Thanks Eddie, but you don't get a Bok blazer

Published Sep 7, 2007

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By Mark Keohane

Paris - Former Wallabies coach Eddie Jones is being paid to help win South Africa the World Cup, but not even the prospect of a World Cup win will get him a Springbok blazer.

Jones, the mastermind of Australian rugby between 2001 and 2005, has officially been appointed the Springboks Technical Adviser at the Rugby World Cup, but he won't be allowed to wear the Springbok blazer.

Jones can wear the Springboks training gear and he can wear the Springboks suit, which has a Springbok emblem on the pocket, but the President's Council of the South African Rugby Union has determined he cannot be seen in a Springbok blazer.

Jones is understood to be accepting of the regulation and so too is Bok coach Jake White, who has employed Jones for his technical expertise and not fashion sense.

But the irony is that the man who most neutral observers believe will be the major influence in a Springbok World Cup success is not allowed to put on a green blazer, but the President's Council has no problem with an assistant physiotherapist, a physiotherapist, a video technician, a doctor, a media officer and a consulting specialist, who wore an England blazer in 2003, wearing the green and gold Bok blazer.

The country's president, Thabo Mbeki is given a Bok blazer, Nelson Mandela is given a Bok blazer. Jones is not.

Jones, who assisted the Boks for a fortnight in South Africa and the another week in Scotland, has consistently boosted South Africa's cause at the World Cup. He has said New Zealand are the tournament favourites, but he has singled out the Springboks as the only team to beat them.

The Bok players have waxed lyrical about Jones's input. Springbok centre Jacques Fourie said the backs have started to straighten the line again and attack space. Every Bok backline player has complimented Jones.

But in the xenophobic world of South African rugby administration he is good enough to help the Boks, but not worthy enough to wear their blazer.

It says everything about the administration. And sadly it says too much about those who run the South African game.

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