Russell hoping for more Newlands magic
'I'm lucky enough to have some good memories'
Springbok utility back Brent Russell – restored to the wing, and the South African starting line-up – is hoping that Newlands will once again provide him with happy Test match memories come Saturday.
Russell, who will start against France in place of the injured Breyton Paulse, has played three Tests in Cape Town – starting against Wales in 2002, coming off the bench against the Wallabies just over a year later and earning a third cap in Cape Town, also from the bench, against Ireland in '04.
Against Wales, Russell started at fullback, scoring a try in his first Test start, whilst against the Wallabies, Russell replaced the injured Jaco van der Westhuyzen in the last line of defence, scoring a try of his own and initiating a counter-attack, from his own 22, which led to lock Victor Matfield's five-pointer.
(The Boks also won the Test against Ireland, with Russell serving as a blood and later, a permanent replacement in the second half.)
"For some reason it seems to go well for me here," says Russell to rugby365.com ahead of Saturday's clash. "I'm looking forward to the game and playing at Newlands, of course. I started my career here, playing Under-21s and I'm lucky enough to have some good memories of the ground."
Amazingly enough, this will be Russell's first Test start since June 2004 – when South Africa battered Wales 53-18, with Russell scoring two tries in the No.11 shirt.
"I guess it's been a while," admits Russell with a wry smile, "but it's all about having the bigger picture in mind and working as a team.
"Sure, I believe I can make a difference to this team by playing, but just being part of the squad is the most important thing for me."
The 2006 season has been a frustrating one for Russell. A niggling hamstring injury saw him confined to Vodacom Cup duty for a large chunk of the Super 14, before a bizarre 'injury' – if you can even call it that – kept him out of the recently-completed Scotland series.
Russell explains: "I went for an MRI on my knee, but I feel asleep during the scan and they couldn't do the test properly because my leg kept twitching. They injected a relaxant into my hand to help, which then caused a blot clotting and I needed blood thinners for 10 days, which kept me out of action."
To make matters worse, the explosive Sevens sensation then found himself hit by a nasty bout of flu.
"It comes in twos, doesn't it?" he half-asks. "I couldn't do anything for 10 days, so to be honest I was surprised to be in the mix for this weekend. But I've got a chance now to showcase my talents to Jake, hopefully I can bring some flair to the game and make an impact to help the team.
"That's my goal… and if that helps me stay in the team for a bit longer, then so be it."
By Howard Kahn
