It’s not so long ago that the Springbok coach was able to get his squad together in May, safe in the knowledge that the knockout stages of the Super 12 would not involve South African sides.
When Rudolf Straeuli took the reins from Harry Viljoen seven years ago he even reverted to that hoary old chestnut, the Springbok trial. That year the Stormers were the best-placed local side at seventh, with the Sharks, Cats and Bulls finishing 10th, 11th and 12th.
Since the competition was expanded to the Super 14, however, things have changed. In 2007 the Sharks and Bulls both hosted a home semifinal and this year the same two teams produced the match of this, or practically any other, season.
Now the Bulls will host the final for the first time, after winning away from home in 2007. Some who watched the Bulls beat the Crusaders in last week’s semifinal never went home. They stayed to queue for tickets for the final — tickets that went on sale only on Monday morning.
When the paying public is prepared to go to those lengths, South African rugby is in robust health.
Indeed, the much-anticipated visit of the British and Irish Lions has been reduced to a sideshow, albeit temporarily.
The Lions, who arrived on Monday morning, kick off against a Royal XV in Rustenburg about two-and-a-half hours before the Bulls take on the Chiefs at Loftus. The Bulls will be playing in front of a full house — about 52Â 000 people. The Lions will do well to have a fraction of that support at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium.
In all likelihood there will be a few spies from the touring team at Loftus, for in the greater scheme of things they will learn more from watching the Bulls play than they will from beating a pick-up side constructed from, in the main, Griquas and the Leopards.
Lions coach Ian McGeechan and manager Gerald Davies have been watching the Springboks for about 18 months now. During that time they will have noted that the reigning world champions have lost their focus. Since Peter de Villiers took over from Jake White there has been a softening of the traditional hard line against ‘flair†players.
Unfortunately for the Lions, the flowery rugby of the Sharks and Stormers did not make the semifinals of the Super 14. The enduring, no-nonsense style of the Bulls is a reminder of where the real strengths of South African rugby lie. In successive weekends, against the Sharks and Crusaders, the Bulls proved their mental and physical mettle.
On both occasions the catalyst for great comebacks was the boot of Morne Steyn, but the real hero was Victor Matfield, a remarkable player who understands what makes his side tick. Matfield turned 32 this month and has no new worlds to conquer. He has a winner’s medal for the World Cup, the Tri-Nations, the Super 14 and the Currie Cup.
It seemed odd at the time, but beggars belief in retrospect, that the Bulls chose to loan Matfield out to Griquas for the 1999 and 2000 seasons.
When in 2001 Andre Markgraaff picked Matfield in his Cats squad for the Super 12 the former Springbok coach admitted he was acting on hearsay evidence. He had never seen Matfield play.
Later that same year Matfield made his Springbok debut as a replacement against Italy in Port Elizabeth. As a member of the starting XV he played six more Tests in 2001 and, after a post-match dressing-room incident at Twickenham, the whispering campaign began. Doesn’t hit enough rucks, they said. Spends too much time in the backline. Good in the lineout, but so what?
This simple-minded nonsense went on for years, long after Matfield had proved himself the best lock of his generation. Even Jake White, who knew a good player when he saw one, looked past Matfield’s talent to the long hair and designer stubble and told him to get rid of both before admitting him back into the Springbok side.
The defining moment for Matfield turned out to be the World Cup final of 2007. On the greatest stage of all in front of an international audience he dominated the final against England and won the man of the match award. That stopped the backstabbing and he has enjoyed two years of receiving the plaudits his talent has long deserved.
Now that time is no longer on his side there is an inner calm about the man that allows him to inspire his teammates when the need arises. So a couple of pep talks behind the goal line while opponents lined up conversions have shown the true worth of Matfield.
Against the Sharks he reminded them that victory meant not having to dig out your passport for a trip to New Zealand. Against the Crusaders he said that all the effort of three months of log play would count for naught if they blew it at home. Thus freed from the fear of losing, the Bulls suddenly displayed the kind of direct rugby that puts the fear of god into the opposition.
The last thing Ian McGeechan would have wanted to see a month before the first Test was an eighth man running in a try from 60m and a flyhalf nailing drop goals from everywhere. This week he’ll see the blue juggernaut in action again and begin to fear for the safety of his team.