June 5, 2009


South African rugby is charged with confidence again, writes Phil Wilkins.

Three out of four ain't bad", New Zealand's Rugby News trumpeted when the Chiefs, Hurricanes and Crusaders qualified for the Super 14 semi-finals - a good headline before the high-octane Bulls cut off the Chiefs' oxygen supply in the final in Pretoria.

What with injuries, long-distance travel, altitude and a commanding Bulls team, the Chiefs were outmanoeuvred and eventually outclassed in the final, the South African franchise winning by a record 61-17.

On the outskirts of Pretoria in the Northern Transvaal, a permanent monument stands to the "voortrekkers", or pioneers, who made the exploratory marches through the harsh hinterland which opened up the country for settlement.

In that ocean of deep sea-coloured flags at Loftus Versfeld Stadium, the signs proclaiming "Our blood is blue!" were plentiful and waved with pride and passion. Afrikaaner traditions run deep on the veldt, especially in rugby. The Bulls' performance was a warning to all, the Lions included.

Continuing the magazine's theory, it is logical to maintain that "none out of four ain't good" as far as the Australian provinces were concerned - even if the Waratahs deserved fourth position from their nine wins in 13 games to the Crusaders' eight wins and play-off promotion through a marginally superior points differential.

More aware of his Australian charges' strengths and less forgiving of their weaknesses after a year in residence, Robbie Deans will field a superior team to that of last winter when New Zealand retained the Bledisloe Cup and the Tri Nations championship.

But there is a new, more menacing spirit in the air in South Africa. A resurgence after the let-down of last year, when the Boks, having lifted the World Cup the previous year, won just two of their six Tri Nations Tests.

The pillars of the 2007 scrum remain - three from the Bulls pack, locks Victor Matfield and Bakkies Botha and back-rower Danie Rossouw, as well as Sharks hooker/tight-head John Smit, Stormers breakaway Schalk Burger and Cheetahs back-rower Juan Smith.

Logically, the Bulls' 120kg loose-head Gurthro Steenkamp, understudy to Os du Randt in the World Cup campaign, will move into the front row beside Smit, while the Bulls' booming No.8, Pierre Spies, comes into the pack. Spies only missed the celebrations in France because of a lung condition. Tests cleared him of malignant tumours.


Spies is an astonishing athlete - he can run 100 metres in 11.7 seconds - as was witnessed when he broke from midfield and left defenders trailing for a 60-metre try in the Super 14 semi-final against the Crusaders.

Add the likes of half Fourie du Preez, five-eighth Ruan Pienaar or goalkicking pivot Morne Steyn, punishing centre Wynand Olivier and winger Bryan Habana, and South Africa's enormous all-round wealth is clear.

New Zealand's head coach, Graham Henry, did much of his experimentation during last year's end-of-season tour of Hong Kong, the UK and Ireland, introducing seven new players in All Blacks jerseys. This year, he has welcomed just three young bloods: the Crusaders' two-metre tall, 118kg lock Isaac Ross, and loose-head Wyatt Crockett, and Chiefs breakaway Tanerau Latimer.

Clearly, the time for chopping and changing is almost over as far as Henry and fellow selectors Steve Hansen and Wayne Smith are concerned. They established the framework in Europe and now, two seasons out, they believe it is time for solidifying the foundations of their squad for the 2011 World Cup. They want no repetition of 2007, when the All Blacks went down to France in the quarter-final in Cardiff. Their necks depend on it.

In the circumstances, inconsistency is anathema. The absence of the Chiefs' dynamic No.8, Sione Lauaki, is no surprise. His blistering, try-making charge along the wing in the Super 14 semi-final against the Hurricanes was never replicated against the Bulls. He was rarely glimpsed in the final.

Prominent players excluded for injury reasons from the All Blacks squad of 26 for the series against Italy and France are Richie McCaw, Daniel Carter, Sitiveni Sivivatu, Rodney So'oialo and Andy Ellis. They should be back for the Tri Nations.

Henry remarked at how winning carried with it ever greater pressure, observing: "The Tri Nations is always extremely competitive, particularly when you go through as champions and Bledisloe Cup holders.

"When you've held the Tri Nations for five years and the Bledisloe Cup for six, the other sides are pretty keen."

Glancing at the World Cup-wide grin of Smit and the bearded, smiling face of his Springboks partner Matfield, reclaiming the Super 14 trophy, Henry should enjoy the winning feeling while he can.

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