Here’s a tough question: at this moment, who would you rather play for, the Springboks in rugby or the Australian cricket side?
Think about it. Who would you rather not play for? The Aussies have ruled cricket for most of the last three decades and they have usually done it in style. They play hard and at times sledge to the limit, but in general they’re pretty good blokes.
When they lose, they usually keep their council, apart from praising their opponents, and double their efforts to bounce back.
Steve Waugh started the tradition of all players wearing the baggy green cap on the first morning and this has evolved into genuine worship of the original model. In which other sport do professional players play in faded, even decrepit uniforms by choice? Those old caps are badges of honour. In Aussie cricket, tradition and history are a part of it, and losing, as they are at the moment, will hurt the players.
It seems the selectors have panicked. How can you drop players after a single appearance in a sport like cricket?
If you’re of strong disposition, Google the Australian cricket reports and headlines. Ouch! Even ‘Mintgate’ cannot take the pressure off the Aussie cricketers and coaches at the moment.
Playing in a losing Springbok rugby side is also not fun. Regardless of the ups and downs of recent years, the players have grown up weaned on legends of invincibility.
Fathers have schooled kids on the heroes of the past and the two World Cup victories are recent enough to be remembered in detail. Playing for that jersey is not a cliche for SA kids. It's a holy relic to be honoured, cherished, sacrificed for and dreamed about. To wear it for real is for an SA rugby player an almost religious experience. To lose in it is sacrilegious. To lose again and again is akin to heresy or treason. The Bok jersey is like the baggy green.
What makes it worse is that, just like the Aussie cricketers, there seems to be little or no improvement by the Boks.
In top rugby today, effort is not enough. There has to be an accepted plan and the skills developed within the squad to implement it.
Added to this are the old potential divisions based on race and language, and make no mistake, losing can dredge those up again.
So which is it? The Aussies or the Boks? In fact, it doesn't matter. They're in exactly the same boat.
What both teams need is big personalities to stand up to be counted, leaders to emerge who will either challenge what is happening and change things from within, or speak out in public if such efforts are ignored. The latter is fraught with danger as speaking out goes against tradition and team discipline.
But one of the two needs to happen. There needs to be a revolution and it can either be peaceful or bloody.
Not knowing the internal dynamics of each group means it is impossible from the outside to identify the leaders who must act. It could be coaches who decide to change; it could be formal leaders, or simply personalities who have the ability to influence and change mindsets. In all groups there are such people.
Good players do not suddenly become bad so the rot must be identified. Is it selection, tactics, fitness? Is it team spirit? Is it a combination? Once this has been established and agreed upon, plans can be made. Immediately this will result in a change of mood and spirits will lift. There is nothing like a plan made from within to improve motivation and, of course, there is an added responsibility to deliver on it.
The important thing to realise is that it has happened before in both sports. History is peppered with great sides who fell and who rescued themselves by action and that action came from certain personalities. Let us hope it's peaceful and constructive.
The Aussies have at least tried to change things. The Springboks keep insisting that results will come and that they are on the right track. Unless we see evidence of this today - and it seems unlikely based on this year’s performances so far - there could be blood on the walls.
*Robbie hosts the morning drive show 6-9am weekdays on 702
Saturday Star