Springbok coach Jake White gathers the team at a training session in Porirua yesterday. Picture / Mark Mitchell
Springboks who didn't take Saturday's record loss to the Wallabies seriously will have some explaining to do, coach Jake White said yesterday.
There have been suggestions that some players smiled and acted as though the 49-0 loss was just another defeat.
"If that was the case, I'm sure those players
will have to explain to their fellow teammates about what their feeling is," White said in Wellington yesterday as the team prepared for their Tri-Nations meeting with the All Blacks on Saturday.
He said he did not notice his players' expressions after the final whistle as he would have been making his way down from the stand.
"If that is the case ... obviously we have to address those sorts of things," he said.
Many young players in the team had gone straight from school to professional football, and "probably never had to put in a day's work in their lives".
"It's up to the coaches to teach them about the sort of values that are important in the Springboks jersey. The only time you learn that is when you've been in a defeat like Saturday's."
White said the Brisbane result was the worst in his memory.
"When you get it wrong, you can get it badly wrong."
To describe the team as hurting was an understatement.
"They've never been in this position before. I've never been in this position ... I've never ever had to endure the thing that I saw on Saturday night.
"There's no book you can buy and go to chapter six where it says in this situation this is what you say and this is what you do. The reality is that as a group of people and a group of Springboks that hold the jersey very proud, hopefully we'll make the right decisions."
White believed he could turn the team around.
He said he may seek a replacement for injured lock Dannie Rossouw, who has been ruled out of rugby for six to eight weeks with a torn hamstring, but he was reluctant to call in openside flanker Luke Watson.
The Springboks played without a specialist opensider in Brisbane and were badly beaten in the breakdowns, and numerous calls have been made to include Watson for the All Blacks match.
White said he had a backup openside flanker in Solly Tyibilika and it would be unfair on him to call a player in from South Africa.
- NZPA
