Boks did not win friends
Posted by Boertjie - 12/07/09 at 12:07 am under British & Irish Lions Tour 2009, SpringboksI was in England last weekend, eagerly looking forward to an afternoon of rugby and banter in the company of my brother, long-time resident there, and our respective sons, one born in England, the other a loyal backer of the Boks.
Colin Bryden, Sunday Times
For us South Africans, there had already been the disappointment of hearing the team announcement. Ten changes to a winning team? For a Test against the Lions, one of rugby’s iconic opponents?
Even so, we hoped for an invigorating game and a chance to get in some verbal thrusts at moments of Springbok supremacy. It wasn’t to be.
My brother’s son noticed them first. “What are they wearing on their arms?� he asked. As soon as I saw a close- up of the amateurishly- scrawled protest about Bakkies Botha’s suspension I knew I was in for a miserable afternoon.
Where was the focus of this team? Where was the discipline and the moral leadership?
This was a Test, for goodness sake, the chance to participate in which a million schoolboys dream about. And, in this professional age, a match for which the public had been charged an extortionate amount to watch.
When the cameras panned over knots of empty seats I wondered how rugby had descended to this.
For my son and I it became a quiet and depressing afternoon as we were reduced to lamely pointing out that the Boks had already won the series.
My brother and his son teased us mercilessly.
Some of it wasn’t even a matter for jocularity. What about Peter de Villiers, they asked. How can he defend eye- gouging? Does he really know what he’s doing?
We couldn’t provide an adequate defence.
The English newspapers the next morning provided no cheer. Stephen Jones, writing his end-of-tour review for this newspaper’s namesake, the Sunday Times, posed the question: Is Peter de Villiers a real rugby coach? His answer: No evidence of it.
From a personal point of view, it is impossible to assess what De Villiers brings to the Springboks, but the strange mixture of gobbledygook and homespun philosophy in his public utterances is downright embarrassing.
If the media are confused about what De Villiers is trying to say, it has to be questioned whether he is capable of getting a straightforward message across to his players.
When a team list is announced, however, the coach has to take full responsibility. Changing the team so radically might just have been acceptable if we were 2-0 up against, say, Romania, but not in a serious international.
As for the Botha protest, the players might have had reason to be aggrieved about the ban but a Test match is not the right forum to air an issue.
It was surprising that an experienced and respected leader such as John Smit allowed the armbands to be worn and that the team management lacked either the moral fibre or the authority to put a stop to such nonsense.
The Springboks carry a big responsibility. They represent their country and they are well paid to do it. No-one can expect them to win every game but it is right for the public to demand that they field their best players, who should then play to their utmost ability and carry themselves with dignity.
Neither requirement was fulfilled at Ellis Park last weekend.
Viewing events from afar provides a chance to look at one’s own country through other eyes.
Sadly, although the Springboks won the series, a realistic assessment has to be that they didn’t win many friends.
July 12th, 2009 at 2:58 am
John Smit may be an experienced rugby player but we seem to forget that he is only a 20-something which has been hero worshipped and pampered since he was a teenager. When it comes to making good real life judgements he is not experienced at all.
July 12th, 2009 at 4:07 am
Reply to fyndraai @ 2:58 am:
What crap… he’s been through many a tumultuous time in RSA rugby… struggling for years to gain the support of the Bulls contingent as a captain… having to bring together Afrikaners, Souties, Coloureds all the while dealing with quota’s… a sports minister, and govt that don’t back you one iota and do their damdest to see the Boks fail at every interval… and I can go on and on…
Time for a bit of reflection perhaps mate?
July 12th, 2009 at 4:27 am
As for the guy and his son… well yeah mate… that’s South African rugby for you… win/or lose… Lions tours are more about joining in the revelry that is the red machine… there’s nothing quite like being a part of it before, during, after the game even as an opposing fan…
July 12th, 2009 at 8:32 am
“Viewing events from afar provides a chance to look at one’s own country through other eyes” – you are dead right Boertjie and some are embarrassing and indefensible.
The armband protest is one such event and my thoughts were first who had organised this petulant show of disdain and second, like you, why John Smit had sanctioned it. The guy comes across as one of the more astute captains around.
Perhaps Bryce in Oz is onto something? Was it a calculated risk he took to forge unity in the side? Did John think the support he would gain from the pro-Bakkies brigade in Pretoria was worth the anti SA sentiment he would cause elsewhere?
