South Africa coach Peter de Villiers lavished praise on his captain John Smit after arriving in New Zealand.
South Africa coach talks up his captain
Peter de Villiers did little to quieten talk and dispel rumours surrounding his selections issues when he faced the media for the first time since arriving in New Zealand.
The South African coach's dilemma surrounds the future Saracen, hooker John Smit, arguably the world's best Test captain, but someone who has been overshadowed recently by Sharks team-mate Bismarck du Plessis.
"John is the best hooker in world rugby at the moment so we will be very sensible when we make selections," de Villiers said with force.
Smit who was sitting next to his coach tactfully managed to diffuse the evident tension.
"When I hear the coach talk like that it reminds me of my wife, she thinks I'm the most handsome guy in the world," which generated laughter from the media crowd.
"Obviously I prefer hooker, but really for the last couple of years I have been playing wherever it is needed for the team"
To accommodate both players de Villiers has resorted to selecting Smit at tighthead prop, which has had a negative effect on the Springboks usually strong scrum, even to the extent that they were shunted around by an improving but not world beating Australia side.
Disappointing
The Springboks enter the tournament looking to become the first side to win the Webb Ellis trophy for the third time, although their build up has been less than world class.
They chose to rest more than 20 of their first team players for the first two weeks of the Tri Nations and suffered embarrassing defeats at the hands of Australia and New Zealand as a result.
However de Villiers was not concerned about their successive last placed finish in the annual southern hemisphere competition, preferring to look ahead to their World Cup challenge that is Pool D.
"I don't know if you can call it a mixed build up. For some people victory and defeat is everything in life," he said.
"But I am happy with the way we have built this whole thing up.
"For us it's all about the World Cup, to come here, to enjoy New Zealand, enjoy the rugby and make our people proud."
The Springboks arrived in New Zealand in the early hours of Saturday and were greeted by about 150 supporters after being waved off for their long journey by tens of thousands of fans.
