Joost hits back
July 18, 2001

Veteran Springbok scrumhalf Joost van der Westhuizen has hit back at critics who claim his distribution is not up to international standard.

"I personally don't think there is anything wrong with my service," the 30-year-old is quoted as saying in Wednesday's edition of the Cape Times.

"People have criticised me and said it's slow, but it's easy to criticize someone, isn't it?

"What you should do is go and look at the quality of possession the player gets. In the first test against France, I didn't get quality ball."

The Springboks lost that first test to the Tricolors at Ellis Park before squaring the series a week later.

In fairness to van der Westhuizen the Bok forwards where outplayed by their European counterparts in both matches.


In the article van der Westhuizen backs up his earlier comments by claiming he has closely analysed the speed of service of his closest international opponents.

"I examined the time from the pass to the stage where the ball lands in the flyhalf's hand and my average is 1.1 seconds," says van der Westhuizen.

"It's the same time registered by George Gregan, Justin Marshall, Rob Howley and Byron Kelleher."

The Pretoria-born player and joint record-capped Springbok goes on to say that he thinks the jibes about his game are of a more personal nature.

"I think it was more personal criticism aimed at me than it was against my game," he says.

"I'm very happy with my clearance from the base of the scrum because I know it's up to international standard."

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