Ken Borland

The SA A team – surely the Springbok shadow side – provided a little pocket of cheer for South Africans in these miserable times as they produced a superbly gutsy performance to beat the British and Irish Lions 17-13 in their match at Cape Town Stadium on Wednesday night.

The SA A side made a fantastic start to the game as their counter-attacking ability gave them a 17-3 lead in the first half-hour, but they then had to dig incredibly deep to hang on to that lead. They took it into halftime despite both scrumhalf Faf de Klerk, for a clumsy defensive effort on the line, and ubiquitous flank Marco van Staden (repeat team infringements) being yellow-carded. The Lions bashed away on the line with pick-and-goes instead of the more obvious option of a scrum, and they were kept out by magnificent defence.

Lock Eben Etzebeth was constantly in the Lions’ faces, and it was his charge-down of a strange attempted chip inside the SA A 22 by Owen Farrell that led to the opening try. The rebound was regathered by classy centre Damian de Allende, who soon passed to wing Sbu Nkosi to speed away to the tryline in the 13^th minute.

The second try was down to the astonishing magic of wing Cheslin Kolbe, who fielded a kick just inside his own half, five metres from touch. He jogged at first, but hen exploded, wonderful footwork taking him through the smallest of gaps before his superb offload to outside centre Lukhanyo Am, running a great supporting line, sent his skipper over for the try.

The Lions scored the only points of the second half as powerful loosehead prop Wyn Jones, who was denied a try on the stroke of halftime, went over from close range when SA A still only had 13 men on the field. Farrell kicked the conversion and a penalty for the tourists to close within four points.

The Lions dominated the second half, but when coach Warren Gatland rewatches the second half, even he will surely be impressed by the incredible courage and determination shown by the SA A side. Even though their physical dominance began to fade as their lack of match fitness told – as predicted by stand-in coach Rassie Erasmus – they just kept putting their bodies on the line to deny their opponents.

Gatland’s men overdid the crosskick, but it might have been a plan to fit into their preparations for the first Test, but they certainly showed what a threat they can be in the wider channels. Their kicking game outside of the 22 was also excellent, and they often put the home side under severe pressure by kicking into the corners.

But SA A closed out an enthralling game in solid fashion, using their rolling maul to earn penalties and count down the clock. The tour has now well and truly kicked off and, after a thrilling dress rehearsal, in nine days time many of these players will be out on the same field for what is now sure to be a real spectacle in the first Test.

Scorers

SA A – Tries: Sbu Nkosi, Lukhanyo Am. Conversions: Morne Steyn (2). Penalty: Steyn.

British and Irish Lions – Try: Wyn Jones. Conversion: Owen Farrell. Penalties: Farrell (2).

Covid-19 vaccines are not yet freely available to most South Africans, but the Springbok rugby squad is going to get early vaccinations before they embark on their hectic schedule of international games both at home and overseas.

The Springboks, as well as those named in South Africa’s Olympic Games squad, will be getting the last thousand doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine used in the Sisonke project to inoculate health workers. If these vaccines are not used in the next week or so, they will go to waste.

The South African Medical Research Council (MRC) are behind the Springboks being vaccinated, saying it will enable them to travel much more easily by the middle of June and do their jobs, fulfilling their ambassadorial roles for South Africa. Waiting for the Pfizer vaccinations would not be practical because that requires two doses 42 days apart and then another 14-day wait before recipients are cleared for travel.

SA Rugby, whose financial survival depends on the Springboks getting back on to the field and playing this year, have said they will not comment on the matter, but sources close to the Springbok team have confirmed they are going to be vaccinated soon.

The Springboks host Georgia for two warm-up Tests on July 3 and July 10 before heading into their high-stakes series against the British and Irish Lions. After that the Rugby Championship starts in August with two Tests against Argentina in South Africa, before the Springboks are on their way to Australasia, where travel restrictions are very strict, to play the remainder of the tournament.

The move will be seen as controversial in some quarters because there has already been lots of criticism of ‘queue jumpers’ getting the vaccine before the over-60s who are meant to be protected first.

But the Olympic Games are scheduled start in less than two months on July 23, so those participants don’t have time to wait.

MRC head Professor Glenda Gray has said elite sportspeople will be part of the many clinical trials that will be ongoing while the vaccines are being rolled out nationwide. With case numbers rising, the country is widely predicted to go into a third wave of infections as it heads into winter.

South Africa is behind most developed nations in terms of vaccine roll-out and the Springboks, who have not played since winning the World Cup in November 2019, are in danger of falling behind the rest of the rugby-playing world.

The Indian Premier League did all the arrangements for the South African players to get to the tournament a month ago and now that the IPL has been suspended due to Covid-19, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) as hosts will again look after the logistics of getting the 10 South Africans back home.

The IPL was suspended on Tuesday amid the surge of Covid-19 cases in India, which has now seen three of the franchises having players and/or staff testing positive for the virus.

Under the current Level I restrictions, South Africa’s border with India is still open, but all travellers are required to have proof of a negative test within 72 hours of travelling. A Cricket South Africa statement released on Tuesday said the returning players would have to “undergo home quarantine in line with the current World Health Organisation recommendations”.

CSA said they and the players’ association, SACA, did have contact with the players “and are assured of their safety and comfort in their respective locations”.

A handful of Australian cricketers had already pulled out of the IPL before Tuesday’s suspension, but with their government now instituting a travel ban, threatening a five-year prison sentence for anyone entering the country who has been to India recently, their remaining players have been agitating for a chartered flight to be organised to fly them home.

