Living in (racial) harmony

By CHRIS RATTUE

Marius Joubert will return to Jade Stadium tomorrow with a clear conscience after being implicated in allegations that a racist slur was made during a Super 12 game this season.

Stormer Joubert was on the receiving end of a half-hearted head butt from Crusaders No 8 Mose Tuiali'i in the second to last round of the competition.

Joubert then endured claims that it was racial abuse that had incited Tuiali'i.

Tuiali'i, who later made the All Black squad, was suspended for three weeks by a Sanzar judicial committee of New Zealanders.

In a summary of the hearing, the committee stated Tuiali'i said he had copped an "unacceptable" comment on the field and did not want to appear intimidated.

That was followed by newspaper claims that a racial slur had been aimed at Tuiali'i, although Joubert was not identified as the alleged culprit.

When asked if South African teams felt they were a soft target for allegations of racist abuse, Joubert told the Herald this week it had not been a problem for a number of years.

Joubert categorically denied that he or any team-mates had aimed a racial slur at Tuiali'i.

"Nothing happened. I was very surprised because just nothing was said," Joubert said.

"I mix with people of all races. I think there was an attempt to stir us up and upset us before our next game there.

"He [Tuiali'i] might have said whatever he said [at the hearing] to get off lighter. If he is happy to say what he did then that is something he must live with.

"I'm not a person to let things worry me ... I've got no hard feelings. And he's not playing this weekend anyway."

Joubert's return to Jade Stadium is not the only controversy dogging the Springboks.

Reports continue to surface of unrest between the Springboks and their national union - which has included suggestions they might strike.

And there have also been claims that lock Victor Matfield, who reportedly returned home because of a knee injury, was in fact thrown out of the Springboks because of a contract dispute.

Joubert could throw little light on either subject.

He said he had only read reports of player unrest, and he understood Matfield had a knee injury.

Joubert will once again play alongside his Stormers midfield partner De Wet Barry in the test - a partnership which began as schoolboys when Barry often played outside centre, forcing Joubert on to the wing.

The pair come from a famous old rugby school called Paarl Gymnasium in Boland, near Cape Town, where Barry was a year ahead of Joubert.

They form part of an unusual link among the Springbok three-quarters in tomorrow's test.

Wing Jean de Villiers also attended Paarl Gymnasium (as did flanker Schalk Burger), while Barry was born in the same area as the other wing Breyton Paulse.

Joubert was overlooked by Western Provinces at age grade level and was picked up by Boland.

So he ended up opposing Barry for a while in the Currie Cup, although he has since transferred to Western Province.

Now Joubert - who missed the World Cup because of a shoulder injury - and Barry are also the linchpins of the Stormers and test backline.

The 25-year-old Joubert is known for his cutting edge while Barry is regarded mainly for his thunderbolt tackling.

As always, it is the Springboks forwards who win most respect, and their backline still struggles to match the class of Australia and New Zealand.

Joubert pinpointed the Springbok pack as their strength, but said the backline was beginning to find its way.

"Preparations have gone really well," said Barry. "The game against the Pacific Islanders gave us a good example of the way maybe the All Blacks will play as well.

"We've got a new backline and maybe we weren't gelling so well in the beginning but things are going better."

Marius Joubert

Position: Centre

Height 1.9m

Weight 87kg

Date of Birth July 10, 1979 at Paarl.

Western Province debut: v Boland, 2002.

Western Province caps: 5

Stormers debut: v Sharks, 2002.

Stormers caps: 25

Springbok debut v New Zealand, July 21, 2001.

Springbok caps: 17.

Springbok points: 20.