Skinstad cleans up

Rob Wildman (Filed: 09/12/2005)

Bob Skinstad has made an impressive start at Richmond since he arrived last summer and loaned one of the club cleaners his umbrella.

Richmond will be hoping for a further contribution tomorrow when the former Springboks captain, now working in London, is expected to start at No 8 against London Scottish, the co-tenants of the busy Athletic Ground.

The arrival of Skinstad, whose international career was cut short by injury, has helped unbeaten Richmond to the top of London One, three points ahead of Scottish at the halfway stage.

Last season the two league games, which attract crowds of 2,000 plus, were shared before both clubs missed out on promotion which would have returned them to the National Leagues for the first time since they struck financial trouble in the formative professional seasons.

"Bob has made the right impression from the start," Andy Maren, the head of coaching, said.
"We've had a number of 'big name' players over the years who've played just for a run around, but Bob is determined to do well and give 100 per cent."

Skinstad started the season at centre and has now moved back to his more usual position of No 8.

The Scots hope another former international, Kenny Logan, will be in opposition. "He's juggling his commitments but will be lurking," Rowly Williams, their coach, reported.

Running battle

The tactics of the England Under-19 team will be questioned by traditionalists who uphold the theory that the best way to beat opponents is to play the game in their half.

England lost 24-12 to the touring Australia Schools last week at Kingsholm, where tactics featured running penalties and trying to keep the ball in hand at all times that were possible.
Nigel Redman, the coach, explained: "We played a lot of rugby in poor conditions and said beforehand that we would run our penalties rather than kicking them because it was all about team and player development."

The Australians, who meet Wales Under-19s at Pontypridd tomorrow, led 17-0 at the interval before a revival from England included two tries from Oliver Dodge, an elusive centre like his father, Paul, the 1980 Grand Slam winner.

Shirt off his back

Shirts are precious souvenirs and Colin Charvis was delighted when his Wales jersey was returned after it went missing on the night of his country's victory over Australia.
Now the Newcastle player is appealing for the return of the Wallabies jersey Martyn Williams gained from Phil Waugh.

"Martyn has lost his only real memento of the victory," Charvis said.
"Apart from the bruises, the aches and pains and maybe a couple of scars, the shirts are the only thing a player can keep to remind him of great days like this."

The return of Charvis' jersey came in a package postmarked Shropshire, prompting thoughts of an English conspiracy among the Welsh squad.

Changing roles

All change at the Rugby Football Union. A wide-ranging review of departments at Twickenham will lead to a new head of community (or grass roots) rugby being appointed. This follows the decision to give Terry Burwell, one of HQ's main officials, a new portfolio of tournaments and competitions.

Francis Baron, the chief executive, will head up community rugby until the appointment is made. Another new post at ever-expanding Twickenham will be for business operations. The moves follows approval of a new eight-year strategic plan.

A decision on the future of Castlecroft, the HQ for youth and schools rugby in Wolverhampton, will be taken next Wednesday at a management board meeting.

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk Click here to read full article and comments.

By Roy Masters Saturday, December 10, 2005

"What goes around, comes around," former Australian Rugby Union chief executive John O'Neill said yesterday from Leipzig, Germany, following the decision by ARU chairman Dilip Kumar to stand down.

O'Neill, now the chief executive of Football Federation Australia, was in Germany for the draw of the 2006 World Cup. The energetic, driven sports administrator has never forgiven Kumar and Bob Tuckey, ARU chairman at the time, for not supporting him as ARU chief executive following the successful staging of the Rugby World Cup in Australia in 2003.

"What a co-incidence it is that, almost two years to the day they decided they no longer wanted me, they now had a chairman resign," he said from Germany. "The boards of sporting bodies really need to be more transparent and need to be more accountable why these things happen."

O'Neill's antipathy towards Tuckey has not abated. Tuckey now holds a sinecure overseas as deputy chair of the IRB and deputy of Rugby World Cup Ltd, the body that oversees the lucrative tournament that basically pays the code's bills every four years.

RWC has a traditional duty to recommend its preferred candidate country for a World Cup but at the recent meeting to award the host of the 2011 tournament, it opted out.

This lack of leadership by Tuckey's body helped fuel the antagonism that New Zealand, the eventual winner of the bid, had for Australia, which supported Japan. All three bidding countries - South Africa, Japan and New Zealand - believed they had Kumar's vote.

O'Neill did have some ego-rattling exchanges with then ARU president Peter Crittle during the 2003 World Cup, including one over who should deliver speeches.

However, Crittle's post did not allow him to vote and, in any case, federal Sports Minister Rod Kemp counts a speech by Crittle as one of rugby's best. A passionate rugby man, Crittle has been honoured with the Vernon Pugh award as the president who oversaw the most recent World Cup.

With Eddie Jones sacked as Wallabies coach and Kumar now merely an ARU director, it may be assumed Australian captain George Gregan is feeling a little nervous.

But there was a touch of arrogance about Gregan's answer earlier this year when asked how long he expected to remain as captain. He inferred the post was his by right of passage, a position secure as long as he is in the team - an assumption a rugby league player would never make.

The ARU board - probably the weakest in the code's history - can move on Gregan but won't. After all, it has already delegated the decision on the new coach to a three-man committee. Inevitably, it will allow the incoming coach to decide on Gregan.

However, there is precedent for the board to appoint the captain, a story untold until now.

"The board has overruled the coach before," said World Cup-winning former captain John Eales. "It's my understanding [Wallabies coach] Rod Macqueen wanted to replace me but John O'Neill intervened. As time moved on, Rod and I worked really well together and achieved our goal."

While Eales and Macqueen have never discussed the matter, both know O'Neill, as the board's representative, over-ruled the move to replace Eales. Macqueen came in as a white knight after the reign of the previous Wallabies coach, Greg Smith, ended in illness and failure in 1997.

Australia won only one of their two Tests on the tour of Argentina, losing the other badly. The Wallabies then drew with England at Twickenham but managed to beat Scotland.

Macqueen approached O'Neill and told him he wanted to replace Eales. His preferred skipper? Gregan. O'Neill pointed out the decision was not his but the board's.

This dated back from the Kerry Packer-financed, Ross Turnbull-run World Rugby Corporation's attempt to sign up the world's best rugby union players to counter Rupert Murdoch's Super League. The ARU had believed previous Wallabies coach Bob Dwyer and captain Phil Kearns had sold out to WRC.

Lest future coaches have too much influence over the captain, the ARU board took the responsibility away from the coach, voting itself the power to appoint the skipper. So when O'Neill, as the board's full-time manager, was told by Macqueen that Eales wasn't up to it, he acted like most rugby men in a crisis. He invited Eales for a game of golf. After all, if Sir Francis Drake could manage a few ends of bowls before the Spanish Armada arrived, O'Neill could sort it out over a round. On the last few holes, O'Neill raised the matter.

"How much do you want the job?" he asked. It became very clear that Eales was desperate to hold onto the captaincy.

O'Neill then instructed Macqueen to have a heart-to-heart with Eales, who subsequently remained as skipper and led Australia to World Cup success in Wales in 1999.

Strength was needed to retain Eales then, just as it is required to replace Gregan now. In fact, if O'Neill had not acted, the Wallabies may have had Gregan as captain four years earlier.

Source: www.rugbyheaven.smh.com.au
Photo: Tim Clayton Click here to read full article and comments.

07.12.05

By Chris Rattue

As Tana Umaga wrestles with the decision over his test career, another rugby champion will also use the summer months to determine his future.

Gair McSkimming, 33, an Alexandra-raised, Auckland-based director of a meat export/import company, is the latest winner of the staggeringly popular Virtual NPC tipping competition and he, too, is weighing up a return to competition.

More than 100,000 opponents knew him as WFI NZ (his company's name) during the NPC, when virtual turned into title reality for McSkimming, a Northcote flanker who captains the North Harbour under-85kg team. He beat all-comers to be crowned the champion tipster for the competition, covering the three NPC divisions.

Not that you have anything to be crowned with. No silverware that is - just a phone call from the New Zealand Rugby Union confirming about $20,000 worth of travel to the US is in the post.

But, as McSkimming tells us, it wasn't all fun and games. A man who plunges the deep blue in his spare time reckons dallying with sharks is a doddle compared to the terror of leading a cyber-comp. When the word is out that you've got the tipping tour yellow jersey, the pressure piles up. He (very briefly) even contemplated pulling out during the final weeks.

Here, McSkimming reveals the highs and lows, the tactics, the lonely moments of a champion, and how he deals with the adulation. He even gives an expert's tip on Tana.

How was your early season form? I really didn't pay much attention to the competition until I started leading it. I wouldn't say I was right into it. In the first few weeks I put my picks in on the Monday morning, although later I watched things much more closely. What was your score? I don't know. I won by 10 points. I leapt from 25th to first with three rounds to go. Your previous best? Haven't got a clue.

What about those final moments, when victory was in your grasp? The fun was gone in the last three weeks. It was more nerve racking. Everyone in the meat industry was following me. There was plenty of banter coming my way. Up to 90 strangers tracked my form on the website. All of a sudden you've got something to lose. The guy who came second, who used the name Graham Henry, was also tracking me. I emailed him in the final weeks and said, "This isn't fun any more". He agreed.

Where were you as victory beckoned? I started watching the second division final between Nelson Bays and Hawkes Bay at a friend's place in Taipa [Northland] but I couldn't stand it, so I drove back to where we were staying in Paihia. On the way I ran into the pub at Waipapa - they turned the TV on and there were a few minutes left in the game. I needed Rico Gear to score a try but he knocked the ball on. I stood up and yelled "Nooooooooo", dumped my ginger beer down, and walked out. There were about 10 people there and they just stared at me like "Who the heck was that guy?"

Sometimes it felt like I was actually playing. Your wife must have loved this? Ahleen has no interest whatsoever in rugby. But I'm told she sat and watched the whole Hawkes Bay/Nelson Bays game. Although when I got back to Paihia she claimed "I watched a little bit of it". Your workmates must have loved it as well? They reckon I've been pretty painful.

So what's the tip on tipping? I don't know if I should tell you this. Okay. I really love the second and third division stuff and a lot of people don't pay enough attention to it. When you think about it, you can score more points there than in the first division. So I knew that Buller had a load of Canterbury players and Wairarapa Bush had players from Wellington. I did really well in the second and third divisions.

Another key is to pick 13 and over margins. People pick too many close results whereas a lot of scores blow out in rugby these days. What was your best pick? Canterbury to beat Auckland by 13 and over in the Ranfurly Shield challenge.

What's your rugby pedigree? Tarnished - although I used to have a few good Saturday nights. A highlight was captaining the Kerikeri senior reserves to a final win. Honestly, some of the boys had tears in their eyes. I made my senior debut for Kerikeri against an Ohaeawai team which had the three Woodman brothers in it. A glorious night when all your preparation came together? Kind of. The power went out at Muriwai where we live. I had to sit in the car alone, listening to the radio. I kept saying, "Come on, come on".

