Smit: My advice to Allister
Springbok World Cup-winning captain John Smit has experienced the best and the worst that the game of rugby has had to throw at him.
He has experienced the agony of defeat and the elation of victory and went on to become one of South Africa's most successful captains ever, having led the Boks to 46 victories in the 64 games .
Smit was, however, also part of a Springbok side that slumped to their biggest-ever defeat by Australia in 2006 when they were clobbered 49-0 in the then Tri-Nations and coach Jake White was on the verge of being axed.
But the rest is history. With Smit as his captain, White took the Boks to World Cup glory the following year in France.
Current coach Allister Coetzee is also under fire and Bok supporters are calling for his head after losing seven of the 11 Tests since taking the reins in April.
Smit chatted to Trevor Cramer ahead of the 2016 Gary Player Invitational charity golf tournament at the Lost City Golf course, where he will in the swing with the likes of European Ryder Cup captain Darren Clarke, former England and Manchester United soccer star Andy Cole, South African Olympians Roland Schoeman and Paula Reto, ex Sharks and Bok player Butch James and former US Open golf champion Michael Campbell.
Thinking back to the difficult times in his career, he singled out three key elements he felt are at the forefront of a possible Bok revival - remaining loyal, being straight and refraining from continuing to talk around corners.
Smith may have retired from the game some years back and sung the national anthem for the last time on the field in the famous green and gold jersey, but one thing is for certain - he still feels the anxiety when a Bok team runs on the field. This year, like every Bok player and fan, has certainly been a difficult one for him to come to terms with.