Mike Greenaway: Wrong team - wrong time

COMMENT

When South Africa and England are unleashed on each other on October 18, it will be just about a year on from the unforgettable Twickenham post-match press conference when Rudolf Straeuli and Corne Krige tried to make sense of their 53-3 rout.

In the end they gave up and simply growled: "England, we will see you in Perth ... "

They were words of desperation, of defiance, and over the ensuing weeks the pair probably thought that in the space of a year a great deal could change for the Springboks and for England.

They were right. England have got better, the Boks have got worse.

When South Africa were dreadful in their pre-Tri-Nations home tests, Straeuli was resolute: "Judge me on the World Cup."

Famous last words, you might say, except that was hardly the last time we heard that phrase.

We heard it intermittently during the Tri-Nations, particularly after the humiliation at the hands of the All Blacks in Pretoria.

And we heard it one last time last week when the Boks wrapped up their preparations and went home to say goodbye to their families.

Straeuli declared himself "extremely happy" with a six-week training regime that was so full of incident that it was a microcosm of his 18-month tenure in charge.

There was the "Geogate" race row resulting in a commission of inquiry that subsequently was postponed until January following a public apology from Straeuli for the way he handled the incident.

The team communications manager, Mark Keohane, resigned in protest, claiming that "prejudice" was rife in the Bok camp.

The Boks disappeared into the bush for a week. What they got up to we do not know. Each player has sworn never to divulge the secret, bonding activities that went on.

The World Cup squad was announced, and the players that did not make it summed up exactly how the Boks plan to win the World Cup. Clearly, any player with flair had no chance - no Brent Russell, no Andre Pretorius, Robbie Fleck, Jaco van der Westhuysen, Bolla Conradie, Butch James or AJ Venter.

The creativity in the team was further dealt a blow when the exciting Gcobani Bobo tore knee ligaments in a warm-up match against provincial side Free State, and then his replacement, young Jean de Villiers, who had been having a terrific season with Western Province, ruptured shoulder ligaments in the final warm-up game against the Falcons, a team from the Currie Cup B section.

The two first five-eighths, Louis Koen and Derek Hougaard, further illustrate a conservative game plan that was hatched as early as May, when innovative Australian backline coach Tim Lane got the boot because of "fundamental differences" with Straeuli.

At the time of writing, Koen, the incumbent No 10, was struggling with an ankle injury and much of South Africa was taking this as a blessing in disguise.

Koen is well-liked and reliable, but he does not have the raw talent of the 21-year-old, uncapped Hougaard. There is the feeling that the Boks have nothing to lose and in the youngster there is a surprise package.

Hougaard kicks as well, if not better, than Koen and showed in last year's Under-21 World Cup that he can run incisively and pass slickly.

Whoever plays first five-eighth, the game plan clearly is based on the way the Boks slugged it out with the All Blacks in Dunedin. It is their only option now that they have left the game breakers out of the squad.

The problem is that it is a game plan based on forward supremacy, which the Boks will undoubtedly enjoy in each of their pool games besides the one that matters.

Make no mistake, the Boks have a decent pack, but it is not going to clobber Martin Johnson's men into submission. At best the Boks will have parity up front.

Not surprisingly, the England match has become an obsession in South Africa. Straeuli kitted the University of Pretoria first team out in white jerseys and got them to act out typical England plays against the Boks.

There are tales of England jerseys, complete with the "O2" logo, being pulled over tackle bags for the Boks to smash into the ground. Heck, even Straeuli flattened a bag or two at one session.

This kind of blood-and-guts approach is typical of the Boks. It used to have its place in rugby but these days, unless, you combine it with skill and intelligent play, you are going to get 50-point hammerings as per Twickenham and Loftus Versfeld.

Straeuli swears there will be a lot more to the Bok approach than the world expects. "We have the element of surprise," he says. "We are holding back a great deal. The whole year has been planned around the World Cup. This is all going to end in a smile," he promised.

Well his judgment day is fast approaching.

It is difficult to see the limited Boks beating England in pool play or New Zealand in the quarter-finals.

South Africa have some wonderful young talent emerging. They will have an exciting team next year, but this World Cup has not come at the right time for the Springboks.

* Mike Greenaway is rugby writer for the Natal Mercury.

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