How Boks 'stole' the Freedom Cup

The Freedom Cup is a biennial trophy that is contested between South Africa and New Zealand and this year it was up for grabs in a three-match series - the three Tri-Nations tests between the two countries.

The All Blacks had won the first two matches in the series and had secured the Freedom Cup with their 45-26 win in Pretoria last week. But the South African Rugby Union (SARU) decided to do dish out the spoils at the end of the third match.

But the host television network, SuperSport, and their presenters clearly did not do their homework - which resulted in former Springbok captain and 1995 World Cup-winning scrum-half Joost van der Westhuizen insisting that the cup be handed over to Bok captain John Smit.

This public faux pas ensured that a bemused-looking All Black captain Richie McCaw looked on while Smit hoisted the trophy in victory salute, only to have to hand it back so that it could be given to it's rightful owner ... McCaw.

The honourable Kgosi Leruo Molotlegi, the king of the Bafokeng tribe, in whose stadium the match was played, eventually handed the trophy over to the rightful winners - but the damage had been done.

This embarrassing situation is the result of SuperSport's obsession with using only former players for the interviewing and panel discussions, instead of professionals who are equipped and capable in front of televisions cameras.

And these embarrassing situations will continue to crop up as long as SuperSport continue to use these former players who behave like fans with microphones, instead of actually being objective presenters that inform the public and oversee the post-match presentations rather than being at the centre of them.

Van der Westhuizen, who has never been as slick with a microphone as he was with a ball in hand, stumbled clumsily through the interviews with McCaw and Smit, before leaving his biggest mistake for last.

"We've got the Freedom Cup that we want to hand over," he blasted over the microphone to viewers worldwide. "On my far left the President of SARU, Oregan Hoskins, and then none other than the king Kgosi Leruo Molotlegi and I ask you to please hand over the cup."

The Bok captain, Smit, stepped forward, half unsure, but accepted the cup and then lifted it to wild, rapturous cheers from the smallish crowd.

It was only after the cameras had moved away from the podium that the mistake was rectified and McCaw was called up to accept the Freedom Cup.

While SuperSport tried to ignore the fact that they had blown the post-match presentation with their amateurish behaviour, the photographers managed to capture the whole scene and there's pictures of both captains accepting the trophy.

Rayaan Adriaanse, media manager of SARU, confirmed afterwards that the trophy was incorrectly handed to Smit.

"It was an unfortunate mistake," Adriaanse told this website.

"The cup was up for grabs in a three-match series and New Zealand won the series two-one."

But Van der Westhuyzen was not alone in embarrassing his country on the day.

Another former scrum-half, 1986 Bok Garth Wright, went right over the top during the interviews, as he failed to contain his obvious delight at the Bok victory.

He made no attempt to even be objective.

Interviewing All Black centre Mils Muliaina, he told the entire world how delighted he was that his country had won.

"I'm sorry for you, but for the Springboks we're happy," Wright told a dumbfounded Muliaina.

Then, turning to his worldwide audience, Wright continued his misplaced missive.

"Well that's Mils Muliaina ... let me tell you something, he looks a little disappointed, he should be disappointed.

"I want to tell you, I'm so happy for the Springboks, I'm happy for South Africa."

SuperSport should learn that you win with the same dignity with which you loose, and this boastful behaviour by their presenters and interviewers are not doing the country's image any good.

By Jan de Koning