Scrums banned from free-kicks, 20-min red cards and shotclocks: World Rugby tries to speed up the game
Seven months after the Springboks sensationally elected for a scrum from a mark inside their 22-metre line during their run to a fourth Webb…
A visibly annoyed Springbok captain John Smit has warned his side ill-discipline will not be tolerated after a second player was suspended on their brief New Zealand tour.
“Discipline is vital,” he said after back-to-back suspensions in the two Tri-Nations Tests against the All Blacks brought back memories of the dark reputation of some South African teams before Smit took over the captaincy.
Winger Jean de Villiers will miss next week’s Test against Australia in Brisbane after being suspended on Sunday for two weeks for a dangerous tackle on Rene Ranger in the second Test in Wellington, which was won by the All Blacks 31-17.
He’ll join Bakkies Botha on the sidelines for the Wallabies’ Tri-Nations opener at Suncorp Stadium after the lock received a nine-week ban for head-butting Kiwi halfback Jimmy Cowan during last week’s first Test in Auckland, which the All Blacks won 32-12.
The All Blacks scored freely against an undermanned Springboks in the opening stages of both Tests when Botha (ruck infringement, first Test) and Danie Rossouw (kicking, second Test) spent 10 minutes in the sin-bin.
Discipline is an issue which Smit has targeted since taking over the Springboks leadership in 2004 and when questioned about the latest suspensions he expressed disappointment at having been let down.
“It is certainly something that has been discussed at length for a number of years, especially with the image we had pre-2003 and the work we did to clean that up,” he said.
“It’s certainly not the type of question I want to be answering five or six or seven years later.
“Discipline is vital. If guys are seen to be stepping outside of the team it does get dealt with internally.”
Smit said the yellow cards put the Springboks on the backfoot early in both Tests, and he also had no argument with the ban imposed on senior lock Botha saying it was “just reward for silly behaviour”.
All Blacks captain Richie McCaw – target of the boot that led to Rossouw’s yellow card – was unconcerned.
“It wasn’t very much at all,” McCaw said. “He got done lashing out so (it was) probably a bit stupid really.”
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