Habana injury concern

Habana, the two try hero of the 55-22 win in the second test in Pretoria on Saturday, was helped from the field towards the end after sustaining a bump on the knee which, according to sources in the Springbok camp, could rule him out for up to four weeks writes Gavin Rich for Supersport Zone. This would mean he misses both home Tri-Nations fixtures, starting with the one against Australia in Cape Town in just under a fortnight from now.

The Bulls winger will be assessed on Monday morning an no official comment will be given until then as per the new policy of the Springbok management.

“We have found that it is sometimes unfair to make comment or deliver a diagnosis of an injury so soon after a match so we will wait until Monday and then issue a press statement,” said Bok coach Jake White after his team’s eight try to one triumph.

Should Habana miss the home Tri-Nations tests it would be a big blow for the Boks as it was their pace out wide, particularly that of Habana, as well as the power of their play that saw the South Africans dig themselves out of the hole they were in at halftime to eventually win going away.

The Boks scored six of their tries after half-time and registered 38 points against just three in the second 40 minutes. England captain Jonny Wilkinson later acknowledged that the Springboks are almost impossible to live with once they pick up this sort of momentum.

“In the last 20 minutes their organisation and experience pulled them through and it will put them in good shape for the World Cup,” said Wilkinson.

“We were in it at half-time, but the margin of error is very small when you play the Springboks because they punish mistakes. Once they started doing that it had a cumulative effect, and the quick run of points gave them irresistible momentum. I would defy most teams to play against this South African team once that happens.”

South African skipper John Smit said the experience of playing through fatigue, something most of the Boks got after a tough four weeks which included two Super 14 play-off games as well as two tests, would hold the team in good stead for the World Cup.

“A lot of us have been through four very challenging weeks, but we are going to face a similar situation with regards to fatigue at the World Cup and playing through that fatigue in these matches will be to our benefit,” said Smit.

It is a racing certainty though that the bulk of the first choice team will not see action again in the low key test against Samoa at Ellis Park next week.

With the Tri-Nations due to start the following Saturday, Springbok coach Jake White looks set to rest many of the first choice players, particularly those that were involved in the deciding stages of the Super 14.

“It has been a good exercise, but we mustn’t think we can play more than four consecutive weeks in a row without it having a negative impact, so I think it is time to give some guys a rest. At the same time we need to give some of the players who have not seen so much action a run,” said White.

Those who can expect to start next week include Bob Skinstad, who made his return to Bok rugby as early as the 10th minute as a blood bin replacement for Juan Smith. Ironically, Smith was wearing No7 on the back, the same number that Andre Venter was wearing when Skinstad replaced him at a similar stage at Twickenham almost 10 years ago.

So the first choice Bok team will next see action as a unit against the Wallabies on 16 June.

They will go into the game with the confidence that comes from scoring 15 tries against England in two matches, but the scrum will remain a chief area of concern that should be worked on in training. The scrums were a bit of a mess throughout the game, as they were in Bloemfontein, and Smit suggested that referee Joel Jutge should have done more to protect the players.

“The last thing a front-row forward wants is to go to ground and have to take impact on the neck,” said Smit.

White said that while the lineouts had shown a big improvement, he agreed the scrums were something he was concerned about.

The Boks were behind 19-17 at half-time following an intercept try they conceded when they were down to 14 men following the carding of Habana for an attempted tap down, but White said the experience he had available to him made him confident the team would come through in the second half.

“I feel you should feel confident when you have such an experienced team out there. I have a lot of confidence in John’s abilities as a skipper, and Victor (Matfield) did well as captain of the Bulls in the Super 14.”