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LENS - Stand-in captain Bobby Skinstad today attempted to play down allegations that South African rugby players are refusing to wear the cherished Springboks blazer.
Reports suggested that the boycott is in response to the South African Rugby Union's (Saru) decision not to give one of the jackets to their Australian technical adviser Eddie Jones, a former Wallabies coach.
Jones has not been granted official status nor full national colours even though he is allowed to wear a Springboks tracksuit and training gear.
But Skinstad, in charge of a second-string South Africa team to face Tonga in a pool A match here tomorrow, insisted the players were only focused on ensuring a place in the quarterfinals.
"I can genuinely say that the players are not doing anything differently, it certainly hasn't come from us," Skinstad said.
"I don't know if there's an issue there and it has nothing to do with the game on Saturday."
Andy Marinos, general manager national teams SA Rugby (Pty) Ltd (the commercial arm of Saru), told the www.rugby365.com website that he had been in talks with regular Springboks captain John Smit over the matter.
"I spoke to the captain, John Smit, and I was honest with him about our position," Marinos said.
"It was a matter that was discussed with the management team and Eddie Jones prior to his appointment and prior to the team's departure for the World Cup.
"It was the feeling of the council (Saru president's council) that he wouldn't be awarded colours and Eddie had absolutely no problem with it and he was comfortable with the decision.
"He felt it was about what was best for South African rugby."
- AFP
