1995 RWC chronicles
Disjointed show in contrast to assertive opening-day win over Australia
● Yesterday marked the 25th anniversary of arguably the least remembered encounter in the Springboks’ march to Rugby World Cup glory in 1995. However, in labouring to a 21-8 victory over Romania in their second match, their coach Kitch Christie stumbled upon valuable pathfinders on the team’s road to victory in the tournament.
The disjointed performance was in contrast to the assertive opening-day win over Australia, the defending champions, and was to give Christie clarity on the personnel he would deploy later in the tournament.
Kitch was quite upset
“I think Kitch realised after that match that if we don’t win the rest of our games in a more convincing way, we could set ourselves up for the more difficult route to the final,” recalled lock Krynauw Otto, who made his Test debut at Newlands that day.
“Kitch was quite upset after the Romania game. Maybe it was a good thing, but for a few players it meant that they would not get another opportunity. It was the end of the road for them.”
Following the euphoria of their 27-18 win over Australia in the opening match, the host nation was in an expectant mood ahead of the clash against Romania.
Christie had made 11 changes to the starting team and it showed with James Small, 20 caps, the most experienced Bok in the starting team. Still, the Boks were supposed to comfortably see off opposition who had lost their opening match against Canada, which was their fourth straight defeat that year.
Delivered a chill
The Romanian team was made up of, among others, electricians, mechanics, policemen, students, as well as several army officers who had helped prop up the late Nicolae Ceausescu’s regime.
In Vladimir Vlad the team had a media liaison officer who delivered a chill in gaze and handshake.
“We had a bunch of new guys in the team and we were damn nervous about that match. Maybe we partied a bit too hard after the first match,” recalled Otto.
Adriaan Richter, the Bok captain that day, scored two tries, and fullback Gavin Johnson banged over three penalties and a conversion.
Not the best match of all time
“We just couldn’t get going. We had a settled Test team, but the guys who played in that game had not played together before. It would have helped to play a game like that before the game. It wasn’t the best match of all time,” said Otto.
For Otto, who featured in the Bok midweek team the previous year in New Zealand, his Test debut remains a day to savour. “The people were very much behind us. There was so much enthusiasm and well-wishes. The atmosphere was wonderful.
A wonderful time in our history
“It was as if the sun had a deeper yellow to it. Everything just seemed so bright. It was a wonderful time in our history.”
Despite the Boks’ unconvincing performance, Otto won’t change a thing. “Maybe if we played better there would have been more competition and the team would have performed better in the tournament.
“But ag, the final was perfect anyway and we wouldn’t change anything,” said Otto.