Some 2600 years ago, Sun Tzu wrote a treatise on military strategy in times of war, and since then, military leaders through the ages have drawn inspiration from Tzu’s teachings. Generals have plotted battles and wars through the ages taking pointers from Tzu.
By Michael Marnewick
So it is wholly appropriate that another battlefield – the rugby pitch – should learn from these teachings and draw inspiration and lessons from Tzu’s declarations.
“The Bulls have picked the biggest team they can,” explains Jake White, Cell C Sharks Director of Rugby. “They have decided to react to the team they expect we will put on field and in Sun Tzu’s book – the Art of War – it is simple. If the enemy react to you, you are in a position of strength. If you react to the enemy you are in a position of weakness. If the Bulls are reacting to what they think we have got, the first play is ours. And that is the exciting thing about this weekend.”
In Attack by Stratagem, Tzu adds: ‘If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.’
White, the former World Cup winning coach with the Springboks in 2007, certainly doesn’t leave any stone unturned in his preparation and knowing one’s enemy is just as important as preparing oneself.
“You know what the Bulls are going to do,” he explains. “They have been doing it for years. They are going to kick from the base of the scrum, they are going to kick from base of lineout. They will maul the lineouts. They are going to try and physically dominate you in first 25 minutes to see if they can get some ascendancy. I can’t believe they will move away from what has worked for them in the past.”
The rugby battleground is a modern day Colosseum with modern, musclebound gladiators battling each other for glory. Although their contests are not quite to the death, there is no lesser importance attached to the conquest of one team over the other.
And that’s exactly what we can expect when two of South Africa’s powerhouses clash at Growthpoint KINGS PARK on Saturday in their opening Super Rugby clash of the 2014 season.
Victor Matfield has been named on the bench and there is a weight of suspense over whether he will fulfil expectations on his coming out of retirement or not. For the Sharks, the pressure that comes with a favourites’ tag that appears to be a call getting more and more strident as the competition comes closer, is either going to be too much to handle, or it will push them on to greater heights.
The Sharks:
15. SP Marais, 14. Odwa Ndungane, 13. Paul Jordaan, 12. Frans Steyn, 11. Lwazi Mvovo, 10. Patrick Lambie, 9. Cobus Reinach, 8. Ryan Kankowski, 7. Willem Alberts, 6. Marcell Coetzee, 5. Pieter-Steph du Toit, 4. Anton Bresler, 3. Jannie du Plessis, 2. Bismarck du Plessis (Captain), 1. Tendai Mtawarira
Replacements: 16. Kyle Cooper, 17. Dale Chadwick, 18. Lourens Adriaanse, 19. Stephan Lewies, 20. Jean Deysel, 21. Charl McLeod, 22. Heimar Williams, 23. S’bura Sithole
The Bulls:
15. Jurgen Visser, 14. Akona Ndungane, 13. JJ Engelbrecht, 12. Jan Serfontein, 11. Bjorn Basson, 10 Louis Fouchè, 9. Francois Hougaard, 8. Pierre Spies (Captain), 7. Jacques du Plessis, 6. Jono Ross, 5. Flip van der Merwe, 4. Paul Willemse, 3. Werner Kruger, 2. Callie Visagie, 1. Dean Greyling
Replacements: 16. Bongi Mbonambi, 17. Frik Kirsten, 18. Marcel van der Merwe, 19. Victor Matfield, 20 Jacques Engelbrecht, 21. Piet van Zyl, 22. Handrè Pollard, 23. Ulrich Beyers
