Smit relies on English homework

John Smit has revealed

that South Africa have

modelled their World Cup

campaign on England's

successful 2003 operation in

a bid to wipe out their bitter

memories of that

tournament.

Smit, who played in a

record 44 Tests as captain

and guided South Africa to

two thumping wins over

England three months ago,

is determined to stop his

side suffering the same fate

as their previous team four

years ago.

Then they lost the crucial pool game to England,

thanks to a Lewis Moody

charge-down which led to a

Will Greenwood try, and

were condemned to meet

favourites New Zealand in

the quarter-finals.

So he has done his

homework thoroughly for

this World Cup, in particular

studying England, their

players, their matches, and

their previous World Cup

encounters in readiness for

the probable group-deciding clash in Paris on September

14.

South Africa, who play

Samoa today in the Parc des

Princes, have even employed

Sheryl Calder, the vision

expert brought in by Sir

Clive Woodward before

England's victory in 2003.

"There is much to learn

from our games with

England," said Smit, a

29-year-old from Pietersburg.

"And there is much to learn

from how England went

about their business in 2003.

"I played in that game then

and I remember that, for 30

minutes, there was nothing between the teams.Maybe

we even had a slight edge.

"Then England scored that

try out of the blue and

everything changed. Their

winning habit kicked in.

"Sheryl has told us to be

prepared for unseen

circumstances. International

rugby is all about fine

margins. Four years ago our

whole preparation was

geared towards that England

game. It was a big mistake.

"We should have taken a

leaf out of England's book,

and not looked further than

the next game."