SA Rugby when will we move from the dark ages?!

Ahh the inaugural Rugby Championships all but dne and dusted. If it were any other game people would be dubbing it as a dead rubber weekend. But its far from it, on the other side of the globe we have Robbie Deans having to fight to show is detractors that he is the man for the Aussie job against the Argies who have accounted for themselves well in this tournament but they smell the blood of a maimed wallaby and they want this bad for their own confidence...then on this side of the globe we have the ABs who have the Rugby Championship in the bag along with every trophy on offer this year so far and 15 straight test wins chasing a record of 18 (held by Lithuania mind you) and looking to build on the momentum of the last test vs The AfriBokke (more on that later) who strung together a very good performance v the Wallabies last weekend and would love nothing more than to put one over their old foe, who happen to also currently hold the title of world champs.

I am most pleased that Argentina has been included, i would love to see a competition that involved the South Sea Islanders as well as the USA and Japan too because the more participants we have the bigger the global spectacle. Its not like in football where a country like Ghana could make the semi finals...could have but we forget about that. But that being said, it wasnt an exciting tournament at all. The Wallabies through no fault of Robbie Deans or the players were a weak unit and they did pretty well given the circumstances. They were on their 4th captain, who had to delay his retirement to assist the team, but they were always going to struggle and with mr consistent Adam Ashley-Cooper going down early in the game v the boks along with Digby, Samo, Totafu...it was written! The Boks played well but they should have been more clinical and put them away. The Blacks meant business from the Haka it too was written, they had a bit of a slow start but then from there, everything was done at pace, fewer errors. I think the Argies were also tired they didnt have their usual fizz, this weekend they will be stronger. 

But enough of that, i have bigger issues much bigger!!

Ok so we had PdV last year, he did pretty well in relation to the results gained by SA coaches of old (discounting Nick Mallet) but he could do no right in the eyes of the SA rugby public. He brought in Flouw if i am not mistaken, people ask what the herrrl. He tried to change Jakes defend and kick rugby people as what the herlll!!! Yes he 'inherited' a team but as did Heynecke now, he has lost John Smit(added nothing to PdV's tenure bar leadership) Victor Matfield, Bakkies (hardly played because of injury and suspension), Fourie dP(hardly played too), Jacques Fourie and Schalk (currently injured). Cant think of anyone else worth noting but no HM didnt inherit a team, noooo. You see where I am going with this...i dont think you do.

South African rugby bosses have once again missed a trick i believe. I like HM as a coach for the Bulls, the man is without doubt a good coach we all saw what he achieved with the Bulls, took him some time to achieve it. He is now in charge of the Boks and I HATE his style of rugby but in spite of that I have urged my mates who speak ill of him to give him a chance...well in the past, but there is a trend that i recently noticed which doesn't sit right with me at all. As you all know as a result of a vast amount of reasons I have never been a strong supporter of Springbok rugby, to a point where i actually supported ANY team against them. In 1995, even though i didnt support them I was so happy they won the RWC in SA, and when PdV took over i found myself supporting them more except against a few nations. But i recently noticed that my dislike is returning and I started analysing it. 

Look at this team selected for this weekends game v Aus

15. Zane Kirchner

14. Bryan Habana

13. Jaco Taute

12. Jean de Villiers (captain)

11. Franscois Hougaard

10. Johan Goosen

9. Ruan Pienaar

8. Duane Vermeulen

7. Willem Alberts

6. Francois Louw

5. Andries Bekker

4. Eben Etzebeth

3. Jannie du Plessis

2. Adriaan Strauss

1. Tendai Mtawarira

What do you notice about it? Yep bar Habs (former Bull) and The Beast, this team is Afrikaans and staggeringly white. Players like Lambie should be there, a player like Keegan Daniel, by far SA's best loose forward in this years super rugby dropped for no reason!! Lwazi Mvovo, dropped to make space for Hougie who couldnt cut it at no 9. I like Goosen, I think he is definitely the future, but after a few games he is included in the big league when there is a guy called Elton Jantjes who has been 'having it' for the Lions over the last 2 seasons. You bring in 2 players like JJ Engelbrecht and Jaco Taute ahead of Juan de Jongh and Lionel Mapoe, who has outshone every other centre in this years currie cup, well bar the duo of Eberhson and Rhule when they played together for the Cheetahs. Then there is Chilliboy, always no 2, now he is no 3 or 4, you telling me Liebenberg or Strauss is better than him? Give me your basis! but Chilli has gone as far as he will in SA rugby, from Springbok captain potential to chump. Then the cherry on top for me was you telling me that Kolisi isnt good enough and his time will come, but Potgieter is good enough!! Screw this pooh man!! I've had it! its time someone said something! People cry foul over quotas but without them the status quo will remain. 

If we really wanted to transform and grow, now is a good a time as any because HM already has the excuse that he is building a team so why not bring in a proper talent like Rhule, this boy is hot! Mapoe, superb, Chilliboy, De Jongh, Gio Aplon. There is this guy called Daniel Odongo who has played for SA in age group rugby. Bra has got such mad skills that Tana Umaga has signed him for Counties in NZ, and our guys did they even see him?

The thing that tipped me over the edge was this weekend, when SA were plenty points ahead of Oz and there was no hope of them losing, you have Elton and Juan warming up on the sidelines for 3 hrs whilst Pat Cilliers waltzed on in no time, come on man...come on!!

Maybe HM isnt consciously congnisant of what he is doing with this team! Yes you ten to familiarise yourself with people who you are comfortable with, but this team belongs to the nation and to be honest this goes beyond rugby for me. For many in South Africa rugby is a bastion of the old regime and like it or not with PdV a few more people like myself were slowly starting to warm to the team, even though the most vocal of disapproval belonged to quarters of the old guard. What is happening now will not bode well for SA rugby amongst all, it will suit a large pocket of the old guard who i guess hold the country's purse strings. But i find it horribly sad, disgusting even. Something has to be said...done!

I know i am whining and I know I'm bringing race and politics etc into sport, but i guess as they say bad things happen when people stand by and do nothing!

I want to support but I cant, I AM VERY DESPONDENT, DISSAPOINTED and darn right BLEAK

Come on SA Rugby (supporters and administrators alike) lets move from the dark ages please!! Imagine how good players like Lawerence Sephaka, Gcobani Bobo, Hanyani would have been had they been given as much leeway and support and opportunities like those afforded to players like Smit, Spies, Morne, Jannie Du Penalty to name but a few!!

Come on man!!

SA Rugby, when will we emerge from the dark ages?

Ahh the inaugural Rugby Championships all but dne and dusted. If it were any other game people would be dubbing it as a dead rubber weekend. But its far from it, on the other side of the globe we have Robbie Deans having to fight to show is detractors that he is the man for the Aussie job against the Argies who have accounted for themselves well in this tournament but they smell the blood of a maimed wallaby and they want this bad for their own confidence...then on this side of the globe we have the ABs who have the Rugby Championship in the bag along with every trophy on offer this year so far and 15 straight test wins chasing a record of 18 (held by Lithuania mind you) and looking to build on the momentum of the last test vs The AfriBokke (more on that later) who strung together a very good performance v the Wallabies last weekend and would love nothing more than to put one over their old foe, who happen to also currently hold the title of world champs.

I am most pleased that Argentina has been included, i would love to see a competition that involved the South Sea Islanders as well as the USA and Japan too because the more participants we have the bigger the global spectacle. Its not like in football where a country like Ghana could make the semi finals...could have but we forget about that. But that being said, it wasnt an exciting tournament at all. The Wallabies through no fault of Robbie Deans or the players were a weak unit and they did pretty well given the circumstances. They were on their 4th captain, who had to delay his retirement to assist the team, but they were always going to struggle and with mr consistent Adam Ashley-Cooper going down early in the game v the boks along with Digby, Samo, Totafu...it was written! The Boks played well but they should have been more clinical and put them away. The Blacks meant business from the Haka it too was written, they had a bit of a slow start but then from there, everything was done at pace, fewer errors. I think the Argies were also tired they didnt have their usual fizz, this weekend they will be stronger. 

But enough of that, i have bigger issues much bigger!!

Ok so we had PdV last year, he did pretty well in relation to the results gained by SA coaches of old (discounting Nick Mallet) but he could do no right in the eyes of the SA rugby public. He brought in Flouw if i am not mistaken, people ask what the herrrl. He tried to change Jakes defend and kick rugby people as what the herlll!!! Yes he 'inherited' a team but as did Heynecke now, he has lost John Smit(added nothing to PdV's tenure bar leadership) Victor Matfield, Bakkies (hardly played because of injury and suspension), Fourie dP(hardly played too), Jacques Fourie and Schalk (currently injured). Cant think of anyone else worth noting but no HM didnt inherit a team, noooo. You see where I am going with this...i dont think you do.

South African rugby bosses have once again missed a trick i believe. I like HM as a coach for the Bulls, the man is without doubt a good coach we all saw what he achieved with the Bulls, took him some time to achieve it. He is now in charge of the Boks and I HATE his style of rugby but in spite of that I have urged my mates who speak ill of him to give him a chance...well in the past, but there is a trend that i recently noticed which doesn't sit right with me at all. As you all know as a result of a vast amount of reasons I have never been a strong supporter of Springbok rugby, to a point where i actually supported ANY team against them. In 1995, even though i didnt support them I was so happy they won the RWC in SA, and when PdV took over i found myself supporting them more except against a few nations. But i recently noticed that my dislike is returning and I started analysing it. 