Worst pick? My brother is in King Country and persuaded me to pick them to beat Horowhenua-Kapiti in the semifinals. I changed my pick. That's the end of taking his advice. How have you dealt with the fame? Winning is surreal. People's reactions have really surprised me. We were at a function in Christchurch recently and my business partner said one guy just stared at me like I was some kind of rugby God. Another bloke told me his kid would love to meet me. Will you be back? Still mulling it over - 70/30 yes. What would stop me? Ego. But I want to see if my systems work again. And what about Tana? I reckon he's 70/30, to continue. Maybe I'll ring him. Of course he's got $500,000 a year to think about.

Source: www.nzherald.co.nz Click here to read full article and comments.

By Mark Souster

Dulwich College was in awe of the giant England prop

IN THE north cloister of Dulwich College lies the James Caird, the lifeboat in which Sir Ernest Shackleton, the polar explorer and an old boy of the school, undertook his astonishing feat of seamanship to save 22 men trapped on Elephant Island during the Endurance expedition in 1916.

There is not yet a monument to Andrew Sheridan but it surely will not be long before the tyro England prop, whose nascent talent was nurtured on the playing fields of one of the great rugby-playing public schools, is recognised.

After the hiatus of the autumn internationals, when Sheridan’s profile and stock rose immeasurably, the front row behemoth returns to competitive action tonight with Sale Sharks as the club attempt to consolidate their impressive start in the Heineken Cup away to Castres. A win in France and in the return leg next week should ensure qualification for the knockout stages for the first time.

Sheridan, 26, epitomises what the school stands for and the type of boy it produces, according to Paul Miles, the director of sport at the College. “People have their feet on their ground here,” he said. “There is an attitude of, ‘Just go and do it.’ The boys don’t tend to do too much talking about things.”

Certainly, Sheridan fits that mould of the understated achiever. He thrived as a young player at the College as part of an age-group team that went unbeaten for seven years. Always big for his age, his feats of strength are part of school legend. In the sixth form he could bench-press a full stack of weights, but made it more demanding by having a boy perched on top. He could also complete arm curls with a youngster hanging from each limb.

He was held in awe. Unsurprisingly, as a 6ft 5in prefect he never had any problems with discipline.

Sheridan was one of the mainstays of that supremely talented year that ran amok from the ages of 11 to 18. Their collective exploits sent reverberations around the tight-knit public school circuit. It was not just about Sheridan, who switched between lock and the back row. The pack was something to behold. The first XV of 1997-98, which won all 15 matches, scoring 826 points and conceding only 47 against, included in the front row David Flatman, of Bath and England, and Jon Dawson, now at London Wasps.

Graham Able, the Master (headmaster), witnessed the last two years of Sheridan’s schooldays. “Andrew was very intelligent, quiet and unassuming outside the rugby field,” Able said. “He was very reliable, very helpful and considerate. He was perceptive and had a good sense of humour. He is an old boy of whom we are very proud. We are particularly delighted for him because, having had to move from the second row because no one was going to be able to lift him, he has learnt the dark arts of propping so very quickly. Destroying Australia was predictable but to hold his own against (Carl) Hayman (against New Zealand) was the biggest tribute to him so far.

A cursory flick through the pages of the Alleynian, the school annual, reveals glowing testimonies to Sheridan and many of the other boys from the team, eight of whom won representative honours, four with England. Various rugby masters paid tribute. In the under-12s, “Sheridan’s mauling was the best I have seen at this age level.” The under-13s won all 11 games, scoring 663 points, conceding none. The coach wrote:

"Equally at home in the front or back row, his (Sheridan’s) whole-hearted approach, aggressive attitude and commitment somehow epitomised an extraordinary team.”

On it goes. As Sheridan and his merry men, season after season, laid waste to allcomers, the tributes increased. The under-15s won the Daily Mail Schools Cup at Twickenham. Sheridan and Dawson scored tries. The report stated: “Sheridan was a colossus.” Another said: “Where does one begin with Andrew Sheridan? At one and the same time he is highly skilled and possesses quite awesome strength.”

By the age of 16 he was in the first XV, a rare achievement for a colt. By the time he left in the summer of 1998 his reputation was firmly established. Peter Allen, the master in charge of rugby at the time, wrote: “Never before have I seen one player inject so much fear into the opposition and dominate so many games with a combination of size, speed and strength.” He scored 22 tries in his last season, narrowly missing out on the school record.

Ian Martin, Allen’s successor, has been at the school for 11 years and followed Sheridan’s progress. “Even at the age of 13, Andy always had this driving ambition that he wanted to be an England international. He was the most focused boy I have known,” Martin said. “At that time the concern among the staff was that he was lifting too heavy weights, risking injury to his lower back. He would listen, but the next week he was back in the gym. He wanted to be the best he could. Sides were genuinely frightened coming here.”

His exploits have generated an immense pride and excitement within the school, where rugby was first played in 1859 and which fields 33 rugby teams, involving more than 450 boys, more than a third of the roster.

Sheridan is a role model. There is one glaring omission, however. One of Flatman’s England shirts adorns a wall of the sports hall, as do other mementoes of pupils who have achieved various honours. But there is a space, rather a large one in fact, waiting to be filled.

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
Image: www.ano.sk/ vxbabsscdulwichcollege.htm Click here to read full article and comments.

Tank van Rooyen
Full names: Gert Wilhelm
Date of birth: 9 Dec 1892
Place of birth: Steynsburg, South Africa

Initial province: Transvaal
Physical: 1.87m, 99.8kg
Date of death: 21 Sep 1942 (Age 49)
Test summary: Tests: 2 Tries: 0



First Test: 27 Aug 1921 Age:28 Lock against New Zealand at Eden Park, Auckland
Last Test: 17 Sep 1921 Age:28 Lock against New Zealand at Athletic Park, Wellington


Elandré van der Bergh
Full names: Elandré
Date of birth: 9 Dec 1966
Place of birth: Pretoria, South Africa
School: Framesby, PE
Initial province: Elephants
Physical: 1.98m, 110.2kg
Current age: 39
Test summary: Tests: 1 Tries: 0



First Test: 15 Oct 1994 Age:27 Reserve against Argentina at Ellispark, Johannesburg
Last Test: 15 Oct 1994 Age:27 Reserve against Argentina at Ellispark, Johannesburg Click here to read full article and comments.

Image: Paul Roos, Manager

01/11/05

First major contact

The first major rugby contact between Argentina and South Africa happened in 1932 when the Junior Springboks went across the Atlantic to Argentina.

By that time two foreign teams had visited Argentina where the rugby union was now 33 years old. In 1910 a British combination had toured and in 1927 a second British combination came. The first touring team played one match against Argentina, the second four matches.

Though the Junior Springboks won all of their matches, the standard of rugby in Argentina was clearly on the up as was the enthusiasm for the game in the country's great clubs.

In the Thirties South African rugby ruled the world - the Golden Age of Springbok rugby. In the Thirties they enjoyed a Grand Slam on their tour to Britain and Ireland, beat Australia in two series, won a series in New Zealand and won a series against the Lions.

The Springboks had toured the UK and Ireland in 1931-32. Now the SA Rugby Board sent another team, the Junior Springboks, the first team to be called the Junior Springboks to Argentina. It was, from the start, intended as a developmental tour - for Argentina.

The manager of the team was that great man Paul Roos, captain of the 1906-07 Springboks and the headmaster of a great school. They also sent Jock Finlay to help with refereeing.

At the end of the tour the president of the River Plate Rugby Union (the forerunner of the Argentinian Rugby Union) wrote to the SA Rugby Board as follows:

"On behalf of the River Plate Rugby Union I have to thank you for the excellent team which you sent on tour. It was excellent from all points of view. The lectures of Messrs. Paul Roos and J.G. Finlay have been very carefully studied here, and every member of the side was ideal for the tour. They were all most welcome visitors to us. Certainly you could not have been better represented. Messrs. Nykamp and McCarthy helped to fulfil the objects of the tour. Our players will certainly benefit as a result of the visit."

Pleased, Paul Roos could say in his report on the tour: "My boys fully upheld the high traditions of Springbok sportsmanship both on and off the field."

That the tour was an "educational" was obvious from what he, too, said: "That our opponents had begun to assimilate the lessons we endeavoured to teach was clear in the last match of the tour, when, in spite of our best endeavours, we beat Gimnasia y Esgrima only by 11 points to 5."

The River Plate Rugby Union decided to translate all Paul Ross's lectures into Spanish and publish them.

The team left Cape Town by the good ship Montevideo Maru on 21 June 1932. It put in at Rio de Janeiro, Santos and Montevideo, and arrived in Buenos Aires on 8 July.

All was not plain sailing. Paul Roos's report contains this amusing aside: "I regret to say that ere long happy countenances aboard the 'Montevideo Maru' began to assume a greenish hue which is the prerogative of the landsman who takes time to find his sea legs, and I admit ruefully that I just reached my cabin in time! Like Billy Millar on board the good ship 'Gascon' in 1906, so was Hattingh affected, and he bitterly lamented having left the undulating plains of his native Free State. Undulating 'tis true, but he could keep his feet firmly on them, which was more than he could do on the undulating deck of the 'Montevideo Maru'."

The team was housed at the Belgrano Club which Roos describes as palatial. They enjoyed the hospitality of the land of the tango and the best steaks in the world.

Paul Roos described the team as able to give most of the provinces in South Africa a good game.
Paul Roos said in his report: "What can I say of the boundless hospitality of our hosts? It was overpowering, and, what is more, it was obviously genuine. I trust that some day, some how, South Africa may have a chance of reciprocating."

"Some day" was 33 years later - and what a delight to rugby Argentina!

Results:

Junior Springboks vs Clubs Argentinos, 18-5
Junior Springboks vs Extranjeros, 35-8
Junior Springboks vs Argentina, 42-0
Junior Springboks vs CUBA, 30-0
Junior Springboks vs Argentina, 34-3
Junior Springboks vs UR del Litoral, 53-3
Junior Springboks vs CASI, 44-0
Junior Springboks vs Gimnasia y Esgrima, 11-5

The Junior Springboks team: J Nykamp, J Apsey, D Jordaan, RS Elliott, G Cunningham, H Wardrop, J Seymour, K Moodie, R Cornell, G D'Alton, J Gillett, J Robertson, A Gericke, A Smit, P McCarthy, B Nolte, W Wollheim, M Rest, JH Gage, J Townsend, FW Cheshire, L Hattingh, J Vlok

Of the team, Joe Nijkamp, John Apsey, George D'Alton, Jack Gage, who had played for Itrelanmd, and Louis Hattingh became Springboks.

Source: http://tisc.planet-rugby.com/Teams/Argentina/story_47108.shtml Click here to read full article and comments.

Proteas back on the winning trail
December 09 2005 at 12:09PM

By Trevor RobbPerth - South Africa scored their first win on tour with an eight-wicket hammering of a Western Australia Chairperson's XI on Friday but celebrations were tempered by an injury to their lone spinner.Left-arm spinner Nicky Boje cut his right hand early in the one-day game and did not return to the field as the tourists reached the victory total of 193 in 35 overs.Team officials, already grappling with injuries to captain Graeme Smith and all-rounder Jacques Kallis, said Boje would miss the three-day tour match starting on Sunday but would be fit for the first Test.

