Mick Cleary: Bonkers or brilliant, this is Rassie's greatest gamble
Africa Photo Erasmus Greatest David Assistant Rassie Gamble: Coach Credit: Wire South Davies/pa
Forget the Poll Tax rivalry of Scotland against England, or ‘Le Crunch’ of England and France notoriety, the most fiercely contested rivalry in the sport is South Africa against New Zealand and not just for the simple fact that these are statistically the two most successful teams on the planet. The game runs deep in both countries, markedly different in their size and make-up, maybe, but joined by their frontier-type, backs-to-the-wall mentalities, the once-colonial outposts desperate to show the sporting world that they matter.
It helps, of course, that the two countries happen to be rather good at the sport. Both are vying for a record fourth world title, the Springboks’ also looking to emulate the All Blacks’ record of back-to-back crowns. And even if New Zealand hold the whip hand in terms of victories (62 in 105 matches) their win ratio of 59% against South Africa is lower than against any other country.
Grab a look if you can at an old ESPN documentary on the rivalry with grainy TV reels of entire communities swarming from their homes to greet either the South African or New Zealand tourists as they arrived in town. It’s compelling footage. The world may have changed but that umbilical cord between fan and team has not. There is plenty of history in place – from the 1981 flour-bomb apartheid series in New Zealand which split families down the middle with their differing political views, to the epic 1995 Nelson Mandela ‘Rainbow Nation’ World Cup final. There is so much on the line once again this weekend.
We thought of it as something of a gimmick when the Springboks defied rugby logic and upped the already contentious practice of a 6-2 Bomb Squad split to go the full nuclear with only one designated back replacement amidst seven forwards. It didn’t work out too badly either with a record 35-7 shredding of the All Blacks in the World Cup warm-up game at Twickenham in August. And, now again, we see the same in a match where coaching clever-dick stunts count for nothing if it all blows up in their face through injury.
South Africa insist that they are well covered in having wing Cheslin Kolbe ready to switch to scrum-half and full-back, Damian Willemse able to step forward to fly-half if there were any issues there, Willie le Roux coming off the bench as well. That begs the questions as to what might happen if there were other injuries. There is only so much ground that can be covered by switching a back-row forward into the back line. It is a risk.
It is all in keeping with the part-bonkers, part-brilliant management regime of Rassie Erasmus. The Springbok head coach has never done it by the book, not since the moment he took over the reins some 18 months out from the 2019 Rugby World Cup and overcome a failing set-up to win the Webb Ellis trophy. This, though, is Rassie’s biggest gamble to date. Roll that dice.
It has been an unseemly few days for the image of the sport, one that rather pompously used to pride itself on its core values when set against the ruffian types of football. As we know, rugby’s claim to the moral high ground was always a dubious, self-confected arrangement. What did or did not happen between England’s Tom Curry and ‘Bok hooker, Bongi Mbonambi, with the Sale flanker alleging that he was called a ‘white c***’, has not been laid to rest whatsoever by World Rugby’s declaration that there is ‘insufficient evidence,’ to proceed to a full disciplinary hearing.
Curry has been subjected to vile online attacks, as was Springbok scrum-half, Cobus Reinach, earlier in the tournament, but that, sadly, is the modern age. You can’t really pick and choose as regards social media just as you can’t really prevent the bovine-brained few from hurling insults from the terraces. The row itself may appear to be the sort of off-field distraction that might derail a team or a player’s preparation. In South Africa’s case it will have had precisely the opposite effect. The Springboks thrive on a sense of hurt and injustice and are au fait in their daily lives with real adversity. Circling the wagons is part of their folklore while investing in the band of brothers mythology was a key part of their success in 2019. There is every chance it will prove to be the same again.
We might all pray that it is the latter even if we all know that it will probably be the former. The respective selections suggest as much with South Africa front-loading their squad with big bruisers allied to the reliable boot of fly-half, Handre Pollard, who is preferred to the more creative impulses of Manie Libbok who doesn’t make the match-day cut at all and was unceremoniously hooked after 31 minutes in the semi-final against England. And yet the Springboks possess two of the classiest operators in the game in wings, Cheslin Kolbe and Kurt-Lee Arendse, every bit as sharp and elusive as Will Jordan in All Black ranks.
What a pity it would be if all we were to see of Kolbe and Arendse were rear-view shots as they chased kicks and launched themselves into the air. New Zealand have no interest in a percentage game, an approach that runs counter to their basic inclinations as well as to where their strengths lie. In Jordan, they have one of the finest and most potent in the sport, on a par with the likes of a Christian Cullen that went before him as his tally of 31 tries in just 30 tests testifies. Jordan may yet be acclaimed as the greatest try-scorer in World Cup history if he gets on the scoresheet at the Stade de France. He’s level on eight tries with Jonah Lomu, Ardie Savea and Bryan Habana – exalted company indeed. Fingers crossed that there are more tries to salute.
Barnes may not be to everyone’s fancy, a prejudice that usually involves some sort of perceived injustice for the team you support. (Come on Kiwis – if you win will you finally forgive him for 2007 and remove him from the walls of the Queenstown urinal on which he features as one of the three most hated figures in New Zealand?). It’s only right and proper to pay tribute to an official if for no other reason that any mention of their name is usually accompanied by criticism or even vitriol. It is something of an increasingly thankless task but Barnes stands comparison with the very best, be it a Clive Norling, Ed Morrison or Nigel Owens. Finally, at his fourth World Cup, he gets the ultimate gig. We can only wish him well and trust that this is the first and the last mention of him for the next 48 hours. He would be quite happy if that were the case, too.