Habana: we must not dwell on negatives

BRYAN HABANA will not be using an epic journey from South Africa to Dublin, or any other mitigating circumstances, as excuses should the Springboks leave the Aviva Stadium with a defeat on Saturday night.

Twenty-five hours it took to get from South Africa’s training camp on the High Veldt to the reception desk at their Dublin hotel and all just two days before a Test match with Ireland.

Last Saturday’s Currie Cup final, in which the Western Province wing and former World Player of the Year played on the losing side, South Africa’s annual rugby awards night on Monday and sponsorship commitments on Tuesday all contributed to the late arrival of a Springboks squad missing 13 players through injury after a trying summer campaign.