Kallis did not play
South Africa's problems were highlighted when fitness trainer Adrian Le Roux was brought on to field for the tourists as they restricted the local side for 192 for nine in the allotted 46 overs.Herschelle Gibbs and Jacques Rudolph then notched up an unbeaten 91 and 58 respectively to carry the Proteas to victory. Openers Graeme Smith with 24 and AB de Villiers who made 18 were the only South African wickets to fall.Kallis did not play after damaging tendons in his left elbow and has not practised since arriving in Australia.Meanwhile bowler Charl Langeveldt, who missed South Africa's second innings during this week's drubbing by Western Australia with a chest infection, managed just eight overs before leaving the field.But the tourists, who have brought just 14 players to Australia for their three-Test tour, showed much better bowling than in their opening-match innings loss to Western Australia.

'I feel we're getting there'
Garnett Kruger took an impressive 4-33 off eight overs on Friday while Shaun Pollock took 2-22 off seven.Coach Mickey Arthur said he was much happier after the win."I feel we're getting there. We are still not where we want to be but we want to peak for the 16th," he said. "Everything was positive that we took from today."Arthur said Smith was almost back to full fitness and would play in the three-day match against a Western Australia XI starting on Sunday.He said Boje would miss that match but doctors said he would play in the Test despite the stitches in his hand."Jacques (Kallis) has had some cortisone treatment on it (elbow) and will have some more tomorrow," he said. "He won't play the three-day game."Arthur said Kallis may be able to bat on the last day of the warm-up game but it was more likely he would have intensive nets training in the days leading up to the Test.He said Kallis was at the crossroads with his injury but he was optimistic he would also be able to bowl during the Test match.

Source: www.iol.co.za Click here to read full article and comments.

Some non sports related though interesting news

SA trade balance worst yet
09/12/2005 11:43 AM

Pretoria - South Africa's trade balance with the rest of the world registered its sixth consecutive deficit in the third quarter of the year, the largest recorded yet, the SA Reserve Bank said on Friday.

The R19.7bn deficit could largely be ascribed to sustained brisk domestic spending, in turn causing a sharp rise in the value of merchandise imports.

"The higher level of merchandise imports in the third quarter was only partly offset by the improved performance of merchandise exports," says the central bank's quarterly bulletin, released in Pretoria on Friday.

The rising value of imports, it states, "reflects the needs of a growing economy as well as the record high level of the international price of crude oil".

The trade deficit, together with a growing shortfall on the services and income account, caused the ratio of the current account deficit to gross domestic product (GDP) to rise from 3.7% to 4.7% from the second to third quarters.

This was the highest deficit ratio since the final quarter of 1983, the bulletin said.
But a sizeable net inflow of capital outweighed the larger current account deficit, leaving South Africa's overall balance of payments with a surplus of R4.6bn.

"Foreign direct investment into South Africa was bolstered by the acquisition of a majority interest in a South African bank by an international banking group, as well as by increased shareholding by a non-resident investor in a domestic telecommunications company," the bulletin says.

"The overall balance of payments remained in surplus in the third quarter, but by a lesser amount than in the second quarter of 2005."

The rand prices of merchandise exports receded by 1.5% in the third quarter of the year, mainly due to a drop in international commodity prices, the bulletin says.

This coincided with a 5% increase in the physical quantity of merchandise exports.
The export of motor vehicles rose especially quickly, recording growth of 13.5% in the first nine months of the year.

While the physical quantity of gold exports dropped by 2%, earnings rose by 0.5%, the bulletin states.

But on the other side of the coin, the rand prices of merchandise imports, driven largely by higher international crude oil prices, rose by 2% and the physical quantity by 5.5%.
"The importation of more vehicles, parts and equipment by automobile manufacturers, necessitated by rising domestic and export sales, boosted the overall value of imported manufactured goods while the value of mining products imported also rose markedly from the second to the third quarter as crude oil prices escalated," the bulletin says.

It states that a positive sentiment towards investment in South Africa "continued unabatedly".

The net inflow of capital amounted to R78.5bn in the first three quarters of the year, compared with R84.6bn for 2004 as a whole.

Net international reserves rose by R27.7bn for the first three quarters of 2005.

Source: Finance24 Click here to read full article and comments.

So in the keo tradition, I have decided that I will refer to myself in the third person. Your intrepid investigative reporter, DavidS managed to convince the Singaporean cops that they would be better off with two keys of Coke, rather than waiting three years and seeing him getting hanged to the outrage of the world. This is a good thing seeing as your intrepid reporter would take exception to getting hanged in Changi Prison in a few years if it came to that. Anyway, arriving in London DavidS, had to answer a few uncomfortable questions from the pleasant British customs officials, before they too saw the worth of two keys of Coke as opposed to a good performance appraisal. The Brazilians aren’t happy, but when DavidS reminded them his friend Mr. Akindele from Lagos may be unhappy if anything happened to him, they accepted the situation and waltzed off to catch some Chelsea football match. This seemed strange seeing as Mr. Akindele is actually a lecturer at Lagos University…

Anyway, DavidS (I’m good at this third person thing) then caught a ride to the country house of our second least liked Muppit, St Michel, where the butler let DavidS in and sat him down before the Master of the house arrived, in a tweed jacket, deer stalker cap and knee high leather boots, and opened the conversation with:

St Michel: By Jove old man, I was wondering when one of you Japies would come and pick my most prominent rugby genius

DavidS: Howzit [I did this deliberately] St Michel. Thank you for the time. Can we start?

St Michel: By all means my good chap. Fire away.

DavidS: I wish I could but for now I’ll settle for questions. Tell me why you feel the need to hang out on a South African website and insult our rugby playing ability?

St Michel: Gadzooks! You are forward aren’t you? Very well, I am from English stock and the best I might tell you. As you can see I have worked very hard, an English tradition you know, to amass quite a wealth and I heave become very wise to the ways of the world.

DavidS: So you inherited it from your father then?

St Michel: Hohohoh, indeed my good man, indeed. I have taken my dear Papa’s wealth and held it together. I have always taken a keen interest in the ways our colonies are doing since they selfishly decided to rule themselves in 1933. South Africa holds a particularly dear place in my heart as Grandpapa fought there with the 51st Highlanders during that little spat with the boers at the turn of the previous century.

DavidS: Oh, so your grandfather was one of those rednecks who ran like rabbits at Magersfontein?

St Michel: I high speed retreat my dear fellow. An Englishman does not run. Gradpapa had to show those Scots how to do it properly too, as they wanted to fight despite the precarious tactical situation. He wanted to regroup his men and assert the English dominance over the boers…

DavidS: Why us?

St Michel: Egad! Is it not obvious? The New Zealanders come from dour Celtic roots and one can expect very little from them. The Australians were half convicts and half wealthy landowners like my family, so they have enough guidance. The boers have never had the benefit of sound English leadership. Fair but firm English administration. I fear our short-lived dominion of South Africa did nothing to uplift the boers and they have reverted to their primitive barbarism so evident in the war. You could see my timely intervention as a way to make amends for that. I believe that your sports codes could do with a bit of firming up and some sound English advice, particularly that English game the boers have claimed as their own, rugby, of which I am a highly knowledgeable connoisseur. Would you care for some tiffin?

DavidS: Yes thank you. You want to boss us around then?

St Michel: Hohohohoh! My dearest chap. But of course you need some guidance. After all, just one look at buffoons like that Brian Van Rooyen wog, and you immediately realise that here is a place where you can do some good work. Instilling traditional English values in second rate colonised servants from a Dutch heritage. You know your Dutch and French forebears were no more than refugees from the 30 Years War. This is in contrast to the English who actively went looking for danger and adventure you know, not fleeing to some far-off corner of the world to escape from adventure. Yvette, please arrange some tiffin won’t you dear. For this nice gentleman and I. Be quick about it.

[I interject here because his French maid was the hottest chick I’ve ever seen and that little outfit did a lot to shorten this interview because I was ogling the lithe body prancing about in front of me]

DavidS: Um….er…. so …..um…. Wha….. how do you think we’d benefit from you.

St Michel: Are you quite all right old man? Now where were we. Oh yes, your boer rugby players have never had the benefit of good firm English leadership. And I sincerely believe this has lead to where you are today. Your rather unintelligent artisans, policemen, soldiers and farmers of the old days were rather effective in the amateur days. But things have changed old chap. Things have indeed changed. England is now the world’s leading rugby power. The professional set-up of their clubs lure the best young players of the world, and this has further strengthened our already powerful position in world rugby. We are now the leaders of the pack. The pinnacle of world rugby. Against this kind of dominance what chance do your peasantry have? None I am afraid to say….why thank you Yvette…..

DavidS: And yet South Africa still have a better win/loss ratio over England. And New Zealand and Australia have beaten you in recent times.

St Michel: Zounds!!!!! How dare you sir. How dare you question our dominance. Surely even one as backward as you can see the Robinson doctrine is already building England back to the powerhouse we were in the past. These are not set-backs at all, they are reconnaissance matches where Andy Robinson is learning the weaknesses of the New Zealanders and the Australians. I say… beaten indeed.

DavidS: Do you have a message for muppits?

St Michel: Until you accept the dominance of English culture over your own and accept our well meant help, your rugby will never reach the lofty heights of the fifties…

DavidS: St Michel. I have a message from the Muppits too. Now I have already shown the New Zealander The Tackler, the famous Chuck Norris Roundhouse, but judging from that old cane you have up on the wall and your English public school ponciness, I believe a different approach is in order.

St Michel: I say….

DavidS: No you don’t say anything you f---ing poncy, pretentious, overbearing, lying son of a Jersey cow, genetic malfunction.

[DavidS grabs St Michel, and getting to the recent swing of things, pulls his pants down and gives him six of the best to a chorus of school boy style yelps of agony]

DavidS: Enough! I’m leaving…and I’m taking Yvette with me. She deserves a spot on Clifton for the summer for working for a poncy idiot like you!

St Michel: I shall have your guts for garters sir. Queensbury Rules I say. I daresay you are a typical boer thug you cad!

[The idiot put up his fists in that back to front English way….so I roundhoused him Chuck style. Then I grabbed Yvette and stalked out. The last words I heard were]

St Michel: Aaarrrggghhh…..hhhaaarrrumphhh….nnnnngghhhnnn….. this is that Kandas fellow’s fault I say….

Editor’s note: We have lost contact with DavidS since this dispatch. We have no idea where he is, except for an off-the-record remark about feeding Yvette boerewors instead of black pudding, which we did not understand, probably something to do with that Eastern Cape issue we’ve been having lately…. Click here to read full article and comments.

My second theory or option to mauling is a much simpler approach. I mentioned in the first post that I see it as two or three line tactics that should be applied, and having explained the three line maul as I see it, lets look at the two line maul.

In principle a lot of the basics stay the same, the only real difference is the two line approach is a direct, brute force, donner them over approach. The type of maul you choose should solely depend on your field position, this type of maul, the two line, should only be entertained as an option when you are 10 or so meters away from the oppositions goal line. The desired end result, is a try by the forwards, not a penalty, a try.

The secret to getting this approach right is the speed in execution. Although moving your line out catcher to the back of the line out might provide you with an added advantage over the opposition as to the point of attack, it might be risky in the sense that your support players wont get to the ball carrier quick enough to prevent the opposition from spoiling the ball or taking the ball carrier to ground.

