South Africa Legend Bobby Skinstad On South African “Hate” For Sexton

In an exclusive interview with BoyleSports, South African rugby icon Bobby Skinstad teamed up with BoyleSports to preview this weekend’s Rugby World Cup match between Ireland & South Africa.

South Africa & Ireland are both 7/4 with BoyleSports. Don’t Just bet…choose wisely.

The former Sprinboks captain gave us the perspective of the South African public which sheds light on their view of Ireland fly-half Johnny Sexton and the ‘hate’ they have for the Ireland legend.

Skinstad, a Rugby World Cup winner himself, also delved deep into some of the key storylines heading into the big game which should whet the appetite for Saturday evening.

Additionally, Skinstad revisits his own incredible journey in the sport. We get a behind-the-scenes glimpse into his controversial inclusion in the 1999 South Africa Rugby World Cup team and the infamous military style Kamp Staaldraad and how Skinstad managed to avoid it.

South Africa Learning to ‘Hate’ Sexton

South Africans are learning to love to hate Johnny Sexton, which he’d probably like because it’s a respect thing.

We don’t like any of the New Zealanders who do well against us, for the 80 minutes you hate them. But off the field you have amazing respect for them.

So if you met Dan Carter it would be a handshake as a South African public, and I think it’ll be the same for Johnny Sexton because that’s the type of respect he commands. He’s very welcome in the game of rugby, but we’d like to beat him if you don’t mind!

Winning Experience Could Be Key For Springboks

I’m very passionate about South African rugby at the minute and the journey they’re on with Siya Kolisi.

They have a really evolved playing style, they’re starting to find the outside backs quicker and earlier in the game but lead with a big physical man – I was standing next to Andre Esterhuizen recently who is 125kg and two inches taller than me and I thought, thank goodness I’m not playing with him around. And he’s second choice inside centre at the moment.

France were seriously good against New Zealand, but the people who can trip you up are the teams with World Cup experience of winning it. New Zealand and South Africa have both got that, so while I’d go with France to win the World Cup…

I wouldn’t write South Africa off just yet.

We may have won in ‘99 with ‘seniority’

Quite famously Gary Teichmann was dropped in 1999, positionally for me, with Joost van der Westhuizen taking over the captaincy.

We lost to a Stephen Larkham drop goal in the 28^th minute of extra time in semi-final against Australia and…

I think with a bit of seniority we may have gone through.

I think the whole South African public thought the same thing!

Skinstad On South African’s Infamous Kamp Staaldraad

The camp was named after barbed wire because it was a military camp. I played in a warm-up match just before it and broke my arm in a high tackle. I didn’t make many tackles in my career!

So I spent about four weeks out and the middle two were Kamp Staaldraad, so I missed the whole thing. I have got stories from my friends and it wasn’t a very good place to be.

It was a ‘toughen up’ camp run by Rudolf Straeuli and some of his ex-military and army friends. The stories that have come out are awful and there were a couple of…

photographs taken to humiliate the guys that were leaked to the press – it doesn’t look great.

Click Below For All Our South Africa v Ireland Odds

*Prices subject to fluctuation

Remember, always gamble responsibly. Here’s our Safer Gambling Guide.