July 12th, 2009 at 12:19 pm
In summarising the events of the last couple of weeks:
1. I’m sorry about my agro state of mind of the last cuople of weeks. I will rectify that. Minora, I don’t know why you were so cross with me to give me the finger, but, in any case, I am sorry.
2. In the words of Barack Obama: “Let’s give Divvy a chance. He does deserve it. Yes, we can” In the last week RuggaWorld regular voice of reason Ollie delivered one of the most compelling and just arguments on why De Villiers are being quoted out of context and I agree with that. In the words of Ruggaworld’s own expert on Sheep Sharing, Cab, the man is destined for greatness. Also because of the colour (Oh, the Irony!) he brings to South African Rugby.
3. The B&I lions are a bunch of grown-up cry-babies. Fullstop.
4. I fully agree with the Boks and Hoskins on the Bakkies protest. For too long have we been the inferiors to the utterly stupid and arrogant. Like India and Her Majesty’s White Skeletons in Cricket, it is time for the Australians and New Zealanders to take the back seat – where they belong. We are the best rugby playing nation on this planet and better they accept it and not use their “referees” and “citing officers” to try and prove otherwise. Come to the battlefield with your warriors and prove your worth!.
5. This Currie Cup 2009 is going to be awesome! Fullstop.
6. I had dealings with Griekwaland Wes Kooperasie (new sponsors of Griquas) in the last three years. I have reason to believe that Griquas will be a major obstacle in the CC Premier Division this year. They proved it yesterday and sorry Willem but “Die Staat” wil have to pull all stops this year to make the semi-finals.
7. The Gauteng Lions are sorting out their kak and they will be a force to reckon with this year. They will be, at least, in the semi-finals. And I will be very happy about that. Proud Union, Proud History, kak administrators. They could have won yesterday and i would not have felt bad about it.
8. Province klapped the Guppies. Very happy about it and, in the end, it will prove my concept of performance in cycles. Sorry, but, even though they are CC Champions, they will not make the play-offs this year. The Guppies that is.
9. Another WP / Blue Bulls Final in this year’s CC will be awesome and long overdue. The Bulls will be there. Let’s hope Province can keep it up.
10. Lastly, JT, I have been following rugby all over the World the last couple of weeks, especially with a view to look into the World Cup 2011 qualifying rounds and I must say I was very impressed and very pleased with the performance of Innsbruck this year. Well done! Go Austria!
July 12th, 2009 at 12:32 pm
2. Read http://jv.news24.com/Rapport/Rubrieke/0,,752-801_2537926,00.html
No comment needed.
6. But they still play with
Wildeklawer emblazoned on
the jerseys?
July 12th, 2009 at 12:35 pm
2. Like you said. No comment needeed.
6. Markgraaf (Wildeklawer) just about own GWK. Different Businesses. Different resources. Different strategies.
July 12th, 2009 at 1:45 pm
Reply to Kandas @ 12:35 pm:
Ek wonder mos nou: Jy is seker
ook ‘n aanhanger van
Foolius Dilemma – ook bekend as
Julius Malema?
July 12th, 2009 at 2:21 pm
Reply to Boertjie @ 1:45 pm:
No. Also I don’t particularly see the reference.
What I do like about Julius is the fact that his parents, in their name calling, had et-tu-brutuesque insight/foresight…
July 12th, 2009 at 2:22 pm
Reply to Kandas @ 2:21 pm:
Same with Puis Langa.
Now how on earth did his parents knew he was going to become Chief Justice…?
July 12th, 2009 at 2:55 pm
Reply to Kandas @ 2:21 pm:
The reference is that they both
are a public disgrace when they
start talking.
But then I suppose I use Old World
standards.
July 12th, 2009 at 3:01 pm
Like PDivvy said:
“I have a guard in front of my mouth.
That bloody guard is just alweays asleep.”
Jake White wasn’t God’s gift to Public Relations either.
And the players didn’t offer to pay his costs when summoned by SARU…
July 12th, 2009 at 3:50 pm
Reply to Kandas @ 2:21 pm:
Reply to Kandas @ 2:22 pm:
Just think of it. The alternatives could have been Wiseman Malema and Innocence Langa…
Or, heavens fobid, Dawie de Villiers…
At least Peter is somewhat biblical. Can’t blame the man for over assuming…
July 12th, 2009 at 4:09 pm
No, thinking again, I must agree with Ominous Ollie and Sheepish Cab.
I can already see the statuesque figure of PDivvy appearing over the hills of the Boland, riding into the Bo-Paarl on his donkey to the background sounds of Era – The Mass ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-WnjVUBDbs for the uncultured amongst you) after being victorious in the Tri Nations.
