Springbok captain John Smit has described as "ludicrous" reports that he was mandated to speak to the national team management about controversial loose forward Luke Watson and convey to them a message of a possible player boycott.

Weekend reports claimed that up to half of the current Springbok squad were ready to withdraw from the year-end tour to England, Wales and Scotland — should Watson be chosen.

The reports, first published in some weekend papers, said that this threat was made to both SA Rugby and Springbok coach Peter de Villiers last Friday and followed Watson's controversial comments about the Springbok jersey and Afrikaans-speaking people.

"I firmly believe that two wrongs don't make a right"

On Monday, SA Rugby dismissed this report as "completely untrue". However, on Tuesday morning more reports surfaced, quoting unnamed sources, suggesting that the initial reports did, in fact, have some substance to them.

However, Smit, speaking on the 5fm radio station's breakfast show, dismissed the reports.

"Yes, there was some sad comment in terms of what was said by Luke (Watson) about the Springbok team and his team-mates, but nothing has been proven and I while I didn't enjoy what I heard, I can't take any of that for granted until I have spoken to the guy," the Bok captain told 5fm sports presenter Sias du Plessis.

"This weekend's reports — that I was mandated by the team to speak to the Springbok coach, demanding that he leaves a certain guy out of that team, otherwise we are going to boycott the tour — that is ludicrous," Smit added.

"I firmly believe that two wrongs don't make a right.

"There is no way that my meeting had anything to do with a mandate by the players, my meeting had solely to do with planning and preparation for the year-end tour.

"I certainly did not hold him (Bok coach Peter De Villiers) to ransom and neither was I mandated by the players to put forward such demands."

Select on rugby criteria

World Cup-winning skipper Smit did, however, call on the selectors to name a team based purely on rugby reasons.

"What we have to get back to is that it is not an individual sport, it is a team sport and when you have individuals that start using their egos for their own individual benefit, that is where the team doesn't benefit.

"We just need to get back to putting the South African rugby team first and making sure that the Springboks prosper no matter who you select.

"If we can select a team at the end of the year that is purely based on rugby and not on family and politics and all the other hoo-hah, I think we will do well."

  • What do you make of all of this? Do the Bok players have a right to boycott the tour if Watson is selected? Let us know what YOU think!

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