For that reason alone I would still have my line out catcher jumping at four. But now, the props roles changes slightly. Much rather than providing stability to the maul, they should bind onto the lock as they would into a scrum with the lock, even though his back is turned, being the imaginary hooker and hit the opposition players as they would hit into a scrum. The desired result will be to hit the opposition back a few feet and immediately putting your back up players part of the maul on the front foot.

Your most nuggety, and preferably, your smallest player should drive into the ball catcher as soon as possible, the Ryno van der Merwe’s of this world would be perfect in this role, with your enforcer, and strongest loosie binding either side of him immediately and the last forward binding behind him, covering him in the preverbial blanket. The ball thus stays in the middle of the maul with the ball carrier very well protected. This ‘hit’ should be done with force and speed to get forward momentum as quickly as possible.

The reason I would prefer this maul to the three line maul when close to the opposition try line is simple. With the three line maul the ball is basically exposed at the back of your maul, and we have seen hundreds of times that opposition teams will hit mauls from the side deliberately to give away penalties rather than giving away tries. Although referees do play advantage, the chances are the opposition will attack not only the ball carrier from the side, but try and attack the ball which is pretty much unprotected.

Remember I said the purpose of this maul is to score a try, not force a penalty. The execution of this specific type of maul is extremely difficult given the speed at which everything needs to happen to give you immediate forward momentum, but deadly if executed clinically.

The question now remains. Why are the Boks ineffective in this department?

Well I believe these two posts gives us the answer in my opinion. Having tried to explain how I perceive this area of the game, I might have confused more people than shed light on the subject.

If it is that difficult to explain in words, imagine how difficult this is to coach! I do believe where the Boks fall short though, is because it is not coached into them with the same intensity, as say, scrumming would be. And this to me is stupid.

Also, in my opinion and how I interpret this area of the game, it becomes very clear that each player has a very specific role. I get the feeling the only two players with specific roles in this area of the Bok game at the moment, is the hooker and the jumper! Almost a case of: “Duh okes, lets just like catch the ball and then all you guys like pack around me and lets try and move these Aus guys like backwards okay.”

Execution in this area is vital if you want to be successful, and I believe not enough time is spend in this area of the game and our players have no idea and are not coached properly to use this as a very effective weapon, and I say weapon in the sense of mass destruction, because hell, seeing it is legal obstruction in the biggest degree, and looking at the size of our forwards we should be mauling everything from our own 22!

But I guess that is South African rugby for you. Here is one area of the game we can exploit to our own benefit up and till a point other teams will bitch and moan so much the IRB will have to change the laws, but we are to thick to realize it. I blame that other guy personally!

Click here to read full article and comments.

Okay, maybe it is not that bad, but when it comes to mauls and the laws regarding this area of the game, you will be forgiven to think the explanation to follow is as far fetched as the Star Wars movies.

I must make one thing clear. I was and always have been a backline player, so my views on forward play comes purely from the effectiveness I have witnessed displayed by certain teams and what they do, and having a clear understanding for the rules of the game.

The rules regarding mauls are almost as confusing and grey as the laws regarding rucks and the tackled ball situation. The main problem we have in these two areas is that for most of the game, it is up to the referee’s interpretation most of the time.

The maul, in my opinion, is an illegal tactic in any event. It is nothing more than organized obstruction, performed in an extremely disorganized way. Maybe that is why it is so hard for referees and supporters to understand and control.

But now the question remains, why are some teams successful in this phase of play and some teams not? To me, it is simply a question of organization and manipulation.

I will use the Bok pack as an example of how, in my opinion, this area should be controlled, and where, we fall short.

When you attempt to use this tactic your premium line out specialist should be used as the receiver of the throw, and ideally he should be positioned in the middle of the line. The players directly in front and behind him should be a prop (preferably tighthead) and your eighth man or pack enforcer depending on the strength of your opposition and what your field position is, the other prop should not be too far away either. My reasons on the specific players are explained a bit later.

There are two ways I believe you can setup a maul, firstly, a three line maul scenario and secondly, a two row maul scenario. In a three line maul scenario the ball will be controlled by the hindmost player of the mall, i.e. your blindside or openside flankers. In the two line maul the ball should be controlled in the middle of the mall by your hooker who must be surrounded, or blanketed by his team mates. When thinking of the 2 and 3 line mauls try to imagine it as if you were watching players in lines with you standing on the side of the maul.

I will look at the three line maul first. As mentioned earlier, your premium jumper should be the receiver of the ball. As with scrums it is vital that the ‘engagement’ of the maul is perfect, and this where we loose a lot of momentum in my opinion. Hence, the guys directly in front and behind the jumper play vital roles.

Once your lock receives the ball in the air and touches the turf the guys must execute their roles immediately and do it with enough force as not to get driven back as we usually see happens. The eighth man must immediately drive into the lock carrying the ball, securing possession and avoiding the opposition players getting close to the ball. At the same time your tighthead prop must immediately bind on the lock almost wrapping his body around the lock so that a portion of his body is actually in front of the lock on the opposition side. To picture it better, try and imagine the prop driving his left shoulder into the hip bone of the lock with his right shoulder and head behind the locks back. This does not mean he will be driving the lock sideways, he must position himself so that his left arm is around the waist of the lock and his right shoulder is facing the opposition, almost pulling the lock forward rather than driving.

The second prop must do the same on the other side. These guys will perform a stabilizing role in the maul initially as well as controlling the direction of the mall once it is formed properly.

Next up your enforcer should bind next to the eighth man also driving in on the lock and the prop. This guy along with either your blind or openside flanker will provide most of the leg drive in the maul, so they will be responsible for the momentum. The flanker that is left with the hooker must form the last line of the maul and either one of these two must control the ball at the back. In my opinion this should be the hooker, I will explain later. The last line of players must also bind directly onto the eighth man and enforcer, almost creating a bajada scenario in the maul where the majority of your players concentrate the majority of their power on a single point. The player in the last line not controlling the ball can also add to the leg drive.

In the meantime your lock, the initial catcher, plays an extremely important role. Most of the initial pressure from the opposition will be concentrated on him. He will get a feel of where the majority of the opposition’s momentum is moving too and thus will be in the perfect position to control the maul, moving it to the weaker side of the oppositions counter.

What makes the maul so difficult is everything I mentioned needs to happen in a matter of seconds, 5 at most in my opinion.

If the mall is stable and everyone executed their roles perfectly, the ball should stay with the eighth man in the middle for a bit longer to confuse the opposition as to exactly which way the maul and momentum of your team will be moving. If there is some infringement by the opposition the eighth man should move the ball to the back as quickly as possible to avoid loosing possession and change to a support or enforcer type role quickly as to negate major disruption to the maul structure by the opposition.

Now I will explain why I wanted certain players in certain areas of the maul. The line out jumper is obvious, securing possession is obviously of the utmost importance. I think the roles of the props are also self explanatory, but my reason for the tight head prop being the guy to immediately bind on the lock is for stability. This is the main function of the player in all set pieces and obviously he will be the most accustomed to such a role.

The reason for the eighth man might be a bit of a surprise to some. There are basically two reasons for this to me. The first reason is that with play in the area of the game, has become very competitive, opposition looks to disrupt the line out as quickly as they can, and their main target will always be the lock catching the ball. For this reason I believe it is imperative that the lock gets rid of the ball as quickly as possible, and no, I don’t mean them sticking their hand out with the ball waiting for someone to take it off him, because the opposition simply attacks his arms which will result in him spilling the ball.

I would want a player who is strong on his feet and in the upper body, used to the rucking, cleaning out and has good handling skills to drive into the lock’s midriff taking possession of the ball without exposing it to the opposition, and also has the necessary skills level to absorb the pressure and not loose possession and stay on his feet long enough for his team mates to join the maul where the ball is then moved to the back. He will also provide a lot of leg drive with the enforcer and blindside flanker to get the maul moving forward.

With the blindside flanker, your second line now consists of three relatively strong players, who basically forms the engine room, or business part of the mall. Through the communication of the catcher and the scrummy, their effectiveness will determine how quickly and effectively you get the maul moving in the right direction.

It is extremely important that you first line (catcher and two props) should not break or disintegrate, even when shifting momentum to a side to find a weakness in the opposition pack, yet again, the lock (catcher) has a hugely important role to communicate effectively with the whole pack in order to shift as a unit, whether it be to the side first or straight forward.

The last line basically protects the ball. I mentioned earlier I would prefer the hooker to be the ball carrier. There are two reasons for this. This type of mauling tactic usually leads to one thing, the ball carrier to break away from the maul and attacking channel 1.

Having the hooker as the ball carrier and the opensider in support gives you two options though.

The hooker either takes the ball up or goes to ground after crashing into an opposition player, and there is no better person in my opinion to help secure possession other than the opensider and one of your centers perhaps. Also keeping in mind that once the mall breaks up, your players will more or less ‘peel’ away from the maul in a back to front order. Which means your blindsider, enforcer and eighth man will be the first guys to arrive at the ruck more or less in that order, giving you the option to use them as runners of quick ball from the ruck, crashing into an already weakened opposition defense, remembering their channel 1 forward defenders will pretty much still be involved in the mall and also on the back foot giving your runners a huge advantage.

Your second option here is that the hooker, with the two flankers peels away very close next to the mall, with the hooker turning his back into the opposition channel 1 defender, who in all probability will be a opposition flanker or backline player, as their enforcers and strongmen will be stuck in the original maul. The two flankers obviously drives into the hooker again with the enforcer and eighth man joining as they peel away from the original maul, setting up a new maul. For this to work you need a ball carrier that is a strong bloke and can stay on his feet long enough for the cavalry to arrive in driving the obviously weakened opposition (the majority of the opposition players in the new maul will be either loosies or backs) defenders. In a case like this the maul will no doubt collapse more often than not, and if you don’t get awarded a penalty, with quick ball, your backs will be faced with a defensive line mainly consisting on slow big forwards now having to form a defensive line because their loosies and a couple of backs has been sucked into the second maul.

Yet again, the execution and communication needs to be clinical.

Seeing this section explaining the first type of maul is already as long as it is, I will explain my second theory and why i believe the Boks are not effective in this area as a new post. And yes, we know whose fault this is…. Click here to read full article and comments.

I will never be able to understand some journalists and peoples' attitude towards our sports. Why should we avoid England. They should be avoiding us. Why wait till the finals for instance to play against them? Why not just beat them in the semis and show them just how good we really are?

To be the best, you need to beat the rest!!!!!!!!!!!


SA need full house to avoid England

Posted on Friday, December 09, 2005 - 07:18

The sevens Boks will have to win all three of their matches at Outeniqua Park on Friday if they don't want to make things difficult for themselves in the SA leg of the International Rugby Board's Sevens tournament in George.

Jaco Pretorius's team will play Tunisia, Zimbabwe and France on Friday.

If they win their group, they will play the team ending second in Group C on Saturday. It will probably be Samoa, with England expected to top this group.

Samoa are a difficult team to beat, but England have shown that they are one of the best sevens teams in the world. If the Boks end second in their group, they will in all likelihood face England.

"We've studied videos of the Tunisians and we've got a plan in place to beat them" says SA coach Paul Treu.
"They lie quite shallow and play a physical game. We will try to limit rucks and play the ball wide."
The Zimbabweans are an unknown factor, because they did not play in Dubai.