After that, what more is there to achieve for the great small man? A World Cup in New Zealand? A given I would say.
Pff.
July 12th, 2009 at 4:45 pm
Reply to Kandas @ 12:19 pm:
5 – Oh yes! Watched the replay of Kwas v Staat and was very impressed with Kwas, played well as a unit with some great youngsters coming through. Sarel, Basson and Viljoen impressed me a lot in the backs and Makoena is putting his hand up! Pitty for him there are sooo many good flankers in SA!
10 – Thanks for caring
We had a relatively good season that fell apart at the end but we are working on that.
July 12th, 2009 at 8:40 pm
Reply to Kandas @ 12:19 pm:
Hi Kandas – No problem. I agree with you on the Tvl and Griekwas – they will upset a few applecarts this CC. Much disappointed in the Bulle – they need to turnaround quickly before taking on the Bergies Saturday!!
July 12th, 2009 at 9:23 pm
Colin Byden
F—koff and die
Whine at someone else
The Lions lost
They lost 2-0 with a test remaining
And now they spent the rest of the time whingeing and whining and moaning.
I cannot believe our media are such simpletons as to have fallen for the NH propaganda about the protest that drew a line in the sand and unequivically told the Anglo-Saxon rulers of rugby in the UK “Tot hiertoe en nie verder nie”
France did it so why not us too.
So to my mind
Good on you Boks for drawing the line in the sand
Now all we need is SARU to have the guts to force the issue with the IRB… hopefully with the support of other serial “wrongdoers” like Argentina, Tonga, Sama, Fiji and France….
And stuur them into their fat white pasty bottomed moere
July 12th, 2009 at 9:25 pm
This is NOT about winning a worldwide popularity contest.
It’s about winning…. PUNT KLAAR
Kandas go whine somewhere else.
July 12th, 2009 at 10:11 pm
Reply to DavidS @ 9:25 pm:
It’s about winning…. PUNT KLAAR
++++++++
Dis hoekom ek so demoerin is
oor die derde toets.
Ek wou hoor hoe hulle whine ná
3-0.
Oor die Bokke stand oor Bakkies:
:em24:
July 13th, 2009 at 3:21 am
Kandas has been spending too much time with the hippies in the Knysna woods and their mushrooms…
July 13th, 2009 at 8:09 am
Hoskins backing the boks on the armband issue – Sunday times!
July 13th, 2009 at 8:18 am
From rugby365:
South African Rugby Union president Oregan Hoskins supports the Springboks’
white arm-band protest during the third Test against the British and Irish
Lions.
Following Bakkies Botha’s two-week suspension for an illegal charge on Adam
Jones in Pretoria in the second Test, the players and support staff wore the
arm bands, which had ‘Justice 4 All’ written on them in the third Test.
The International Rugby Board has since charged SARU over the incident but
Hoskins feels that South African players are being victimised under the
current judicial system.
The matter was discussed by the Presidents’ Council and they were unanimous
in their support of the Boks’ stand.
“I’m going to write to the IRB to voice our unhappiness at the judicial
system. The Boks are being victimised and are the only players found guilty
when cited,” Hoskins told the Sunday Times.
“While the general feeling is that it’s wrong for them to wear armbands,
we’re taking into account the whole issue about Bakkies.
“We are in full solidarity with the players on Bakkies. He has been unfairly
prejudiced and the judicial system needs to be looked at.”
July 13th, 2009 at 8:38 am
Reply to JT – http://www.rugby-innsbruck.at @ 8:18 am:
Bark, bark
Now let’s see some bite
July 13th, 2009 at 4:14 pm
Its the “total onslaught” guys. An anglo-saxon conspiracy. The whole world is out to get the poor saffas.
You all seem to be stuck with that mindset and are unable to see how childish the armbands were or how ridiculous you sound to the rest of the world.
July 13th, 2009 at 4:44 pm
Reply to fyndraai @ 4:14 pm:
Whatever orgasm man…
The French seem to believe the same thing and so too the Islanders…
Any coincidence that the nations targetted are NOT WASPs?
July 13th, 2009 at 7:25 pm
Reply to Kandas @ 4:09 pm:
Dankie vir die kultuur.
Just wondering if it the music or the tannie you a fan of?
July 13th, 2009 at 7:27 pm
Reply to DavidS @ 9:25 pm:
i see you still in such a good mood.
Dave i think you need to come to terms with the fact that the Vaal is going to be shite for another 10 years.