Rugby World Cup 2011 Live Stream Or Namibia v South Africa Live Stream 22 September 2011
South Africa Team Squad:
By Brian Hightower, Special to Universal Sports
South Africa coach Peter de Villiers (left) named captain John Smit (right) as one of only two regulars to the Springboks’ Tri-Nations team.
South Africa coach Peter de Villiers (left) named captain John Smit (right) as one of only two regulars to the Springboks’ Tri-Nations team.
South Africa coach Peter de Villiers (left) named captain John Smit (right) as one of only two regulars to the Springboks’ Tri-Nations team.
South Africa coach Peter de Villiers (left) named captain John Smit (right) as one of only two regulars to the Springboks’ Tri-Nations team.
There are only six weeks until the world’s top teams descend upon New Zealand for the Rugby World Cup. Throughout the next month, all of the participants will be taking part in their tune-up matches.
This slate of August tests serves a dual purpose for teams and their coaches. First, they offer a final opportunity for the agonizing 30-man roster selections ahead of the August 22nd deadline. Plus, they are a great chance for teams to work on their continuity before the main event begins. Or …. It is a perfect stretch of time to let your top players rest while the second-string gets a run.
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That third move is the now famous, yet contentious, South African Springbok pre-World Cup strategy. In a ploy now familiar to international rugby fans, the Springboks have decided to rest 23 of their probable 30-man World Cup roster for the first part of the Tri Nations series between the ‘Boks, the New Zealand All Blacks and the Australia Wallabies.
Though there are those that can sympathize with resting players before the World Cup after a brutal 21-week Super Rugby campaign, the Tri Nations contract mandates that all three sides put their most competitive teams on the field. Of course teams have a right to rehabilitate injured players, but 23? Even people from New Orleans would have to admire this level of sandbagging! What makes it more dubious is that they’ve done it before.
Current Springbok coach Peter De Villiers is simply lifting a page from former ‘Bok boss Jake White’s book. In 2007, White sent a second team to all of the Tri Nations away matches, while his first team stayed home for a rigorous regimen of naps and massage. New Zealand and Australia almost cancelled the remaining Tri Nations matches that year as a protest, but reconsidered due to ticketing and broadcasting complications.
That year, the South African Rugby Union (SARU) sent a medical report from a “sport scientist” that said if SA sent their injured players to the remaining Tri Nations matches, they may as well not even send a team to the World Cup. This year, SARU claims that “players need immediate rehabilitation to avoid the risk of breakdown.” You mean, some guys are tired. And the Australians and Kiwis aren’t?
Look, there’s nothing wrong with resting injured players, but there is something wrong with lying about the severity of their afflictions. Unless we are including ingrown hairs and hangovers as injuries, it seems highly improbable that 23 Springbok players are unable to take the field.
Consider, by contrast, that New Zealand has four players currently unavailable, while Australia has six. De Villiers has maintained that Super Rugby wrecked his team. C’mon Pete, it’s rugby. If it hurts to get out of bed, and the limp won’t go away until the Advil kicks in, you don’t get to call in sick.
By the way, the winner of the 2007 Rugby World Cup: South Africa.
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