They are known to fight to the bitter end, but Pretorius and company should beat them without too much of a struggle.

France, however, are a different kettle of fish.

"The French are excellent at kick-off and they test a team's defence all the time," Treu said.
He will start the first match with his more experienced players and give the less experienced guys a chance later on.

"I'm considering including the only newcomer, Izak Saayman, in the second match against Zimbabwe," the coach explained.

He was pleased that he could include Sevens star Fabian Juries again.
Juries withdrew from the Dubai tournament to be at his wife's side for the birth of their child.
Treu said Juries was one of the most experienced Sevens players and he was the pivot of South Africa's game plan.
Click here to read full article and comments.

http://bofh.ntk.net/BlokeRugby.html

Still Under Construction - It's a complicated topic

Introduction

Okay. Rugby is a bloody complex game, and one of the cornerstones of our society. It's something that a bloke has to enjoy. Why, you may ask? Don't ask! Does a bloke ask you why you need so many sets of bloody clothes? Does a bloke ever ask why he can't have steak and chips for dinner every night of his life? Does a bloke ever ask why the hell you watch Oprah and buy all those weird Womens mags which are full of lies? Of course he doesn't!. Unless you use his money to buy them of course! But apart from that, a Bloke knows that certain things just ARE.

Which is why he likes Rugby, and lots of it.

The Object of the Game

The object of the game is simple, for our team to "score" as many "tries" as possible, and if they're not able to score tries, to score "field goals". And to stop the opposition doing the above.

The Object of Spectating

The object of spectating is a manyfold one - To equal the world record for consecutive drinking, shouting "Shit Ref, Ya Blind Bastard!" and "YOU LITTLE BEAUTY!" whilst simultaneously wishing you were fit enough to get on the field in the first place. From your armchair.

Questions

My bloke wants to take me to the Rugby. Should I go?

Of Course Not! He REALLY wants to take his best mate but he's probably just remembered that it was your birthday six weeks ago and he's trying to be thoughtful. What a good bastard. You should make him a Steak and Cheese Pie for when he gets home from the match boozed to bits.

No, he really wants me to go!

So your birthday was 1 YEAR and six weeks ago. He must be feeling really bad. Two Steak and Cheese Pies would be nice. From the Service Station, because they've got the really good recipe.

What's a scrum?

A Scrum is where a collection of players form an interlocked triangle shape, which then interlocks with the opposition's triangle shape along the front edge. Once interlocked, this is called a scrum. A ball is placed into the scrum and both sides attempt to hook the ball out or force the opposition back so fast that they can't hook the ball out. The scrum is typically won by the side the puts the ball in.

Oh, I understand

We were only joking. A scrum is one of the places where differences between players on opposing teams are worked out without the tedious intervention of the referee. The scrum goes down, the ref's attention gets diverted for a second, a fist or knee comes up, and resolution is achieved, without the completely unnecessary calling of a Penalty.

I get it now. So it's just part of normal play

Of course. Unless it was one of our side who was hit, especially if it was in view of the cameras but not the ref or touch judge etc, in which case it is one of the most shameless fouls ever to curse the game, and the offender concerned should be taken to the sideline and pelted with rotten vegetables.

So what's a line-out then?

That's when the ball goes off the side of the field and has to be chucked back in. Each of the teams sends some players to form a line next to the opposition's team at the side of the field. Then a player from the team that did NOT knock the ball out throws the ball down the middle of the two lines without hint of prejudice.

So the throw in is always done fairly

You really are green, aren't you? Of course it's not bloody fair! If it was FAIR it wouldn't be very bloody sporting would it?! If it was FAIR, we wouldn't be playing to WIN - we'd be playing to DRAW. (Just in case you're wondering, we play to win - that's why it's called SPORT) That's why one of our team goes "Look Ref - Elvis" just as the ball is thrown straight to him. (Or, if the other team is throwing in, just as he punches his opposing player in the nuts.)

What this offside rule again? The offside rule is one which is changed every few months or so, so that bad Refs can interpret it to the advantage of the opposition and the disadvantage of our team. Good Refs however, are up to date and use it fairly, like when the opposition is offside.

What happened to Buck?

You had to bring that up didn't you? How the hell do we know? There he was - a legend in his own half-time; then he was deselected. We heard all the rumours - a bit of biffo off field, some nasty words, space aliens abducting the selection team for their own evil purposes and replacing them with replicas that wouldn't know a line-out call if it appeared on their dinner menu. We know. A real bloody tragedy for all concerned. Let's just try to live on and not think about it.

Who's our greatest opposition?

Well, opinion varies depending on who you talk to and the year concerned. At one time it was said to be the Springboks, At one time the Aussies, At one time Laurie Mains and/or Grizz Wiley. It's hard for us to give you a definitive answer, especially when you've been given all of the above opinions at the public bar prior to the match. A basic rule of thumb is it's whoever the TV presenter says it is - and he should know as he's paid to sit in the public bar...

So why do you get so pissed off at your players?

The term You useless bastard! is a form of encouragement from a spectator to a player. Doubly so, should that player happen to notice the said spectator and meet him in a dark alley at a moment subsequent to the game. It is not meant to denote anger or disappointment, and is replaced with "YOU LITTLE BEAUTY!" at the very next opportunity.

Should I play women's rugby?

It depends. Do you think you'd like to be called "You useless bastard!" occasionally? Of course, dropping a crate of your handbrake's beer every once in a while might reduce the chances of these words ever being spoken, but you should still give it a moment's thought..

Glossary
Bastards The other team when they're winning. Also known as Bloody Bastards, Bloody Cheating Bastards, Bloody Cheating Bastards who couldn't find GROUND if the Ref wasn't on their side, etc

Field Goal A less glorious way of scoring, where the ball is kicked thru the space above the goal-post crossbar.

Lions The name given to the British Rugby Team. See Also "Bastards"

Maul See Scrum

Score Like at the pub, but MUCH MORE IMPORTANT IF WE'RE PLAYING THE AUSSIES

Scrum A dangerous place to be if the opposition doesn't like you. See Also "Maul"

Springbok The name given to the South African Rugby Team. See Also "Bastards"

Try What we score when we carry the ball over the opposition's Try-Line (The line where there goal posts are) and Press the ball to the ground Click here to read full article and comments.

I was intrigued to come across this website http://www.gapyear.com/placements/gyc1337_rugby_coachplay_teach_english.html

Basically they offer Gap Year placements for 3 months to anyone interested in coaching rugby in the townships around Port Elizabeth.

"Join the GAP SPORTS 'Community' in Port Elizabeth, South Africa 's "Friendly City", and give young township players the chance to learn and develop new rugby skills. No experience is needed and you will enjoy the close GAP SPORTS 'family' by living, exploring and socialising with other volunteers and locals. Spot Africa 's big game on safari, sample the surf at Jeffrey's Bay and experience countless extreme sports, friendly local bars and lively African rugby matches, all under the warm and welcoming skies of South Africa. (No prior coaching experience or qualifications are required, just an ability to get alongside children and organise activities)."

They go on to explain a bit about South African rugby,

"Rugby in South Africa: As you are probably aware, the South Africans are extremely passionate about their Rugby. They are a tough and very technical force to be reckoned with - despite England 's punishment in the 2003 World Cup! Although rugby is a passion for many, very few get to play and develop in a well-structured environment. And the irony is that many of the most promising players, often living in and around Port Elizabeth 's townships, are left undiscovered and their talents undeveloped. Although it is hard for these children to get a game going with some friends, many are seen kicking and throwing a ball around with each other, dreaming of being the next Francois Pienaar and leading the Springboks to World Cup victory once again. But without the proper chance to play and further their game, this will only ever remain a township fantasy."

and then a bit about who they will be working with,

"You will be under the guidance of the GAP SPORTS team who has implemented the rugby and sports activities programme, largely centred in the townships and schools that skirt the city. The first stage as a coach is to help organise and run training clinics and matches for the children, as well as providing them with decent rugby equipment to use. This will be a great experience for forming relationships with the players and also for developing your own confidence. The second stage will be working together, as a volunteer 'unit', to plan and run rugby tournaments that incorporate both matches and team-building activities. Although the focus is on personal skills and sports development, there will be ample opportunity to scout for talented individuals who, with the right support and training, could go onto play professional level rugby. The sports academies with which we work are keen to identify the individuals who will form South Africa 's next generation of Springboks. And, although this is not the focus of our rugby coaching projects, it is likely you will groom players who are destined for a future in the top end of the game"

It's quite fascinating, had anyone heard of them? I think this should be strongly encouraged. Okay, it's obviously not a 'not-for-profit' charity venture but anything that encourages young black kids into rugby must be a good thing.

I think the three regional bodies, especially the EP and SEC, should make contact with this organization, if they haven't already, and see if there are any synergies.

It's well worth a read and you can just follow the link at the top. Click here to read full article and comments.

The first official Brannasnacht of Rugga World wil be held on Thursday 8 December 2005 at 21H00 CET. Please feel free to join and be sure to leave all baggage at home. Partners are welcome to join. See you there and remember, due to the youth of the site we are not as yet able to supply the drinks, but feel free to bring your own. Click here to read full article and comments.

Mark Souster
www.timesonline.co.uk

TOM WALKINSHAW is to propose that English and French clubs take over the running of the Heineken Cup and make it more profitable by maximising revenues and commercial opportunities.

Walkinshaw, who has never been afraid of taking on the establishment, has written to Jean-Pierre Lux, the chairman of European Rugby Cup (ERC), asking for a meeting to discuss “several points”, including the “management of the tournament”. Writing in his capacity as chairman of Premier Rugby, Walkinshaw, the owner of Gloucester, does not detail his intentions in his letter, but it is being widely interpreted as the first step in attempting to wrest control of the tournament.

It is no secret that he and Serge Blanco, his counterpart at Ligue Nationale de Rugby, the French clubs’ association, who has also contacted Lux, believe that, as a club tournament, the Heineken Cup should be run directly by and for the benefit of the participants and not through their respective unions.

Derek McGrath, the chief executive of ERC, confirmed receipt of correspondence from both individuals. “Their letters were presented to the board of ERC last week,” he said.

The overtures have been made at a time when ERC has begun to conduct an overview of its role, its plans for the future and the direction of the tournament. The review started in September and should be completed within a year.

“The current shareholders’ agreement comes to the end of its eight-year term at the end of 2007,” McGrath said. “It is the first time since 1999 that shareholders have had a chance to get together and say, ‘OK, let’s open this up, let’s start with a blank piece of paper and start discussing what is and what is not appropriate to take this tournament to the next level.’ What changes do people want to make? Let’s all get together and take this further. We want to get all parties together by the end of January.”

The tournament is now in its tenth season and after a hesitant start it has established itself as the most popular competition in Europe after the Six Nations Championship. Since 1999, when it separated from the Lions and Six Nations, it has been a stand-alone entity.

That Walkinshaw can possibly scent an opportunity is an indication of its success. “Perhaps they are saying we value this so much we would love to own it,” McGrath said. “We know the tournament is a success, whether it is accessible for anyone to take ownership of is totally different.”

