Australia coach Eddie Jones lost his cool with a South African journalist after his side’s 43-12 Rugby Championship defeat to a “Springbok B-team” on Saturday.
With 13 of their top dogs already in New Zealand to prepare for this week’s Test against the All Blacks, South Africa fielded some fringe stars at Loftus Versfeld leading to many referring to them as a ‘B’ team in the buildup to the clash.
Six-try #Springboks start 2023 with a bang 🇿🇦#StrongerTogether #RSAvAUS #TRC2023 pic.twitter.com/U69YTADCyT
— Springboks (@Springboks) July 8, 2023
The journo then asked Jones in his post-match presser: “Eddie, you expressed your disappointment during the week that you weren’t playing a first-choice Springboks side, is there a bit of relief now?”
Jones replied: “No, no. I tell you what you are, South Africans are good at winning… so you don’t have to be a smart-arse mate.”
Jones later returned to the journo’s question, saying: “We were well and truly beaten by a Springbok side that – that old mate [the journo] – is calling a B team.
“So I never knew there was a Springbok side that was called the B team, but now we have a new term.”
At the end of the press conference, Jones went to the journo and said: “You should have more respect. I never said that, I said we always want to play the best.”
Bok assistant coach Mzwandile Stick, meanwhile, attended the media conference alongside captain Duane Vermeulen.
Asked about hattrick hero Kurt-Lee Arendse’s performance on the day, Stick says: “Last year they were called a B team and this year during the week there were a lot of talk about a B team.
“We as a coaching staff knew internally [what the players can do] and trust everyone in the squad and I don’t like it when people disrespect the Springbok emblem and call a team we choose a B team…”
This week there will be no talk of a B team when the Boks face NZ in their second match, with 21 players joining the players who already departed last week.
BOKS IN NEW ZEALAND
Forwards: Siya Kolisi, Gerhard Steenekamp, Malcolm Marx, Eben Etzebeth, Lood de Jager, Franco Mostert, Jean-Luc du Preez, Kwagga Smith, Thomas du Toit, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Deon Fourie, Steven Kitshoff, Jean Kleyn, Vincent Koch, Frans Malherbe, Bongi Mbonambi, Trevor Nyakane, RG Snyman, Marco van Staden and Duane Vermeulen. Backs: Faf de Klerk, Cheslin Kolbe, Makazole Mapimpi, Damian de Allende, Jesse Kriel, Lukhanyo Am, Kurt-Lee Arendse, Andre Esterhuizen, Herschel Jantjies, Willie le Roux, Manie Libbok,Cobus Reinach, Damian Willemse and Grant Williams.