Springbok captain John Smit achieves a remarkable feat on Saturday against Wales in Bloemfontein.
He will lead his side into a Test match for the 50th time, the first time a Bok captain has ever reached the half-century mark. Springbok coach Peter de Villiers confirmed Smit’s selection on Monday.
”It’s a fantastic honour,” said Smit. ”But believe me, it’s the last thing on my mind heading into the Test on Saturday. Wales give us more than enough of a challenge to keep our minds totally on winning the match on Saturday.”
Smit will also mark the day with his 76th cap, one fewer than former Bok legend Mark Andrews. Smit is currently the fifth most-capped Bok of all time.
Smit led the Boks to World Cup triumph in France last year, and lifted the Tri-Nations trophy in 2004.
”I had no hesitation in making John my captain,” said De Villiers. ”I know some were surprised by how early I confirmed his appointment, but the last few weeks have shown it was one of my better decisions.
”John has authority, but he never expects any player to do anything he isn’t prepared to do himself. That has earned him incredible respect from everyone in the squad.
”We are all immensely proud of what he will achieve on Saturday. He’s too modest to admit it himself, but it really is something big. Especially when you consider the modern-day merry-go-round of Test captains.”
ELVs
Meanwhile, South Africa, New Zealand and Australia rugby (Sanzar) has announced that the Tri-Nations competition will be played under the laws that applied in the Super 14 competition, with the addition of two of the experimental law variations (ELVs) that will be going into global use when the new laws are trialled worldwide from August 1.
This follows an agreement by Sanzar on special Tri-Nations ELVs to showcase the best of the new rugby laws
The two new laws for the Tri-Nations will permit the pulling down of the maul and remove the requirement that teams match numbers at the line-outs.
”We believe the laws we will play in the nine matches of the Tri-Nations will provide a rigorous examination of the most fundamental of the ELVs, said Jonathan Stones, CEO of Sanzar.
”We discussed a range of laws options from playing under the old laws, [as they will apply in South Africa’s June tour programmes] to the ‘new’ ELVs that will apply worldwide from August 1.
”We could not immediately agree on which set to apply as all of them had their merits within the complex laws’ schedule that has been a product of the ELV process in the southern hemisphere.
”However, the solution we agreed on allows our players to approach the competition with the confidence of having played a full Super 14 season under these laws, while adding in two that are straightforward, clear-cut and leave no room for the nuances of interpretation.”
New Zealand host South Africa in Wellington on July 5 in the opening Tri-Nations fixture of the season. — Sapa