GERRY THORNLEYtalks to South Africa's forwards coach, who agrees his side may be the ones harbouring resentment ahead of the third Test

THE FURORE over Schalk Burger’s gouging of Luke Fitzgerald, his lenient suspension and the controversial remarks of the Springboks’ coach Pieter de Villiers – along with the coincidence of Brian O’Driscoll returning home prematurely – has brought uncanny echoes of the Lions’ disastrous tour of New Zealand four years ago.

Then, despite losing the first Test, by overplaying the public relations offensive on the All Blacks captain Tana Umaga and hooker Keven Mealamu, the Lions managed to ensure the home side were the ones harbouring resentment for the second Test.

Arguably, nothing has stoked the fires this week more than de Villiers’ bizarre comments. Yet, the attention his comments have created, along with a lack of respect for the Lions in some sections of the South African media, has clearly left the Springboks resenting the underwhelming appreciation of their achievement.

Talking to Gary Gold, the Springboks’ assistant/forwards coach yesterday at their hotel base in Johannesburg, one ventured that this in turn is liable to leave them hungry to complete a 3-0 whitewash next Saturday.

“I think that’s a fair comment if I’m being honest,” said the former London Irish coach when taking a deep breath. “We’ve worked really, really hard to beat what, contrary to belief, I believe is a world-class British and Irish Lions team. I think they came here, they wore their hearts on their sleeves, they gave 150 per cent, they gave us an extremely tough challenge. Our guys will tell you the way they’re feeling today, Tuesday after a Test, is as tough as anything they’ve ever experienced, and for some of them, tougher than ever experienced in their life.

“It’s a fantastic Lions team and to beat them in any way that we can, legally of course,” he emphasised, “beat them in any way possible, whether that’s a come back with 20 minutes to go or whether that’s a first-half platform that we laid in the first Test, I am a little bit mesmerised that people are criticising us as freely as they are.

“But the credit that we’re looking for as coaches must go to the team,” added the free-talking Gold. “We believe it must go to John Smit as a leader, and we believe it must go to the guys who rallied around him and who he was able to get back on to the programme, and to fight what was an extremely difficult challenge.

“And to score three tries to one against a British and Irish Lions team who are renowned for a fantastic defence is no mean feat. But it’s not about looking for the credit. At the end of the day we won the series and I think we must just stay humble that we’ve won the series.

“In saying that, let me just say that for the Lions guys to come out and say they were unlucky, I agree with them. That’s what these games go to, they go down to the wire, a Ugo Monye dropped pass here or a missed tackle, I think they can feel unlucky but unfortunately that’s sport.”

Gold also lamented the departure from the tour of O’Driscoll. “I am sad. Drico for us is an inspiration to play against. He’s world-class. He’s an extremely exciting challenge to play against. I think he hurt us at the weekend. I think he played extremely well again. I think he’s building up his confidence and for us when we want to win these games as badly as we do, we also want to beat the best team. Drico not being there is quite sad for us. I hope he recovers in time, but maybe not in time to play us at the end of the year,” quipped Gold.

“Definitely the challenge is not as great, with Drico not there, but please, it doesn’t mean that I don’t think the other centres are world class. For them to put on a Lions jersey is a big occasion and I think they’re going to want to prove to themselves and their countries and the Lions they come out and win a game against the Springboks. I think it’s going to be a fierce challenge whoever they pick in his place,” he said, mentioning Gordon D’Arcy.

Gold was angrier when discussing the two-week ban imposed on Bakkies Botha for the charge/clear-out at a ruck in Saturday’s second Test which left Adam Jones with a dislocated shoulder.

“I didn’t see anything wrong in that at all. It was a perfectly fair challenge. We’re very sorry Adam got injured in the challenge but I think it’s only because of the injury the citing possibly came about. Personally I think it was a textbook clean.

“It was fair, it was honest and it was tough, and unfortunately he (Jones) got injured.”