Ex-Bok skipper Skinstad retires

JOHANNESBURG – Former South African rugby captain Bob Skinstad announced his retirement yesterday, ending a short-lived comeback which saw him land a World Cup winners’ medal with the Springboks last month.

Skinstad, who played a total of 42 tests for the Boks in his two spells and captained the team on 12 occasions, said he had turned down offers to continue playing and wanted to bow out at the top. “There were opportunities to continue in 2008, both in Europe and in South Africa, but I know that the time is right to say goodbye as a player,” he told The Star newspaper.”When I met (outgoing Springbok coach) Jake White in London around this time a year ago and we spoke about the possibility of me returning to challenge for a World Cup place I dreamed of it ending with a World Cup triumph but at the time it was just a dream.”Today I leave the game on my own terms and with the most wonderful memory of experiencing the thrill of winning the World Cup campaign.”The Zimbabwe-born flanker was once regarded as the golden boy of South African rugby after bursting onto the international scene in 1998 but he suffered a number of serious injuries.He took a break from the sport in 2003 and worked for advertising giants Saatchi and Saatchi in London while turning out for lower league side Richmond before announcing his comeback in February of this year.Although he captained the team in the first-round match against Tonga, the 31-year-old was not a regular in the starting line-up during the recent tournament and failed to make the bench for the final against England.* Meanwhile, the Springboks’ holiday following their World Cup win was on Monday cut short for the Jake White farewell tour.It’s back to the training ground and the gym to ensure that Wales do not spoil White’s farewell party in the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff on November 24.”I sent an e-mail with their training programme to all the players at 11h00 on Monday,” said Derik Coetzee, conditioning head of the Boks.”We gave the players two weeks’ holiday after the World Cup, especially because it’s difficult for any player to maintain peak fitness for so long.The players also had to be given a chance to work off their emotions.”Our first official field practice will take place on November 12 (when the Boks get together in Johannesburg),” said Coetzee.Nampa-AFP”There were opportunities to continue in 2008, both in Europe and in South Africa, but I know that the time is right to say goodbye as a player,” he told The Star newspaper.”When I met (outgoing Springbok coach) Jake White in London around this time a year ago and we spoke about the possibility of me returning to challenge for a World Cup place I dreamed of it ending with a World Cup triumph but at the time it was just a dream.”Today I leave the game on my own terms and with the most wonderful memory of experiencing the thrill of winning the World Cup campaign.”The Zimbabwe-born flanker was once regarded as the golden boy of South African rugby after bursting onto the international scene in 1998 but he suffered a number of serious injuries.He took a break from the sport in 2003 and worked for advertising giants Saatchi and Saatchi in London while turning out for lower league side Richmond before announcing his comeback in February of this year.Although he captained the team in the first-round match against Tonga, the 31-year-old was not a regular in the starting line-up during the recent tournament and failed to make the bench for the final against England.* Meanwhile, the Springboks’ holiday following their World Cup win was on Monday cut short for the Jake White farewell tour.It’s back to the training ground and the gym to ensure that Wales do not spoil White’s farewell party in the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff on November 24.”I sent an e-mail with their training programme to all the players at 11h00 on Monday,” said Derik Coetzee, conditioning head of the Boks.”We gave the players two weeks’ holiday after the World Cup, especially because it’s difficult for any player to maintain peak fitness for so long.The players also had to be given a chance to work off their emotions.”Our first official field practice will take place on November 12 (when the Boks get together in Johannesburg),” said Coetzee.Nampa-AFP