Rugby: Smit's more interested in the job at hand

Springbok captain John Smit makes friends with the locals at Onewa Domain before a training session yesterday. Photo / Richard Robinson

World champions South Africa kept their unpredictable coach and more stable test lineup under wraps as they began preparations for Saturday night's opening Tri-Nations test.

Peter de Villiers and legendary captain John Smit were initially slated to front an Auckland press conference where the team would be revealed but instead only Smit - who had woken just an hour earlier - fronted a large media contingent at their hotel.

Minor injuries to veteran lock Bakkies Botha (spleen) and one of his replacement options, utility Danie Rossouw (knee), were given as reasons for delaying the naming of the team until tomorrow.

The Springboks dominated the All Blacks last year and open their defence of the Tri-Nations with consecutive matches in Auckland and Wellington.

De Villiers, who revels in sometimes bizarre verbal exchanges, has already hit the headlines by claiming both he and All Blacks coach Graham Henry have "big mouths".

No wonder sport holds such an important place in our daily lives.

Smit was in no mood to join the banter and in a typical press conference interview, with the topics bouncing all over the place, said the Springboks were delighted with the way new players had performed in tests away to Wales, and at home against France and Italy.

Among this squad, backs Gio Aplon and Juan de Jongh, and loose forward Francois Louw, made their test debuts this year.

"It was an interesting dynamic for us losing [flanker] Heinrich Brussow early in the Super 14, scratching and thinking about who on earth was going to replace the kind of work he did last year," said Smit.

"All of a sudden, a guy like Francois Louw steps up. He's played four tests and got three players' man-of-the-match awards. It just shows how the culture of the team helps someone who has got the potential to play well to fit in straight away.

"We've got a few more new faces. Last year, there were very few guys brought into the system ... this year in the first two tests alone we brought in five new faces and not one of them has disappointed."

Smit gave a two-edged answer on the importance of Saturday's match in terms of gaining an advantage for the World Cup next year. "To become too wrapped up in the World Cup at this stage would be foolish," he said.

"We haven't had too much success at Eden Park. Whether we get it right or wrong, lessons will be learnt either way that will help us at next year's World Cup."

On the All Blacks, Smit said: "They have won the Tri-Nations most out of all of us and not winning it [last year] will really irritate them. They are going to rock up worked up and ready to go on Saturday.

"We'd be foolish to think we are leading the way because of what we did last year. The teams will be concentrating on what to do next. You might see a different style depending on the weather, the teams we pick and who we play."