Enter the Prince of Dropped Goals

Joel Stransky's winning dropped goal in the 1995 Rugby World Cup is still fresh in memory, but Derick Hougaard's presence at Rugby World Cup 2003 shows that in rugby eight years is a long time.

Facing a barrage of reporters when the Springboks had their first open session with the travelling Press in Fremantle, Hougaard recalled that when Stransky wrote his name into the annals he was still in primary school in the Boland village of Piketberg.

“I was still in standard four,” said the 20-year-old flyhalf, his impish face aglow. “We watched the game on television. It’s amazing to think that I’m now playing with one of the heroes of that game Joost van der Westhuizen.”

Four years later Hougaard, who attended the fervently rugby-orientated Boland Agricultural College, had advanced to standard eight and once again he was glued to the television having dropped goals emblazoned into his consciousness – Jannie de Beer landing five for the Boks at the Stade de France in Paris and Stephen Larkham frustrating the South Africans with one in the semi-finals at Twickenham in London.

Yet, the youngster who has shown himself to a drop-kicker par excellence, having landed 11 in 18 provincial matches, and who scored a record 26 points in last year’s Currie Cup Final, says he is not obsessed with the fourth, often-overlooked, method of scoring points in rugby.

“I try to play what is required and very seldom plan to drop or use it as the first option. To me the aim of the game must still be to score tries; especially these days with bonus points so important,” said Hougaard.

Showing no nervousness at being one of the first of six Boks put out to give the Press their much-desired one-on-ones (although it tended to be six-to-ones!) Hougaard was much in demand as the crown prince of South African flyhalves.

Many of the English writers wondered whether he might be used as a secret weapon against England on October 18 and, unlike the South Africans, who tend to be quite protective, their questions were direct.

“They say you’re not a passer of the ball; just a kicker. What’s your response?” snapped a questioner and, to his credit, Hougaard came right back. “I’ve read that too, but I haven’t really noticed it myself. At school I was always seen as a running rather than kicking flyhalf and my aim is to play the options as I see them.”

And, showing a neat tactical summing up of the situation, he added, “all the great teams are physical up front but with good kicking and flair at the back.” It was not lost on his interviewers that he was talking of England and Jonny Wilkinson.

Another inquisitor wanted to know how he coped with Joost van der Westhuizen’s poor passing and again his side-step was nimble. “I can’t say I’ve noticed that, and I’m in the best position to judge,” he smiled; adding that Van der Westhuizen had been very supportive and that he appreciated the protection the scrumhalf had given him when he had first come into the Blue Bulls side.

Hougaard revealed that his range for both place-kicks and field-goals is “from just inside my own half, depending on conditions” and that he often elects to drop “when I’m isolated or nothing’s on.”

“If your drop is strong enough it is not a bad option off bad ball. If you’re successful it’s an easy way of getting points and even if you miss they (the opposition) have to kick the ball back to you,” he pointed out.

Hougaard admitted he was in awe at being at a World Cup. “I try to set very high goals for myself but I didn’t expect to get here so soon,” said a young man whose debut test cap will complete the full set of having represented his country at every level.

His youth is illustrated by Joost van der Westhuizen’s response when asked to comment on the potential of one of the many flyhalves, starting with Naas Botha, with whom the great scrumhalf has been paired. “I’ll say nice things about him as long as he doesn’t call me ‘Oom’,” quipped Van der Westhuizen in revealing the first time he had met Hougaard at a Blue Bull practice the youngster had greeted him with a “môre Oom!.”

Van der Westhuizen also kidded that the best advice he could give the young pivot was “to ignore the Press” but, jokes aside, admitted that he had been most impressed. “He can become a great player. He is prepared to learn, picks up things quickly and each time I have played with him I have been impressed by his ability to read a game,” said Van der Westhuizen.

Having (noticeably) picked up six kilograms after injuring a shoulder, the hard work the Boks have been doing has helped Hougaard shed the weight and he now weighs 88 kilograms, a kilogram heavier than he was in the Currie Cup Final. “But I’m much stronger,” he quickly adds. “The work we did to prepare for the World Cup was hard and the older guys used to tease me as I battled to keep up, but I doubt if any of us can be any fitter than we are now.”

Looking ahead to his hoped-for debut Hougaard showed that his feet are still very much on the ground. “”I’m still very young and can improve a lot but am looking forward to being given a chance in a test. Success will come from team-work and with nobody giving us a chance there is great resolve in the team to prove them wrong. My job will be to reward the faith of the people who have selected me and do the things I’m meant to do to the best of my ability.”

His is a quiet brand of confidence and you get the feeling that when that moment arrives he will not be found wanting.