/ 17 November 2006

Spies bullish about White’s future

Pierre Spies has challenged his teammates to accept their responsibility for the side’s current form as they look to relieve the pressure on coach Jake White against England at Twickenham this weekend.

World champions England may have lost their last seven straight Tests, but the Springboks’ 2006 record of just four wins in 10 internationals is well-below the standard required by the country’s fanatical rugby supporters.

And last weekend, Tri-Nations basement team South Africa opened their European tour with a record 32-15 defeat by Ireland in Dublin.

White’s policy of resting key players such as Victor Matfield, Os du Randt and Percy Montgomery for this tour in the run-up to next year’s World Cup and so allowing lesser-known figures to stake a claim for France 2007, has been slammed by Springbok great Naas Botha.

And this week the Blue Bulls Rugby Union, one of the country’s most powerful provinces, passed a motion calling for the immediate resignation of White and his management team.

But back-row forward Spies, one of 10 Bulls players in the tour squad, said blaming White alone was not a solution to Springbok woes.

”We are aware of the pressure that Jake is under but we are definitely right behind him, we support every decision he makes,” he said at the squad’s hotel.

”We have got to make sure the decisions we make are in line with what he wants. It is down to us as players to become more organised and implement the system Jake has employed.

”We don’t want to disappoint ourselves or the nation and that’s why we’ve just got to go out there, make decisions, step up our own game as players and the whole team’s performance.”

White gave Spies (21) his debut in July’s 49-0 thrashing by Australia in Brisbane but the loose forward recovered to play a leading role in September’s 21-20 win over New Zealand.

Spies has been moved from number eight to blindside flanker for Saturday’s match, the first of two back-to-back Tests against England and is looking forward to the biggest crowd of his career.

”Running out at Twickenham will be great, you are experiencing playing in front of 80,000 people. It will be different to anywhere I have played before. We have just got to get out there and play.

”England will stand up for themselves. It is a proud rugby nation, just like South Africa, they will desperately want to come back.” — Sapa-AFP