Look at this team selected for this weekends game v Aus

15. Zane Kirchner

14. Bryan Habana

13. Jaco Taute

12. Jean de Villiers (captain)

11. Franscois Hougaard

10. Johan Goosen

9. Ruan Pienaar

8. Duane Vermeulen

7. Willem Alberts

6. Francois Louw

5. Andries Bekker

4. Eben Etzebeth

3. Jannie du Plessis

2. Adriaan Strauss

1. Tendai Mtawarira

What do you notice about it? Yep bar Habs (former Bull) and The Beast, this team is Afrikaans and staggeringly white. Players like Lambie should be there, a player like Keegan Daniel, by far SA's best loose forward in this years super rugby dropped for no reason!! Lwazi Mvovo, dropped to make space for Hougie who couldnt cut it at no 9. I like Goosen, I think he is definitely the future, but after a few games he is included in the big league when there is a guy called Elton Jantjes who has been 'having it' for the Lions over the last 2 seasons. You bring in 2 players like JJ Engelbrecht and Jaco Taute ahead of Juan de Jongh and Lionel Mapoe, who has outshone every other centre in this years currie cup, well bar the duo of Eberhson and Rhule when they played together for the Cheetahs. Then there is Chilliboy, always no 2, now he is no 3 or 4, you telling me Liebenberg or Strauss is better than him? Give me your basis! but Chilli has gone as far as he will in SA rugby, from Springbok captain potential to chump. Then the cherry on top for me was you telling me that Kolisi isnt good enough and his time will come, but Potgieter is good enough!! Screw this pooh man!! I've had it! its time someone said something! People cry foul over quotas but without them the status quo will remain. 

If we really wanted to transform and grow, now is a good a time as any because HM already has the excuse that he is building a team so why not bring in a proper talent like Rhule, this boy is hot! Mapoe, superb, Chilliboy, De Jongh, Gio Aplon. There is this guy called Daniel Odongo who has played for SA in age group rugby. Bra has got such mad skills that Tana Umaga has signed him for Counties in NZ, and our guys did they even see him?

The thing that tipped me over the edge was this weekend, when SA were plenty points ahead of Oz and there was no hope of them losing, you have Elton and Juan warming up on the sidelines for 3 hrs whilst Pat Cilliers waltzed on in no time, come on man...come on!!

Maybe HM isnt consciously congnisant of what he is doing with this team! Yes you ten to familiarise yourself with people who you are comfortable with, but this team belongs to the nation and to be honest this goes beyond rugby for me. For many in South Africa rugby is a bastion of the old regime and like it or not with PdV a few more people like myself were slowly starting to warm to the team, even though the most vocal of disapproval belonged to quarters of the old guard. What is happening now will not bode well for SA rugby amongst all, it will suit a large pocket of the old guard who i guess hold the country's purse strings. But i find it horribly sad, disgusting even. Something has to be said...done!

I know i am whining and I know I'm bringing race and politics etc into sport, but i guess as they say bad things happen when people stand by and do nothing!

I want to support but I cant, I AM VERY DESPONDENT, DISSAPOINTED and darn right BLEAK

Come on SA Rugby (supporters and administrators alike) lets move from the dark ages please!! Imagine how good players like Lawerence Sephaka, Gcobani Bobo, Hanyani would have been had they been given as much leeway and support and opportunities like those afforded to players like Smit, Spies, Morne, Jannie Du Penalty to name but a few!!

Come on man!!

SA Rugby, when will we emerge from the dark ages?

Ahh the inaugural Rugby Championships all but dne and dusted. If it were any other game people would be dubbing it as a dead rubber weekend. But its far from it, on the other side of the globe we have Robbie Deans having to fight to show is detractors that he is the man for the Aussie job against the Argies who have accounted for themselves well in this tournament but they smell the blood of a maimed wallaby and they want this bad for their own confidence...then on this side of the globe we have the ABs who have the Rugby Championship in the bag along with every trophy on offer this year so far and 15 straight test wins chasing a record of 18 (held by Lithuania mind you) and looking to build on the momentum of the last test vs The AfriBokke (more on that later) who strung together a very good performance v the Wallabies last weekend and would love nothing more than to put one over their old foe, who happen to also currently hold the title of world champs.

I am most pleased that Argentina has been included, i would love to see a competition that involved the South Sea Islanders as well as the USA and Japan too because the more participants we have the bigger the global spectacle. Its not like in football where a country like Ghana could make the semi finals...could have but we forget about that. But that being said, it wasnt an exciting tournament at all. The Wallabies through no fault of Robbie Deans or the players were a weak unit and they did pretty well given the circumstances. They were on their 4th captain, who had to delay his retirement to assist the team, but they were always going to struggle and with mr consistent Adam Ashley-Cooper going down early in the game v the boks along with Digby, Samo, Totafu...it was written! The Boks played well but they should have been more clinical and put them away. The Blacks meant business from the Haka it too was written, they had a bit of a slow start but then from there, everything was done at pace, fewer errors. I think the Argies were also tired they didnt have their usual fizz, this weekend they will be stronger. 

But enough of that, i have bigger issues much bigger!!

Ok so we had PdV last year, he did pretty well in relation to the results gained by SA coaches of old (discounting Nick Mallet) but he could do no right in the eyes of the SA rugby public. He brought in Flouw if i am not mistaken, people ask what the herrrl. He tried to change Jakes defend and kick rugby people as what the herlll!!! Yes he 'inherited' a team but as did Heynecke now, he has lost John Smit(added nothing to PdV's tenure bar leadership) Victor Matfield, Bakkies (hardly played because of injury and suspension), Fourie dP(hardly played too), Jacques Fourie and Schalk (currently injured). Cant think of anyone else worth noting but no HM didnt inherit a team, noooo. You see where I am going with this...i dont think you do.

South African rugby bosses have once again missed a trick i believe. I like HM as a coach for the Bulls, the man is without doubt a good coach we all saw what he achieved with the Bulls, took him some time to achieve it. He is now in charge of the Boks and I HATE his style of rugby but in spite of that I have urged my mates who speak ill of him to give him a chance...well in the past, but there is a trend that i recently noticed which doesn't sit right with me at all. As you all know as a result of a vast amount of reasons I have never been a strong supporter of Springbok rugby, to a point where i actually supported ANY team against them. In 1995, even though i didnt support them I was so happy they won the RWC in SA, and when PdV took over i found myself supporting them more except against a few nations. But i recently noticed that my dislike is returning and I started analysing it. 

Look at this team selected for this weekends game v Aus

15. Zane Kirchner

14. Bryan Habana

13. Jaco Taute

12. Jean de Villiers (captain)

11. Franscois Hougaard

10. Johan Goosen

9. Ruan Pienaar

8. Duane Vermeulen

7. Willem Alberts

6. Francois Louw

5. Andries Bekker

4. Eben Etzebeth

3. Jannie du Plessis

2. Adriaan Strauss

1. Tendai Mtawarira

What do you notice about it? Yep bar Habs (former Bull) and The Beast, this team is Afrikaans and staggeringly white. Players like Lambie should be there, a player like Keegan Daniel, by far SA's best loose forward in this years super rugby dropped for no reason!! Lwazi Mvovo, dropped to make space for Hougie who couldnt cut it at no 9. I like Goosen, I think he is definitely the future, but after a few games he is included in the big league when there is a guy called Elton Jantjes who has been 'having it' for the Lions over the last 2 seasons. You bring in 2 players like JJ Engelbrecht and Jaco Taute ahead of Juan de Jongh and Lionel Mapoe, who has outshone every other centre in this years currie cup, well bar the duo of Eberhson and Rhule when they played together for the Cheetahs. Then there is Chilliboy, always no 2, now he is no 3 or 4, you telling me Liebenberg or Strauss is better than him? Give me your basis! but Chilli has gone as far as he will in SA rugby, from Springbok captain potential to chump. Then the cherry on top for me was you telling me that Kolisi isnt good enough and his time will come, but Potgieter is good enough!! Screw this pooh man!! I've had it! its time someone said something! People cry foul over quotas but without them the status quo will remain. 

If we really wanted to transform and grow, now is a good a time as any because HM already has the excuse that he is building a team so why not bring in a proper talent like Rhule, this boy is hot! Mapoe, superb, Chilliboy, De Jongh, Gio Aplon. There is this guy called Daniel Odongo who has played for SA in age group rugby. Bra has got such mad skills that Tana Umaga has signed him for Counties in NZ, and our guys did they even see him?

The thing that tipped me over the edge was this weekend, when SA were plenty points ahead of Oz and there was no hope of them losing, you have Elton and Juan warming up on the sidelines for 3 hrs whilst Pat Cilliers waltzed on in no time, come on man...come on!!

Maybe HM isnt consciously congnisant of what he is doing with this team! Yes you ten to familiarise yourself with people who you are comfortable with, but this team belongs to the nation and to be honest this goes beyond rugby for me. For many in South Africa rugby is a bastion of the old regime and like it or not with PdV a few more people like myself were slowly starting to warm to the team, even though the most vocal of disapproval belonged to quarters of the old guard. What is happening now will not bode well for SA rugby amongst all, it will suit a large pocket of the old guard who i guess hold the country's purse strings. But i find it horribly sad, disgusting even. Something has to be said...done!

I know i am whining and I know I'm bringing race and politics etc into sport, but i guess as they say bad things happen when people stand by and do nothing!

I want to support but I cant, I AM VERY DESPONDENT, DISSAPOINTED and darn right BLEAK

Come on SA Rugby (supporters and administrators alike) lets move from the dark ages please!! Imagine how good players like Lawerence Sephaka, Gcobani Bobo, Hanyani would have been had they been given as much leeway and support and opportunities like those afforded to players like Smit, Spies, Morne, Jannie Du Penalty to name but a few!!

Come on man!!

SA Rugby, when will we emerge from the dark ages?

Ahh the inaugural Rugby Championships all but dne and dusted. If it were any other game people would be dubbing it as a dead rubber weekend. But its far from it, on the other side of the globe we have Robbie Deans having to fight to show is detractors that he is the man for the Aussie job against the Argies who have accounted for themselves well in this tournament but they smell the blood of a maimed wallaby and they want this bad for their own confidence...then on this side of the globe we have the ABs who have the Rugby Championship in the bag along with every trophy on offer this year so far and 15 straight test wins chasing a record of 18 (held by Lithuania mind you) and looking to build on the momentum of the last test vs The AfriBokke (more on that later) who strung together a very good performance v the Wallabies last weekend and would love nothing more than to put one over their old foe, who happen to also currently hold the title of world champs.

