RWC 2015 Preview Magazine Special Edition | Page 45

Francois Pienaar,

Wouter Pienaar,
Chief Sports Journalist at Potch Herald

Teams prepare for World Cups in different
ways. “The critics were saying our team
couldn’t go all the way, but the nucleus of
that team came from the Transvaal team 13 of the players in that squad came from
Transvaal.We [Transvaal] were hugely
successful - we won the Currie Cup [twice],
we won the first Super 10 competition here
[at Ellis Park].
That [Transvaal] team was infused by
some of the world’s greatest players - like
Andre Joubert, Joel Stransky, Joost van der
Westhuizen, James Small, Mark Andrews,
Os du Randt. That team always had a real
shot at the title. “Every team has its special
mojo, as did John Smit’s [World Cupwinning] team in 2007.
“The culture in the [2015] team will be very
important.We as a country love knock-outs,
we are not scared of knock-out matches.”We
have a fairly easy pool. It is going to be who
is on form, it is going to be about injuries
and if you get to the knock-outs who will
handle the pressure, who is going to manage
the variables, how would the leadership
react.”Just look at the talent - there are
game-breakers, there is power up front and
skill at the back.”We have a real shot at the
title.

Experience, guile, and wisdom are qualities
that only the most well-known rugby players
in the world possess. There are the veterans
of a side, who despite their flaws, can turn a
game on is head. They have seen and done
it all and know how to keep calm situations.
Victor Matfield from South Africa, Matt
Giteau from Australia, Richie McCaw from
New Zealand and Paul O’Conell from Ireland
are just some of the modern day examples.
These players are gladiators of the rugby
field and have the scars and life stories to
prove it – but can they compete against the
fitter, quicker and stronger young guns of the
rugby world? History point out that veterans
and old horses do matter when it comes to
winning a World Cup.
John Eales (1999), Martin Johson (2003)
and Richie McCaw (2011) were in their
thirties when they hoisted the cup as
captain’s of their proud rugby nations. Guys
such as Os du Randt showed it when he
came back into the Springbok fold and won
the 2007 World Cup. He did not just bring
his physical presence but also an emotional
presence to the team.
Veterans do get slower , pick up more
injuries and are often blamed for defeat, but
they are the ones who provide that X-factor.
Something that the opposition fears – their
reputation precedes them and this is what
makes it dangerous to write off the likes of
Habana, Fourie du Preez and Jannie du
Plessis. They know criticism and there is
nothing more dangerous than a wounded
gladiator – survival instinct kicks in.
Just look at the famous French flyhalf
Frederic Michalak who recently became
France’s top points scorer of all time and
at age, is a favorite to wear the number 10
jersey at the World Cup.
The 2015 Rugby World Cup will be a
swansong for many – may their melodies
turn into a victory song.

Springboks RWC 1995 winning Captain

RWC 2015 Preview Magazine 45