| |
|
| ||||||||||||||||
 1995 revisited Springbok captain issues rallying call
Posted: Wednesday November 03, 1999 02:12 PM
CARDIFF, Wales (Reuters) -- Captain Joost van der Westhuizen issued a rallying call to the Springboks on Wednesday, telling them it was vital for national morale they beat New Zealand in a World Cup match neither team sought. Defeat in the semifinals at the weekend condemned the two sides to the third place playoff at the Millennium Stadium on Thursday. It is a replay of the 1995 final -- but the losers this time face the ignominy of qualifying for the 2003 tournament. Although there is always an unreal air about a match between two teams who have failed in their ultimate ambition, every game between South Africa and New Zealand engages the emotions. "It's important to beat them, " van der Westhuizen told reporters Wednesday. "It's important for both teams to go home as winners. They have beaten us twice this year and we have to redress the balance. There's still a lot in the game." The first match on neutral territory between two sides who have dominated 20th century rugby is too close to call, despite New Zealand's two wins in the Tri Nations series this year which edges them ahead in the overall list by 26 to 24. New Zealand has refused to make excuses for its stunning 43-31 loss to France on Sunday but it is clear the team is as shattered as its fans back in New Zealand. Through no fault of coach John Hart and captain Taine Randell, New Zealanders genuinely believed it was their destiny to win the Cup and atone for the 15-12 extra time loss to South Africa in the 1995 final. Now they have turned on both men, but they have refused to give their critics any satisfaction before Thursday's match, "I know the debate is raging back home and everybody is calling for my head but I'm not ready to give it to them yet," Hart said. "This is a game that neither of us wanted to play but we both have baying publics to satisfy. As professionals we have an obligation to give it heaps, which we will. " Randell, who had the unenviable task of following Sean Fitzpatrick as captain and Zinzan Brooke as number eight, insists he is still getting great satisfaction out of captaining the All Blacks. His hold on the job, though, looks tenuous with Hart unlikely to remain in charge of the national team after the Cup. Defeat on Thursday would almost certainly consign them both to the sidelines.
South Africa15-Percy Montgomery; 14-Breyton Paulse, 13-Robbie Fleck, 12-Pieter Muller, 11-Stefan Terblanche; 10-Henry Honiball, 9-Joost van der Westhuizen (captain); 8-Andre Vos, 7-Andre Venter, 6-Rassie Erasmus, 5-Mark Andrews, 4-Krynauw Otto, 3-Corbus Visagie, 2-Naka Drotske, 1-Os du Randt.Replacements: 16-Wayne Julius, 17-Jannie De Beer, 18-Werner Swanepoel, 19-Ruben Kruger, 20-Albert van den Berg, 21-Ollie le Roux, 22-Chris Rossouw.
New Zealand15-Jeff Wilson; 14-Tana Umaga, 13-Christian Cullen, 12-Alama Ieremia, 11-Jonah Lomu; 10-Andrew Mehrtens, 9-Justin Marshall; 8-Taine Randell, 7-Josh Kronfeld, 6-Rueben Thorne, 5-Royce Willis, 4-Norm Maxwell, 3-Kees Meeuws, 2-Mark Hammett, 1-Craig Dowd.Replacements: 16-Pita Alatini, 17-Tony Brown, 18-Rhys Duggan, 19-Dylan Mika, 20-Ian Jones, 21-Carl Hoeft, 22-Anton Oliver. Referee: Peter Marshall, Australia.
Copyright 2003 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. | |||||||||||||||||
Copyright © 1999 CNN/SI. A Time Warner Company. Terms under which this service is provided to you.
| |||||||||||||||||
