A top South African boxing promoter once tried to get me fired because I wrote that he should stop “feeding his champion fighter creampuffs”.
I once even had the cheek to write a story about a run-in South African golfing great Gary Player had with tournament officials. “I will never give you a quote again,” he said, when I confirmed that I would go ahead with the story.
A world heavyweight boxing champion even offered me money “in a paper packet” not to write critical stories about him. A tennis star, who’d beaten in the bonnet of a BMW which had parked his car in, was incensed when I wrote a story about it.
My stock reply was always: “I don’t work for you. I work for the editor of my newspaper.”
I fortunate in those days that editors had balls the size of Cadillacs, not Mini-Minors, unlike those who now will print any old crap they believe their readers will like.
This is not a self-congratulatory article, I write it because I believe that writers have a responsibility to be objective whatever their hopes about the outcome of a match. Don’t get me wrong. I am an ardent Springbok fan, but I do not believe we have a winning combination and game plan.
I have learned that it’s the space between your ears that counts, too. Tiger Woods did not win so many majors because of his power game. He won so many times because he had an intelligent game plan.
Boxers don’t just go into the ring swinging wildly. They look for their opponent’s weaknesses and look for an opening. The All Blacks don’t have many, but that is where we should be looking.
Tactics always count in sports. If you get something wrong, get it right.
There is no doubt that the Springboks have power in abundance. However, when it comes to intelligent play, they flop. You just cannot bulldoze your way to victory especially when you play a team like the All Blacks who can match the Springboks in physicality.
Are we tougher than the All Blacks? No. Are we smarter than Richie McCaw and Co? No.
After the Wallabies held them to a draw, the All Blacks went back to the drawing board and thrashed the Australians next time out.
We appeared locked into a whinge mode. Damn that yellow card. We should have won is the mantra. What the Boks should be looking at is why a mediocre Wallaby side were running us so close.
Most of the Bok wins have been close affairs and we have escaped time and again. We have not looked that much better than Argentina and even Wales when we won courtesy of a debatable penalty try. Wales matched us in the lineouts and even pushed our scrum around.
The writing has been on the wall no matter what coach Heyneke Meyer’s winning percentage is.
Handre Pollard, another Blue Bull, in for Morne Steyn at flyhalf? What about Pat Lambie, who has better experience and flair.
I note that the Sharks reached the semis of Super Rugby while The Bulls, the second-best side, were about ninth on the ladder. Does that tell you something? The South African conference finished well behind the New Zealanders and the Australians.
However, if I do have to eat my hat and the Boks beat the All Blacks, I have one ready, though it is in the shape of a tasty cake.
Andy Jardine is a former chief sub-editor for The Sunday Times in South Africa.
What’s your best bet? For great odds on all your favourite sports check out PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.
Unfortunately, the only criteria for this Dream XV are that you had to have passed away. During my research, I thought of potential players…
Rassie Erasmus will coach champions South Africa to the 2027 Rugby World Cup, with former Ireland hooker Jerry Flannery added to the technical team…
What goes up must come down, right? As the kicking game in rugby has continued to progress and progress over the last few years,…
South Africa's director of rugby Rassie Erasmus has been admitted to hospital after a freak accident left him with chemical burns. Erasmus, who has…
Rugby has had some ridiculous kickers. The ability and skill with the boot can turn the course of a play, a scoreline, or a…
Thieves have touched the William Webb Ellis trophy during a break-in at South African Rugby Union's HQ but thankfully decided against swiping the World…