I am most pleased that Argentina has been included, i would love to see a competition that involved the South Sea Islanders as well as the USA and Japan too because the more participants we have the bigger the global spectacle. Its not like in football where a country like Ghana could make the semi finals...could have but we forget about that. But that being said, it wasnt an exciting tournament at all. The Wallabies through no fault of Robbie Deans or the players were a weak unit and they did pretty well given the circumstances. They were on their 4th captain, who had to delay his retirement to assist the team, but they were always going to struggle and with mr consistent Adam Ashley-Cooper going down early in the game v the boks along with Digby, Samo, Totafu...it was written! The Boks played well but they should have been more clinical and put them away. The Blacks meant business from the Haka it too was written, they had a bit of a slow start but then from there, everything was done at pace, fewer errors. I think the Argies were also tired they didnt have their usual fizz, this weekend they will be stronger. 

But enough of that, i have bigger issues much bigger!!

Ok so we had PdV last year, he did pretty well in relation to the results gained by SA coaches of old (discounting Nick Mallet) but he could do no right in the eyes of the SA rugby public. He brought in Flouw if i am not mistaken, people ask what the herrrl. He tried to change Jakes defend and kick rugby people as what the herlll!!! Yes he 'inherited' a team but as did Heynecke now, he has lost John Smit(added nothing to PdV's tenure bar leadership) Victor Matfield, Bakkies (hardly played because of injury and suspension), Fourie dP(hardly played too), Jacques Fourie and Schalk (currently injured). Cant think of anyone else worth noting but no HM didnt inherit a team, noooo. You see where I am going with this...i dont think you do.

South African rugby bosses have once again missed a trick i believe. I like HM as a coach for the Bulls, the man is without doubt a good coach we all saw what he achieved with the Bulls, took him some time to achieve it. He is now in charge of the Boks and I HATE his style of rugby but in spite of that I have urged my mates who speak ill of him to give him a chance...well in the past, but there is a trend that i recently noticed which doesn't sit right with me at all. As you all know as a result of a vast amount of reasons I have never been a strong supporter of Springbok rugby, to a point where i actually supported ANY team against them. In 1995, even though i didnt support them I was so happy they won the RWC in SA, and when PdV took over i found myself supporting them more except against a few nations. But i recently noticed that my dislike is returning and I started analysing it. 

Look at this team selected for this weekends game v Aus

15. Zane Kirchner

14. Bryan Habana

13. Jaco Taute

12. Jean de Villiers (captain)

11. Franscois Hougaard

10. Johan Goosen

9. Ruan Pienaar

8. Duane Vermeulen

7. Willem Alberts

6. Francois Louw

5. Andries Bekker

4. Eben Etzebeth

3. Jannie du Plessis

2. Adriaan Strauss

1. Tendai Mtawarira

What do you notice about it? Yep bar Habs (former Bull) and The Beast, this team is Afrikaans and staggeringly white. Players like Lambie should be there, a player like Keegan Daniel, by far SA's best loose forward in this years super rugby dropped for no reason!! Lwazi Mvovo, dropped to make space for Hougie who couldnt cut it at no 9. I like Goosen, I think he is definitely the future, but after a few games he is included in the big league when there is a guy called Elton Jantjes who has been 'having it' for the Lions over the last 2 seasons. You bring in 2 players like JJ Engelbrecht and Jaco Taute ahead of Juan de Jongh and Lionel Mapoe, who has outshone every other centre in this years currie cup, well bar the duo of Eberhson and Rhule when they played together for the Cheetahs. Then there is Chilliboy, always no 2, now he is no 3 or 4, you telling me Liebenberg or Strauss is better than him? Give me your basis! but Chilli has gone as far as he will in SA rugby, from Springbok captain potential to chump. Then the cherry on top for me was you telling me that Kolisi isnt good enough and his time will come, but Potgieter is good enough!! Screw this pooh man!! I've had it! its time someone said something! People cry foul over quotas but without them the status quo will remain. 

If we really wanted to transform and grow, now is a good a time as any because HM already has the excuse that he is building a team so why not bring in a proper talent like Rhule, this boy is hot! Mapoe, superb, Chilliboy, De Jongh, Gio Aplon. There is this guy called Daniel Odongo who has played for SA in age group rugby. Bra has got such mad skills that Tana Umaga has signed him for Counties in NZ, and our guys did they even see him?

The thing that tipped me over the edge was this weekend, when SA were plenty points ahead of Oz and there was no hope of them losing, you have Elton and Juan warming up on the sidelines for 3 hrs whilst Pat Cilliers waltzed on in no time, come on man...come on!!

Maybe HM isnt consciously congnisant of what he is doing with this team! Yes you ten to familiarise yourself with people who you are comfortable with, but this team belongs to the nation and to be honest this goes beyond rugby for me. For many in South Africa rugby is a bastion of the old regime and like it or not with PdV a few more people like myself were slowly starting to warm to the team, even though the most vocal of disapproval belonged to quarters of the old guard. What is happening now will not bode well for SA rugby amongst all, it will suit a large pocket of the old guard who i guess hold the country's purse strings. But i find it horribly sad, disgusting even. Something has to be said...done!

I know i am whining and I know I'm bringing race and politics etc into sport, but i guess as they say bad things happen when people stand by and do nothing!

I want to support but I cant, I AM VERY DESPONDENT, DISSAPOINTED and darn right BLEAK

Come on SA Rugby (supporters and administrators alike) lets move from the dark ages please!! Imagine how good players like Lawerence Sephaka, Gcobani Bobo, Hanyani would have been had they been given as much leeway and support and opportunities like those afforded to players like Smit, Spies, Morne, Jannie Du Penalty to name but a few!!

Come on man!!

SA Rugby, when will we emerge from the dark ages?

Ahh the inaugural Rugby Championships all but dne and dusted. If it were any other game people would be dubbing it as a dead rubber weekend. But its far from it, on the other side of the globe we have Robbie Deans having to fight to show is detractors that he is the man for the Aussie job against the Argies who have accounted for themselves well in this tournament but they smell the blood of a maimed wallaby and they want this bad for their own confidence...then on this side of the globe we have the ABs who have the Rugby Championship in the bag along with every trophy on offer this year so far and 15 straight test wins chasing a record of 18 (held by Lithuania mind you) and looking to build on the momentum of the last test vs The AfriBokke (more on that later) who strung together a very good performance v the Wallabies last weekend and would love nothing more than to put one over their old foe, who happen to also currently hold the title of world champs.

I am most pleased that Argentina has been included, i would love to see a competition that involved the South Sea Islanders as well as the USA and Japan too because the more participants we have the bigger the global spectacle. Its not like in football where a country like Ghana could make the semi finals...could have but we forget about that. But that being said, it wasnt an exciting tournament at all. The Wallabies through no fault of Robbie Deans or the players were a weak unit and they did pretty well given the circumstances. They were on their 4th captain, who had to delay his retirement to assist the team, but they were always going to struggle and with mr consistent Adam Ashley-Cooper going down early in the game v the boks along with Digby, Samo, Totafu...it was written! The Boks played well but they should have been more clinical and put them away. The Blacks meant business from the Haka it too was written, they had a bit of a slow start but then from there, everything was done at pace, fewer errors. I think the Argies were also tired they didnt have their usual fizz, this weekend they will be stronger. 

But enough of that, i have bigger issues much bigger!!

Ok so we had PdV last year, he did pretty well in relation to the results gained by SA coaches of old (discounting Nick Mallet) but he could do no right in the eyes of the SA rugby public. He brought in Flouw if i am not mistaken, people ask what the herrrl. He tried to change Jakes defend and kick rugby people as what the herlll!!! Yes he 'inherited' a team but as did Heynecke now, he has lost John Smit(added nothing to PdV's tenure bar leadership) Victor Matfield, Bakkies (hardly played because of injury and suspension), Fourie dP(hardly played too), Jacques Fourie and Schalk (currently injured). Cant think of anyone else worth noting but no HM didnt inherit a team, noooo. You see where I am going with this...i dont think you do.

South African rugby bosses have once again missed a trick i believe. I like HM as a coach for the Bulls, the man is without doubt a good coach we all saw what he achieved with the Bulls, took him some time to achieve it. He is now in charge of the Boks and I HATE his style of rugby but in spite of that I have urged my mates who speak ill of him to give him a chance...well in the past, but there is a trend that i recently noticed which doesn't sit right with me at all. As you all know as a result of a vast amount of reasons I have never been a strong supporter of Springbok rugby, to a point where i actually supported ANY team against them. In 1995, even though i didnt support them I was so happy they won the RWC in SA, and when PdV took over i found myself supporting them more except against a few nations. But i recently noticed that my dislike is returning and I started analysing it. 

Look at this team selected for this weekends game v Aus

15. Zane Kirchner

14. Bryan Habana

13. Jaco Taute

12. Jean de Villiers (captain)

11. Franscois Hougaard

10. Johan Goosen

9. Ruan Pienaar

8. Duane Vermeulen

7. Willem Alberts

6. Francois Louw

5. Andries Bekker

4. Eben Etzebeth

3. Jannie du Plessis

2. Adriaan Strauss

1. Tendai Mtawarira

What do you notice about it? Yep bar Habs (former Bull) and The Beast, this team is Afrikaans and staggeringly white. Players like Lambie should be there, a player like Keegan Daniel, by far SA's best loose forward in this years super rugby dropped for no reason!! Lwazi Mvovo, dropped to make space for Hougie who couldnt cut it at no 9. I like Goosen, I think he is definitely the future, but after a few games he is included in the big league when there is a guy called Elton Jantjes who has been 'having it' for the Lions over the last 2 seasons. You bring in 2 players like JJ Engelbrecht and Jaco Taute ahead of Juan de Jongh and Lionel Mapoe, who has outshone every other centre in this years currie cup, well bar the duo of Eberhson and Rhule when they played together for the Cheetahs. Then there is Chilliboy, always no 2, now he is no 3 or 4, you telling me Liebenberg or Strauss is better than him? Give me your basis! but Chilli has gone as far as he will in SA rugby, from Springbok captain potential to chump. Then the cherry on top for me was you telling me that Kolisi isnt good enough and his time will come, but Potgieter is good enough!! Screw this pooh man!! I've had it! its time someone said something! People cry foul over quotas but without them the status quo will remain. 

