South Africa coach Jake White compared the pressure on his team to that faced by soccer superpower Brazil on Wednesday as he named two debutants for the Tri-Nations clash against Australia this weekend.
Uncertainty over White’s future overshadowed the team announcement for Saturday’s opening match of the Springboks’ Tri-Nations campaign in Brisbane, where winger Akona Ndungane and forward Pierre Spies make their Test debuts.
White played down his reported comments to a South African newspaper this week, where he said ”I know I will be fired” after the South African Rugby Union refused to extend his contract to 2009.
But he acknowledged that the position of South Africa coach was always a precarious one.
”By the history of South African rugby, coaches don’t last that long,” he said. ”One of the negatives of this job is that you have to appreciate that you can get fired; it doesn’t mean I will get fired.”
White said the injury-plagued Springboks are under more pressure than Australia because high expectations are a reality of the game in countries such as South Africa and New Zealand.
”No doubt — just from the point of view that it is our national game,” he said. ”If you look at the Football World Cup, look at the disaster of Brazil not making it, because they are considered the top football nation.
”It’s no different to New Zealand where it is their national game … and it’s a challenge for us, so we’ve got to make sure we get it right.”
Ndungane and Spies come into a Springbok side missing many of its first-choice stars because of injury, including flanker Schalke Burger, lock Bakkies Botha, playmaker Jean de Villiers and flyhalf Andre Pretorius.
Spies (20) is a powerfully built flanker who has also appeared on the wing for the Bulls in Super 14.
Ndungane, who impressed in South Africa A’s 2004 tour of Argentina, replaces speedster Breyton Paulse on the right wing as White tinkers with his side ahead of next year’s World Cup in France.
However, White said his side will still be concentrating on trying to dominate the Australian scrum that was humbled last weekend by the All Blacks.
”You never move away from what works for you,” he said. ”If you’ve got a pack of forwards and that’s one way you can dominate and win games, then you stick to it.” — Sapa-AFP
South African team
South Africa (15 to 1): Percy Montgomery, Akona Ndungane, Jaque Fourie, Wynand Olivier, Bryan Habana, Jaco van der Westhuyzen, Ricky Januarie; Pierre Spies, Juan Smith, Joe van Niekerk, Danie Rossouw, Victor Matfield, CJ van der Linde, John Smit (captain), Os du Randt.
Reserves: Danie Coetzee, Eddie Andrews, Albert van der Berg, Jacques Cronje, Fourie du Preez, Meyer Bosman, Breyton Paulse.