Photo: Is Jesse Kriel doing a one-arm push up? Wouldn’t be surprised if that’s what it takes for a youngster to make the starting XV! [Just kidding – Ed.] (©Barry Aldworth)
CRAIG RAY takes some credit in advance for some tactical advice for the Springboks ahead of their game with Samoa.
Waking up after the Brighton debacle in my shoebox-sized room, which at the current exchange rate was the equivalent of a month’s rent in some Cape Town suburbs for a single night, I did wonder if it were all a dream.
But no, my phone was bursting with texts and memes about Japan’s famous victory over the Boks. It was described from the reasonable (“humiliation”) to mildly hysterical (“disaster”) to melodramatic (“tragedy”).
Later in the week when news filtered back that the brilliant photographer Duif du Toit, a man I’d toured with several times, had died after a short illness, the true meaning of tragedy hit home. The Boks lost a match – it was a setback – Duif’s wife and son will never have next week to put it right.
RIP Duif du Toit (Photo: Jean Smyth)
***
First impressions of Birmingham were not great, with a seedy “gentleman’s club” opposite my hotel and a Hollywood-styled ‘walk of stars’ down Broad Street.
Most of the recipients of these stars are foreign to me, although I did recognise Nigel Mansell and the 1982 Aston Villa team that won the European Cup. Local singer Joan Armatrading also has a star outside a gawdy betting bar.
My digs were a huge improvement on London for a third of the price, but what is it about hotel breakfasts in England? Is it not possible to fry an egg without using an entire bottle of sunflower oil and cooking them until they are so rubbery they could be used as a doorstop?
I’ve been low-carbing – not Banting – for over a year, and keeping it up on tour can be a challenge, especially when you can’t even rely on an egg being cooked properly. Bring on self-catering digs in London. If the Boks are still in the tournament by then.
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The Springboks’ plush hotel was not a happy place on Sunday and Monday. It had the same atmosphere that comes with a death in the family. Only there hadn’t been a death, as events later in the week would tragically remind us.
The Boks’ training facilities at the Birmingham University were fantastic and the volunteers who were on hand to help were equally enthusiastic.
Ton Drewett, the former Eastern Province Currie Cup player, is now director of rugby at the university. He ensured the Boks had everything they needed and there wasn’t a bird dropping in sight.
Earlier in the week a tabloid wrote a story about seagull droppings allegedly disrupting Springboks training in Eastbourne before the Japan game under the headline: “Psycho Seagulls.”
It was hilarious in its inaccuracy but team media manager DeJongh Borchardt, who had enough to deal with in the aftermath of Brighton, failed to see the funny side. He suddenly had to put out fires about a bird poo story.
Sports people don’t know how lucky they are that tabloids are few in South Africa.
***
The week rolled on with intense training sessions and contradictory statements in formal and informal gatherings between media and management as shock gave way to anger.
I bumped into Fourie du Preez on the street – I think we were standing on Joan or Nigel – and I asked if he had seen the Samoa team.
“No Tusi Pisi to start,” I said.
His eyes showed a flicker of surprise. “Are you sure?” he asked.
“Well, that’s the team they’ve put out. Mike Stanley is at 10,” I replied.
I could see his eyes narrow and sense his mind whirring into overdrive. As one of the greatest rugby brains this country has produced, Du Preez knows Samoa are up to something and what might have been a relaxing night off, probably turned into hours of analysis for the great halfback.
I hope it pays off.