If we really wanted to transform and grow, now is a good a time as any because HM already has the excuse that he is building a team so why not bring in a proper talent like Rhule, this boy is hot! Mapoe, superb, Chilliboy, De Jongh, Gio Aplon. There is this guy called Daniel Odongo who has played for SA in age group rugby. Bra has got such mad skills that Tana Umaga has signed him for Counties in NZ, and our guys did they even see him?

The thing that tipped me over the edge was this weekend, when SA were plenty points ahead of Oz and there was no hope of them losing, you have Elton and Juan warming up on the sidelines for 3 hrs whilst Pat Cilliers waltzed on in no time, come on man...come on!!

Maybe HM isnt consciously congnisant of what he is doing with this team! Yes you ten to familiarise yourself with people who you are comfortable with, but this team belongs to the nation and to be honest this goes beyond rugby for me. For many in South Africa rugby is a bastion of the old regime and like it or not with PdV a few more people like myself were slowly starting to warm to the team, even though the most vocal of disapproval belonged to quarters of the old guard. What is happening now will not bode well for SA rugby amongst all, it will suit a large pocket of the old guard who i guess hold the country's purse strings. But i find it horribly sad, disgusting even. Something has to be said...done!

I know i am whining and I know I'm bringing race and politics etc into sport, but i guess as they say bad things happen when people stand by and do nothing!

I want to support but I cant, I AM VERY DESPONDENT, DISSAPOINTED and darn right BLEAK

Come on SA Rugby (supporters and administrators alike) lets move from the dark ages please!! Imagine how good players like Lawerence Sephaka, Gcobani Bobo, Hanyani would have been had they been given as much leeway and support and opportunities like those afforded to players like Smit, Spies, Morne, Jannie Du Penalty to name but a few!!

Come on man!!

Oh SA rugby, when will we move from the dark ages??!

Ahh the inaugural Rugby Championships all but dne and dusted. If it were any other game people would be dubbing it as a dead rubber weekend. But its far from it, on the other side of the globe we have Robbie Deans having to fight to show is detractors that he is the man for the Aussie job against the Argies who have accounted for themselves well in this tournament but they smell the blood of a maimed wallaby and they want this bad for their own confidence...then on this side of the globe we have the ABs who have the Rugby Championship in the bag along with every trophy on offer this year so far and 15 straight test wins chasing a record of 18 (held by Lithuania mind you) and looking to build on the momentum of the last test vs The AfriBokke (more on that later) who strung together a very good performance v the Wallabies last weekend and would love nothing more than to put one over their old foe, who happen to also currently hold the title of world champs.

I am most pleased that Argentina has been included, i would love to see a competition that involved the South Sea Islanders as well as the USA and Japan too because the more participants we have the bigger the global spectacle. Its not like in football where a country like Ghana could make the semi finals...could have but we forget about that. But that being said, it wasnt an exciting tournament at all. The Wallabies through no fault of Robbie Deans or the players were a weak unit and they did pretty well given the circumstances. They were on their 4th captain, who had to delay his retirement to assist the team, but they were always going to struggle and with mr consistent Adam Ashley-Cooper going down early in the game v the boks along with Digby, Samo, Totafu...it was written! The Boks played well but they should have been more clinical and put them away. The Blacks meant business from the Haka it too was written, they had a bit of a slow start but then from there, everything was done at pace, fewer errors. I think the Argies were also tired they didnt have their usual fizz, this weekend they will be stronger. 

But enough of that, i have bigger issues much bigger!!

Ok so we had PdV last year, he did pretty well in relation to the results gained by SA coaches of old (discounting Nick Mallet) but he could do no right in the eyes of the SA rugby public. He brought in Flouw if i am not mistaken, people ask what the herrrl. He tried to change Jakes defend and kick rugby people as what the herlll!!! Yes he 'inherited' a team but as did Heynecke now, he has lost John Smit(added nothing to PdV's tenure bar leadership) Victor Matfield, Bakkies (hardly played because of injury and suspension), Fourie dP(hardly played too), Jacques Fourie and Schalk (currently injured). Cant think of anyone else worth noting but no HM didnt inherit a team, noooo. You see where I am going with this...i dont think you do.

South African rugby bosses have once again missed a trick i believe. I like HM as a coach for the Bulls, the man is without doubt a good coach we all saw what he achieved with the Bulls, took him some time to achieve it. He is now in charge of the Boks and I HATE his style of rugby but in spite of that I have urged my mates who speak ill of him to give him a chance...well in the past, but there is a trend that i recently noticed which doesn't sit right with me at all. As you all know as a result of a vast amount of reasons I have never been a strong supporter of Springbok rugby, to a point where i actually supported ANY team against them. In 1995, even though i didnt support them I was so happy they won the RWC in SA, and when PdV took over i found myself supporting them more except against a few nations. But i recently noticed that my dislike is returning and I started analysing it. 

Look at this team selected for this weekends game v Aus

15. Zane Kirchner

14. Bryan Habana

13. Jaco Taute

12. Jean de Villiers (captain)

11. Franscois Hougaard

10. Johan Goosen

9. Ruan Pienaar

8. Duane Vermeulen

7. Willem Alberts

6. Francois Louw

5. Andries Bekker

4. Eben Etzebeth

3. Jannie du Plessis

2. Adriaan Strauss

1. Tendai Mtawarira

What do you notice about it? Yep bar Habs (former Bull) and The Beast, this team is Afrikaans and staggeringly white. Players like Lambie should be there, a player like Keegan Daniel, by far SA's best loose forward in this years super rugby dropped for no reason!! Lwazi Mvovo, dropped to make space for Hougie who couldnt cut it at no 9. I like Goosen, I think he is definitely the future, but after a few games he is included in the big league when there is a guy called Elton Jantjes who has been 'having it' for the Lions over the last 2 seasons. You bring in 2 players like JJ Engelbrecht and Jaco Taute ahead of Juan de Jongh and Lionel Mapoe, who has outshone every other centre in this years currie cup, well bar the duo of Eberhson and Rhule when they played together for the Cheetahs. Then there is Chilliboy, always no 2, now he is no 3 or 4, you telling me Liebenberg or Strauss is better than him? Give me your basis! but Chilli has gone as far as he will in SA rugby, from Springbok captain potential to chump. Then the cherry on top for me was you telling me that Kolisi isnt good enough and his time will come, but Potgieter is good enough!! Screw this pooh man!! I've had it! its time someone said something! People cry foul over quotas but without them the status quo will remain. 

If we really wanted to transform and grow, now is a good a time as any because HM already has the excuse that he is building a team so why not bring in a proper talent like Rhule, this boy is hot! Mapoe, superb, Chilliboy, De Jongh, Gio Aplon. There is this guy called Daniel Odongo who has played for SA in age group rugby. Bra has got such mad skills that Tana Umaga has signed him for Counties in NZ, and our guys did they even see him?

The thing that tipped me over the edge was this weekend, when SA were plenty points ahead of Oz and there was no hope of them losing, you have Elton and Juan warming up on the sidelines for 3 hrs whilst Pat Cilliers waltzed on in no time, come on man...come on!!

Maybe HM isnt consciously congnisant of what he is doing with this team! Yes you ten to familiarise yourself with people who you are comfortable with, but this team belongs to the nation and to be honest this goes beyond rugby for me. For many in South Africa rugby is a bastion of the old regime and like it or not with PdV a few more people like myself were slowly starting to warm to the team, even though the most vocal of disapproval belonged to quarters of the old guard. What is happening now will not bode well for SA rugby amongst all, it will suit a large pocket of the old guard who i guess hold the country's purse strings. But i find it horribly sad, disgusting even. Something has to be said...done!

I know i am whining and I know I'm bringing race and politics etc into sport, but i guess as they say bad things happen when people stand by and do nothing!

I want to support but I cant, I AM VERY DESPONDENT, DISSAPOINTED and darn right BLEAK

Come on SA Rugby (supporters and administrators alike) lets move from the dark ages please!! Imagine how good players like Lawerence Sephaka, Gcobani Bobo, Hanyani would have been had they been given as much leeway and support and opportunities like those afforded to players like Smit, Spies, Morne, Jannie Du Penalty to name but a few!!

Come on man!!

Oh SA rugby, when will we move from the dark ages??!

Ahh the inaugural Rugby Championships all but dne and dusted. If it were any other game people would be dubbing it as a dead rubber weekend. But its far from it, on the other side of the globe we have Robbie Deans having to fight to show is detractors that he is the man for the Aussie job against the Argies who have accounted for themselves well in this tournament but they smell the blood of a maimed wallaby and they want this bad for their own confidence...then on this side of the globe we have the ABs who have the Rugby Championship in the bag along with every trophy on offer this year so far and 15 straight test wins chasing a record of 18 (held by Lithuania mind you) and looking to build on the momentum of the last test vs The AfriBokke (more on that later) who strung together a very good performance v the Wallabies last weekend and would love nothing more than to put one over their old foe, who happen to also currently hold the title of world champs.

I am most pleased that Argentina has been included, i would love to see a competition that involved the South Sea Islanders as well as the USA and Japan too because the more participants we have the bigger the global spectacle. Its not like in football where a country like Ghana could make the semi finals...could have but we forget about that. But that being said, it wasnt an exciting tournament at all. The Wallabies through no fault of Robbie Deans or the players were a weak unit and they did pretty well given the circumstances. They were on their 4th captain, who had to delay his retirement to assist the team, but they were always going to struggle and with mr consistent Adam Ashley-Cooper going down early in the game v the boks along with Digby, Samo, Totafu...it was written! The Boks played well but they should have been more clinical and put them away. The Blacks meant business from the Haka it too was written, they had a bit of a slow start but then from there, everything was done at pace, fewer errors. I think the Argies were also tired they didnt have their usual fizz, this weekend they will be stronger. 

