We bring you the latest news from the Rugby World Cup 2011.
Samoan player lashes out at IRB (Sport24)
Samoa centre Eliota Fuimaono-Sapolu has accused Rugby World Cup organisers of treating Samoa unjustly in a foul-mouthed rant on Twitter following the 17-10 loss to Wales.
Fuimaono-Sapolu was livid that Samoa had to play on Sunday only four days after meeting Namibia, while Wales had a full week off following it loss to South Africa.
He likened Samoa’s treatment by the International Rugby Board as “like slavery, like the holocaust, like apartheid.”
Fuimaono-Sapolu also dared the IRB to suspend him.
Too much Haka
Bok coach Peter de Villiers believes that the traditional All Black Haka is in danger of losing its significance because it is being performed too often during the Rugby World Cup in New Zealand.
“For me, about the World Cup especially, there is too many haka around,” he told the Dominion Post newspaper. “It is unique, to me, and is losing its intensity, but that is only me.
“People are becoming so used to it. It is not a novelty any more and they don’t respect it.”
Guildford admits drinking problem
All Blacks wing Zac Guildford admitted he had an alcohol problem on Monday and publicly apologised for breaking an agreement with management by drinking “excessively” after a game last month.
At a hastily called press conference, Guildford said “there is a drinking issue” and that he was taking steps to get it under control.
“I’m taking positive steps to make sure it doesn’t happen again,” he said.
Guildford, a specialist wing, was considered a surprise selection for the World Cup over the more experienced Hosea Gear and Sitiveni Sivivatu.
No majory injury concerns for Boks
Team doctor Craig Roberts told reporters on Sunday that the injury bogey that was plaguing the Bok camp for some time now is showing signs of easing up.
“It is not often that I can sit after a physical game like that and report no injuries from the game,” said Roberts.
“We are quite happy, from the sideline it was quite a physical game and, apart from the normal bumps and bruises, we got away clean which is nice from an injury perspective.”
There were, however, concerns that lock Bakkies Botha had been replaced because of the Achilles (foot) injury he had been suffering from prior to the match.
But Roberts denied that the secondrower was forced to leave the field.
“The plan with Bakkies was always for him to play 40 minutes, we were always going to make the sub and bring Willem (Alberts) on after halftime,” he said.
As for wing Bryan Habana (knee), lock Victor Matfield (hamstring), flyhalf Butch James (hip flexor), centre Jean de Villiers (rib) and Johann Muller (hamstring), Roberts said that an assessment would be made at Tuesday’s training session.
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September 19th, 2011 at 11:19 am
top 10 Rugby hardmen:
Bakkies Botha (South Africa)
His moniker ‘The Enforcer’ says it all. Started his Test career as he meant to go on with a yellow card for stamping against France on his debut and has since been banned for eye-gouging Wallabies hooker Brendan Cannon and head-butting All Blacks scrum-half Jimmy Cowan. Nevertheless, was a key member of the Springboks’ 2007 World Cup-winning second row with Victor Matfield.
Sebastien Chabal (France)
A clean-cut, smooth-shaven fringe player at the 2003 Rugby World Cup, he became a cult hero when France hosted RWC 2007 after growing his hair and a beard to earn a host of nicknames including ‘Caveman’ and ‘The Anaesthetist’, the latter due to his crunching tackles. The All Blacks could vouch for that in 2007.
Sean Fitzpatrick (New Zealand)
Described by former England captain Will Carling as “a nasty, ultra-competitive winner”, few packs got the better of New Zealand when ‘Fitzy’ was skipper, which he was for a record 51 times in 92 Tests between 1986 and 1997. His hardness was exemplified in 1992, when he spat out bits of teeth after being punched by Ireland hooker Steve Smith and carried on!
Scott Gibbs (Wales)
Few British Lions followers will forget his celebrated run through giant Springbok prop Os du Randt or his dump tackle on Andre Snyman in 1997. The dual-code international centre was also a barrel-chested symbol of defiance for Wales in the 1991 and 1999 World Cups, and earned the nickname ‘Car Crash’ for his physical style.
Martin Johnson (England)
The England manager may look the picture of sophistication now in his suit, but in his days as his country’s World Cup-winning captain those eyebrows ensured no-one took any liberties against his team. Evidence of his toughness came in the 2003 win in New Zealand when his pack held out against the All Blacks with two in the sin-bin.
Brian Lima (Samoa)
Nicknamed ‘The Chiropractor’ for a good reason. Springbok fly-half Derick Hougaard, for one, can explain why, after being on the end of a flying hit from the Samoan centre or wing in the 2003 Rugby World Cup clash in Brisbane. But Lima could play a bit too and appeared in five RWC tournaments between 1991 and 2007 before retiring.
