Fronting up

As dramatic statements go you would have to go some to beat the one made by Corné Krige and his Springbok team in Pretoria on Thursday.

Former All Black captain Sean Fitzpatrick had a favourite phrase for standing up to be counted – “fronting up.”

Fitzpatrick used it to describe players standing their man on the field or for people remaining true to their convictions. The tough hooker also liked to say that he did not mind journalists criticising him or his team as long as they “fronted up” – in other words, as they long as they were willing to face their subjects (victims?) rather than firing bullets from afar.

On Thursday the Springboks gave new meaning to the concept in their attempt to try to allay the furore that erupted around their heads following the “Geogate” affair and which will either pick up in intensity or abate only after the King commission has done its work.

Krige and his team decided they would face the Press “as one,” and came up with a radical method of doing this.

“We have decided that you can speak to us,” Krige told an astonished Press conference, “but everyone will have to go outside and you can come back in one-by-one, introduce yourself, and ask any of the players anything you like.

“We have decided that all these things are going on over our heads, going to the coach, going to Sarfu, going to Rian Oberholzer and nobody’s asking us about what’s happening in the team. I think it’s about time we (ie. you) discussed it with the players.”

Krige explained that it was a method decided on by the team to ensure that everyone heard what was asked, by whom, what was answered and that these exchanges were correctly reported.

“People are thinking that we’re dropping our heads but in fact were drawing closer and closer to each other. That’s why we’re sitting here putting up a united front and saying that you can ask us anything you like, ask any player any question you like, but you do it in front of everybody.

“We want to take a stand and show the people out there that we’re a team and that we’re a team to be reckoned with.”

Strong stuff. A mite reckless even. But the skipper got his message across and what the “inquisition” revealed was a group of young men puzzled and frustrated by what has been going on and, to quote Os du Randt, just a little bit “gatvol” that they are being side-tracked when all they want is to feel that the public is behind them as they prepare for the Rugby World Cup which is now just over a month away.

Certainly, unless some of their number are either very good actors or very good liars, they did not strike one as a divided or unhappy group. At a lunch to which the members of the Press were invited they were courteous to a fault, mixed freely across the myriad of dividing lines that will always exist in a South African rugby teams, and delighted in watching Herschelle Gibbs go to his century at The Oval.

Although I came away with many questions still requiring answers – who accused Geo Cronjé of racism? Why has Quinton Davids not spoken? Why has Geo Cronjé not defended himself and assured us that he is not a racist? Who is leaking the inside stories that still keep appearing the Press? What is written in Mark Keohane’s dossier? – I couldn’t help but feel sorry for this genial group of young guys who should be wrapped up in the greatest adventure of their lives.

Instead they are having their every move analysed; their morality questioned by all and sundry (many of whom are singularly unsuited to the task!) and they are about to interrogated by a former judge and two prying assessors.

It is difficult to imagine a scenario less conducive to success at the World Cup, but one can only hope that Krige is right when he says adversity is causing the team to bond and work like never before.

One can only hope…