Rugby: Teichmann cops the blame

By Wynne Gray

The All Blacks will face a Springboks side seething with resentment following moves to axe long-term skipper Gary Teichmann for the next Tri-Nations test in Pretoria and the World Cup.

Springbok coach Nick Mallett apparently phoned Teichmann late last week to indicate he was gone and was due to make the sacking official early today (NZ time) in Cape Town when he named his next test squad.

Mallett reasoned he needed the inspiration of Bobby Skinstad to pick up his team, which has staggered this year with three significant defeats against Wales, the All Blacks and Wallabies.

Picking Skinstad meant the selection of the Stormers No 8 and Teichmann, the Sharks No 8 and captain, was mutually exclusive just two months away from the World Cup.

The plans were to install Blue Bulls halfback Joost van der Westhuizen as the new Springbok skipper in what will be his comeback test after a long injury layoff, on his home ground at Pretoria against the All Blacks.

"Obviously it hurts, but what makes it worse is that I don't feel I am out of form," Teichmann said when quizzed about being dropped.

Even before Mallett's public pronouncement on the changes there was discussion about the level of fallout and potential for team chaos.

Many South African rugby writers and observers have been expecting Teichmann's fall. Some believe the Skinstad-for-Teich-mann switch was about to happen towards the end of the Super 12 but Skinstad's car crash, which damaged his knee, put Mallett's idea on hold.

Teichmann's axeing will provoke tremendous sympathy and support for the 32-year-old, who has played 41 tests with 35 as skipper.

It is a move which means Teichmann does not play in any World Cup after missing a late cut to be part of the Springbok squad which took out the last tournament in 1995 in South Africa.

During the recent Tri-Nations tour to New Zealand and Australia, sources said many of the senior players were disenchanted with Mallett, while the rumours of Teichmann's demise had been strong for months.

Those senior players were strongly in support of Teichmann as World Cup captain and, conversely, were not taken with the playing skills of "Golden Boy" Skinstad. They felt he did nowhere near the hard graft Teichmann produced in each game.

Had Teichmann been dropped in the amateur era, sources said there would have been no question of a revolt. But with so much money involved [Springboks get about $10,000 a test] and the World Cup so close, the reaction might not be so drastic.

There was also a problem arranging a united protest as the players were scattered throughout the republic until they assembled later this week for the Pretoria test. But the players' indignation was already being heard before Teichmann's sacking.

There would also be questions about the captaincy credentials of van der Westhuizen. It was suggested he had been picked by Mallett to help placate the senior players but his leadership record with the Bulls was ordinary.

All Black coach John Hart and his team had a lot of admiration for the style and ability of Teichmann. "He ranks very highly with us and if it happens it is a big call this close to the World Cup," Hart said.

It is understood Teichmann and Mallett have drifted apart in the last few months and there did appear to be a lack of unanimity when they were in Carisbrook for the opening Tri-Nations inter-national.

Other senior players apparently also feel some disquiet about the team management, a group being called the Cape Cabal, who are all close Cape Town associates of Mallett.