OPINION: When the media faced off against the Springbok legends, and how it inspired Rassie Erasmus

For the good folk of Fremantle, Perth, it must have been a peculiar sight.

In the local park, the Springbok rugby team was sitting on a little hill overlooking a marked-out ‘field’ while a team in smart green shirts was running rings around a bunch of misfits in a game of touch rugby.

It was the 1998 Tri-Nations tour, and Nick Mallett had challenged the travelling media to a game of touch against his management team.

It was an ambush from the start, given that Mallett’s team comprised either former rugby stars or fit physios and conditioning staff, and he knew it.

Most of the media had not touched a rugby ball since brief flirtations with the game at school, and as for our physical conditioning... Well, we looked like the “before” pics that are taken before a body transformation challenge.

My great claim to fame was that shortly after kick-off, by sheer fluke, I intercepted a pass and scampered off to score a try to ironic applause from the Springboks.

Amazingly, shortly after, I nabbed another intercept and shot off for more glory, but this time, a Grim Reaper was sweeping towards me.

It was Mallett, and he lined me up as if I was a Northern Transvaal wing and he was in his Western Province No.8 jersey.

Instead of a touch on the back, he flattened me with a thunderous tackle, and I was eating grass while the skin of my knees was fertilising the grass.

The “crowd” roared, Mallett beamed, murmured an expletive in my ear, and pulled me up by the scruff of the neck.

The Cape-based reporter Mark Keohane got similar treatment when Mallett “forgot” it was touch rugby.

As Keo lay spread-eagled on the grass, Mallett smilingly reminded him of an article he had written that had less than thrilled the coach.

The media lost 19 tries to one, and Mallett, always larger than life, was in his element.

It had been compulsory for the Boks to attend the slaughter, and they dutifully clapped as the tries mounted and the embarrassment of the press deepened.

But we didn’t mind. It was in the spirit of fun and entertainment.

We repaired to the bar at the Esplanade Hotel for liberal refreshments and light-hearted banter. The team doctor tended to my roasties, and to me, they were badges of honour.

This match, or rather mismatch, was brought up by Rassie Erasmus in the entertaining chat he had with Mallett in the latest episode of his “Rassie+” podcast.

Rassie had been the referee that day, and he told Mallett that he had understood what he was trying to do – include the media in the broader picture of the Springboks’ set-up.

Ian McIntosh, the legendary Sharks (and Springbok) coach, put it colourfully: “You can bring the media into your circle and have them peeing out of it, or you keep them out of the circle and they pee into it.”

Rassie puts it this way: “You have the players and the coaches, and you have the media. But if you give them enough material to write informative stories during the week, then the fans know more about what is going on.

“That means they can watch the 80 minutes on Saturday and make better judgements.”

This fits neatly into the Springboks’ Stronger Together campaign, and Rassie’s new podcast series is another way of educating the public about how the Springboks operate by providing information that doesn’t come up at media conferences.

So far, Rassie has interviewed some of his assistant coaches, legendary centre Danie Gerber and former coach Mallett, and fascinating insights have come to light.

Once more, we have an example of Rassie thinking out of the box as he finds new ways to grow the Springbok brand and take the team into the hearts of South Africans.