Tightheads & Loose Balls
Although he was looking for a blunt response, Bok coach Allister Coetzee was razor-sharp when asked about his future: “I am going to Japan. In 2019. I’m definitely going,” he chuckled heartily in reference to the next World Cup and what he may possibly do thereafter. “I honestly don’t know where the rumours started and I would like to know the source.”
Recommendations for good restaurants in Cardiff are rare. So when commentator Owen Nkumane was offered one, he was chuffed and almost immediately offended. Nkumane, you see, is a man whose first line of inquiry in restaurants involves the size of the steaks. It goes without saying that when the urbane Chiliboy Ralepelle gave him a recommendation to a vegan restaurant, Nkumane politely looked the other way.
“He’s the guy who has visited me most in my room,” Bok captain Eben Etzebeth revealed about former Stormers teammate Louis Schreuder. “He’s been coming a lot since he learnt he’s in the team. He’s very excited. At one stage he didn’t know where his rugby career will end up. Now he’s with the Springboks and I’m very happy for him.”
The Boks caused a mild stir when they posed for their team photo across the road from their hotel on Friday. Passers-by stopped and reached for their mobile devices as the Boks took up formation in Cardiff’s biting cold. As the occasion demands, they were dressed only in match-day shorts, jersey and socks. There wasn’t time for selfies. The official photographer had barely said ‘cheese’ when Handre Pollard displayed his most impressive burst of speed on tour as he headed back to the comforts of the hotel.
Although he was unavailable through injury for the clash against Wales, Tendai Mtawarira was also in attendance after he had presented the team their jerseys earlier in the day. He let slip why he got injured in the first place. “It’s because of that beach,” he said while pointing to his quad that suffered a grade-two tear. The surface in Padua where they played Italy was apparently quite sandy and the Beast was less sure of his footing.
Cardiff on test-match weekend can be an eye-popping experience. The place is overrun by thirsty revellers who come from the valleys to soak it all up, literally. It’s all thrills and spills, almost as if everyone is a cast member in a big reality television show. Some, however, take it too far and when Wales’ assistant coach Robin McBride was asked about the party culture he advised the miscreants to stay at home. “It’s a case of those small little groups spoiling it for everybody else. The opposition love coming into Cardiff as a venue. There is no better stadium in the world so you don’t want to be spoiling it with the behaviour of one or two.”
Following the Springboks’ win over Italy in Padua, the Azzurri’s coach
Conor O’Shea and captain Sergio Parisse were exposed to the blow torch in their press conference. Both men took turns trying to explain the team’s poor performance. Both stressed the point that the Boks were really good but their media was reluctant to buy it, especially having seen them beat the Boks the year before.