According to Waylon Murray, Derick Hougaard has not talked much, if at all, about the last time he played against the Samoans writes Kevin McCallum for Pretoria News.
Indeed, you get the impression from Murray and the rest of this young backline that they care less for history than they do about their own immediate futures as Springboks when the run out against Samoa at Ellis Park on Saturday.
For Murray the chance to run against a Samoan backline that includes Gavin Williams, Lome Fa’atau, Anitelela Tuilagi, Seilala Mapusua, Alesana Tuilagi and Loki Crichton is a chance to further impress the Springbok selectors following an impressive Super 14.
For Hougaard, it is a chance to pull on a Springbok jersey for the first time since the 2003 World Cup quarter-final against New Zealand at the Telstra Dome in Melbourne. The week before Hougaard had somehow managed to walk away from a perfectly legitimate and brutal hit by Samoan centre Brian Lima.
It was so brutal that Bok coach Rudolf Straeuli lambasted it later, saying Lima had not used his arms. Not only did Lima use his arms, but his shoulders, chest and legs to launch him into a monster hit.
Had Hougaard said anything about the hit, Murray was asked?
“It’s 2007 now, so (2003) is all in the past,” smiled Murray. “We’re only looking to the future now.”
Hougaard and Co can expect more of the same if Samoa coach Michael Jones has anything to do with it.
“Our physicality is a gift and as coach I need to facilitate that, not put it in a box,” said Jones.
“We are also going to have to be smarter than we have been before against the Springboks.
“You can only last the first 30 minutes on passion alone, and we need to use our top six inches more. Playing against the might of the Springboks at Ellis Park is the ultimate opportunity in bridging the gap between the haves and the have-nots, but we must put up an excellent performance.
“We’re definitely not here to make up numbers, we’re on a mission to perform at the highest level. We don’t want to get smashed out there.”
With Andre Pretorius sidelined, Hougaard is in a position to remind the selectors of just how much damage that boot of his can inflict. Luke Watson’s first match in Springbok jersey may be the most-watched debut in some time. His combination with Bob Skinstad and Danie Rossouw will be interesting, to say the least.
“There will be a slight tweaking in attack and defence come scrum time,” said Watson.
“I hope it won’t be an open game too early on. The way the Springboks played against England was to hold the structure, to keep it nice and tight and to wear the opposition down, and hopefully towards the end we would want to open it up.
“We’re fully aware of what the Samoans bring to the game.”
Hougaard, though, is more aware than most of what they bring.