But enough of that, i have bigger issues much bigger!!

Ok so we had PdV last year, he did pretty well in relation to the results gained by SA coaches of old (discounting Nick Mallet) but he could do no right in the eyes of the SA rugby public. He brought in Flouw if i am not mistaken, people ask what the herrrl. He tried to change Jakes defend and kick rugby people as what the herlll!!! Yes he 'inherited' a team but as did Heynecke now, he has lost John Smit(added nothing to PdV's tenure bar leadership) Victor Matfield, Bakkies (hardly played because of injury and suspension), Fourie dP(hardly played too), Jacques Fourie and Schalk (currently injured). Cant think of anyone else worth noting but no HM didnt inherit a team, noooo. You see where I am going with this...i dont think you do.

South African rugby bosses have once again missed a trick i believe. I like HM as a coach for the Bulls, the man is without doubt a good coach we all saw what he achieved with the Bulls, took him some time to achieve it. He is now in charge of the Boks and I HATE his style of rugby but in spite of that I have urged my mates who speak ill of him to give him a chance...well in the past, but there is a trend that i recently noticed which doesn't sit right with me at all. As you all know as a result of a vast amount of reasons I have never been a strong supporter of Springbok rugby, to a point where i actually supported ANY team against them. In 1995, even though i didnt support them I was so happy they won the RWC in SA, and when PdV took over i found myself supporting them more except against a few nations. But i recently noticed that my dislike is returning and I started analysing it. 

Look at this team selected for this weekends game v Aus

15. Zane Kirchner

14. Bryan Habana

13. Jaco Taute

12. Jean de Villiers (captain)

11. Franscois Hougaard

10. Johan Goosen

9. Ruan Pienaar

8. Duane Vermeulen

7. Willem Alberts

6. Francois Louw

5. Andries Bekker

4. Eben Etzebeth

3. Jannie du Plessis

2. Adriaan Strauss

1. Tendai Mtawarira

What do you notice about it? Yep bar Habs (former Bull) and The Beast, this team is Afrikaans and staggeringly white. Players like Lambie should be there, a player like Keegan Daniel, by far SA's best loose forward in this years super rugby dropped for no reason!! Lwazi Mvovo, dropped to make space for Hougie who couldnt cut it at no 9. I like Goosen, I think he is definitely the future, but after a few games he is included in the big league when there is a guy called Elton Jantjes who has been 'having it' for the Lions over the last 2 seasons. You bring in 2 players like JJ Engelbrecht and Jaco Taute ahead of Juan de Jongh and Lionel Mapoe, who has outshone every other centre in this years currie cup, well bar the duo of Eberhson and Rhule when they played together for the Cheetahs. Then there is Chilliboy, always no 2, now he is no 3 or 4, you telling me Liebenberg or Strauss is better than him? Give me your basis! but Chilli has gone as far as he will in SA rugby, from Springbok captain potential to chump. Then the cherry on top for me was you telling me that Kolisi isnt good enough and his time will come, but Potgieter is good enough!! Screw this pooh man!! I've had it! its time someone said something! People cry foul over quotas but without them the status quo will remain. 

If we really wanted to transform and grow, now is a good a time as any because HM already has the excuse that he is building a team so why not bring in a proper talent like Rhule, this boy is hot! Mapoe, superb, Chilliboy, De Jongh, Gio Aplon. There is this guy called Daniel Odongo who has played for SA in age group rugby. Bra has got such mad skills that Tana Umaga has signed him for Counties in NZ, and our guys did they even see him?

The thing that tipped me over the edge was this weekend, when SA were plenty points ahead of Oz and there was no hope of them losing, you have Elton and Juan warming up on the sidelines for 3 hrs whilst Pat Cilliers waltzed on in no time, come on man...come on!!

Maybe HM isnt consciously congnisant of what he is doing with this team! Yes you ten to familiarise yourself with people who you are comfortable with, but this team belongs to the nation and to be honest this goes beyond rugby for me. For many in South Africa rugby is a bastion of the old regime and like it or not with PdV a few more people like myself were slowly starting to warm to the team, even though the most vocal of disapproval belonged to quarters of the old guard. What is happening now will not bode well for SA rugby amongst all, it will suit a large pocket of the old guard who i guess hold the country's purse strings. But i find it horribly sad, disgusting even. Something has to be said...done!

I know i am whining and I know I'm bringing race and politics etc into sport, but i guess as they say bad things happen when people stand by and do nothing!

I want to support but I cant, I AM VERY DESPONDENT, DISSAPOINTED and darn right BLEAK

Come on SA Rugby (supporters and administrators alike) lets move from the dark ages please!! Imagine how good players like Lawerence Sephaka, Gcobani Bobo, Hanyani would have been had they been given as much leeway and support and opportunities like those afforded to players like Smit, Spies, Morne, Jannie Du Penalty to name but a few!!

Come on man!!

Oh SA rugby, when will we move from the dark ages??!

Ahh the inaugural Rugby Championships all but dne and dusted. If it were any other game people would be dubbing it as a dead rubber weekend. But its far from it, on the other side of the globe we have Robbie Deans having to fight to show is detractors that he is the man for the Aussie job against the Argies who have accounted for themselves well in this tournament but they smell the blood of a maimed wallaby and they want this bad for their own confidence...then on this side of the globe we have the ABs who have the Rugby Championship in the bag along with every trophy on offer this year so far and 15 straight test wins chasing a record of 18 (held by Lithuania mind you) and looking to build on the momentum of the last test vs The AfriBokke (more on that later) who strung together a very good performance v the Wallabies last weekend and would love nothing more than to put one over their old foe, who happen to also currently hold the title of world champs.

I am most pleased that Argentina has been included, i would love to see a competition that involved the South Sea Islanders as well as the USA and Japan too because the more participants we have the bigger the global spectacle. Its not like in football where a country like Ghana could make the semi finals...could have but we forget about that. But that being said, it wasnt an exciting tournament at all. The Wallabies through no fault of Robbie Deans or the players were a weak unit and they did pretty well given the circumstances. They were on their 4th captain, who had to delay his retirement to assist the team, but they were always going to struggle and with mr consistent Adam Ashley-Cooper going down early in the game v the boks along with Digby, Samo, Totafu...it was written! The Boks played well but they should have been more clinical and put them away. The Blacks meant business from the Haka it too was written, they had a bit of a slow start but then from there, everything was done at pace, fewer errors. I think the Argies were also tired they didnt have their usual fizz, this weekend they will be stronger. 

But enough of that, i have bigger issues much bigger!!

Ok so we had PdV last year, he did pretty well in relation to the results gained by SA coaches of old (discounting Nick Mallet) but he could do no right in the eyes of the SA rugby public. He brought in Flouw if i am not mistaken, people ask what the herrrl. He tried to change Jakes defend and kick rugby people as what the herlll!!! Yes he 'inherited' a team but as did Heynecke now, he has lost John Smit(added nothing to PdV's tenure bar leadership) Victor Matfield, Bakkies (hardly played because of injury and suspension), Fourie dP(hardly played too), Jacques Fourie and Schalk (currently injured). Cant think of anyone else worth noting but no HM didnt inherit a team, noooo. You see where I am going with this...i dont think you do.

South African rugby bosses have once again missed a trick i believe. I like HM as a coach for the Bulls, the man is without doubt a good coach we all saw what he achieved with the Bulls, took him some time to achieve it. He is now in charge of the Boks and I HATE his style of rugby but in spite of that I have urged my mates who speak ill of him to give him a chance...well in the past, but there is a trend that i recently noticed which doesn't sit right with me at all. As you all know as a result of a vast amount of reasons I have never been a strong supporter of Springbok rugby, to a point where i actually supported ANY team against them. In 1995, even though i didnt support them I was so happy they won the RWC in SA, and when PdV took over i found myself supporting them more except against a few nations. But i recently noticed that my dislike is returning and I started analysing it. 

Look at this team selected for this weekends game v Aus

15. Zane Kirchner

14. Bryan Habana

13. Jaco Taute

12. Jean de Villiers (captain)

11. Franscois Hougaard

10. Johan Goosen

9. Ruan Pienaar

8. Duane Vermeulen

7. Willem Alberts

6. Francois Louw

5. Andries Bekker

4. Eben Etzebeth

3. Jannie du Plessis

2. Adriaan Strauss

1. Tendai Mtawarira

What do you notice about it? Yep bar Habs (former Bull) and The Beast, this team is Afrikaans and staggeringly white. Players like Lambie should be there, a player like Keegan Daniel, by far SA's best loose forward in this years super rugby dropped for no reason!! Lwazi Mvovo, dropped to make space for Hougie who couldnt cut it at no 9. I like Goosen, I think he is definitely the future, but after a few games he is included in the big league when there is a guy called Elton Jantjes who has been 'having it' for the Lions over the last 2 seasons. You bring in 2 players like JJ Engelbrecht and Jaco Taute ahead of Juan de Jongh and Lionel Mapoe, who has outshone every other centre in this years currie cup, well bar the duo of Eberhson and Rhule when they played together for the Cheetahs. Then there is Chilliboy, always no 2, now he is no 3 or 4, you telling me Liebenberg or Strauss is better than him? Give me your basis! but Chilli has gone as far as he will in SA rugby, from Springbok captain potential to chump. Then the cherry on top for me was you telling me that Kolisi isnt good enough and his time will come, but Potgieter is good enough!! Screw this pooh man!! I've had it! its time someone said something! People cry foul over quotas but without them the status quo will remain. 

If we really wanted to transform and grow, now is a good a time as any because HM already has the excuse that he is building a team so why not bring in a proper talent like Rhule, this boy is hot! Mapoe, superb, Chilliboy, De Jongh, Gio Aplon. There is this guy called Daniel Odongo who has played for SA in age group rugby. Bra has got such mad skills that Tana Umaga has signed him for Counties in NZ, and our guys did they even see him?

The thing that tipped me over the edge was this weekend, when SA were plenty points ahead of Oz and there was no hope of them losing, you have Elton and Juan warming up on the sidelines for 3 hrs whilst Pat Cilliers waltzed on in no time, come on man...come on!!

