The days of touring teams taking on strong provincial sides, with players out to make a point, are long gone.
Phepsi Buthelezi, with the ball, and Vincent Koch, in the background, were two of only a handful of experienced players in the Sharks side that faced the All Blacks on Tuesday. Picture: Steve Haag Sports/Gallo Images
Ma’a Nonu’s solo performance of the haka at Kings Park in Durban on Tuesday night might possibly go down as one of the highlights of the four matches the touring All Blacks play against the South African United Rugby Championship sides.
In fact, it might go down as one of the biggest and most memorable moments of the entire tour, including the Tests.
Of course, the three Tests in South Africa on this All Blacks tour – next weekend at Ellis Park, the following week in Cape Town, and the week thereafter at FNB Stadium – should be crackers. They really are what rugby fans are waiting for.
The fourth Test in Baltimore, USA, wasn’t necessary. At all. It is a money-grabbing exercise and nothing else.
Three Tests in South Africa would have been perfect. It would also have guaranteed a series winner. But now, because of the extra fourth Test the series could end up being 2-2 … and no one wants that.
Under-strength local sides
The tour games against the URC sides have also not worked out quite like the marketers and planners had hoped they would. The Stormers put up a bit of a fight last Friday but the Sharks failed to score a point in taking a hiding on Tuesday night. Next up are the Bulls and then it’s the Lions’ turn.
While it’s a great idea to have the All Blacks go on a proper weeks-long tour and face the best of the provincial sides in South Africa, the reality is because of the professional era we live in and because of different seasons, the matches are nothing more than fixtures being fulfilled. The URC sides are far from full strength.
In the old days, the matches against the provincial teams gave the local players incentive to play hard and well to perhaps get into the Test side. Nowadays, the Test squad is picked long before the tour matches, or midweek games, take place so the best players don’t feature for their provinces.
Also, in South Africa right now, the URC teams are only heading into their pre-seasons, so they’re hardly battle-ready to face a team like the All Blacks.
Perhaps it would have been better, more entertaining and more competitive, for the All Blacks to play in Mbombela, Bloemfontein and Kimberley against the Pumas, Cheetahs and Griquas sides.
Those teams would all be at full-strength and would draw decent local support to the games; fans pretty much starved of star players visiting their cities. Also, those teams have all been in action for weeks already in the Currie Cup so their players are match-fit and ready, unlike the URC players.