The notion that somehow the clubs could do a better job on their own is being scoffed at. Walkinshaw, though, has figures to support his argument that financially English clubs could do better. Income from all sources for a Guinness Premiership game is estimated to be in the region of £1 million, from the Anglo-Welsh Powergen Cup about £625,000 but, from Europe, it is between £300-£325,000.

That, however, supposes that the tournament is about self- interest rather than fostering the development of the tournament on a pan-European basis whereby some clubs and countries have to be carried for the greater good. Indeed, the ERC mission statement says: “To realise the potential of European club rugby by pushing back boundaries, connecting stakeholders and creating matches of unique drama.”

On the face of it, Walkinshaw and Blanco’s proposals are a non-starter, but they may be using it as a tactic merely to ensure that ERC reinvigorates itself, which ultimately will be to everyone’s mutual benefit.

“We do not have a problem that everybody buys into this tournament,” McGrath continued. “Can we make the commercial programme better? Well, everyone wants to make more money. It is in our interests to have clubs involved who believe in it and what we are doing as an organisation.”

This year’s tournament, the final of which is in Cardiff, resumes tomorrow night with the first leg of home and away games against the same opponents. Sale Sharks travel to Castres today knowing that victory against the club they beat in a pre-season friendly would consolidate their position in pool one. Philippe Saint-Andre, the Sale director of rugby, has named a 25-man squad. Kingsley Jones, the assistant coach, said: “All the players know we face a tougher test tomorrow.” The second match is at Ravenhill, where Ulster entertain Saracens. Click here to read full article and comments.

Since when was Johan Prinsloo appointed to the IRB Board? Was this released to the media, I cannot recall reading about it anywhere? Is there still such a body as the South African Sports Commission?

http://www.irb.com/About/Infra/IRB+Council/

Brian van Rooyen (2004) is the Executive Chairman of Labat Africa Ltd. The Group is listed on the Johannesburg Securities Exchange and employs over 500 people. He has more than 20 years of business experience, coupled with Developmental experience and was recently appointed a member of the South African Sports Commission by the Minister of Sports and Recreation. He also serves as an Executive Committee Member of the Sports Commission in charge of finance.

Johan Prinsloo (2005) is a veteran in the entertainment business. For 17 years he was in the movie industry, with Ster Kinekor - while also involved in rugby refereeing and coaching at Wits University. His particular involvement was with the Under-20 sides, working closely with Jake White.

Prinsloo was also Chairman of Technikon Witwatersrand Rugby Club, while working within the structures of the then-Transvaal U20. As a fulltime employee, he joined rugby in 1991, working for Dr Louis Luyt. During that period, he was involved in all aspects of rugby, the highlights being the beginning of the Super 10 and the 1995 Rugby World Cup Committee. He was appointed CEO of SA Rugby in 2004. Click here to read full article and comments.

By Roy Masters Friday, December 9, 2005
http://www.rugbyheaven.smh.com.au

A QUEENSLAND-LED coup unseated ARU chairman Dilip Kumar yesterday after criticism of him following the recent IRB meeting that awarded the 2011 Rugby World Cup to New Zealand.

Kumar supported Japan's bid to host the tournament but the Kiwis believed he had promised it to them in the eventual 12-9 ballot. Their wrath is such that the ARU feared New Zealand would not back Australia's push for a fifth team when the Super 14 competition next expands.

Australia wants a fifth Super 14 franchise in Melbourne to provide a nationwide spread of the code. But any Australian expansion would be conditional on the support of New Zealand, which, along with South Africa and Australia, comprises the competition's governing body, SANZAR.
Kumar was also the target of criticism following last week's dismissal of Wallabies coach Eddie Jones, with claims he had leaked information. As a NSW representative on the ARU board and a former chairman of the NSWRU, Kumar's decision to quit as chairman may dent Waratahs coach Ewen McKenzie's ambitions of taking over from Jones.

"There was unwarranted personal criticism of Dilip when the ARU board chose to support Japan's bid for the Rugby World Cup 2011," ARU president Paul McLean said in a statement. "The ARU board remains committed to its decision to support Japan's bid."

With the ARU to take over the secretariat of SANZAR next year, Kumar had decided to quit his role as chairman to try to ensure a smooth transition, the ARU said.
Kumar said his decision was in the best interests of Australian rugby but declined to comment further. When yesterday's meeting began at 1pm, Queensland's three delegates - Ben Kehoe, David Usasz, Robin Thompson - planned to move against Kumar and had the support of the ACT's Peter McGrath.

However, this counted for only four votes on the nine-man board and the rebels were intent on wooing chief executive Gary Flowers or Travis Hall, the players' association representative, or even convincing one of Kumar's two NSW colleagues - Mike Brown and Ron Graham - to desert his chairman.

As the bitter meeting progressed, Flowers made it clear he did not want to politicise the process and left the room, concerned he would be caught in the crossfire. He, along with Kumar, left and rejoined the meeting at intervals.

Eventually, the board made it clear Kumar's position was untenable and he stood down at 5pm before a vote was necessary. He will remain a member of the board but is expected to retire early next year.

Publicity over Jones's role after Australia lost eight of their past nine Tests created friction between Kumar and Flowers, who is now seen as secure in his position. Flowers took it upon himself to sack Jones before Kumar could come over the top and emerge as the ARU strong man.

However, influential figures in the corporate and marketing world are looking to attract former chief executive John O'Neill back to the code. Kumar and former ARU chairman Bob Tuckey were the two officials responsible for O'Neill's departure by mutual consent following the successful staging of the 2003 Rugby World Cup by Australia.

O'Neill is still bitter both had told him he did not have the support of the board, yet he subsequently discovered the matter had not gone to the directors. It is understood O'Neill could be wooed back only if he was offered an executive chairman's role of the type his close friend John Coates enjoys as AOC president.

O'Neill, now the chief executive of Football Federation Australia, oversaw the Socceroos' recent qualification for next year's World Cup in Germany.

He receives a $1 million salary, enjoys the support of billionaire businessman Frank Lowy, travels extensively and is now a player in the world game. Currently in Germany for the World Cup draw, it would take a huge incentive for him to return to rugby. While the present members of the board were not responsible for his departure, O'Neill would seek a position in which he was not required to report to a table of directors.

Kumar's critics claim he has spent two years on the IRB board and is yet to make a contribution. All three bidding cities for the 2011 World Cup believed they had his vote. One opponent likened him to a good sheep dog, saying: "He works wide and he works quietly."

However, he invoked the rage of sheep-loving New Zealanders by backing Japan, believing it to be in the code's interests. Awarding Japan the tournament would have been a move away from the code's Anglo-Celtic power base and pleased the IOC, which is yet to invite rugby to the Olympics. The 2011 vote was closer than assumed and it angered the Kiwis, who believed they deserved the tournament after being dumped by Australia for 2003. Ireland had promised to support South Africa but the night before the vote South African officials found IRB chairman Syd Millar, a former Irish and British Lions prop, with his arm around All Blacks legend Colin Meads, sharing a pint.

Had Ireland's votes gone to South Africa, they would have moved into the second round ahead of New Zealand. In rugby politics, vengeance is more lethal than the bottom of a ruck.

A new ARU chairman will be elected today. Click here to read full article and comments.

I got the impression over the past year that this new buzz word “Corporate Governance” is sometimes misunderstood as to what it really entails. I decided to write a few pieces on it, based on what is stated in the King II report and my opinion there on.

I will also relate this back to the structures and doings of the the South African Rugby Union to just see why this all of a sudden has become the buzz word in rugby.

Introduction

The impression I get is that quite a few people believes that corporate governance is the same as operating/financial management. This is not true in a certain sense. Why, because of the level at which the responsibility for these functions lie. In short, you can have bad corporate governance, but with good operating/financial management the institution will still be able to survive and even turn out good results.

Corporate Governance casts its web much further than just operational/financial management. It includes a big variety of functions which I will discuss seperately in articles. Please remember to always keep the complete picture in mind and see the concept of Corporate governance.

One can go and read the whole King II report, but in essence it is summarised on page 22 of the report :” …successful governance in the world of the 21st century requires companies to adopt an inclusive approach that takes the community, its customers, its employees and its suppliers into consideration when developing the company strategy. This inclusive approach requires that the purpose of the company is defined and that the values by which it will operate are identified and communicated to all stakeholders. The relationship between company and its stakeholders must be mutually beneficial. The company must be open to institutional activism and there must be greater emphasis on the non-financial aspects of its performance. Boards must apply the test of fairness, accountability, responsibility and transparency in all acts or ommissions and be accountable to the company but responsive and responsible to the company’s identified stakeholders. The correct balancebetween conformance and performance must be struck.”

What does this entails? Corporate governance is the responsibility of the board of the company /institution. In my opinion it can be summed up in one word: integrity.

Responsibilities of the board of directors

1. Effective control over the company/institution. This means that the ultimate responsibility stays with the board. They cannot delegate the reponsibility, only the accountability.
2. The board determines the strategic plans for the entity and appoints the CEO who will brings these plans to execution.
3. They should setup a code of conduct, the value system to be implemented and procedures whereby they can seek independent advice.
4. They should monitor the implementation of all the abovementioned.
5. They should strive to be innovative and entrepreneurial while still functioning within their law and governance requirements.
6. They are responsible for evaluating business units, demographics of the company, and the risks within the company aswell as the external risks.
7. They have to monitor the performance indicators and assess the non-financial aspects that is influenced by the company or that can have an influence on the company.
8. They should ensure that all communication, internal and external, are effective with regards to the value system and the strategic plans.

I have read literature where the writers includes the monitoring of the internal controls and information systems. I believe that this is the responsibility of the CEO. He is the one who is running the show and reports to the board. It is not the responsibility of the chairperson to run the company, but to lead the board, formulate their work plan and be responsible for the public relations with the shareholders/interested parties.

I trust that you now understand my argument surrounding the bad governance vs good operational controls.

SA Rugby

You can apply these responsibilities to SA Rugby yourself, but here is my thoughts on it. Applying the above to the situations, one can actually say that it is very unfair just to blame Brian van Rooyen for the bad corporate governance. The whole board is responsible for this, unless it can be proven that he acted maliciously and without their consent. Not one of the members can walk away and point a finger at him, except the ones who brought it into the open, being Markgraaff and Stofile. My impression however is that they only used the buzz word and did not really understand the meaning or their ultimate responsibilty towards the whole concept of corporate governance.

There has been no reports of bad financial management form the SARU side, but this does not mean Prinsloo was doing his job. In accordance with what information is offered to the public in comparison what is expected by corporate governance, he has failed along with the board or presidents’ council (call it what you want). Being in that position, he should be aware of these requirements and if the board did not request him to comply, he should have advised them on the issue.

Where we must give Prinsloo credit is that nowhere did we hear about financial problems at SARU. We did hear how money was wasted by the board on ridiculously expensive lunches, but other than that things seems to be running smoothly on the financial side. This was a waste of money, but not necessarily bad financial management.

On the operational side however, there was major issues that come to mind and that is the contract negotiations with the Springboks, the late determining of the CC venues and the now infamous debacle over the fifth S14 franchise. Here I do have a big problem to decide who I will blame for the fiascos. Some of these were obviously not in Prinsloo’s hands, but again he needed to take control (in absence of Van Rooyen – he was by his own admission focussing on Labat) and advised the board. From the little information we do get, I have come to the conclusion that Prinsloo is not a leader. My problem is that he doesn’t seem to be a do-er either.

