to know Joost as well as anybody else,” Marshall says.
Their passionate approaches and complex jobs — inspiring, hounding, driving their packs forward, giving their backs every chance to shine — are too similar for these rivals to be friends, but there is respect.
”Every time I’ve played against him I’ve realised I’m up against somebody of real quality and his record only speaks for that,” said Marshall.
”We have had a fair go at each other over the years. Whenever we are preparing to play the Springboks, part of my personal preparation is to make sure I am ready for Joost’s physical onslaught and competitive spirit.”
Van der Westhuizen will play his 89th test on Saturday and if the Springboks lose it will likely be his last. He was a member of the team which won in 1995, beating New Zealand in the final, and played a major role when the team beat the All Blacks in the
playoff for third in 1999.
In an era when most players and coaches speak, at least publicly, with guarded apprehension, Van Der Westhuizen talks as he plays, eyes burning, refusing to step backward.
Ever since the team arrived in Australia with race scandals swirling, Van Der Westhuizen has cut through the fog to clearly and emotionally state that the Springboks are unified and a good chance to win the tournament.
There’s no stopping him now.
”I am here at my third World Cup because playing for the Springboks means more to me than anything else,” said Van Der Westhuizen (32). ”I set myself a goal long ago of playing in and winning the 2003 World Cup.
”You guys think I have only one match left in me. I have news for you. I have three matches left for the Springboks.”
Marshall (30) plans to go on for at least two more years, but this could be his last chance to win a World Cup.
”This is immensely important to me,” he said. ”I never thought I would be at another one after the disappointment of 1999 but here I am. I’ve played test rugby for eight years and it’s the one trophy that has eluded me.”
Marshall is a better player than he was four years ago and it showed against Wales last weekend. When the Welsh threatened a massive upset it was Marshall who kept the All Blacks focussed.
”He was outstanding against Wales,” said All Blacks captain Reuben Thorne on Friday. ”He’s very valuable member of our team because of his experience, his leadership and he’s a very hard character.”
Marshall has enjoyed a great career against South Africa, a record 14 wins from his 19 games, including the last six in a row.
Van der Westhuizen has just five wins from his 16 tests against New Zealand but is 2-0 against them at the World Cup, including the 1995 final.
”The fun of it wasn’t to win the World Cup,” he said. ”That team did something that some of the politicians won’t be able to achieve in their life.
”It brought a nation together and in that sense it will not happen again. But to take it back again will let people relive that moment.” – Sapa-AP