Rossouw's Bok wake-up
'I realised I wasn't going anywhere'
Bulls forward Danie Rossouw has revealed how a stern chat with Springbok coach Jake White revived his flagging Bok career.
Rossouw, who has played at lock and on the flank for South Africa, made his Test debut against Uruguay at the 2003 World Cup – winning just another 12 caps over the next two years as he found himself alternating between flank and lock; from the bench and in the starting line-up.
"Jake took me to one side at the start of the year and told me to take control of my destiny and to establish myself in the team," revealed Rossouw. "I realised that although I was in the Bok team I wasn't going anywhere. That was my wake-up call and I decided to take control."
But after a quiet outing against the World XV at Ellis Park earlier this month, Rossouw's Bok career hit an upward curve of note with two superb second-row performances against Scotland.
He finally began to take control.
"My confidence is up," said Rossouw, who will start alongside Bulls colleague Victor Matfield against France this weekend.
"Starting those games against Scotland was just what I needed as it proved that I can play. I'm a lot fitter than I was and I've also lost about seven or eight kilograms, so I've found it easier playing 80 minutes."
Playing 80 minutes is something of a treat for the 28-year-old powerhouse, who has to compete with his Bulls team-mates Bakkies Botha and Matfield (at lock), and Pedrie Wannenburg and Jacques Cronjé (at loose forward) for game time at both provincial and national level.
"It's harder to make an impact in just 30 minutes," added Rossouw. "That's the big thing for me now, I'm getting game time and I'm able to show what I'm capable of."
Rossouw has always been a ball-carrier of some repute, having already found his way into a Bok training squad way back in 2001 – before he had even established himself in the Bulls set-up – only for a knee injury to rule him out of Harry Viljoen's end-of-season touring party.
That was almost five years ago, but Rossouw is hopeful that he still has plenty more to offer at the highest level: "If I can stay injury free and all goes well then hopefully I can more chances to play."
And where would that be – at flank or lock?
"At the moment I'm enjoying playing at lock," replied Rossouw. "Like I said I've lost a bit of weight and I'm certainly a lot fitter, so it'd be interesting to see how I'd do at flank [if given the chance]."
Looking ahead to this weekend, however, Rossouw is relishing a physical challenge against France in what will be his fourth meeting with Les Bleus, but his first start at lock in the continued absence of Provincial team-mate Bakkies Botha.
"France are an unpredictable team," he pointed out, "but they'll be more physical than Scotland.
"We have to get stuck in from the word go, however, because it could be a long afternoon [for us] if they get their tails up early on."
By Howard Kahn