Maybe HM isnt consciously congnisant of what he is doing with this team! Yes you ten to familiarise yourself with people who you are comfortable with, but this team belongs to the nation and to be honest this goes beyond rugby for me. For many in South Africa rugby is a bastion of the old regime and like it or not with PdV a few more people like myself were slowly starting to warm to the team, even though the most vocal of disapproval belonged to quarters of the old guard. What is happening now will not bode well for SA rugby amongst all, it will suit a large pocket of the old guard who i guess hold the country's purse strings. But i find it horribly sad, disgusting even. Something has to be said...done!

I know i am whining and I know I'm bringing race and politics etc into sport, but i guess as they say bad things happen when people stand by and do nothing!

I want to support but I cant, I AM VERY DESPONDENT, DISSAPOINTED and darn right BLEAK

Come on SA Rugby (supporters and administrators alike) lets move from the dark ages please!! Imagine how good players like Lawerence Sephaka, Gcobani Bobo, Hanyani would have been had they been given as much leeway and support and opportunities like those afforded to players like Smit, Spies, Morne, Jannie Du Penalty to name but a few!!

Come on man!!

Oh SA rugby, when will we move from the dark ages?!

Ahh the inaugural Rugby Championships all but dne and dusted. If it were any other game people would be dubbing it as a dead rubber weekend. But its far from it, on the other side of the globe we have Robbie Deans having to fight to show is detractors that he is the man for the Aussie job against the Argies who have accounted for themselves well in this tournament but they smell the blood of a maimed wallaby and they want this bad for their own confidence...then on this side of the globe we have the ABs who have the Rugby Championship in the bag along with every trophy on offer this year so far and 15 straight test wins chasing a record of 18 (held by Lithuania mind you) and looking to build on the momentum of the last test vs The AfriBokke (more on that later) who strung together a very good performance v the Wallabies last weekend and would love nothing more than to put one over their old foe, who happen to also currently hold the title of world champs.

I am most pleased that Argentina has been included, i would love to see a competition that involved the South Sea Islanders as well as the USA and Japan too because the more participants we have the bigger the global spectacle. Its not like in football where a country like Ghana could make the semi finals...could have but we forget about that. But that being said, it wasnt an exciting tournament at all. The Wallabies through no fault of Robbie Deans or the players were a weak unit and they did pretty well given the circumstances. They were on their 4th captain, who had to delay his retirement to assist the team, but they were always going to struggle and with mr consistent Adam Ashley-Cooper going down early in the game v the boks along with Digby, Samo, Totafu...it was written! The Boks played well but they should have been more clinical and put them away. The Blacks meant business from the Haka it too was written, they had a bit of a slow start but then from there, everything was done at pace, fewer errors. I think the Argies were also tired they didnt have their usual fizz, this weekend they will be stronger. 

But enough of that, i have bigger issues much bigger!!

Ok so we had PdV last year, he did pretty well in relation to the results gained by SA coaches of old (discounting Nick Mallet) but he could do no right in the eyes of the SA rugby public. He brought in Flouw if i am not mistaken, people ask what the herrrl. He tried to change Jakes defend and kick rugby people as what the herlll!!! Yes he 'inherited' a team but as did Heynecke now, he has lost John Smit(added nothing to PdV's tenure bar leadership) Victor Matfield, Bakkies (hardly played because of injury and suspension), Fourie dP(hardly played too), Jacques Fourie and Schalk (currently injured). Cant think of anyone else worth noting but no HM didnt inherit a team, noooo. You see where I am going with this...i dont think you do.

South African rugby bosses have once again missed a trick i believe. I like HM as a coach for the Bulls, the man is without doubt a good coach we all saw what he achieved with the Bulls, took him some time to achieve it. He is now in charge of the Boks and I HATE his style of rugby but in spite of that I have urged my mates who speak ill of him to give him a chance...well in the past, but there is a trend that i recently noticed which doesn't sit right with me at all. As you all know as a result of a vast amount of reasons I have never been a strong supporter of Springbok rugby, to a point where i actually supported ANY team against them. In 1995, even though i didnt support them I was so happy they won the RWC in SA, and when PdV took over i found myself supporting them more except against a few nations. But i recently noticed that my dislike is returning and I started analysing it. 

Look at this team selected for this weekends game v Aus

15. Zane Kirchner

14. Bryan Habana

13. Jaco Taute

12. Jean de Villiers (captain)

11. Franscois Hougaard

10. Johan Goosen

9. Ruan Pienaar

8. Duane Vermeulen

7. Willem Alberts

6. Francois Louw

5. Andries Bekker

4. Eben Etzebeth

3. Jannie du Plessis

2. Adriaan Strauss

1. Tendai Mtawarira

What do you notice about it? Yep bar Habs (former Bull) and The Beast, this team is Afrikaans and staggeringly white. Players like Lambie should be there, a player like Keegan Daniel, by far SA's best loose forward in this years super rugby dropped for no reason!! Lwazi Mvovo, dropped to make space for Hougie who couldnt cut it at no 9. I like Goosen, I think he is definitely the future, but after a few games he is included in the big league when there is a guy called Elton Jantjes who has been 'having it' for the Lions over the last 2 seasons. You bring in 2 players like JJ Engelbrecht and Jaco Taute ahead of Juan de Jongh and Lionel Mapoe, who has outshone every other centre in this years currie cup, well bar the duo of Eberhson and Rhule when they played together for the Cheetahs. Then there is Chilliboy, always no 2, now he is no 3 or 4, you telling me Liebenberg or Strauss is better than him? Give me your basis! but Chilli has gone as far as he will in SA rugby, from Springbok captain potential to chump. Then the cherry on top for me was you telling me that Kolisi isnt good enough and his time will come, but Potgieter is good enough!! Screw this pooh man!! I've had it! its time someone said something! People cry foul over quotas but without them the status quo will remain. 

If we really wanted to transform and grow, now is a good a time as any because HM already has the excuse that he is building a team so why not bring in a proper talent like Rhule, this boy is hot! Mapoe, superb, Chilliboy, De Jongh, Gio Aplon. There is this guy called Daniel Odongo who has played for SA in age group rugby. Bra has got such mad skills that Tana Umaga has signed him for Counties in NZ, and our guys did they even see him?

The thing that tipped me over the edge was this weekend, when SA were plenty points ahead of Oz and there was no hope of them losing, you have Elton and Juan warming up on the sidelines for 3 hrs whilst Pat Cilliers waltzed on in no time, come on man...come on!!

Maybe HM isnt consciously congnisant of what he is doing with this team! Yes you ten to familiarise yourself with people who you are comfortable with, but this team belongs to the nation and to be honest this goes beyond rugby for me. For many in South Africa rugby is a bastion of the old regime and like it or not with PdV a few more people like myself were slowly starting to warm to the team, even though the most vocal of disapproval belonged to quarters of the old guard. What is happening now will not bode well for SA rugby amongst all, it will suit a large pocket of the old guard who i guess hold the country's purse strings. But i find it horribly sad, disgusting even. Something has to be said...done!

I know i am whining and I know I'm bringing race and politics etc into sport, but i guess as they say bad things happen when people stand by and do nothing!

I want to support but I cant, I AM VERY DESPONDENT, DISSAPOINTED and darn right BLEAK

Come on SA Rugby (supporters and administrators alike) lets move from the dark ages please!! Imagine how good players like Lawerence Sephaka, Gcobani Bobo, Hanyani would have been had they been given as much leeway and support and opportunities like those afforded to players like Smit, Spies, Morne, Jannie Du Penalty to name but a few!!

Come on man!!

Oh SA rugby, when will we move from the dark ages?!

Ahh the inaugural Rugby Championships all but dne and dusted. If it were any other game people would be dubbing it as a dead rubber weekend. But its far from it, on the other side of the globe we have Robbie Deans having to fight to show is detractors that he is the man for the Aussie job against the Argies who have accounted for themselves well in this tournament but they smell the blood of a maimed wallaby and they want this bad for their own confidence...then on this side of the globe we have the ABs who have the Rugby Championship in the bag along with every trophy on offer this year so far and 15 straight test wins chasing a record of 18 (held by Lithuania mind you) and looking to build on the momentum of the last test vs The AfriBokke (more on that later) who strung together a very good performance v the Wallabies last weekend and would love nothing more than to put one over their old foe, who happen to also currently hold the title of world champs.

I am most pleased that Argentina has been included, i would love to see a competition that involved the South Sea Islanders as well as the USA and Japan too because the more participants we have the bigger the global spectacle. Its not like in football where a country like Ghana could make the semi finals...could have but we forget about that. But that being said, it wasnt an exciting tournament at all. The Wallabies through no fault of Robbie Deans or the players were a weak unit and they did pretty well given the circumstances. They were on their 4th captain, who had to delay his retirement to assist the team, but they were always going to struggle and with mr consistent Adam Ashley-Cooper going down early in the game v the boks along with Digby, Samo, Totafu...it was written! The Boks played well but they should have been more clinical and put them away. The Blacks meant business from the Haka it too was written, they had a bit of a slow start but then from there, everything was done at pace, fewer errors. I think the Argies were also tired they didnt have their usual fizz, this weekend they will be stronger. 

But enough of that, i have bigger issues much bigger!!

Ok so we had PdV last year, he did pretty well in relation to the results gained by SA coaches of old (discounting Nick Mallet) but he could do no right in the eyes of the SA rugby public. He brought in Flouw if i am not mistaken, people ask what the herrrl. He tried to change Jakes defend and kick rugby people as what the herlll!!! Yes he 'inherited' a team but as did Heynecke now, he has lost John Smit(added nothing to PdV's tenure bar leadership) Victor Matfield, Bakkies (hardly played because of injury and suspension), Fourie dP(hardly played too), Jacques Fourie and Schalk (currently injured). Cant think of anyone else worth noting but no HM didnt inherit a team, noooo. You see where I am going with this...i dont think you do.

