Teichmann supports Kiwis in scrum war
Tue, 08 Jul 2008 10:25
Former Springbok captain Gary Teichmann believes the All Blacks are merely streetwise, and were not resorting to illegal scrum tactics in last Saturday's first Tri-Nations Test.
Bok coach Peter de Villiers added fuel to the fire ahead of the second Test in Dunedin, claiming loosehead prop Tony Woodcock resorted to underhand scrummaging tactics in the Wellington clash.
However Teichmann, who captained the Boks between 1996 and 1999, says the All Blacks simply wheeled the scrum and then put a second shove on.
He says the Springboks should have hit up front in the beginning and not allowed the All Blacks to get the wheel on, reports the NZ Herald website.
As for the make-up of the Springbok team for Saturday's return Tri-Nations Test, Teichmann is calling for De Villiers to stick with the same side. However, that would be apart from the captain John Smit who has returned home, with Bismarck du Plessis set to start at hooker.
The critics have been out in force in SA following Saturday's loss in Wellington, but Teichmann does not want to see wholesale changes - he believes they changed too much in the build-up to the Tri-Nations.
The Springbok team will be announced on Thursday.
SAPA
