Smith’s advice helped Rhule get back
Flying Springbok wing Raymond Rhule says inspirational advice from backline coaching guru Franco Smith put him back in rugby’s fast lane.
After scoring his first try in the green-and-gold for the Boks when they beat the Pumas in Port Elizabeth, the Ghana-born 24-year-old spoke about Smith’s influence.
Rhule’s international rugby career started with a call-up for the Springbok squad for the 2012 end-of-year tour to England, although he did not play.
The speedster had to wait for his first appearance until June, when he ran out for the Boks at Loftus Versfeld against France.
Rhule said, after some time away from the Bok set-up, it was advice from Cheetahs coach Smith that got him back on track.
After previously coaching Rhule in his role as head coach at the Cheetahs, Smith is now a Bok assistant coach and also the Cheetahs’ director of rugby.
“It was not easy getting back into the Springbok set-up. It is honestly a difficult situation to be in. People expect a lot from you and you expect a lot from yourself,” Rhule said.
He told Smith he wanted to become a Springbok again and Smith asked, “What was the difference then to what you are doing now?” Rhule said he replied, “I used to enjoy my rugby then”. Smith then asked him why he wasn’t enjoying his rugby, and told him not to worry about selection or anything.
“You must always play to help the team win, even if you have to do the dirty work and you are not going to score the try. You have to help your team win and it will come by itself.”
Rhule in turn observed: “It has been a tough road. As a player, it has helped me develop a whole lot of other skills that maybe were lacking.… At this time, I am a bit more mature.”
He said the Bok back three have become a band of brothers as they gear up for another clash against Argentina on Saturday.
Rhule and his fellow wing Courtnal Skosan and fullback Andries Coetzee are key members of a resurgent Bok team desperate to exorcise the ghosts of 2016.
Talking about his first Test try in front of 44,000 passionate Bok fans at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Rhule said: “It’s an amazing feeling. In the back three, you always think, ‘When is it going to come, when is it going to come?’ and it came.”
The Cheetahs wing was one of the four try-scorers when the Springboks opened their Rugby Championship campaign with a 37-15 win.
“Obviously, we work hard and as a unit and we try to get better. I’m sorry for fullback Andries [Coetzee] because he has not got his try yet, but he has come very close a couple of times. The nice part is you share that moment with a lot of guys and they share in your joy. It’s really amazing how we have become brothers.”