Dismal Boks insult proud rugby heritage

SPRINGBOKS of the past, men like Bennie Osler, Hennie Muller, Johan Claassen, Francois Pienaar and Gary Teichmann, must have been squirming in their graves or their chairs on Saturday as they watched their successors at Lansdowne Road turn in one of the most feeble performances by a team representing this proud rugby nation.

Without taking anything from the merit of Ireland’s fully deserved victory, the woeful defending of the Springboks, especially in midfield, was one of the chief reasons for the remarkably one-sided affair.

It may well be a sign of the times when Irish fans are less than enthused by such a score line achieved against one of rugby’s traditional powers. It is also a positive sign of the rude health of the Irish game.