8 September 2023
The Rugby World Cup kicks off tonight, Friday, 8 September, with two of the favourites, France and New Zealand, doing battle at the Stade de France. South Africa is defending the title it won four years ago in Japan, and if you want to really get into the mood for almost two months of great rugby then let me suggest you grab a copy of Mike Greenaway’s fantastic new book, “The Fireside Springbok”.
Mike has been on the rugby beat for the Independent Group since the mid-90s. He’s now their chief rugby writer. I met him at Kings Park around the time he started, when I was covering the Sharks and Springboks for East Coast Radio. Yeah, some job assignments rock!
He’s the same guy I met back then, just with another three decades of knowledge gained. He’s still extremely passionate about the game, very well connected within rugby circles, and with a keen eye for a story. He tells them fairly and insightfully and is, thus, widely respected among the players and administrators.
As some may know, Mike contributes articles to the Pinnacle Schools website, so he asked me to help him with the proof-reading of the book. Usually, this is a mind-numbing slog – I’ve written books and I’ve done proof-reading on them – but, on a tight deadline, I picked up Mike’s book around 20:00 one evening and read through its 256 pages in one go. Yes, I was making notes, but that didn’t detract much from the entertainment. It was a pager-turner and it had me laughing out loud at times.
A different take on Springboks
The Fireside Springbok is a different take on the Springboks. It’s not all facts and figures, it tells the very human stories of the Boks and their opponents through the ages, with a heavy dose of humour. It brings out the character of these men who mean so much to the South African nation, reveals the human side of these rugby gods, exposing their quirks, traits, and whole-hearted commitment to being the best.
First of all, the book is beautifully presented. Glossy pages, filled with photos, newspaper clippings, old programmes and some wonderful Dr Jack cartoons help bring to life the tales that Mike weaves. Some you may have heard before, but there’s surely details you will hear for the first time. Others, only historians of the game might know. All are engaging.
What this fun book will surely do is stir your passion for the Springboks and for the game of rugby, especially at this time as the Boks go in search of a fourth title and a first back-to-back Rugby World Cup success. You’ll find many stories about the Springboks of the Rugby World Cup era in the book, but you’ll also be taken back to a time when overseas tours were the big thing,
Think back to 1937, when the Springboks, led by Maritzburg College old boy Philip Nel, toured Australia and New Zealand. They travelled by ship, played their first match in Australia on 31 May and their last in New Zealand on 29 September. And then it was time to climb aboard the ship again! And those were the days of the amateur. Play, but no pay!
A better cricketer than a rugby player?
That tour included “the dirtiest test”, against Australia, dubbed “The Battle of Sydney”. It also included, in the touring party, Howard Watt, who lived to 94, and who, Mike reveals, was a hugely talented cricketer who got the better of the legendary Sir Donald Bradman. Read the book, both stories are covered.
A story I’ve heard before, but enjoyed its retelling was of the one-eyed Springbok flank, Martin Pelser, who had even the great New Zealand lock, Sir Colin Meads, trying to avoid him on the park. “Pine Tree” himself said so.
On the side of the opposition, the story of a British Lion who masterminded a jailbreak while touring South Africa in 1938, then became a wartime hero, is hilarious and remarkable.
On a more serious note, you will hear from Errol Tobias, who played a pivotal role (pardon the pun) in leading the way towards integration in the Springbok team. Then, you can learn more about the man who played just outside of him, Danie Gerber, my choice as the greatest centre I have ever seen, an opinion shared by many rugby legends. Check out this awesome Gerber try against Ireland.
The Rolls-Royce and his impact on the Springboks
SA Rugby Mag recently shared an excerpt from Mike’s book on the brilliant fullback, Andre Joubert, in which you’ll learn more about the origins of his nickname and just how important he was to the Springboks when they lifted the Rugby World Cup for the first time in 1995. The excerpt gives you a feel for The Fireside Springbok: Joubert, the Rolls-Royce of Boks (sarugbymag.co.za)
In more recent years, Mike has spent a lot of time with many of the men he writes about. For example, he wrote the book, “Captain in the Cauldron – The John Smit Story”, and he tells how the 2007 Rugby World Cup success was almost derailed before the Boks’ World Cup challenge began.
Towards the end of the book, you’ll encounter some of the men who carry the hopes of South African fans into the 2023 Rugby World Cup. Their personal stories are inspirational, and they’re delivered at the right time.
Get your copy of The Fireside Springbok now! You will not regret it.
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