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Pretoria - He may be poking fun at Springbok coach Peter de Villiers in his new rugby themed album, but South African musician Robbie Wessels said on Sunday he supported Springbok coach Peter de Villiers and wished him, and the team, the best.
"Firstly I want to say that I love Peter de Villiers and I didn't mean anything by that song that I wrote about him," said Wessels, who is famous for inventing 'Die Leeu-Loop'.
"It's all in good humour and I just wish him the best and I want to tell him that the whole country loves him and is behind him."
Wessels and his fellow "Rugby is Groot" musicians - Afrikaans singers Bok van Blerk, Teuns Jordaan, and Bobby van Jaarsveld - played volleyball against the Blue Bulls Babes at Menlyn Square to raise awareness for Naas Botha's new free online magazine called Rugby Mentor.
The Bulls Babes did not really stand a chance in a match that was officiated by the famous Springbok flyhalf.
Singer Teuns Jordaan was the stand out player as his serves often left the cheerleaders bamboozled.
Van Blerk looked slightly bewildered, and complained about the free food he received, while Van Jaarsveld openly admitted the skimpy outfits the Loftus lasses were wearing made it difficult for him to concentrate.
Wessels, a real rugby man, had some advice for the Springboks as they prepared for the Rugby World Cup in New Zealand.
"Manne, just go and play your hearts out, play as if it is your first World Cup," he said.
"I would say that the team that wants to win it the most is the team that is going to win it.
"I have a feeling die Bokke want to win it more than any other team, because there are quite a few guys who will be playing in their last World Cup and there will be nothing better for them than to end off like that."
After ridding himself from most of the sand he accumulated from the number of match-winning saves he made on the temporary beach that was erected in the parking lot, Wessels reflected on his career as a rugby player.
"When I was in Kroonstad in the laerskool (primary school) I played in the Under-13 A team and then I degraded a bit in high school," he said.
"In matric I was second team flyhalf, and my tackling wasn't very good, but I had a passion for side-stepping and little 'tik-skoppies' (tap- kicks)."
While his Leeu-Loop song only makes mention of tennis, snooker and cricket balls, Wessels was certain that the new album would contribute to the team's success.
"The album is going to motivate them, because when you go overseas and you take your culture with you, there is a part of your country with you when you are in the cold and the rain."
