Put aside tactics, history and sentiment and just carve out a win.
That seems to have been Springbok coach Jake White’s message to his team ahead of their season-opening Test against Scotland in Durban on Saturday.
With much fanfare being made by the Scottish contingent all week about how they will take on the Bok forward challenge in this, the centenary year of Springbok rugby, White’s chief priority is victory — no matter how it comes.
”Winning is not negotiable. We have a proud record of not having lost at home in the last two years and we want to keep that. Winning is what we are prepared for,” said White during a press briefing in Durban on Friday.
White, though, has taken time to allow the sense of the occasion for Saturday to be on the minds of his players.
Coincidentally, the Springboks played against Scotland in 1906 on their first overseas tour as the Springboks and lost.
”They were our first opposition in 1906 and this is a great opportunity for both sides. It is a nice way to start a 100 years of the Bok emblem. Every year it is important to get a win under your belt in the first game,” said White.
In and among all the sentiment, White continues to emphasise the need for his team to win, even though that will create more expectation from the public and place increasing pressure on the team to perform consistently.
”In South African rugby results are very important. It is important for this team to develop this year more than it has done over the last two years. There is added pressure when one wins as we have done over the last two seasons. The increase in pressure places a bigger burden on the players and the longer the team stays together the expectations become even bigger.
”But this is a challenge the team has to meet,” White said.
And with White having made seven changes to his starting line-up for the Scottish to the team that played against the World XV last weekend, White knows that the Scots will not be a walk in the park.
White is wary of the danger the Scots pose after beating England and France in the Six Nations competition.
”I don’t know what people want to see. It’s a Test match and Scotland are a better side this year. One cannot concentrate on one aspect of the game …. we’ve got to cover everything.
”Let’s give Scotland credit. They’ve beaten England and France in the same year. They will want to play and beat us and we must be aware of that,” said White.
So put aside the history and sentiment, because at the end of 80 minutes of rugby on Saturday, that will all be meaningless for White if victory is not attained. — Sapa