Boks give rucking challenge

By WYNNE GRAY at the World Cup

MELBOURNE - The Springboks have taunted the All Blacks to reintroduce rucking for the World Cup quarter-final on Saturday.

That goading response came yesterday, a mocking challenge to the All Blacks to restore one of their traditional weapons from their celebrated rugby history.

Springbok coach Rudolf Straeuli believed the All Blacks' decision to remove rucking from their World Cup armoury has weakened their game, and predicted a return for this sudden-death international in Melbourne.

Rucking, said captain Corne Krige, remained a legitimate tactic in rugby's law book and teams should not have to eliminate it from their methods.

"I don't think I have ever played New Zealand and not been rucked.

"For sure, rucking is within the law if you do it properly. Anything you do within the law should not be dangerous and you should not have to take that out of your game, so I don't see a problem with it."

It was a provocative comment about the All Blacks, one perhaps designed to have them challenge the match officials and divert attention from areas where Straeuli feels his side have been unfairly treated.

Teams had been briefed on certain areas of the game and referees met two weeks before the tournament where they reinforced a decision to monitor rucking methods.

"But that is not to say there has been no rucking in this tournament," Straeuli said.

"There has been some . . . so if the All Blacks have decided to take rucking out of their game it will be interesting. It has been a typical strength of the All Blacks.

"We will have to see if they do it throughout the knockout phase. They might reinstall it."

Straeuli wants to meet the match officials today to voice his frustrations about the inconsistent rulings he has seen at the tournament.

He wants to concentrate on interpretations at the tackle ball and scrums.

"There is only one set of laws and both countries like to scrummage," Straeuli said of the tight-forward contest.

The Springboks have settled on their side with at least one forced change, but will not release that selection until tomorrow.

Huge utility forward Danie Rossouw is favoured to replace injured flanker Joe van Niekerk.

There is also some suspicion that Jorrie Muller in the centres will be shuffled to the bench so that the 20-year-old Jacque Fourie can use his attacking talents against the All Blacks' misfiring midfield.

Youngster Derick Hougaard will continue at first five-eighths after his successful showing against Samoa.

"He is calm, he has an inner confidence," Krige said of his new backline general.

Hougaard stayed composed and intact against Samoa after reaching for a high pass and being chopped in half by a thunderous Brian Lima tackle.

Krige said he would not be surprised to see All Black No 8 Jerry Collins or Tana Umaga play in this test, although he warned that a knockout match was not a game to be testing injuries.

Saturday's winner, he said, would stake a strong claim for the World Cup and the Springboks would not take any risks with injured players.

They had been patient waiting for injured men such as hooker John Smit to recover.

He had struggled with shoulder injuries since 2001, but was fully fit now and, at 116kg, was the lightest in a formidable front row.

Smit was quizzed about the chances of his pack exploiting an All Black pack which scarcely got into their last game against Wales.

"With any game it starts in the tight five. So it will be our responsibility to try to attack their forwards, but I think that is pretty much expected."

Straeuli said Chris Jack's return to the All Black pack was inevitable and there might be further tinkering with the front-row combination.

"I think it will be a totally different tight five that will play against us."

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