But Cricket Australia and their players’ association issued a statement on Tuesday saying they would support their government’s closed-border policy, which means the Australians are likely to head off to the Maldives or Dubai to wait until May 15 when their country’s borders might reopen to people who have been in India.

Fortunately for them, South Africa’s players don’t have that problem.

SA Rugby on Tuesday expressed their disappointment and frustration that millions of South Africans will not be able to watch the Springboks in action at the World Cup due to the SABC’s decision not to broadcast an event which lifted the spirits of the country in inspirational fashion in both 1995 and 2007.
Those were the two years the Springboks lifted the most prestigious trophy in rugby, with the 1995 triumph, on home soil and featuring the enthusiastic participation of then president Nelson Mandela, being cited as a major boost to race relations in the fledgling democracy. The current Springbok team is captained for the first time by a Black African in the hugely popular Siya Kolisi and they are rated as one of the strongest contenders when the tournament kicks off on Friday.
South Africa, who are coached by former captain Rassie Erasmus, open their campaign by playing defending champions New Zealand on Saturday in what will be one of the most important games of the tournament.
“We are looking forward to a strong Springbok challenge led by Rassie Erasmus and Siya Kolisi, and it is extremely frustrating for our sport that the national broadcaster is not in a position to show it. We share the disappointment of SABC licence-holders that they will be unable to follow the progress of the Springboks and other big matches in the tournament.
“The Rugby World Cup has been broadcast on SABC at every tournament since 1995 and like other mega sporting events has the power to bring the nation together behind a national team,” an SA Rugby spokesperson told The Citizen on Monday.
Although the television rights to the World Cup are owned by WorldRugby, SuperSport, who have bought the local rights, were willing to help the SABC show at least some of the tournament, but after months of negotiations the national broadcaster pulled out, according to MultiChoice, the owners of the sports pay channel.
“As far as television rights are concerned, the SABC, having initially made a commercial offer, subsequently withdrew that offer citing budget constraints and the scheduling of the RWC, being in Japan. Rugby World Cup broadcast rights are sold by World Rugby and its agents and all broadcasters (including free-to-air operators) are able to bid for acquiring these rights,” Joe Heshu, the MultiChoice Group Executive for Corporate Affairs, told The Citizen.
The radio rights are owned by marketing company IMG and not MultiChoice.
The Rugby World Cup would have cost the SABC $28m for broadcasting rights on television and $60 000 for radio, not factoring in production costs of R900 000, SABC CEO Madoda Mxakwe told Parliament’s portfolio committee on communications on Tuesday.

Social media reaction

Teddy Rubskins @walternatebeing
SABC was looted dry by ANC cadres, this is the real issue. In the 90s SABC showed F1, NBA, currie cup & springboks rugby as well as cricket. Also the ANC government will never break the monopoly Naspers holds as they love the tax revenue from their group companies.
The 2019 rugby world cup would have cost the SABC $28m for broadcasting rights on television and $60 000 for broadcasting rights on radio, he said. These costs do not factor production costs of R900 000.

Jy Nkosi sikelel’ iAfrika  Put SA 1st
@Joy_wa_Afrika
However, a nation that is being deprived of watching the 6 @Springboks games because of money grabbing @SuperSportTV We can only afford SABC but does the greedy @SuperSportTV care Absolutely not

Cornu Perold @CornuPerold
Will Sports Minister @NathiMthethwaSA and his Communications counterpart @Stellarated help find a resolution here too as they did in the saga that saw the SABC not broadcasting any PSL matches on their platforms? Surely Rugby is a sport for ALL South Africans?

OH LOOK…Squirrel
@Travesty_Kruger
I think it quite sad that SABC hasn’t made a plan for them to air the RWC. We always seem to be united when the Bokke are playing and sadly not all of us (myself included) have DSTV.

zwelitsha @zwelitshazwe

Thulas sport is an audience driver in broadcasting, note all the satellite dishes on rooftops from informal settlements (end result of PSL rights), SABC Board, Govt must wake up Fact, Ad revenue will NEVER = Sports rights, bt loss of sports rights = audience flight

uSumpa @Konkwane_K
I feel for those people who are let down again by the SABC. The most vulnerable people who love rugby they won’t watch the Rugby World Cup because SABC is useless beyond doubt.

Riccardo Dobloni @superdoct
Money hungry, no national interest at all. SuperSport fine keep you rights, keep your advertising money, but surely you can see the benefits of letting everyone watch the national team in a world cup! go back to Open Time or sponsor SABC to show at least the #Springbok games

Cameron MacKenzie MP @CameronMacKenz2
When @MultiChoice ask for US$28million & @sabc trying to get on an even financial footing, it’s competing priorities. Why not pressure @MultiChoice instead to help out in the interests of those who can’t afford DSTV? The new SABC board are doing the right – tough – thing.

LLOYD L. MAFA @MafaLloyd
Really no broadcast of Rugby World Cup then why are we still paying the TV licence. SABC please get your act together.

Pale Rider @Pale_Rider7
Multi Choice should come to the party and as a gesture of good faith at least allow SABC rights to broadcast the Springbok games. With their messed up image lately it can only do them good.

SABC Too  @SABCtoo

Obviously, young children in South Africa don’t deserve to see a multiracial world-class national team captained by a man who came from nothing but hunger in one of the worlds largest competitions. #RWC2019

azania mboya @azaniamboya

SABC are a national disgrace by refusing to broadcast the Rugby World Cup thus leaving millions of African rugby fans without coverage. A huge blow against African transformation in Rugby. No wonder so many ppl dont want 2 pay T V Licences !!!!