Os du Randt could have been on his farm this Saturday, looking after the cattle herd.
Instead, the man who ”retired” from rugby four years ago is set to win his 50th cap for South Africa when they face world champions England at Twickenham.
Loosehead prop Du Randt, affectionately known as ”The Ox”, already had a cherished place in Springbok folklore as the anchor of the pack that won the 1995 Rugby World Cup on home soil. Worldwide he was acknowledged as one of the outstanding scrummagers of his generation.
But the Free State and Cats forward’s career as a Test forward appeared to have finished when he quit because of a left knee problem soon after the 1999 Rugby World Cup.
Back then, he seemed happy enough to return to his first love of farming on his 425ha spread between Bloemfontein and Welkom, even changing television channels when a rugby programme came on.
But, like so many sportsmen, he was unhappy with the way his career had ended.
”I thought I didn’t have a good season from 1998 and I thought this is not the way I want to end this.”
Sports history is littered with examples of stars who, finding life after retirement tough to cope with, decided to return to the arena where they made their names.
For every success, there have been several failures, with footballer George Best, tennis champions Bjorn Borg and John McEnroe plus a host of boxers, including Larry Holmes and Mike Tyson, all struggling to recapture past glories.
However, Du Randt, now 32, took his time and when he came back for Free State in 2002 it was certainly not with the intention of regaining a place in the Springboks’ front row.
But all that changed with the appointment of Jake White as South Africa coach following the country’s mediocre World Cup last year.
”Jake spoke to me in February and I thought I might have a chance,” Du Randt explained.
He proved his worth again with the Cats in Super 12 earlier this year before his hard-won experience proved invaluable in the otherwise largely youthful Springboks’ surprise Tri-Nations triumph.
And White, for one, was delighted to have him back.
”He’s probably the greatest loosehead prop we’ve ever produced, and in 1995 he was one of the guys who won us the World Cup.”
South Africa may have lost their past five Tests against England, but Du Randt has a perfect played-two-won-two record in his meetings with the world champions, appearing in the Springboks’ last victory at Twickenham in 1997 and their World Cup quarterfinal win in Paris two years later.
Du Randt missed South Africa’s last Twickenham Test in 2002, where they suffered a record 53-3 defeat with lock Jannes Labuschagne sent off.
”For any team to see 50 points against you is not something you want to remember, especially being a Springbok and part of that proud tradition,” Du Randt told reporters at the squad’s hotel in London on Wednesday.
”You can’t do anything about it except just make sure it doesn’t happen again.” — Sapa-AFP