Murray Kinsella reports from Twickenham
PLAYING AGAINST NEW Zealand is a special thing for the Burger family.
During the apartheid years, when international rugby sides were condemned for playing against South Africa, ‘The Cavaliers’ braved the backlash and undertook a 12-match tour that included four Tests against the Springboks.
It was a hugely controversial tour, with the Cavaliers’ 30-man squad made up of existing New Zealand internationals including Robbie Deans, Wayne Smith, Murray Mexted and Grant Fox. Basically, an unofficial and unsanctioned All Blacks team.
Schalk Burger was only three at the time, but his father – also Schalk – packed down for South Africa in the second row against the Cavaliers.
Burger, the son, took up the mantle when he became a Springbok in 2003 and has relished every chance he has had to take on the Kiwis since. Tomorrow in Twickenham is even more special than usual, a World Cup semi-final.
“I think the rivalry is unique,” said Burger this afternoon after the Boks’ captain’s run. “I grew up watching South Africa play the All Blacks, but this is a massive game for us, the current generation.
It’s such a small part of the history between the two nations, so what’s quite remarkable is that we all respect each other, we’re all friends.”
New Zealand coach Steve Hansen yesterday stated that he believes the Boks are ready to rip his players’ heads off, those comments drawing a smile from Burger this morning.
“Not at the moment, maybe tomorrow,” said the flanker. “It’s a physical game and we pride ourselves on that, so do they. We’ve got different styles but it’s pretty similar. We both want to go out there and play rugby, that’s what makes it such an exciting game.”
There is a relaxed vibe around Burger, an ease in his communication and a slightly sarcastic but self-depreciating humour. Having come close to death just two years ago, you sense that he is more than capable of keeping rugby in perspective.
Yesterday, the 32-year-old was out playing golf with his father, South African billionaire Johann Rupert and fellow Bok Schalk Brits. Several of Meyer’s squad visited Chelsea’s plush Cobham Training Centre this morning, although the grizzled back row left the younger players to that.
Whatever about his relaxed state, there is a certainty that Burger will bring his usual dose of aggression to Twickenham tomorrow for the latest clash with the Kiwis. His form in this World Cup has been superb since the opening defeat to Japan, Burger carrying, passing, supporting, rucking and leading with excellence.
“It didn’t start too rosy for us, this World Cup,” said Burger. “Obviously the weeks after that, Samoa and Scotland, was the toughest we’ve had as a group together. A lot of the credit goes to the coaching staff, but especially the senior players.
“I think they took ownership of the team and obviously the only way you can take ownership of the team is by playing well. I think all the senior players have put their hands up and have been playing really well.
On my own form, I’m just enjoying my rugby. It’s really nice to be in a Springbok jersey. A couple of years ago there was no chance of me getting back in here, so it’s lovely to get another chance to play.”
Tomorrow also presents Burger with a final chance to face another veteran of the Test arena, Richie McCaw. This pair have given everything to their nations in the pursuit of success and Burger respects the Kiwi captain.
“We’ve become good mates,” said Burger. “We’ve played against each other since 2003, so there’s been a fair few contests and unfortunately I’ve been on the losing end most of the time. Hopefully for me, we can get a win over them tomorrow and it will give me some bragging rights for future days to come.
“He’s won more Test matches than I’ve played, so we can’t really compare. It’s almost like trying to compare to Tiger Woods, it’s pretty tough.
“On the field, we’re equals. We play a bit of a different style, but both of us have massive work rates, so we find each other on the bottom of rucks or tackling each other, carrying the ball a hell of a lot.
“I always try to make a bit of a chat on the field, it’s pretty difficult to do with Richie, but after we’ll share a beer and reminisce about days gone by.”
If Burger can help the Boks get the better of the back row battle and the breakdown contest, the likes of Willie le Roux and Bryan Habana will hope to prosper.
Habana needs just one more try to move past Jonah Lomu and their joint record of 15 World Cup five pointers, while on the Kiwis’ side Julian Savea needs one more to shift past Habana and Lomu’s record of eight tries in a single World Cup.
Hopefully Julian never runs at me,” said Burger with a smile. “That will be mildly terrifying to say the least! Hopefully JP Pietersen can keep him quiet.
“On Bryan, what can you say? He’s scored 64 tries for South Africa, he’s the most capped back we’ve had and he’s on 15 World Cup tries. I know Drew Mitchell is catching up quite fast and Julian has scored eight in this World Cup.
“Hopefully if we do our job we can get Bryan some space and he gets the record. He had a chance against America and fluffed that one, so hopefully he doesn’t fluff the one on the weekend.”
Why is stamp in inverted commas?
Disgraceful conduct by O’ Driscoll. A fitting end to an underwhelming career.
If your going to troll pls be either:
Funny
Clever
Original
And not just a tool, there’s a good lad.
And there goes someone with a chronic attention seeking disorder, penny for the pity?? Anyone
Not trolling, sweetheart.
For someone who is heralded as one of the best players ever on the international stage, all he has to show for it is one Grand Slam. If he concentrated more on his rugby & less on being the poor mans David Beckham, he might be worthy of the adulation he gets from you sheep.
Still, at least he has the “BOD” brand to concentrate on now. LOL.
Jamie, agreed on BOD being an attention seeker. He was lucky not to get a straight red for that today.
You are actually aware that you need 15 players on a rugby team, it’s not an individual sport.
George Best was crap too I suppose. Never even played in a World Cup !
Exactly, 15 players on a team until one of them gets sin-binned for violent conduct. If BOD kept his head & tried to win the game for his country we wouldn’t even be having this discussion.
Also, you’re surely not saying that it’s been BOD & 14 no-hopers for the past decade? You can extend my earlier comment about an underwhelming career to the rest of the so-called “golden generation”.
BTW, George Best retired at 27 & was seen as a wasted talent. Not the best comparison to make.
Great lad
3 Heineken Cups in 4 years. Hardly underwhelming figures. The man is class and if our country sees another like him in the short years ahead we’ll be extremely lucky.
Underwhelming on the INTERNATIONAL stage Nicky. He left us down today, plain & simple.
We shouldn’t have to rely on a late Scotland try to save us from the wooden spoon.
Don’t where you’re getting ‘Nicky’ from.
Regardless, your comment said ‘underwhelming career’ and I was responding directly to that.
Yes he made a mistake today but that is not the issue I was commenting on.
That should read ‘don’t know where’
I’m genuinely struggling to comprehend how you could possibly call the career one of the greatest players of the professional era as ‘underwhelming’. He’s renowned as being one of the greatest because his career has been the total opposite of that
Jaysus Nikki,
It was obvious I was talking about his international career. It’s not 100% certain he’s going to retire from Leinster yet.
So the issue you were commenting on is the one you’ve decided you want to talk about, not the one I was raising. That’s not the way things work, you should try & stay on topic. :-)
Ciaran,
Whats he got to show for his career in the green shirt? One grand slam.
Underwhelming return for “one of the greatest players of the professional era.”
Give it a rest eh? You said ‘career’. It’s not 100% he’s retired from anywhere!!!
Nikki? If you want personal terms stop hiding behind a pseudo name and be open about who you are. Like I do.
Imagine a footballer did that, absolutely disgraceful, nothing will be said about it though because its a sainted rugby player and we all know they’re paragons of virtue and sportsmanship, not like those horrible football louts
Should have been a straight Red – the intend was there !
10 posts on ODriscolls stamp – wonder how many if it was another player ???