The reason for the problems over the past year within SA Rugby can, in my opinion, be summed up as:

1. The chairman/president (whatever) was not focussed on the job he was elected to do. This resulted in people being able to critisize him and focus on his mistakes and thus play their own political game.
2. The board has not realised their own responsibility towards corporate governance and was keeping themselves busy with infighting and politics. The result was that the sport so many people love, was neglected for personal gain.
3. A CEO who did not understand his responsibilities and seems to be more focused on this own problems than the job at hand.

The only solution I can offer is that we return to a corporate setup in a similar mould to that which Rian Oberholser used when he was in charge, but without window dressing positions. The people need to work towards the furthering of rugby and not focus on their personal interests. Dedicated people who can pull their weight and add value to the organisation. Being a corporate will force corporate governance to be complied with and take the loophole under which SARU is operating out of the system.

The sponsors of SA Rugby will need to strengthen their representation of the board and the appointment of Ali Bacher has already been a step in the right direction. I only hope and trust that the rihgt people will be appointed in SA Rugby and that the only news we hear in SA Rugby in future is not only how strong our Springboks is, but also how strong the integrity of our administration leadership is.

Till next time Click here to read full article and comments.

Ek het vanoggend Kandas se artikel oor Dana se brief aan Oom Frik Du Preez met erge heimwee gelees. Dit het amper trane in my oë gelaat. Dis nogal moielik om oud te word. Dit het my teruggeneem na my jeug en my helde verering van ene Theuns Stofberg tydens die 1980 Leeus toer. Dit was die toer waar ons hulle teruggekry het vir 1974.

Ek onthou nog dat dit ‘n warmerige winter in die Oosrand was. Almal was ontsteld oor Rhodesië se David Smith in plaas van Noord Transvaal se Tjokkie Van Der Merwe op binne senter gekies is vir die Springbokke in die eerste toets. Nog meer ontstellend was die kies van Divan Serffontein as jong Naas Botha se skakelmaat bo mense soos Tommie Du Plessis en Gerrie Sonnekus. Daar was ‘n klein gegrom oor Robbie Blair en Dewet Ras nie gekies is bo Naas Botha nie.

Lee Barnard was die nuwe Transvaal losskakel wat ons sou red nadat Gerlad Bosch uitgetree het. Richard Prentice was ons bul stut in die Bok span.

My ma het vir ek en my boetie en sussie Transvaal klere gebrei. ‘n Trui, serp en mus vir elk. Mens het nie in daardie dae die span klere gekry soos vandag nie. Selfs al het mens, was one heeltemaal te arm om dit te bekostig. Ek het een keer die mus en serp gedra sodat my pa foto’s kon neem van ons drtie in ons Transvaal klere, maar die trui het baie keer in ons tuin, of die van my vriende die Currie Beker gewen.

Ek het twee vriende gehad. Klein Deon (want daar was ‘n groot Deon) en Klein Wimpie (want daar was ‘ n Groot Wimpie en ‘n Wim). Ons drie het soos manskappe elke dag op Klein Deon se grasperk rugby gespeel. Klein Deon as die Noord Transvaal, Klein Wimpie as die WP en ek as Transvaal. Somtyds het ons gespeel toetsrugby gespeel. Dit was toe Klein Deon se groter broers, Danie en Wimpie teen ons gespeel het.

Danie was reeds in die Weermag gewees, Wimpie in Matriek, en dit was ‘n eer om teen die groter seuns rugby te speel, al het hulle ons altyd laat wen. Ek onthou nog hoe die drie van ons beplan het om al die Springbok drieë van daardie reeks na te boots in ons ‘toetse’ met Danie en Wimpie (wat natuurlik altyd Die Leeus was). Klein Wimpie wou Divan Seffontein se drie in die Kaap naboots, Klein Deon wou Gerrie Germishuys se eerste drie naboots (die een wat die eerste toets gewen het en ek moes Rob Louw wees wat daardie laaste pass so bo-oor die Leeu vleuel se kop met die een hand gedoen het), maar ek wou Theuns Stofberg se drie in die tweede toets naboots. Die stromram een in die hoek.

Ek onthou ook dat die gras so geel was. Ons het kortbroeke gedra met ons truie soos regte rugby spellers. Ons het elke drie nagemaak en ons het Danie en Wimpie geklop. Ek kan nog onthou hoe trots ek was toe ek uit die geel gras uit opstaan met my rou knieë na ek Theuns se drie gedruk het. My reeds verslete Transvaal trui was vol dooie gras. En ek onthou hoe Deon die skop gemis het (Die’pale’ was twee bakstene wat startegies uitmekaar geplaas was).

Klein Wimpie is ook intussen dood in ‘n motorongeluk. Ek weet Klein Deon se ouers woon steeds in Boksburg op hulle plot en Oom Deon ry nog steeds sy Blou Audi waarvan ek so baie gehou het. Ek weet nie wat het van sy drie seuns geword nie.

Daar was werklike helde van rugby. Die tipe mense wat na ‘n wedstryd toegelaat het dat die skare hulle oorweldig en op skouers van die veld dra. Manne wat sterk was van hulle lewenstyl. Ons helde wat vir die liefde van die ding gespeel het. Soos wat ek en Klein Wimpie en Klein Deon op ‘n menige droë middag op ‘n geel grasperk op ‘n plot in Boksburg in die waterige hoëveld winter son hulle nageboots het.

Ek weet nie of ek ooit daardie dae sal herwin nie…

Ek kyk na my nefies vandag. Die wie se ouers hulle weerhou van rugby weens die 'gevare' van die sport. Die wat voor hulle Playstations sit dag en nag. Die wat hulle hiphip klere aantrek en weier om hulle Nike tekkies naby enige iets so vuil soos sand of gras te bring.

En ek vegelyk hulle met ons drie laaities wat op harde geel gras elke winter die Springbokke nagemaak het met ons kort broekies, verslete truie en vuil kaal voete, en 'n almintige sware leer rugby bal.

En dan besef ek dat ons kinders nooit die heug van ons jeug sal ervaar nie.

Bo alles is dit wat my hart breek. Click here to read full article and comments.

Story: EP Herald
Banner: www.southernspears.co.za

Spears in rugby ties with Kiwi academy

By Stan Terblanche

NEW rugby ties were forged between former All Black No 8 Murray Mexted and Southern Spears Super 14 franchise officials in Port Elizabeth yesterday.

Former Springbok scrumhalf Garth Wright, who is a personal friend of Mexted, arranged the meeting and he believes it should prove highly beneficial to rugby in the region.

Southern Spears coach Peter de Villiers, who came from George to attend, and managing director Tony McKeever, were in attendance.

Mexted is also adamant the move could benefit the region. He believes a plan can be put in place where young players from New Zealand, who are unable to command a place in the top provincial teams, could spend some time honing their skills with the Spears squad.

Already there are plans for the Super 14 franchise squad to travel to New Zealand for a 14-day period to attend the International Rugby Academy’s course in February, and at the same time to play at least two or three friendly matches.

The livewire McKeever confirmed yesterday that he is currently in discussion with somebody who is prepared to under- write the 14-day trip to New Zealand.

Mexted, who is at the head of the International Rugby Academy in New Zealand, said the institute had been going for the past four years and many of the top coaches in world rugby are directly involved.

Among those are Laurie Mains, Wayne Smith, Eddie Jones, Nick Mallett, Graham Henry, Grant Fox and John Mitchell.

Mexted has come to South Africa with the intention of encouraging unions in South Africa to send talented youngsters to the courses.

"Ashley Johnson, who is a member of the Spears squad, attended the course in New Zealand in February, and I am sure he benefited greatly," Mexted said. Click here to read full article and comments.

Nog 'n artikel ingestuur deur Boertjie.

Dana Snyman se brief aan Frik du Preez

Beste oom Frik

Ek lees in die koerant oom het Maandag verjaar. Baie geluk.

Oom is al 70, sien ek.

Ek en oom kom 'n lang pad, hoewel oom dit nie eintlik weet nie. Ek was 5 of 6 jaar oud, toe wil ek al soos oom wees. Ek het toe nog nie aan oom as 'n oom gedink nie. Oom was toe net vir my Frik du Preez, die rugbyheld.

Ek onthou in 1971, net ná oom uitgetree het, het Die Huisgenoot 'n Frik du Preez-bylaag publiseer. Ons het toe op Daniëlskuil gewoon, 'n dorpie in die Noord- Kaap. (Dis 'n flippen gatplekkie as oom my vra.)

Die Huisgenoot het eers Saterdae by ons uitgekom, en die Saterdag toe die een met daardie bylaag moes kom, was die afleweringsbakkie laat. Ek het van elfuur die oggend op oom Mike se kafee se trappies daarvoor sit en wag. (Tussendeur het ek darem twee blikkies Groovy-koeldrank gedrink. Ek het ook 'n Walls-roomys geëet en binne-in het ek so 'n kaartjie gekry van John Love in sy Lotus-resieskar.)

Die middag halfdrie toe die bakkie uiteindelik in 'n stofstreep van Postmansburg se kant af kom, het oom Mike my so jammer gekry dat hy vir my 'n spul niekerbôls en daardie Huisgenoot present gegee het.

Oom Mike is al oorlede, oom. En, ja, ek het daardie Frik du Preez-bylaag ook nie meer nie. Ek het wel 'n soortgelyke een wat ek vyf jaar gelede by my vriend Cor Herbst se ma, tannie Tillie, gekry het. Tannie Tillie is intussen ook oorlede.

In daardie bylaag is 'n foto waarna ek steeds soms kyk. Ek dink oom ken daardie foto. Wessel Oosthuizen, wat vir die Citizen werk en ook al oud is, het dit tydens die 2de toets teen die All Blacks op Nuweland geneem. In 1970.

Dis daardie foto waarop oom vir Chris Laidlaw, die All Black- skrumskakel, tackle. Maar oom tackle hom nie net nie: Oom sit so half op sy rug met oom se een hand oor sy mond en oom se vuis teen sy agterkop, terwyl Albie Bates aan Laidlaw se bene hang.

Een middag in 1971 - dit onthou ek goed, oom - het ek en Johnny Vertue, my pêl, besluit om daardie toneel op ons grasperk in 3de Straat te laat herleef. Ons het net gesukkel om iemand te kry om die rol van Chris Laidlaw te vertolk.

Op die ou end kon ons darem vir Mieliepap, ons bure se laaitie (hy was maar dommerig, oom) oorreed om Laidlaw te wees. Ek het my Super Springbok no 4- rugbybal (jy kry hulle nie meer nie) vir hom gegee, en gesê: "Okay, hardloop." En toe het ek hom agterna gesit, want ek was oom, ek was Frik. Kort agter my het Johnny gehardloop, hy was Albie Bates. (Hy het selfs een van sy suster se alice bands as sweetband gedra, want oom Albie het mos altyd met 'n sweetband aan gespeel.)

Naby my pa se rotstuin het ons Mieliepap ingehaal, ek en Johnny: Ek het op sy rug gespring met my hand oor sy mond en my vuis teen sy agterkop, Johnny het aan sy bene gehang.