South African rugby bosses have once again missed a trick i believe. I like HM as a coach for the Bulls, the man is without doubt a good coach we all saw what he achieved with the Bulls, took him some time to achieve it. He is now in charge of the Boks and I HATE his style of rugby but in spite of that I have urged my mates who speak ill of him to give him a chance...well in the past, but there is a trend that i recently noticed which doesn't sit right with me at all. As you all know as a result of a vast amount of reasons I have never been a strong supporter of Springbok rugby, to a point where i actually supported ANY team against them. In 1995, even though i didnt support them I was so happy they won the RWC in SA, and when PdV took over i found myself supporting them more except against a few nations. But i recently noticed that my dislike is returning and I started analysing it. 

Look at this team selected for this weekends game v Aus

15. Zane Kirchner

14. Bryan Habana

13. Jaco Taute

12. Jean de Villiers (captain)

11. Franscois Hougaard

10. Johan Goosen

9. Ruan Pienaar

8. Duane Vermeulen

7. Willem Alberts

6. Francois Louw

5. Andries Bekker

4. Eben Etzebeth

3. Jannie du Plessis

2. Adriaan Strauss

1. Tendai Mtawarira

What do you notice about it? Yep bar Habs (former Bull) and The Beast, this team is Afrikaans and staggeringly white. Players like Lambie should be there, a player like Keegan Daniel, by far SA's best loose forward in this years super rugby dropped for no reason!! Lwazi Mvovo, dropped to make space for Hougie who couldnt cut it at no 9. I like Goosen, I think he is definitely the future, but after a few games he is included in the big league when there is a guy called Elton Jantjes who has been 'having it' for the Lions over the last 2 seasons. You bring in 2 players like JJ Engelbrecht and Jaco Taute ahead of Juan de Jongh and Lionel Mapoe, who has outshone every other centre in this years currie cup, well bar the duo of Eberhson and Rhule when they played together for the Cheetahs. Then there is Chilliboy, always no 2, now he is no 3 or 4, you telling me Liebenberg or Strauss is better than him? Give me your basis! but Chilli has gone as far as he will in SA rugby, from Springbok captain potential to chump. Then the cherry on top for me was you telling me that Kolisi isnt good enough and his time will come, but Potgieter is good enough!! Screw this pooh man!! I've had it! its time someone said something! People cry foul over quotas but without them the status quo will remain. 

If we really wanted to transform and grow, now is a good a time as any because HM already has the excuse that he is building a team so why not bring in a proper talent like Rhule, this boy is hot! Mapoe, superb, Chilliboy, De Jongh, Gio Aplon. There is this guy called Daniel Odongo who has played for SA in age group rugby. Bra has got such mad skills that Tana Umaga has signed him for Counties in NZ, and our guys did they even see him?

The thing that tipped me over the edge was this weekend, when SA were plenty points ahead of Oz and there was no hope of them losing, you have Elton and Juan warming up on the sidelines for 3 hrs whilst Pat Cilliers waltzed on in no time, come on man...come on!!

Maybe HM isnt consciously congnisant of what he is doing with this team! Yes you ten to familiarise yourself with people who you are comfortable with, but this team belongs to the nation and to be honest this goes beyond rugby for me. For many in South Africa rugby is a bastion of the old regime and like it or not with PdV a few more people like myself were slowly starting to warm to the team, even though the most vocal of disapproval belonged to quarters of the old guard. What is happening now will not bode well for SA rugby amongst all, it will suit a large pocket of the old guard who i guess hold the country's purse strings. But i find it horribly sad, disgusting even. Something has to be said...done!

I know i am whining and I know I'm bringing race and politics etc into sport, but i guess as they say bad things happen when people stand by and do nothing!

I want to support but I cant, I AM VERY DESPONDENT, DISSAPOINTED and darn right BLEAK

Come on SA Rugby (supporters and administrators alike) lets move from the dark ages please!! Imagine how good players like Lawerence Sephaka, Gcobani Bobo, Hanyani would have been had they been given as much leeway and support and opportunities like those afforded to players like Smit, Spies, Morne, Jannie Du Penalty to name but a few!!

Come on man!!

Rugby Champs...end of round 1

Greetings from far off lands rugby lovers, thank goodness for a site called www.sportlemon.tv, because without it there would be no rugby viewing for me.

I will focus most of my synopsis this week on the Boks because they have been by far the biggest disappointment so far this year in all their test matches, but not because of the results, but because of their failure in my mind to realise their full potential...or is this their full potential?

Let me start off with Aus. My heart really goes out to Robbie Deans, I dont think anyone can really argue that he is a good coach, but perhaps it could be that Australian rugby is just in a really bad place at the moment. The players do have ability, look at the likes of Poloto-Nau, Sharpe, Timani, Pocock, Higginbotham, Genia, Cooper, Ashley-Cooper, Ioane, Mitchell, those are all quality players with plenty ticker. But the lack of dept and penetrating centres, thats whats killing them at the moment. Gone are the days of Mortlock, Horan, little, Herbert, Nathan Grey, even Flatley. I cant think of a centre in Australia that makes me think wow! and thats a problem. Also when their front line gets injured they are lost. Their rugby is just currently not up where it used to be. I think an extra team in the super rugby champs didnt help them much. I think it would be in their best interest to drop one team, have 4 maybe even 3 and just get people comfortable playing with each other, get them competitive, because right now in Super rugby they are hardly competitive. They too should stop kicking aimlessly.

The ABs were efficient against the Ausies, ruthless at the break downs, positive in their game plan, useless in converting their hard work into tries though, shakey line-outs, but that for me is just fantastic. they were below par and yet blew away Aus twice, gives me hope because plenty of room to improve. Pity SBW is leaving because he really did make an impact to the ABs game. 

Argentina, I missed the first game with Boks though, but the second game i caught when my internet didnt cut out. They properly outplayed the Boks in most facets of the game, which really surprised me because i had the Boks to win by 8 at least. For a team that doesnt get too much top flight rugby as a nation they really stepped up and outplayed their more fancied opponents. I like that for the good of the game. I hope that some south sea island teams get included too. i really was dissapointed they couldnt sneak one past the Boks, i would be equally impressed with them if they can put one over the ABs or Aus too, because that will only help their confidence, we dont want another situation like Italy who are almost without doubt always the 6 nation wooden spooners, i would like a competitive tournament.

The Boks, imagine if it was PdV coaching this team, the amount of vitriol that would have been spewing forth right about now after that performance. Don't tell me about inexperience, dont tell me about lack of depth. Who are these Argentinians the Boks played? hardly known to Southern hemisphere nations, bar a handful. They okay in France yes, but lets all agree that there is no tougher competition than Super rugby. They play test matches, but few and far between and when the do play they play against the lesser known teams. In 3/4 years Robbie Deans has played the All Blacks 17 times. Since 1910, they have played a total of 308 tests, with France being their most played opponent with 48 tests and then Uruguay with 31 tests, they have played Southern hemisphere teams roughly 15 times each during that whole period. Their highest capped player ever has 87 tests, so hardly an experienced side. The squad for this Rugby Championship, their highest capped player was Roncero with 50caps then Albecete with 47 and Fernandez lobe with 44, thats it. The difference, they had a game plan that involved more than just kicking useless up and unders, which has been SA's game since Nick Mallet. It makes me sooo mad! This team has the players to play a good game. Big forwards to lay the platform, and good backs to cut it up. What irks me no end, is the bully tactic they choose to employ and i have said it time and time again, esp in relation to Bulls Rugby, if you have forwards that can match you they seem clueless as to what to do next. Jannie du Plessis is just a yellow card waiting to happen and what he offers in the scrums i know not, Beast is a good player in the loose but his scrumming technique of in and up is somewhat questionable in my humble opinion. HM's woes start with his game plan then his team selection. I would sooner be giving Siya a chance, in the loose trio than Jazques Potgieter. In the front row pity my guy Coenie is injured, but i would get some proper scrumagers, Werner Kruger, Pat Ciliers WP Nel and Strauss/Craig Burden. Locks are fine those 2 WP locks should be able to do the business. No 8 leave Keegan there. He has x factor, he isnt 250kgs but he is better than any 250kg player in SA at the moment. No 9 put in Ruan, move Francois to wing. 10. Lambie/Goosen if he is up to it again, 12 JdV i still fail to see anything that Fransois Steyn consistently brings. 13 J de Jongh. 15 Gio. Change the game plan of standing deep because its so easy to read what you are going to do, defenders are given time to reset and dont have to commit early. Heynecke Meyer, isnt the answer. I know its early days yet, but his Blue Bull mentality is not the future of SA rugby. you cant tell me thats how we (the Boks) have always played and thats how we will always play!! Look at teams like the Cheetahs, Sharks, Lions they can play an expansive game, yes none of them have won the Super rugby title recently, but thats besides the point, Bok rugby can be balanced and with a little tweaking it will be successful, but not if the mindset of this is how its always been is adopted...

Anyway who am i and what do i know?

Week off now catch you all after round 2.

Have a good week

Y 

4 of the best

Down to 4 and not too many can deny that the 4 that deserve to be there are the 4 that are there. I had a read through my first email i wrote and bar the Sharks I think i gave wraps to all 4 teams that are being represented this weekend. I guess the Sharks results up until the final few weeks, vindicate my lack of faith in their set up. Their midfield was unsettled, their forwards were initially under strength, their flyhalf and fullbacks  were also rotated constantly. So if we look at it in that context, the Sharks did very well to get where they have. Their display against the Reds, was powerful and precise, defence was unrelenting and they managed to score tries whilst at it. 

Just a quick one on Australian rugby, they really have some hot players, but they dont have the depth to field 5 strong teams, the same can be said in some sense about the SA conference. In my mind the thing with Australian rugby is that there are only a handful of never say die players. The ones that come to mind are Horwill, Ashley-Cooper, Pockock, Polota_Nau and Sharpe. Its hardly like the old days, when there was Gregan, Mortlock(whenever he played against the ABs i was like no man!!WHY?!! because he was that guy), Larkham, Roff, Burke, Tune, die hards that did not understand the word lose. They have good players, but they are so thinly spread in all the 5 teams it will take a while before they are a force again. Liked what happened at the Brumbies though, but I, like most of you reading was wondering when the honeymoon would end, and it almost didnt...then it did. They will be a forcee in the Rugby Championships coming up in a few weeks, its only like 30 players they need. Good coaching setup. I was very dissapointed with the Tahs, they should have given a better account of themselves.

