South Africa’s new coach Jake White reacted mischievously to the draw for the Rugby World Cup 2007 in Dublin on Wednesday by saying bitter rvials England will feel the pressure more than the Springboks.
South Africa have again been drawn to face England in the pool stage, as they were at last year’s tournament in Australia when they lost 25-6.
The Springboks will arrive at Twickenham in November — the first time since their brutal tactics earned them heavy criticism in their record 53-3 thrashing in 2002 — as one of three Test opponents for Sir Clive Woodward’s world champions.
England have not lost to South Africa since a narrow defeat in Pretoria almost four years ago.
White took over as the Springbok coach in February following the sacking of Rudi Straeuli in December after South Africa’s disastrous World Cup campaign down under and a controversial pre-tournament boot camp.
And on Wednesday the 40-year-old, who coached South Africa’s Under-21 team to a world title in 2002, compared the senior team’s current plight with that of England four years ago.
”The November Test at Twickenham now becomes a very important game,” White said. ”But it is wonderful that we will be able to measure ourselves against the world champions.
”There is no doubt that we haven’t done ourselves proud on or off the pitch,” he admitted.
”I don’t believe that South African rugby has ever been lower. We’ve let ourselves down, but we are a proud rugby nation.”
White added that the South African players currently playing in Britain could be part of his World Cup build-up.
England coach Andy Robinson, who brought the Webb Ellis Cup to the draw with flanker Richard Hill, commented: ”We have got to play South Africa a number of times over the next few years, and I am sure that with Jake White coming in, they will develop a new identity during that time.
”In the World Cup last autumn, we had two really tough matches in our pool against South Africa and Samoa, which enabled us to gather some momentum,” he added. ”It was good that we had those games.”
Hill added: ”It was a great encounter against South Africa in the last World Cup, and I am sure that they will want to beat us.
”The draw has thrown up a lot of similarity for us with the last World Cup.” — Sapa-AFP
Springboks to face England again