THE SPRINGBOKS THE LATEST TRANSFORMATION: THEY ARE the country's most consistent source of national pride, twice World Cup winners, symbols of power and success. As such, the Springboks have been used, cynically at times, to both measure and force change in the new South Africa.
Race has been central to South African rugby development as much as it has been in the country’s political arena, with the game’s roots embedded not just in the white minority but in the Afrikaner population.
Just what South African rugby represents seems now to change year by year, coach by coach. One thing is clear, though, they always want to be the best. “Transformation” is the current buzz word, a South African version of Ireland’s “Peace Process” with older more emotive terms like “quota systems” now pushed into the background. In South African rugby a commonsense approach has broken out, where it may not have been so evident before.
South African rugby is in a better place now politically than it was before the 2007 World Cup and in the months afterwards, when political interference in team selection was pervasive and a hugely divisive force.
What had brought the team selection and race issue to a head was one specific incident in the lead-up to that year’s competition in France, when flanker Luke Watson was not selected by Jake White, the then head coach preferring the now iconic figure of Schalk Burger. But Watson, who was the son of former anti-Apartheid activist Daniel “Cheeky” Watson was subsequently forced into the national squad by direct political interference.
White had submitted a list of 45 players to the South African Rugby Union (SARU) for the Springbok training squad. After the list was submitted, Watson’s name was added without White’s knowledge by SARU president Oregan Hoskins, SARU executive council member Koos Basson, and Springbok team manager Zola Yeye.
The coach initially threatened legal action but finally conceded, with Watson earning his one and only cap against Samoa in June 2007.
When captain John Smit and his team then went on to win the Webb Ellis Trophy in October 2007 South African sports minister Makhenkesi Stofile insisted he would press ahead with the controversial plans to impose a quota of non-white players on the Springboks’ starting line-up.
Of the World Cup Final match day 22 against England, just two players, Brian Habana and JP Pietersen, were not white.
Stofile aimed to expand the quota framework which already existed in the country at provincial level. Under that system, 25 per cent of squad players were non-white.
White, who was seen in the country as both an erudite and a liberal force, continued to rail against what he saw was an unjust, damaging system and one that was no more than cosmetic.
One month later in quite a spectacular demonstration of political expediency, Stofile was announcing that quotas were not the way forward. “Let us now put our resources into the development of talent,” he said.
A largely held view now is the quota system does not explicitly exist at Springbok level but positive discrimination remains in the provincial and Super 14 set-ups. The last all white South African team was in 1999 and the prevailing wisdom is there will never again be a national side without non-white players.
As a team the flames of controversy have licked around it but on the pitch the Springboks have transcended the politics and put performance at the top of their agenda.
Now on tour following their own long domestic season, the world champions may appear a little threadbare and weary but at least until next year’s soccer World Cup in South Africa, they remain, still, the bearers of national pride and sporting success.
THE CURRENT CROP
15 ZANE KIRCHNER(Bulls)
Ht: 1.84m. Wt: 92kg Age: 25 Caps: 3.
A SLICK fullback who thrives in the Blue Bulls set up – who wouldn’t – Kirchner is ideally placed to make the Springbok number 15 jersey his own now Frans Steyn has moved to Stade Français. However, he was shaky against the Lions and France, making him the number one target for the Irish kickers to exploit.
14 JP PIETERSEN(Sharks)
Ht: 1.91m Wt: 85kg Age: 23 Caps: 32.
A LANGUID, fluid runner with 11 tries for South Africa since making his debut in 2006. Lives in Bryan Habana’s shadow a little but proved during the Lions series how devastating a finisher he is.
13 JAQUE FOURIE(Lions)
Ht: 1.88m Wt: 96kg Age: 26 Caps: 53.
A GENUINE rival for Brian O’Driscoll, 28 tries for the Springboks, including that one in the second Lions Test in Pretoria, supports such a lofty comparison. The real deal.
12 WYNAND OLIVIER(Bulls)
Ht: 1.84m Wt: 87kg Age: 26 Caps: 26.
DECENT PLAYER but lacks the presence of Jean De Villiers. Nonetheless, will run hard at the Jonny Sexton-Paddy Wallace channel. A good off-loader but should be containable.
11 BRYAN HABANA(Bulls)
Ht: 1.79m Wt: 92kg Age: 26 Caps: 56.
THEY SAID Habana’s star was waning earlier this season but he responded with some astonishing displays of pace and power to retain the title as the world’s best winger .
10 MORNÉ STEYN(Bulls)
Ht: 1.86m Wt: 82kg Age: 25 Caps: 11.
THE ICE man cometh. An unflappable kicking machine, his defence, while not exactly weak, is an area worth testing by the Irish backrowers. Struggled slightly in the Italian and French wind. The Croke Park swirl will be trickier again.
9 FOURIE DU PREEZ(Bulls)
Ht: 1.83m Wt: 88kg Age: 27 Caps: 54.
THE BEST there is right now; possesses a deadly accurate kicking game from the base or off lineout ball, has searing pace and a long, slick pass. Always seems to make the right decision under intense pressure.
1 TENDAI MTAWARIRA(Sharks)
Ht: 1.88m Wt: 112kg Age: 24 Caps: 20. ICONIC FIGURE who helped destroy the Lions scrum in the first Test during the summer. Also a dynamic carrier in the loose. Very much a central figure and a connecting force between the team and the fans.
2 JOHN SMIT(Sharks(c))
Ht: 1.86m Wt: 125kg Age: 31 Caps: 92 WORLD CUP winning captain, who can play as a tighthead prop or hooker. Reintroduced as an injury replacement during the Lions tour as the Springboks came under pressure late in the first Test. It worked. A huge motivational influence too. Hooker today.
3 BJ BOTHA(Ulster)
Ht: 1.83m Wt: 110kg Age: 29 Caps: 19 HAS BEEN a stalwart with Ulster since the beginning of the 2008-09 season and a World Cup winner. A powerhouse at tighead prop, Botha is a technically excellent and powerful scrummager.
4 BAKKIES BOTHA(Blue Bulls)
Ht: 2.02m Wt: 118kg Age: 30 Caps: 65.
AN ENFORCER in the Springbok pack and another iconic figure in the squad. Is a candidate for the tag as best lock in world rugby. He is a no holds barred player and a leader in the forwards.
5 VICTOR MATFIELD(Bulls)
Ht: 2.01m Wt: 110kg Age: 32 Caps: 91.
HAS ALREADY surpassed the 50 cap mark with regular secondrow partner Botha and is rated as one of the best locks in the world. His ability in the lineouts, particularly, is critical to the Sprinboks.
6 HEINRICH BRUSSOW(Cheetahs)
Ht: 1.81m Wt: 101kg Age: 23 Caps: 12.
HAS GROWN into one of the best ball winners in the world. This prized “groundhog” has superb turn-over ability and is already a critical part of the Springbok game.
7 SCHALK BURGER(Western Province)
Ht: 1.93m Wt: 110kg Age: 26 Caps: 54.
BURGER (pictured) will be remembered in this hemisphere for his massaging of Luke Fitzgerald’s eyes during the Lions tour. An abrasive, dynamic and destructive flanker who has become one of the faces of Springbok character.
8 DANIE ROSSOUW(Bulls)
Ht: 1.97m Wt: 118kg Age: 31 Caps: 45.
HE COMES into his own when a game is dominated by forward play and the first 20 minutes today is expected be an almighty contest for physical dominance. A strong tackler, who also carries the ball well in tight matches.
