EVERY match is a cup final from now on. Tomorrow it's the kind of cup final where you not only have to win, you have score four tries doing it. Can we do it against Auckland? The only thing to do is go for it.
Last week showed us what rugby is all about. Our backs were running onto the ball at last, and at real pace. The pack were hungry for possession, really hungry. There was some splendid tackling, though also a bit of vas aan die slaap in that department, rather than failure to take on the man. And Transvaal were magnificent in their fightback. Did I not predict this would be a humdinger? When the two sides of the Drakensberg meet on the rugby field, there's fireworks, no matter the log positions.
The main thing is, we're improving every outing. The scrum looks solid as a rock. John Smit has suddenly discovered loosehead is his dream position and that gives him opportunity to exercise his craftiness as skipper plus put in some handy ball-carrying. One of these days they will discover the magic spark. May it be tomorrow.
Patrick Lambie is find of the season at fullback, and it's astonishing to reflect how young he is. He's just been selected for the national Under20 side for the Under-20 World Cup. That's if Piet de Snor doesn't snatch him for the senior Boks. The way he's playing, that just could happen. Cool under the high ball, faultlessly in position, deadly tackler, strong on counter-attack – he's got it all.
Lambie is a Michaelhouse boy and there's a strong chance he could close the gap on Durban Girls' College when it comes to rugby Springboks. Durban Girls' College? Yes, it's an excellent Trivial Pursuits question.
Who's got the most rugby Springboks on the honours board, Michaelhouse or Durban Girls' College? The answer is Girls' College. Michaelhouse hasn't produced a single rugby Springbok. Durban Girls' College has produced two. In the 1920s Girls' College used to enroll boys in their Kindergarten. Among them were Wally Clarkson and Pat Lyster, both of whom went on to play rugby for the Boks before World War II. They were most definitely old boys of Durban Girls' College.
So even if Lambie does make it, Michaelhouse will still be playing catch-up with Durban Girls' College. And who knows what fearsome Amazons Girls' College might be secretly training up for the moment the Constitutional Court declares rugby to be open to both sexes? This competition between the top private schools can be a cut-throat business.
And speaking of schools, I see De Snor himself is tipping Peter Grant (Maritzburg College) for the Bok flyhalf berth. Coming from the coach, that's about as hot a tip as you can get. It would restore the equilibrium in Bok rugby, where College have provided a long succession of flyhalves – Keith Oxlee, Joel Stransky, Butch James. Get Grant back home where he belongs and it would restore the equilibrium to our provincial rugby as well. This surely has to be an objective.
However, all this is to digress. Tomorrow is another moment of truth. My prediction? We'll moider da bums! See you in the Duikers'! I'll do a Cossack dance on the bar counter if we pull it off.
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