Bok coach Nienaber slams report alleging drug abuse

Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber said he was stunned allegations of drug abuse against his team were made public just hours before they kicked off their Rugby Championship Test against Argentina in Buenos Aires on Saturday.

His team was able to put aside the storm brewing at home and marvellously stuck to their task beating Argentina 36-20 to keep alive their prospects of winning the competition next week in Durban.

It was, however, the online report that suggested several players had tested positive for cocaine that was brought into sharp focus after the game.

“I find it quite disturbing. Especially the timing of it, before a big Test like this [that] was like a semifinal,” Nienaber said. “I'm literally stunned that allegations like that can be made about this team.

“We are tested like any other team. We are tested regularly, sometimes three times a week in SA. There hasn't been one positive test since we've been together this year. It's disappointing.”

Nienaber said whoever sanctioned the online story to be published did so strategically.

“Five hours before [kickoff]. The timing was strategically planned by whoever. It was disappointing but we are stronger together. It is what it is.

“There is nothing we could have done about that. The narrative that is being driven we can't control. We can only control what we can and that is to play rugby.”

SA Rugby also refuted the claims of positive tests for recreational drugs made by the rugby website.

Captain Siya Kolisi said he did not know any player who was told of a positive test and that the importance of the game remained paramount for the team.

“We want to win the championship and show Argentina the respect they deserve. They are an experienced team and a lot of players came back.

“The coach knows how to get his players up. We told ourselves we had to pitch up for this game.

“At the end of the day the people who support us were behind us. All they want to see is results and that's what we want. We just want to make our people proud.”

As you'd expect from a Test in Buenos Aires, emotions ran high and intrigue filled the air in a game that took several distinct twists and turns.

It was the Boks, however, who bossed the most significant moments. They made the more assured start and settled into a rhythm that saw them score three first-half tries.

A penalty try, a touchdown by Jaden Hendrikse and a maul try by Malcolm Marx gave them control of the game.

“We were clinical,” Nienaber said. “But our discipline wasn't good because of the pressure we were under.”

What Nienaber referred to was the resurgent efforts of the home team who went into the break 22-6 down. Los Pumas returned with more attacking intent. They took the ball up straight but they also stretched play wide with their impressive quick offload game.

Though the Bok defence was resolute in the first 20 odd minutes after the break yellow cards to Willie le Roux and Kwagga Smith compounded their time spent on the back foot.

A penalty try to a converted five-pointer for Matias Moroni brought the hosts within two points of the Boks. Los Pumas had their tails up and they still enjoyed a numerical advantage with Boks in the bin. The crowd in the Estadio Libertadores de América were by then in a frenzy.

“With 13 minutes to go it was 22-20,” centre Damian de Allende said. “It got loud. It was probably the loudest I've ever heard a crowd.”

The Boks, however, found something extra in the closing minutes.

They called on the power game of their forwards to rumble upfield to stretch their lead through a Damian de Allende try.

They then secured their bonus-point win when Marx used all his dexterity for a try in the corner.

“The players felt we had a another gear given our conditioning and fitness,” said Kolisi. “The boys were up for scoring a special try like that at the end.”

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