Farewell Honiball

Springboks stay focussed in flyhalf's send-off

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Posted: Wednesday November 03, 1999 02:40 PM

Third place may not be what they were hoping for, but the Springboks hope to at least let Henry Honiball retire a winner. David Rogers/Allsport

CARDIFF, Wales (AP) -- South Africa is looking to send off retiring flyhalf Henry Honiball in style, while New Zealand might well have the same thoughts for embattled coach John Hart.

The two most passionate rugby countries in the world meet in Thursday's playoff for third place at the World Cup, a painful extension of the tournament after their semifinal defeats.

Both teams have tried to talk up their interest in a match which has only token bearing on the future - the loser faces qualification for the 2003 tournament.

Much more significant were the games they've just lost, South Africa to Australia and New Zealand to France.

While Honiball, whose World Cup was ruined by a hamstring injury, is retiring after 35 tests, there are others on both sides whose careers will be shaped by their semifinal failures.

Hart is trying to ignore the already immense pressure on him to resign and has given no indication on whether he will seek another contract.

"We'll be playing this one for Henry," Springbok captain Joost van der Westhuizen said Thursday.

And while this match is for third, van der Westhuizen reasons that if his team wins and Australia beats France then the Springboks are probably the second best team in the world.

"I don't think the Springboks were humiliated in our match against Australia," van der Westhuizen said.

"And of all the teams, including France, if we beat New Zealand tomorrow we might still be rated as the second-best team at the World Cup. There's no question we'll get up for this game."

New Zealand came into the tournament as strong favorites, so a third place playoff is a major step down from what a crushed nation, which had started planning a victory parade two weeks ago, was expecting.

Hart and his players have been under constant attack since the devastating loss to France and it is widely accepted that it is probably his final match in charge.

The game, says Hart, will be a test for a beleaguered team which he admits would rather be home than in Cardiff.

"It will be a huge test of character for everybody in the camp," said Hart. "That's why I'm so personally committed to it and it hasn't been very easy because the team is so flat.

"They are hugely disappointed. All the comments we are getting back from home don't help the team. They feel bad enough as it is without the barrage of criticism."

New Zealanders never take defeat well in their national game, and the fallout has been particularly destructive this time.

"I can understand how disappointed everyone is," said Hart. "We all are, but right now we have to take those thoughts out and get the team focused on the game against the Springboks."

Hart made four changes for the game with Robin Brooke, Carl Hoeft and Anton Oliver dropped and injured Byron Kelleher replaced by Justin Marshall at scrumhalf.

The teams have met 53 times since 1921 with South Africa winning 24, New Zealand 26 and three draws. Their only meeting at a World Cup was in the final four years ago when the Springboks won 15-12 after extra time, but New Zealand has won eight out of 11 since then.

"We both have a baying public and our countries rely and expect us to do well," said Hart. "So as we prepare for a game neither of us wanted to prepare for, we have that responsibility to give it heaps and I'm sure South Africa will do the same."

New Zealand

South Africa

 

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