Pascal Ondarts (France)
England legend Jason Leonard labels Ondarts as the toughest tight-head prop he ever faced. Ondarts’ Test debut was the ill-tempered ‘Battle of Nantes’ against New Zealand in 1986 and the fiery Basque was involved in many more physical confrontations in his 42 Tests, including the brutal 1991 Rugby World Cup quarter-final with England, which appropriately was his finale.
Wayne Shelford (New Zealand)
‘Buck’ played only 22 Tests, including the 1987 Rugby World Cup, but gained a reputation as one of the hardest ever All Blacks. The former New Zealand skipper and number eight underlined that against France in 1986 when, after having his scrotum ripped and losing four teeth at a ruck, he asked the physio to stitch him up so that he could return to the pitch!
Mick Skinner (England)
Known as ‘The Munch’ because of his fierce tackling, the former back rower earned global renown with an extraordinary hit on Marc Cecillon in the 1991 Rugby World Cup quarter-final in Paris, which not only stopped the France forward scoring a try but also drove him back five metres. It was a game-changing moment, as England went on to win 19-10.
Andre Venter (South Africa)
It is hard to imagine him as a fearless flanker nowadays after he was tragically struck down by a rare muscle disease and confined to a wheelchair, but between 1996 and 2001 – including the 1999 Rugby World Cup – he was an intimidating presence at 6ft 5in and 228lb who played on the edge for many of his 66 Tests.
September 19th, 2011 at 11:35 am
As to the above comment …
No Ruben Kruger?
September 19th, 2011 at 1:34 pm
Got it from a Pom…
September 19th, 2011 at 1:44 pm
Eish, Fuimaono-Sapolu has just emphasised Morne’s point from the other day
September 19th, 2011 at 2:52 pm
Agree with Snor re the haka.
September 19th, 2011 at 3:16 pm
Reply to Boertjie @ 2:52 pm:
I’ve been skipping over the anthems and the haka for a while now. Too much of the same-same.
September 19th, 2011 at 3:17 pm
Reply to Boertjie @ 2:52 pm:
agree again!?
I used to make a point of it to be in front of the telly to witness the Haka, now I get up and go for a
and to poor another 
while they perform it because it only idicates that I have a few minutes before KO!
September 19th, 2011 at 3:28 pm
Morné Steyn blykbaar in die kooi met griep, sien hulle sê niks daarvan nie.
September 19th, 2011 at 4:41 pm
Reply to Timeo @ 3:16 pm:
I only watch the anthem for the cutaway shots
to spectators joining in etc.
September 19th, 2011 at 4:56 pm
Reply to namboer @ 3:28 pm:
Check new thread BATTERED BOKS.
September 19th, 2011 at 5:00 pm
Reply to Boertjie @ 4:41 pm: Skotland en Ierland se voldliedere is nogal nie vrot nie. Het Sat so met een oor weer die begin van die Iere s’n geluister en dit het in my kop vasgesteek. Maklike woorde en maklik om saam te sing…vernaam as daar so paar ‘pints’ ook betrokke was!
September 19th, 2011 at 5:56 pm
Ja trust die Irish om ‘n drinking song vir ‘n Volkslied te maak!
September 19th, 2011 at 6:42 pm
Reply to namboer @ 5:00 pm:
Mooiste ‘volkslied’ van almal.
Veral as daar doedelsakke in die
orkes is.
Ek wonder hoe sal Oom Kosie Sukkel Lekker
klink met ‘n konsertina?
September 20th, 2011 at 11:44 am
Never miss our anthem, i banshee along to it, the dogs start howling and the birds screeching
and if its a goodie the tears sqirt.
Hubby reckons it should go on youtube
cant sing worth a damn.
At games and with friends i mime
September 20th, 2011 at 12:08 pm
onthou dis net in world cups deesdae waar die ‘irelands call’ moet gebruik word. games in ierland speel hulle soms net die republiek se volkslied. Weg games of in Belfast speel hulle altwee. Baie iere verafsku ‘irelands call’.
Snaaksgenoeg in meeste nightclubs in ierland sing die mense aan die einde van die aand die volkslied. Selfs aan einde van troues of 21sts etc.
Basies as hulle op hulle gesuipste is dan kom die song uit – net na ‘fields of athenry’
September 20th, 2011 at 12:34 pm
Reply to Kumbaya Bokke! @ 12:08 pm:
As ons hier gesuip is vang ons an met die franse en italiaanse volksliede
September 20th, 2011 at 1:53 pm
Reply to JT_BOKBEFOK! @ 12:34 pm:
hehehe wat seker redelik gerEEld is!