Springboks upset by Australian 'spy' at training

By MIKE GREENAWAY

PERTH - A spy drama that unfolded at Monday's South African training session has escalated into a full-blown controversy after the mystery cameraman was identified as one Damien Holden, a former coach at Sydney club Randwick and reportedly a friend of Wallaby coach Eddie Jones and assistant coach Glen Ella.

While the Springboks were loathe officially to accuse their Tri-Nations adversaries of blatant spying, they were visibly upset by the actions of the secretive cameraman and coach Harry Viljoen said that the days are fast approaching when an iron cordon of security will have to be installed at every training session.

At Monday's session, scrumhalf Joost van der Westhuizen noticed a video camera being trained on the Boks from a maroon 4x4 parked at the Palmyra Rugby Club where the South Africans have been preparing for Saturday's test.

A posse of players and management hastened towards the car whereupon the camera was lowered, and the car reversed to another parking lot.

Later, Van der Westhuizen again spotted the cameraman, this time from within the car - the wipers were on to clear the windscreen of the pouring rain that has been falling since Sunday.

The Boks again raced across to accost the man, but this time he drove away in a hurry.

Today, the Australian Rugby Union liaison officer assigned to the Boks, Peter Holms, disclosed the identity of the cameraman.

Tim Lane, the Bok assistant coach, said he knew the man. "We do not believe that the Wallabies sent him out, but we will have to wait and see. He did leave the parking lot in a hurry after he had been spotted ..."

TV crews are usually allowed to watch the Boks warm-up at Monday training sessions, but it is customary that they are asked to switch off their cameras as soon as the team begins training proper.

Earlier in the practice session, Viljoen had to admonish a TV crew that was filming the Boks scrumming.

"We are not going to take any more chances," an irate Viljoen said.

"No foreigners will be allowed at our sessions any more this week. Look, I would never point the finger at the Wallabies, but at the same time you just never know what is going to happen with footage taken of your sessions. Maybe someone will try and sell it to the Wallabies."

Assistant coach Jake White said that a video tape of the Boks training was potentially very useful to the opposition.

"There are certain adjustments you make before every test match. Teams know each other inside out from playing each other so often, but each week there are always a few things that you will do differently, especially when it comes to things like lineouts. Also very dangerous is the fact that video cameras have microphones which will obviously tape the calls the players make for moves."

The problem of spies at practices is hardly new and seems to be escalating.

Last season the All Blacks were incensed when they saw Wallaby centre Nathan Grey observing their practice at Sydney's Manly club, allegedly with a note book in hand.

Earlier this year, the British Lions believed their practices were taped by Wallaby spies.

And the Springboks are convinced that tapes of their Plettenberg Bay training camp were given to the French ahead of the two-test series. Yesterday's training was held under a media blackout.

- INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPERS (SOUTH AFRICA)