'Cappuccino' wants to add flavour to Bok team

Published Nov 12, 2006

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Anyone interested in a cup of frothy Cappuccino?

Well for rugby lovers the question would receive an unequivocal yes after the blond-bomber, aka Kabamba "Cappuccino" Floors, exploded on to the scene for the Free State Cheetahs in the Currie Cup.

The 25-year-old, who originally hails from Oudtshoorn, has been a revelation for the Cheetahs and his magnificent form earned him a number of accolades with him being named the South African players' player of the year and Currie Cup player of the season.

To boot Floors walked away with the man of match awards for his role in the Cheetahs' retention of the Currie Cup trophy with quality performances in the semifinals and final.

Yet by the end of the season Floors' peroxide blond hair (hence the nickname Cappuccino) had not caught S Jake White's eyes as the Springbok coach snubbed the loose forward for the national team's tour to Ireland and England.

Floors' omission was regarded by many as being a travesty, compounded by White saying the player was not a versatile enough loose-forward, a lineout option or physical enough for international rugby.

It was this reasoning which saw the likes of the lumbering Danie Rossouw, Hilton Lobberts and (now injured) Pedrie Wannenburg gain selection ahead of Floors.

"I must tell you that I was a bit disappointed after I wasn't named in the squad," admitted Floors.

"There were television commentators, newspaper reports and other people saying that I should be in the Bok squad because of my good form but at the end of the day the only person who counts is Jake White, who is the coach.

"He's the person who makes decisions and he's got to make a call on which players he thinks are going to produce for him.

"I respect his decision because Jake's got to do what he thinks is best for the team."

Reacting to the reasons that White and his selectors, Ian McIntosh and Pieter Jooste, came up with, Floors debunks the myths being perpetuated.

"I can't understand why I'm told I can't play No 8 when I started two games for the Cheetahs in that position.

"I've also played Currie Cup rugby against the so-called big players in the Springbok team, so I can't understand why they think I can't stand up physically to other international players," says a perplexed Floors.

He also cites having played against the best players in the southern hemisphere during the Super 14, lining up against the likes of New Zealand's Rodney So'oialo and Jerry Collins with no fuss.

He didn't shirk a tackle against the burly All Blacks... and just ask the Bulls about his fierce hits in the Currie Cup final.

The Springboks have missed a fetcher and with Floors being a scavenger par excellence it doesn't make sense that they have not selected a flanker who can instinctively win ball on the deck.

Imagine how a player of Floors' ability could have complemented a loose-trio including Juan Smith and Pierre Spies. You'd have a flank who shoots to the breakdown to clean up any loose ball coupled with two hard-running ball carriers - it's definitely worth mulling over.

On the up-side for Floors, the fleet-footed athlete has been called up to the SA Sevens team by Paul Treu.

Floors is currently in Durban with the squad as they undergo a training camp.

"Things are going well at the moment and there certainly is talent in the squad.

"But what is frustrating from my point of view and Paul's is that certain provinces are not releasing their players," he said.

"I don't understand why, because (Cheetahs coach) Rassie (Erasmus) released me and Phillip Burger to play and we are involved with the Super 14 yet the Stormers won't let Brent (Russell) join up with us and the Sharks don't want to release Ryan Kankowski. I don't understand how provinces can overrule a national team because surely we should all be working to make all national teams competitive?"

Floors said that playing sevens would help him develop as a player while maintaining his fitness.

He says he does plan on bulking up, as he wants to break the "90kg barrier" and is on a strict diet and regiment of supplements to ensure he puts on muscle on his 85kg frame and not fat.

"I will lose a little weight playing sevens but if I stick to my diet, training and taking my supplements I should be fine.

"I won't undergo any drastic weight loss," he said.

Floors will captain the team during their leg in Dubai and in George before returning to the Cheetahs in the New Year.

He says his goals haven't changed and he yearns to go to the World Cup.

"It will always be my goal to wear the Springbok jersey," he says passionately.

"That's why I'm going to do everything in my power to have a good season with the Cheetahs. I'm going to give 110 percent next year, so that I know that if I don't make it, I've done everything in my power."

Let's hope Mr White develops a taste for cappuccino by then.

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