SA rugby, is in a pretty good place. I am not going to harp on about the National team set up. But SA was fortunate to win against England, i think we would all agree on that point. That kick and chase rugby and try and bully them tactic that was employed as usual can easily be countered. Ive said this before about Heynecke's Bulls, if you have a team that can match their forward, they are pretty much a non-entity! The Lions had a good Currie Cup but unfortunately continuous injuries plagued their season, unfortunately they dont have the depth that teams like the Stormers/Sharks have and so a few key injuries and boom there goes your season. The Cheetahs too were also an interesting side, a joy to watch, once again they will most probably struggle to hold on to some of their stars. Goosen is the answer to SA no 10. I have much respect for Morne Steyn, he plays to a pattern, but he is a good player, if you watch him, he makes his kicks and if he was allowed to take on the line he would do an ok job, he wouldnt strike fear in many opponents, but no one in SA at the moment bar Goosen will. Peter Grant, what more does this quiet, steady 80%+ kicker have to do to get a look in to that Bok 10 jersey, definitely one of the reasons why the Stormers topped the log. Speaking about the Stormers, many people want to tell me that the Stormers were plagued by injuries this year. Duane and Schalck were the most notable omission during the year. Yes Koster and Karr were also injured, but truth be told they were fringe players at best for the Stormers. Bekker was also injured for a few games, Joe Pietersen here and there, but if we look on the whole every team had its injuries but bar the 2 aforementioned elder statesmen and ofcourse the loss of  Jacques to Japan, they didnt have an insurmountable hurdle to overcome to get to the playoffs. All this being said, SA has players to burn. Loosies as usual its like a clone factory, bigger and 'badder' each year. Backs, talent in abundance, that Lions Scrummy, Bandesio, Cheetahs Van Zyl, if its a kicker you want who can get the line going look no further than Jantjes. Whitehead for the Sharks really impressed me as did JP Pietersen playing some of his best rugby, Habana, seems back to himself, not trying too hard but working bloody hard as usual. 

NZ rugby, my Blues, just couldnt buy a win could they, I wont blame injuries, I just think there was something amis there. Hurricanes made me smile, was really impressed with them, a proper bunch of no names (with respect)but they played as a unit. That seemed to be the thread with most of the NZ teams, they played as a unit, the Sharks and Stormers also have a similar mindset, Mitch tried to get the Lions to buy into this mindset, but clearly they werent feeling him too much. Highlanders were their industrious selves once again. In my mind the NZ conference was by far the toughest because there were no cheap points, even the Blues as toilet as they were, you couldnt easily write them off.

The last 4, Sharks and Crusaders have much momentum. Stormers scraped home against the Rebels. We will never know the answer, but I doubt they would have been able to score 4 try bonus point if they had needed it, judging by their performance against the Rebels. The Chiefs are now in finals footie. They couldnt have asked for better man mangers than Dave Rennie and Wayne Smith, if you doubt that look at what they have done to date and how they have played. But its the Crusaders they are playing against. Can i remember a playoff that the Crusaders werent involved in? These playoffs are tough to call. People expect the Saders to just pitch up and take home the points, but you dont finish at number 2 on the log just by making up the numbers. The Chiefs pack has been able to hold if not pip the Saders pack the whole year and their backs may have the edge on the Saders back too, but the Saders have experience, they have 2 of the best players in the world in DC and Richie in the mix. The Saders know how to play at this end of the season. Last week they were calculated in their dismissal of the Bulls, they hardly got into top gear during that game, but i guess they didnt have to. The week before they also gave some of their stars an early shower, so they are due a massive performance and they will need it later today.

The game in Newlands is pretty interesting. The only team that has been able to dismantle the Stormers has been the Crusaders. Their defence is as airtight as sealed presidential bunker. But they lack creativity, but who cares, 14wins in 16 games i guess speaks for itself (if winning is all you watch this beautiful game (when its played by people that make it worthy of the term beautiful)for. The Stormers have had an extra week off, heal wounds, watch the Sharks weekend escapades. The Sharks have had to travel afar, they have momentum and can score tries as well as defend.

My Call...Saders and Stormers final (i'd prefer a NZ v Sharks final ofcourse)

Perhaps this could be the year the Arsenal of rugby get some trophies in the cabinet ;)

Test season begins-when will we learn

Do we never learn i ask thee?!

Greetings to you my fellow rugby lovers! Man what a splendid weekend of rugby it was. The Crusaders firmly fired the first salvo, let the rest of the super rugby world know that they might not be leading the NZ conference but dont count us out. I feel for Robbie F and Andy Ellis for missing out on AB selection particularly Andy, cos that guy is the consistent senior scrummy the ABs need at this time, but i guess Piri did perform for the ABs come RWC time so it is right for Steve H to give him a shot and what he does with it well thats up to him because there is talent aplenty longing to fill that spot! The Blues played their best game since they played the Bulls this weekend but man the Chiefs are just delicious to watch along with the Canes, who won in Sydney for the first time in who knows how long. How good was Rene Ranger? Then the Lions took the Sharks out of water and just gored them...dead!! Then the Stormers weakened as, went to the Bull ring and tore into the Springboks... i mean Bulls.

I guess all the Southern Hemisphere teams are a bit of a disadvantage during this June Test window. ABs squad is pretty expected, with the exception of Ellis and inclusion of Piri, Australia seem to be struggling with injuries and their squad seems pretty weakened as we saw on tuesday. They might well struggle against Wales, their only saving grace is the fact that Warren Gatland is not able to attend to this tour due to broken ankles unfortunately. 

Ok now to the Boks...i really have tried to hold back from saying anything because we have had enough of this negativity and race speak etc. I have never really been a Heyneke fan. He knew how to make the Bulls operate. Before i proceed let me just give you all his accolades courtesy of Wikipedia...

• Vodacom Cup Champions with the Blue Bulls in 2001

• Absa Currie Cup Champions in 2002, 2003 and 2004 and joint champions in 2006

• Vodacom Super Rugby (Super 14) Champions in 2007

Ok so he has been selected as the National coach and I guess in SA there was no other, frankly left to me I would have given Pdivvy another shot, because this year would have been the year where he could impose himself on his players, because the old guard were all gone. So anyway that wasn't done and what do I know...So H M is now the boss, and as most coaches would do they will pull in players that they know and have worked with and understand them. Fine. But dude, this is no ordinary country! Sport is really the one thing we are really  good at other than tourism and lovely ladies. Its the one time that this country speak s with one voice, think 1995, 1996 (african cup), 2010, 2011 RWC, and hopefully but doubtfully 2013 Afcon. Now here you are, you know what Jake White went through, you choose your very first squad and you want me to believe that Marcel Coetzee and Jacques Potgieter are far and away better players than Siya Kolisi (let alone Brussouw), JJ Engelbrecht who i havent seen deliver anything of substance is a more promising player than Juan De Jongh who has been tried and tested, worse still WYNAND OLIVIER??!! that bra, jusus let me just calm down... then there is no room for Gio Aplon a guy who has that missing x factor, who hardly lets the Boks or the Stormers down on defence and attack. If we had to judge it on this year alone i would even go as far as saying Gio has been more prolific that wunderkind Lambie and Sideshow Zane.

Then you nominate your first match day 22 and regardless of whether you win or not, what message are you sending out to the large majority of your population? Then you ask why so many non-whites in SA support the All Blacks? I was working my way back from wanting every team the Boks played against to beat them to supporting them against most teams. But 18 years later and you are telling me we cant get at least 5 players of colour in the match day 22, not a helluva lot to ask for is it. I can name the 5 right now, ok Habana if we must (and this year he does deserve to be there becauase he is muuuch better than he has been in a while) JP, but i think Mapoe outplayed him on the weekend, Beast (even though i am not sure if he is a citizen or a work permit holder), Juan and Chilliboy. Now Chilliboy, you see what i was saying, just like Shimmy, professional bench warmer! This was a fat smack in his face. No 2 to Smit, then along came Bissie, granted he has been playing some good rugby, but he is a 5/6 penalty a game dude, currently sitting at no 9 on the most penalties conceded in the Super rugby 2012. Granted Strauss has been having a fabulous season i am a fan, but we have to have some sort of consistency, because the only reason a player like Spies is in that team is because he's been there before, because he is dog diarrhoea toilet. Then, then, then, you look at the Super rugby log yeah and who is on top the Stormers, but how many of their players were selected 3, but that i understand a little bit there because a lot of the players that would have been seleceted are injured, well 3 Bekker, Schalla and Duane perhaps, so thats 3+siya, juan, gio+3 selected=9 errbadi happy. Not because of anything other than the fact that they deserve to be there!

Yeah you cant please everyone with your team selections, but you can at least show that we are trying to move forward, but on the other hand you dont want to start of your tennure losing, especially to the Poms, but man oh man, you know where you live, you know politicians would love nothing better than to divert peoples attention from the fact that they really aren't doing what they are meant to be doing. You know that the majority of this country is non white and this thing is a sensitive one...ask the bra who did that painting.

Yes England are a large bunch of men but they are robots, yet they have space for this guy Wade, who is minute, but has gas to burn. I think 'we' will beat the English 3-0 or 2-1, but lets see come quad nation time, if this is the same team that is selected and the same mentality of mo er hulle, then mark my words 60-68% win rate, majority coming against the northern hemisphere and minow teams

But i guess give the bra a chance, but man he has started off sending the absolutely wrong signals about the way he intends playing and also his selection policy, missed a trick there boss, starting off with people questioning you is no way to start your job in one of the must unnerving coaching jobs in the world!!! 5 man, just 5 out of 22, it CANT be so difficult man!!!

Soo looking forward to my saturday though, happy viewing