There was a time when I could have cried over a Springbok defeat like Saturday's. But I am grown up now, so sulking and abuse are much more mature responses to disasters like the one in Sydney's Olympic stadium.

Just as well Darren Clarke was still fresh in the memory. The Ulsterman, who last week became the oldest man in 44 years to win the British Open, is a hero for all us grumpy old men.

At 42, Clarke may still be a laaitie, but with that grey hair and the little boep we will claim him as one of ours. Clarke showed how a real grown-up sportsman behaves in the moment of glory.

No rush of fist-pumping triumphalism from a gym-honed body; just a stroll down to his local to buy the lads a Guinness.

Peter de Villiers could have done with a few ou manne like Clarke in his team on Saturday. The Bok pack certainly missed a good, grinding lock like Bakkies Botha and the towering presence of Victor Matfield. Perhaps they will make a difference when they are released from the rugby players' frail-care facility in time for the Rugby World Cup in two months' time. Certainly, those two old bulls have nothing to fear from the next generation.

Not that the coach's plan to take on the Wallabies with kids was an entire waste of time. For one thing, the Springboks' grumpy old men needed a rest, and there were one or two laaities who made their mark in a Bok team that was outplayed by the Wallabies 39-20.

Surely, even De Villiers must now accept that Pat Lambie is a better flyhalf than Morne Steyn. The latter is comfortable in the pocket of a battleship pack like the one the Bulls used to have and he's a comfort to his mates when there are kicks on the table. But his confidence is shot and his kicking sights are in need of a good gun tiffie.

Lambie is the most creative flyhalf to don the Bok jersey since the enigmatic Michael du Plessis called the shots in a backline that contained some outstanding talents that included his brother Carel, the best wing ever to play for South Africa.

De Villiers is said to favour Butch James for the No10 slot.

The hero of Paris 2007 still has some good rugby in the tank, but Lambie is our man for the future - along with Lwazi Mvovo and Chiliboy Ralepelle, who both came out of Saturday's debacle with enhanced reputations, which was no mean achievement.

As for our sudden shortage of locks - did we ever think that would be possible in South Africa? - we need look no further than current villain Rupert Murdoch.

Whatever phone hacking Murdoch may be responsible for, he has made such demands on rugby for the sake of satisfying his voracious TV networks that the Super 15, after so many intense games, resembled Passchendaele by the end of the tournament. Bodies were scattered as far as the eye could see.

We have now seen what effect this carnage has had on our players and this Saturday we will be taking laaities into the Wellington cake-tin cauldron against the All Blacks, who will show them no mercy.

Someone needs to recognise the lunacy of so much rugby.

Our rugby mandarins might concern themselves with a court action in the US where a group of retired NFL veterans are suing the league, alleging mismanagement of their concussions and the league's wilful concealment of evidence of the long-term effects of head injuries that have led to major brain damage. South African rugby and Sanzar should take note.