Absence from Boks hurt, says Coenie
• Scorer of blockbusting try in second Test reveals how players decided to change team culture
Bok hardman Coenie Oosthuizen struggled to keep his emotions in check while speaking of his absence from the squad in 2016.
It was a different side to a player known mostly for his white-knuckle exploits.
Twelve months ago, he was called up as a replacement in the squad that played Ireland, but did not do active duty due to injury and a resultant lack of fistthumping form.
Although he was spared the 2016 heartbreak of his struggling teammates, he still ached to be in the thick of it. “I was out of the Bok squad for a year. It was a very bad time in my life,” he said in a quivering voice.
“Just realising what you are missing in the Bok environment is something special. Even if we didn’t do well, I still felt the hurt of not being here and not being selected. It is a real disappointment when you are not selected. It makes you work so much harder,” said the player who also missed chunks of the 2014 season with a serious neck injury.
The last Test in which he featured before he made his return in the first Test against France at Loftus was the World Cup clash against the US in London.
Although the wisdom of his conversion from loosehead to tighthead is sporadically questioned, his Bok absence has been keenly felt. The Boks have won 76% of the Tests in which Oosthuizen has been involved.
He has been struck by a culture that has shifted now that Warren Whiteley has been installed as captain.
“Each player knows what we stand for: to care for something more than yourself. Stepping into this environment again just gives me a sense of pride and accomplishment.
“There was a feeling from the opening camp that we aren’t here just to be here. We are here to do SA and the Springbok badge proud. We all bought in to that. As a team, we made some tough decisions. We decided to work for each other and improve the team atmosphere.
“We take each game as a final. This team has the potential to go very far.”
He seemed mildly irked by the criticism provincial and Bok teammate Tendai Mtawarira copped before the Test series.
“I don’t think everyone knows what goes into preparing for a Test match. It isn’t Super Rugby. It is way harder. It’s a dark, dark corner when you step into the front row. It is a personal battle between you and the next guy.
“It gives you a lift mentally when you see your loosehead dominating their tighthead.”
Oosthuizen scored a blockbusting try in the second Test in Durban last week. It was his fourth in 25 outings in the greenand-gold.
“It is a line from our attacking shape. Franco [Smith, the attack coach] is very specific about the lines we run. It is something we practised and it worked.”