Andrew Austin: Pride in the Springboks

Twenty-eight years ago today, as a 14-year-old I sat with my father in our lounge in South Africa watching arguably the weirdest rugby international ever, from a rainy, faraway land called New Zealand.

It was 1981 and the tour should never have taken place, even though I did not realise it at the time. To my teenage eyes, sleepy at 2am, the images and noise of the flour bomb test were a bit too much to take. Why was everyone so angry and how could the Springboks win the series?

Nearly three decades later, I will travel from my Auckland home to watch my team in action in Hamilton. There will be some sadness, as my late father will not be enjoying the game with me, but this time instead of bewilderment and anxiety, I will feel pride in the achievements of this Springbok side.

Despite their very flat performance against Australia last weekend, this team has finally got the rest of the rugby world sitting up and taking notice, because they can play.

Yes, it might be conservative at times, but the reason everyone is talking about it is because no one, including the team, quite know what they are capable of.

It was hard yakka being a Springbok supporter from 2000 when players like the hardworking Corne Krige toiled relentlessly, but always seemed to wear a cloak of failure, even when they won. Finally, there is a team with at least four playmakers ready, willing and able to win games.

Fourie du Preez, who surely has assumed Daniel Carter's mantle of world's best player, has an incredible rugby brain, while Brian Habana can score tries from anywhere. Look at Victor Matfield's eyes before a test and you will see a player who does not just believe he is going to win the test, he knows he is. Add the under-achieving, but potentially lethal number eight Pierre Spies to the mix and you have four players capable of turning a match.

Will they win? Well, I think they control their destiny more than the All Blacks do, but that does not mean they will.

Funny thing about the All Blacks - even the bad teams are not bad. For whatever reason when that black jersey goes over a player's head, he becomes at least 20 per cent better.

I never underestimate average All Black teams' ability to win test matches and I certainly never underestimate good Springbok teams' ability to lose test matches.

But this Bok team are different. Take John Smit for example. Watching him holding the Mandela Cup last weekend (for winning the series against Australia) you could see he was upset. Personally, he would have been irritated with his own scrumming performance, but more importantly he would have realised that, by losing the match, his team had missed an opportunity carve out a place in history.

But far from the arrogant, second-language-English speeches of past Springbok captains, it was gracious. There were no excuses, the team had not played well enough to win.

So, you might say that Smit is the weak link, you may say that the misunderstood coach Peter de Villiers is "loony" and you may even say the team has some major defensive flaws.

But, you cannot say that this team are not capable of blowing you away with their brand of total rugby.

We will see which team turns up this evening.

Andrew Austin is the Herald's chief reporter and was born in South Africa.