Springboks skipper Smit out to reclaim pride from the Lions

JOHN SMIT is hoping “to put things right” when the Lions tour South Africa later this year.

The Springboks lost 2-1 to the tourists during the last series in 1997 and captain Smit is determined not to suffer a repeat when Ian McGeechan’s men arrive for the three-Test series beginning in June.

“It’s definitely an opportunity. We all experienced the defeat of 1997 and those aren’t good memories,” he said.

“The chance is there to put things right. If we don’t do it now, we have to wait another 12 years. There are a number of players that would really like to tick the box of a series win against the Lions. Even a player like Percy Montgomery, who played more than 100 Tests, would have grabbed the opportunity to play against the Lions again.”

Smit’s sentiments were echoed by former captain Gary Teichmann, who led the team 12 years ago.

He said: “I still have bad memories. Every time I see or hear something of the tour of 1997, I remember the dummy Matt Dawson sold me in the first Test at Newlands.”

Teichmann believes the current crop of Springboks have every possibility of avenging that defeat: “We have a group that have been together for a long time and understand one another, as well as a coach that has been in the job for a while. I think there are a number of fantastic players.”

Meanwhile South African rugby bosses are trying to downplay a growing controversy after the Springboks said it may scrap a rugby match with NZ Maori because the team is selected along racial lines.

News that the Springboks may call off the match, intended as a warm-up for the Lions series in June, led media bulletins here and sparked charges of hypocrisy. South Africa barred Maori players under apartheid rule and they now pick their team using a quota of non-white players.

New Zealand’s manager of professional rugby, Neil Sorensen, admitted there were “hurdles” to organising the match but steered clear of commenting on South Africa’s selection policy.

“We’ve got enough issues to sort through without having a crack at the South Africans,” he said. “It’s a pretty complex issue.”

Maori Affairs Minister Pita Sharples insisted the NZ Maori represent “Maori as a matter of indigenous identity and pride” and called for calm and understanding. “New Zealanders should show understanding that these issues may still be contentious in South Africa,” he said. “I hope that with time and patience we can work through any misunderstandings, because a game between the Springboks and New Zealand Maori would be a fantastic game to see.”

The one-off match set for June has been described by South African coach Peter de Villiers as imperative for preparing his side for the Lions Tests.

But a statement on the South African Rugby (SARU) website said there were a number of obstacles to be overcome before the Maori game could be confirmed.

These included “the fundamental stumbling block of a long-established President’s Council resolution forbidding the appearance of SARU teams against opponents selected along racial lines,” the statement said.

Sorensen said discussions were continuing with de Villiers and SARU’s acting managing director, Andy Marinos.