Bokwatch 03 – News from the Bok training camp

In this installment of Bokwatch the Springboks get a day off from training, scrumming consultant Balie Swart sees shades of ’95 in the Bok camp, Jake reveals why he chose Bismarck and tells us why he will be watching Saturday’s England v Wales Test with interest.

After an intense workout on Wednesday morning (particularly against the scrum machine), the Boks were given the afternoon off when their scheduled session at the George Campbell School grounds in Durban was called off.

Today they hit the gym in the morning and then play a practice match against a Sharks Under-21 side at a venue yet to be determined.

Bok scrumming consultant Balie Swart, a key member in the World Cup winning side of 1995, told Beeld newspaper that the current crop of players are showing the same levels of maturity and confidence as was evident in Kitch Christie’s team.

“What has impressed me is the way the senior players are taking responsibility,” said Swart.

“It also happened in 1995. You need only five or six senior players to say, ‘OK, this is what we are going to do,’ and then practise what they preach.”

“Kitch Christie planned everything in great detail. I have found the same is happening in this team. Jake White, Allister Coetzee, Gert Smal and Eddie Jones are meticulous in their planning.

“The players know how much is demanded of them. It is tough because to have two training sessions daily they have to be switched on all the time.

“One can also sense that everyone believes in the structures, John Smit is a strong leader too who has impressed me immensely.

“When things got tough, we took a stand (in 1995). These guys are starting to show they won’t let anyone beat them. They are focused on what they want to do and how they want to do it,” said Swart.

Jake White, talking to The Mercury, revealed that Bismarck du Plessis’ storming performance in last week’s Currie Cup game against the Bulls was a major contributor to his selection as the replacement for Pierre Spies in the Bok squad.

“He put his hand up, for sure,” said the Springbok coach.

“Obviously it is going to impress the selectors when a fringe player has a stormer like that, scoring two good tries.

“Bismarck was very unlucky not to make the original 30 because in the end we decided to go with six loose forwards and two hookers.

“The thinking was that a guy like BJ Botha, who has played hooker at SA U21 level, could do a job for us if on a Friday evening we suddenly found ourselves with an injury to a hooker.

“But when we got together now and discussed it further, we decided not to carry the risk of, for instance, John pulling out of a game at a late stage, leaving us short of a quality hooker for a match.

“We could not play against England with a suspect hooker if John got hurt in the captain’s practice,” explained White.

The Bok coach also revealed that he will be keeping a close eye on Saturday’s Test between England and Wales in which Brian Ashton is expected to name a full-strength side. The Springboks are set to play England in their second World Cup pool match.

“There may be a change at centre,” said White.

“I don’t know what they are going to do at centre when they play us. They may try to bring Mike Tindall back.

“But the team against Wales is nearly the best England can send to France. I have heard a lot about their loose forwards. Now I see they have given Mark Cueto a chance at fullback. They also rate David Strettle highly.

“Many people are talking about the hooker George Shuter but I think Mark Regan moved into contention when he played against us.

“Martin Corry and Lawrence Dallaglio are probably competing for the No 8 position and Lewis Moody and Joe Worsley are likely to be the flanks against us.”

“I think he (Dallaglio) can still play a few good matches. I’ve spoken to Ian McGeechan, who coaches Wasps, and he says Dallaglio is one of those players who can still appear in a number of games. That is why Wasps are using him only for the big ones,” concluded White.