THE FINAL WHISTLE
MARK KEOHANE: Coach gets it right as Springboks rise to the challenge
The Springboks produced their most efficient and enjoyable performance in a year. This was more like it, SA. France were inferior in quality of player, style and application. The visitors will be stronger in Durban’s second Test when their captain and seven other regulars return, but they won’t be good enough to force the series into a decider. SA were very good in Pretoria and Warren Whiteley’s influence in his international captaincy debut was obvious. Whiteley leads with calm and enthusiasm and having the core of his Super Rugby Lions teammates would have helped settle the skipper’s nerves. It was an impressive Springbok performance, more so when you consider what was delivered in the guise of a Springbok team in 2016. Allister Coetzee, at the helm of the disastrous 2016 season, asked for a clean slate and for renewed optimism from the South African support base. He was given this and fortunately his team provided a performance to return the goodwill among the South African rugby...
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