11-17-2003, 12:37 PM
Bloody hell....
http//news.com.au/common/printpage/0,6093,7889230,00.html
SPRINGBOK players were forced to strip naked and ordered around at gunpoint in a bizarre effort to prepare them for the World Cup, the Johannesburg-based Sunday Times reported yesterday.
"Despite being sworn to secrecy, two players have talked about the three-day 'Camp Staaldraad' (Camp Steel Wire) that took place at a location some two hours drive north of Pretoria in September," the newspaper said.
"On arrival, the players were made to strip naked and leopard-crawl across gravel before getting dressed and repeating the exercise," it said.
One Springbok, who was not named, said players were taken into the African bush, where they had to do physical labour, carrying tyres, poles and bags - all branded with England and New Zealand flags.
"Later, the players were ordered naked into a freezing lake to pump up rugby balls underwater. Players who tried to get out, among them captain Corne Krige, were allegedly pointed back at gunpoint," the newspaper said.
On their last night, players were dropped off individually in the bush, to spend the night on their own, while given half a match and egg with instructions to cook it.
They were also told to strip and climb into a hole.
"There was little room for movement and recordings of the England anthem and New Zealand haka played for hours," the report said, adding that "the cover on the hole had periodically been lifted and ice water thrown on the men".
"They spent the rest of the camp carrying out special task force survival stunts like jumping into the lake from a helicopter," the paper said.
South Africa's 29-9 quarter-final defeat by New Zealand was the first time in their three World Cups that the Springboks had failed to get beyond the last eight.
The camp was the brainchild of a security consultant, Adriaan Heijns, who recruited former members of the South African police's elite Task Force unit to run the camp.
Without divulging details, Krige said there were certain parts of the camp that he would recommend not be included for future rugby training.
"It was trial and error. You go through certain things and decide 'these are good and maybe these aren't so good'. Most of the stuff was really good for team spirit," Krige said.
Scary.
http//news.com.au/common/printpage/0,6093,7889230,00.html
SPRINGBOK players were forced to strip naked and ordered around at gunpoint in a bizarre effort to prepare them for the World Cup, the Johannesburg-based Sunday Times reported yesterday.
"Despite being sworn to secrecy, two players have talked about the three-day 'Camp Staaldraad' (Camp Steel Wire) that took place at a location some two hours drive north of Pretoria in September," the newspaper said.
"On arrival, the players were made to strip naked and leopard-crawl across gravel before getting dressed and repeating the exercise," it said.
One Springbok, who was not named, said players were taken into the African bush, where they had to do physical labour, carrying tyres, poles and bags - all branded with England and New Zealand flags.
"Later, the players were ordered naked into a freezing lake to pump up rugby balls underwater. Players who tried to get out, among them captain Corne Krige, were allegedly pointed back at gunpoint," the newspaper said.
On their last night, players were dropped off individually in the bush, to spend the night on their own, while given half a match and egg with instructions to cook it.
They were also told to strip and climb into a hole.
"There was little room for movement and recordings of the England anthem and New Zealand haka played for hours," the report said, adding that "the cover on the hole had periodically been lifted and ice water thrown on the men".
"They spent the rest of the camp carrying out special task force survival stunts like jumping into the lake from a helicopter," the paper said.
South Africa's 29-9 quarter-final defeat by New Zealand was the first time in their three World Cups that the Springboks had failed to get beyond the last eight.
The camp was the brainchild of a security consultant, Adriaan Heijns, who recruited former members of the South African police's elite Task Force unit to run the camp.
Without divulging details, Krige said there were certain parts of the camp that he would recommend not be included for future rugby training.
"It was trial and error. You go through certain things and decide 'these are good and maybe these aren't so good'. Most of the stuff was really good for team spirit," Krige said.
Scary.