Didn’t it all come together rather well in Johannesburg last weekend? I thought it did, but then again, most people with the slightest interest in rugby would have told you that the Springboks’ Achilles heel was Jaco van der Westhuyzen.
The replacing of Van der Westhuyzen with Andre Pretorius worked wonders and certainly brought a more cerebral feel to the Boks’ back-line decisions.
Of course, the addition of Jean de Villiers and Jacque Fourie at centre also played a large part in winning the Mandela Challenge, but without a smart footballer at flyhalf, things would not have unfolded as they did. Let’s just hope that Pretorius keeps up the good work and doesn’t go off the boil abruptly — something he has been guilty of in the past.
Seeing Australia being beaten so comprehensively by a team playing positive rugby pleased me no end.
What pleased me most, however, was not the new centre pairing, Gurthro Steenkamp or Jake White’s cleverness, but the South African rugby public.
When the team for the Johannesburg match was announced, there was nothing but an expectant silence. Surely the fact nine players of colour were included in the squad would lead to some discontent? At least one rugby fan would write a fuming letter to an Afrikaans daily, right?
There was nothing. Not a twinge, mumble or murmur. I said last week that this was probably because everyone knew that the changed side fielded great players who deserved to be selected and would probably do better than the team who struggled so in Sydney. I also think another reason for the silence was that rugby supporters have become fed up with seeing transformation as an enemy. And that paradigm shift was sparked by one player: Bryan Habana.
I watched the game at a pub in Polokwane with a truly cosmopolitan crowd. There were Shangaans and Vendas, Afrikaners, English, some Cypriots, a Zulu or two — and even five female Australian exchange students decked out in full Wallaby regalia. And you know what? We all had a brilliant time.
The score-prediction sheet came around and those who knew a little about the game helped those who didn’t to pencil in a guess. Rules were explained and explained again. Imaginary off-side lines were drawn in the air and I have never heard so much talking while watching a game — ever.
Most of the people who watched the match in that pub were there because the team included players they could identify with — none more than Habana. Whenever he came near the ball — never mind actually holding on to it — the place went absolutely wild with excitement. It was a fine day that, to my mind, achieved what the transformation brigade couldn’t do even if it tried: it got people excited about the great pool of talent available in this country, regardless of colour. This is a very good thing.
So, the Tri-Nations is about to start and South Africans have good reason to feel bullish. Hopefully, they’re not feeling quite as positive as the Sunday newspapers were last weekend because if they are, there will be much gnashing of teeth and teary disillusionment in store.
Yes, the current squad are brimming with confidence. Yes, we have two home matches before the away legs start and yes, we have beaten Australia in fine fashion.
We were also utterly lamped in Sydney and have yet to play New Zealand, who, you will remember, just about tore the British Lions into toilet paper a few weeks ago. Add to this the fact that the Springboks travel about as well as a fluey five-year-old with a belly full of reheated bolognaise, and it will become very clear that nothing’s cut and dried.
At Loftus on Saturday, we’ll see essentially the same side that did so well last week in action again — bar one or two changes.
Jacques Cronje comes back in at number eight and should provide a little extra firepower to the loose trio. He will also be playing in front of his home crowd, so expect him to be even more fiery than usual.
The Boks will be playing without a recognised fetcher, as Joe van Niekerk moves to flank in place of Solly Tyibilika. CJ van der Linde takes over from Eddie Andrews in the front row — a move that might see the Australian front three being rendered largely ineffective. That is if Bill Young is forced to scrum to the rules according to the International Rugby Board and not those of Eddie Jones or George Gregan.
Stirling Mortlock has been dropped at outside centre and makes way for Morgan Turinui. Whether this will improve the Wallabies’ back line is open to speculation, but the move certainly won’t bring about a massive drop in performance.
Should the Springboks get the better of the Wallabies on Saturday, the Sunday press will no doubt be singing the side’s hosannas and promise us all a season filled with glory and success. It will, however, be prudent not to make too much of a victory on Saturday. New Zealand await next week and there’s very little that puts as much of a damper on spirits as a right trouncing just before getting on a flight for Australasia.
Remember, the real fight starts after Newlands; until then, it’s a matter of hoping that the fragile confidence built last week holds up — for the sake of both the Springboks and their legion of newly won supporters.