INSIDE Rugby A year when the Boks must tread carefully
● Avoiding controversy should rank higher than usual as the Springboks prepare for this year’s Rugby World Cup (RWC) in Japan.
Given the storm that erupted following captain Siya Kolisi’s comments about racial quotas earlier this month, it is abundantly clear the Boks will be watched, listened to and read with hawkish interest this year.
They will do well to stay out of the headlines and they only need to look at previous RWC campaigns to avoid the same peril.
Previous pitfalls all too apparent
The Springboks’ 2003 RWC campaign will forever be inextricably linked with the infamous Kamp Staaldraad boot camp that preceded the event. Following record defeats against France, Scotland and England on their November tour of 2002, a 52-16 drubbing at the hands of the All Blacks at Loftus, as well as a 29-9 loss to Australia in Brisbane in the Tri Nations of 2003, coach Rudolf Straeuli was desperate.
Boots camps are aimed at enhancing discipline, fitness and team cohesion but the testosterone fuelled getaway the Boks embarked on proved a public-relations disaster. If that wasn’t enough, their buildup had already been dogged by the Quinton Davids and Geo Cronje racism row. It divided opinion then, and there is no reason to believe it doesn’t today.
In 1999 Nick Mallett’s decision to omit long-standing captain Gary Teichmann was to later push him into a rare apology. He now recognises the folly of that decision as it caused the kind of disquiet a team RWCbound can do without.
Mallett dropped Teichmann following the Springboks’ heavy 28-0 defeat to the All Blacks at Carisbrook. Rassie Erasmus stood in as captain in the next Test in Brisbane, while Joost van der Westhuizen took over the reins upon the team’s return and was to continue in that role at the RWC. Teichmann’s departure however had created, if not a leadership void, too much uncertainty.
Team selection is likely to ruffle feathers this year too, but that’s par for the course.
Of course, apart from avoiding controversy teams will have to have the requisite onfield building blocks to win the RWC.
Just this week, the 1995 RWC winning captain Francois Pienaar emphasized what is required to lift the Webb Ellis Cup.
“One is developing a winning culture, which applies to the national team as well as a dominant Super Rugby team that is well represented in the national team. That brings consistency in selection.
“The spine of the team needs to be solid. You need a flyhalf that can dictate, a strong pack of forwards and you need an X-factor.”
Okay, so it sounds like the Boks will need more than staying out of the headlines.