All my life I never saw

The arrival in South Africa of the Argentine team to play a test in Springs recalls memories of two of the greatest setbacks in Springbok rugby.

One other test match has been played at the P.A.M. Brink Stadium on the East Rand.

The date was July 1964 and South Africa’s opponents were the French of Michel Crauste; making their second visit to this country.

And, in what Dr Danie Craven described as the “worst test ever,” the Springboks lost 6-8 – a result that at the time was seen as a national disgrace.

South Africa had picked in Mike Lawless a running flyhalf from Western Province; only to instruct him to kick the ball at every opportunity.

The Springboks were thrown by the unfamiliar surroundings of a country town and never got into their stride – in spite of the side containing legendary names such as Lional Wilson, John Gainsford, Jannie Engelbrecht, Mof Myburgh, Hannes Marais, Frik du Preez, Tom Bedford and Doug Hopwood.

Lulled by the fact that the tourists had gone down to Western Province the Springboks were complacent and the match served as salutary lesson that no opponent should ever be underestimated.

The other big setback, in 1982, involves another team of Latin extraction – the South American Jaguars. In an effort to circumvent the ever-tightening noose of isolation and provide the Springboks with some international competition the Jaguars, a name coined by Craven, were made up of Argentines, Uruguayans, Paraguayans and Chileans.

But when it came to the tests they were the Jaguars in name only for the team, led by the incomparable Hugo Porta, were in fact the Argentine Pumas.

In the first test at Loftus Versfeld the South Americans were no match for a Springbok team, led by Wynand Claassen, still smarting from the previous year’s tour to New Zealand and losing the series-deciding “Flour Bomb Test” thanks to the injustice of Welsh referee Clive Norling’s whistle.

Porta and his men went down 50-18 and more of the same was expected in the second, and final, test in Bloemfontein.

That it turned out differently was down to Porta; the man I rate as the best all-round rugby player I reported on.

The great flyhalf, who was playing flatline rugby, and a lot more besides, long before the Australians thought of it scored all his side’s points (a try, a conversion, a dropped goal and four penalties) to trump Danie Gerber’s try and Naas Botha’s conversion and two penalties as the Jaguars won 21-12.

When the final whistle sounded Nicky Gonzalez del Solar, a lovable character and former Puma hooker now reporting on the game, turned to us South Africans in the Press seats, which in those days were in the back row to the right of the grandstand, with tears streaming down his face and stammered what was to become the signature phrase of the tour: “All my life I never saw.”

It was indeed a miracle. The Argentine players emerged from the dressing room and just stood on the field soaking in their achievement. Later, when the celebrations had started, Porta revealed his exceptional qualities as a sportsman and leader of men with his speech in the A.K. Volsteed reception hall.

Sensing that his young players were in a joyously reckless mood he reminded them that what they had achieved that day was the stuff of history. “Many great players who played for many years never experienced a day such as this,” he told his men. “Be calm tonight, take it all in so that this moment is not tarnished for it will be something you will remember and which will be to your credit for the rest of your life.”

Nicky del Solar translated for me. The tears were again flowing. For us South Africans there was no bitterness in defeat for we had seen a rugby aristocrat at the peak of his powers and we granted him this crowning achievement.

It is worth recording that the Jaguar/Pumas beat a very good Springbok team consisting of Johan Heunis, Carel du Plessis, Danie Gerber, Willie du Plessis, Ray Mordt, Naas Botha, Divan Serfontein, Wynand Claassen, Rob Louw, Theuns Stofberg, Louis Moolman, Adri Geldenhuys, Hempies du Toit, Willie Kahts and Ockie Oosthuizen.

Twenty years on there are current Springboks who probably don’t even know some of these names, but coach Rudolf Straeuli would be well advised to remind them of the pitfalls of complacency.

As disappointing as the Pumas were in going down to England so impressive were they in defeating France. The Argentines share something of the temperament of the French and the Boks will have to be on their toes to avoid falling foul of the spirit of Porta and the curse of Springs.