BOND THICKER THAN BLOOD

Strauss stands strong with Scots ‘brothers in arms’ against the Boks

PLAY for the flag, for the anthem, for the wee bit hill and glen, f or all those who stood against him. Or maybe the inspiration has to come from elsewhere. From a bond more personal than patriotism. And possibly just as powerful.

For the scoundrel’s last refuge cannot be guaranteed to rise in the hearts of men with tenuous or temporary links to the countries they represent at this World Cup, a tournament where nationality is very much a mix ‘n’ match affair. Not that failure to be whipped into a blood frenzy by a patch of cloth makes any of them bad people, of course.

When half- crazed opponents are closing in and the bodies of teammates are strewn across the pitch, though, there has to be something that keeps these residency-rule converts or blessed grandsons of emigrant adventurers throwing themselves into the fray.

Josh Strauss knows from whence his own very intimate motivation is drawn, the Glasgow Warriors leader and Scotland new boy — once on the fringes of fulfilling his boyhood dream to play for the Springboks — looking no further than a few yards to his left and right.

‘You play for the guy next to you,’ he said, pausing before adding: ‘I can’t compare it to going to war but, I mean, you are all soldiers in a way.

‘So you play for each other — because you are brothers in arms. That’s the feeling that you have.

‘I think it’s probably said a lot, to the extent that it’s devalued. But you become really close to the guys you play with.

‘Although it sounds a bit of a cliché to say they become your family, that is the case. We’re together for massive chunks of time and, especially in a tournament like this, you are in a confined space for four weeks. There is almost never any friction.’

Strauss only served the three years ‘in country’ needed to qualify for Scotland on the eve of this World Cup and, while the man from the Western Cape has put down roots in Glasgow, it is no slight on him that plenty would still like to see the controversial residency rule amended.

At the moment, any carpet-bagger overlooked for international honours at home can simply find himself a decent contract overseas, spend a fleeting few seasons playing for a club and automatically become a naturalised sporting citizen of that country. Watch this s pace for a change before the next World Cup.

The Springboks have deliberately played on the ‘ otherness’ of Strauss and compatriot WP Nel in the build-up to tomorrow’s Pool B clash, with all of that flim-flam about the pair being au fait with South African lineout codes a fairly obvious attempt to remind everyone of how close both came to playing for the enemy.

Strauss certainly can’t pretend he wasn’t involved in a Boks training camp three years ago, with a photo of him sitting on the bench beside head coach Heyneke Meyer widely circulated this week.

‘I was involved in that training camp and two weeks before that the final preparation for that summer’s Test,’ said the 28-year-old, who made his Scotland debut off the bench against Japan and then started in Sunday’s win over the USA.

‘It was more about planning. It wasn’t the final squad. I got to know a lot of the players, as well as the coaching staff, who are still the current coaching staff. It was a good experience.

‘Not being part of the final squad did not influence my decision to come to Scotland later that year. I was with the Golden Lions at the time and they were kicked out of Super Rugby, which pretty much meant the end of my contract. It was either move somewhere else in South Africa or head overseas.

‘Anyone who plays rugby dreams of playing at the highest level and, at the time, that (South Africa) was the option. But it didn’t happen. It was more about trying to achieve the highest l evel I could but unfortunately it didn’t happen. But it’s all worked out well.

‘Everything in life happens for a reason. I’m a firm believer in that.

I’ve loved my time i n Scotland and everyone has been great. I’ve been really proud of the things I’ve achieved and I wouldn’t wish it any other way.’ Perhaps not even Strauss himself can imagine how he is going to feel when the rival fans start belting out the anthems at St James’ Park. Sure, he looked pretty moved bellowing along to Flower of Scotland last weekend. But won’t he suffer at least some conflict when South Africa’s multi-lingual hymn strikes up?

‘I haven’t thought about the emotions,’ said the back row, who shifts from No 8 to blindside to make way for the return of David Denton in a starting XV that, despite the absence of key men, certainly boasts plenty of bulk.

‘I was far more emotional playing my first test. I haven’t thought too much about it but I don’t see it being any different than j ust playing in a very big game.

‘When I had to sing the national anthem before my first Test, it was more about nerves. You have to sing it in front of the whole squad and there are a few little Scottish words in there which you tend to forget when you are under pressure.

‘There were huge nerves doing it for the first time but it was also a very proud and emotional moment.’

As for the challenge of facing the team he has supported all his life, he said: ‘It won’t be any different other than playing another one of the best teams in the world.’

Just another game, just another top-level opponent, just another objective for a player with no residual feelings towards his homeland.

You don’t have to believe him. You don’t have to buy into the idea that every single Scotland player bleeds Saltire blue with a dash of Lion Rampant red.

Come kick-off, they’ll all be fighting for their own reasons. But one cause.