Springbok defectors Clyde Rathbone and Dan Vickerman can expect plenty of stick from their former countrymen in Saturday’s Tri-Nations rugby Test, Wallaby coach Eddie Jones said on Thursday.
Winger Rathbone and reserve lock Vickerman have thrown their lot in with Australian rugby after formative years in South Africa and are expecting plenty of close attention from the South Africans.
Rathbone, who turned 23 earlier this week, is a former captain of the South African under-21 team who were coached by current Springbok coach Jake White and qualifies for the Wallabies through his grandmother.
Jones said Rathbone and Vickerman can expect a torrid time in the Subiaco Oval Test match.
”It’s an interesting challenge for him and Vickers — they’ve played Super 12 [against South African sides] and they get plenty of stick there but that’s not uncommon when you play against people you used to play with,” Jones said on Thursday.
”They’re both of good character, Dan and Clyde, they’re serious young footballers who have made important decisions about their lives, not just about their rugby.
”They’re committed to Australian rugby and guys with those sort of characters handle difficult situations well.
”It is going to be difficult for them on Saturday night but we believe they’ll handle it pretty well.”
Rathbone has already come under fire playing for his adopted country and after scoring a hat-trick of tries against England last month was twice knocked senseless against the Pacific Islanders.
But he backed up the following week to play New Zealand in atrocious conditions in Wellington to complete a memorable introduction to Test rugby.
Jones said the Wallabies will not be asking Rathbone to break his friendship with White.
Asked if the Wallabies’ coaching staff had quizzed Rathbone for any inside information on White’s coaching style, Jones said: ”We haven’t really asked him … Clyde’s a friend of Jake’s so we won’t ask him to break any sort of friendship duties.” — Sapa-AFP
Bok coach turns up the heat