The cut under his eye looks painful but WYNAND OLIVIER is all smiles when he opens the door of his house in Lynnwood, Pretoria. The blond, green-eyed Bulls and Springbok centre is relaxed despite the storm raging over the Springboks’ recent action.
In the last Test against the British and Irish Lions the Boks ran onto the field wearing armbands bearing the message “Justice 4” to protest against the two-week suspension of Bakkies Botha for dangerous charging. They have since been cited by the International Rugby Board and are waiting to learn their fate.
There is a hard edge to Wynand’s voice when he says, “Bakkies’ citing was ridiculous. We thought so as a team and we decided something had to be said about it. It was a team decision and we will take whatever the punishment is as a team.”
Beyond the armband fuss there was Peter de Villiers’ controversial defence of Schalk Burger. Even if the rugby world is critical of the Bok coach Wynand is generous in his praise. “Peter listens to the people around him, the other coaches and the players. That’s the mark of a great coach, someone who will consider your opinion and not just stamp his authority.”
There is no road map or GPS shortcut to the success Wynand has achieved. It comes down to the hard work he puts in away from the spotlight and crowds chanting his name. “I wanted to be in contention for the Lions [Test series] so I put in a lot of work in December and January, long before pre-season training began.”
He will soon face a tough decision: his contract with the Bulls ends in October, after the Currie Cup. Should he stay in rugby-mad Pretoria or move on, perhaps to the riches of the European leagues? “I could never play for another union in South Africa. I would fear for my life when I came back to play at Loftus,” he says with a laugh.
He has considered opportunities in Europe but other objectives might keep him in South Africa. “I have one World Cup medal but it’s always better to have two,” he says, a roguish smile spreading across his face.
He’s not a man about town and instead hangs out with his teammates and their partners. It’s probably this family atmosphere that will keep him at the Bulls. “It’s what makes the Bulls special: we’re sociable.”