Mieliepap is intussen ook oorlede, oom. Maar dit was nie van daardie tackle nie, dit was 'n motorfietsongeluk.

Ek weet nie waarom vertel ek dit als vir oom nie: Eintlik wil ek maar net sê die tyd gaan verby, oom. Maar op 'n manier sal oom nooit verbygaan nie.

Wonder oom ook soms waar is al ons helde heen?

Groete
Dana

Met erkenning aan die skrywer en aan Beeld, waar hierdie artikel op
2 Desember verskyn het.

FRIK SE TOETS-STATISTIEKE
38 toetse, 1 drie, 2 strafdoele, 1 doelskop
Eerste Toets: Flank teen Engeland, Twickenham, 07.01.61
Laaste Toets: Slot teen Australië, Sydney, 07.08.71 Click here to read full article and comments.

I have to admit, I had a tear in my eye when I first read this. It annoys me so much that our rugby administrators simply DO NOT recognise the RESPONSIBILITY we hold as a MAIN STREAM rugby playing country in the world. It is simply embarrassing that we let fans like this down with our petty nonsense. FFS, we are looked at by the rest of the world as the NUMBER TWO rugby playing nation in the WORLD!!!!! Geez, SARU, get your freaking act together. I hope someone will post this to the Blue Bulls who deserve the congratulations for creating such a spirit in their stadium. What a story, what a stadium!!!!

Van Rooyen, Stofile et al, get your act together and start understanding the role we need to play to world rugby. You morons.

Canadian Rugby Fan Awestruck at Loftus Versfeld

http://www.oirc.ca/gamereport_men/CBfromSA.shtml

On the weekend of Saturday, October 15th, one of my dreams came true in Pretoria, South Africa. Along with the Canterbury Crusaders from New Zealand, my favourite professional team in all of rugby, the Blue Bulls, which compete in the Currie Cup competition (and Super 14), played in a nail biting, bone-crushing semi-final against long time rivals, the Lions from Johannesburg. Much to my delight, a friend of mine from Pretoria managed to get tickets.

Though I’d watched Canada play international matches against formidable opponents over the years, including the June encounter in Toronto against Wales, this was my first opportunity to attend a high calibre show-down in a truly rugby-obsessed nation. I couldn’t have asked for a more perfect introduction to live pro rugby. Four days later, as I sit at my sister’s flat in neighbouring Mozambique, I can’t help but relive one of the greatest weekends of my life.

I decided some rugby fans in Canada, who may just love the greatest game ever invented as much as me, might like to read about my experience.

My dream visit to Pretoria began on Friday afternoon. I was scooped up from the Joberg airport by Shaun, a South African currently visiting family in his hometown, but who now calls Montreal home where he coaches St. Anne de Bellevue RC. We made the short drive back to Pretoria, which is South Africa’s capital for you geographically challenged people. As rugby players and fans, you’ll not be shocked that Sean and I first decided to have a beer on a patio instead of visiting the local cultural sites and attractions in Blue Bull land.

We hadn’t taken two sips from our Castle lagers when one of my favourite players, Victor Matfield, showed up for a quick bite of lunch. For those who aren’t familiar with the name, Matfield is one of the premier lock forwards in the world today and possibly the top lineout option out there, though some Kiwis would zealously dispute this. As a relatively short second row, I must have looked like England’s Neil Back without the muscle (nor the rugby skills and money) standing beside Martin Johnson as Matfield walked past me. I simply wished the #5 good luck on Saturday and he responded kindly.

I’ve lived in Canada most of my life and also spent a few years living in the USA. From time to time as most of us have experienced, I would see a professional athlete out in public in various cities across North America. In truth, I was almost indifferent to seeing these athletes who are worshiped by sports fans back home. The big sports in North America are not my cup of tea, though I appreciate the skill and commitment required to play them. Seeing Matfield up close was special. I almost felt like a South African on the inside who was mistakenly born a Canadian in a country where rugby struggles to keep its head above water among tidal waves of hockey, and even football and basketball. I felt strangely at home in a country where the white population and increasingly black population simply love rugby, though soccer is still the most popular sport overall.

Shaun then brought me to Loftus Versfeld where the Bulls would host their opponents the following day. This stadium is holy ground for ruggers in Pretoria and indeed throughout South Africa, and recognized as a bastion of rugby in every top tier nation around the globe. Quite simply, if you want to win in this stadium against the Bulls or the Boks, you’d better bring your A-game wherever you’re from. Loftus holds about 58,000 fans at capacity, which is inconceivable to a Canadian used to watching international matches at Fletcher’s Field or York University with only a few thousand loyal followers.

Shaun, who played for the Pretoria RC once upon a time, a club which consistently fields seven or eight sides, actually had the privilege of playing on the main field a few times in his career. He will never forget the experience. We toured the stadium and my eyes were as wide as saucers and filled with wonderment. I saw the Currie Cup up close (behind glass of course).

The Bulls won the cup last year so for now it belongs to Loftus. The cup has engravings from top to bottom with the names of winning clubs dating back to the late 1800s. Rugby history, tradition, and pride drip from this stadium. The changerooms are so large that teams can warm up in them and flyhalfs and fullbacks can practice their kicking into nets.

Saturday was game day, as it is in Canada. Tens of thousands of Afrikaaners from Pretoria and Lions fans who made the trek from Joberg got an early start on the festivities. If you think our neighbour to the south is the only country to have tailgate parties, think again.

The tailgater outside Loftus was of a massive scale. I’d never seen anything like it. For kilometres, cars and trucks parked along both shoulders of the winding road leading to the stadium. Hordes of screaming Bulls supporters, young and old, men and women, barbecued sausages and burgers, drank copious amounts of beer and brandy and cokes, chatted with friends and strangers about all things rugby, and heckled Lions fans as they walked defiantly towards Loftus in their red jerseys, waving their own flags. As the visitors walked by, Bulls fans yelled: “Are you lost!? You must be in the wrong city!” Cars and trucks carrying excited fans waved blue flags as they passed by. I even saw one flatbed truck with a massive paper mache blue bull in it, surrounded by screaming children. The truck passed by honking, the tailgaters went wild with cheers. Though the Lions and Bulls fans are intensely loyal to their teams (and many were three sheets to the wind), there were only smiles on their faces. I didn’t witness any incidence of hooliganism or fighting.

After consuming a few too many Castle lagers myself, we made our way to the stadium. As we entered Loftus, the atmosphere was electric and I knew I was in for a real display of rugby excellence. The match was not quite sold out but an amazing 47 900 fans were in attendance.

There was a sea of blue encircling the field with a few pockets of red. Blue Bulls flags appeared to be floating in the stands and deafening cheering as the opening whistle was about to blow. I was in awe as the Bulls took the field. How often can you see at least ten current and former Springboks in a line-up up of twenty-two players. The likes of Gary Botha, Bakkies Botha, Richard Bands, Victor Matfield, Bryan Habana and several others. Sadly, one of South Africa’s finest centres who played for the Bulls, Etienne Botha, was killed earlier in the season in a car crash. Botha was an extraordinary talent but somehow never got the nod from the Boks selectors, which I find puzzling.

I won’t devote much space in describing the match because you can read about it on Planet Rugby or other websites.

I can tell you that I’d never contemplated that a match could be so physical.

The commitment to uncompromising tackling was beyond impressive. In the second half, IRB player of the year candidate, Bryan Habana, laid out one the Lions’ backs in what is undoubtedly the biggest tackle I’ve ever witnessed – live or on the television. I’m sure there were more than a few players taking painkillers after the match. Though I’m naturally biased, watching Matfield and Botha in the second row was inspiring – this duo is hard to beat. There was also a memorable ten-point play involving a converted try by the Bulls’ open side flanker, followed by a penalty against the Lions for trying to injure the flanker after he dotted down. In fairness, the Lions played a valiant match – they led at half time and kept the fans on the edges of their seats right to the end. The Lions have a very strong pack and backs who play an expansive game with lots of flair and incredible speed and versatility. It was impressive seeing the Springbok’s fly half, Andre Pretorius, in action for the Lions though he had a relatively lack-lustre performance kicking for points. The final whistle confirmed a 31-22 victory for the boys in blue. Needless to say, the local fans were ecstatic.

I won’t describe the post-game festivities and shenanigans out of fear that my parents may read this. Let’s just say I wasn’t the only Bulls supporter who saw the sun rise on Sunday morning. I had the privilege of speaking with a cauliflower-eared man in his seventies outside Loftus who recounted stories from his rugby days as a boy and young man. I also met up with Pieter Zeeman, a Pretorian rugger who played for then North Transvaal years before. Soon, as he’s fondly nicknamed by friends, coached me when I played for PAC in Washington, DC. Soon played with a lot of legends who suited up for the Boks and he remembers everything about their games. Both men played during an era where referees seldom sent a player to the ‘cooler’ for ten for foul play. When savvy, dirty hookers put Vics Vapour Rub on their eyebrows and ears so the opposing hooker would be virtually blinded in the scrum. They reminded me of Canadian elders I’ve had pints with in Ottawa pubs who had played in arenas, outdoor rinks and on frozen ponds and lakes many moons ago. Canadians are equally knowledgeable and passionate about our game on ice as the Pretorians are about rugby.

On Sunday afternoon in my hung over stupor, I had a bit of an epiphany – which is rare for a tight five player who’s sustained a number of concussions! For years

I’ve had a dream that rugby will one day become a tier one sport in the Great White North. In my mind, this would be accomplished through developing the game in every sense of the word – providing more opportunities for our young players to take up rugby at an earlier age, increasing expertise and capacity for coaching, investing substantial amounts of money into the sport, forming a professional league when the time is right, determining a strategy for marketing and advertising to get existing and new fans out to local, regional and national matches, tapping into the Canadian media and corporate sponsorship for support. In other words, developing a ‘Culture of Rugby’ in Canada far above and beyond the current fringes.

In reality, we occasionally have our own Currie Cup Semi-Finals when one or more of our Canadian teams go the distance. They’re called the NHL Eastern and Western Conference finals. I feel proud that we can call hockey OUR game, even though I’m not the biggest fan. We have a ‘Culture of Hockey’ that is unrivalled anywhere else in the world. Fans from Victoria to Halifax experience elation when the Canucks, Flames, Oilers, Senators, Leafs or Canadiens go to the semis or Stanley Cup finals. As adults, we feel and often behave like excited school children in the playground the day of a playoff game and talk about little else. We jam our arenas with tens of thousands of people for games as well, and celebrate or commiserate over beers at the pub afterwards, depending on the final score.

I will always support the game of rugby in Canada. The sobering reality is that rugby will NEVER be as big as in South Africa. Will Canada’s Senior Men’s team join the top-ten ranks over the next five years, ten years, even in my lifetime? Possibly. My experience in Pretoria last Saturday tells me we will never compete with the South Africans, Englands, Australias and New Zealands of the world. Not because we don’t have tremendous athletes, not because we aren’t doing some of the right things to develop the game. We simply don’t have the necessary rugby culture. I understand that now.

While South Africans live, breathe and bleed green and gold, Canadians bleed red and white. We just bleed for another game, another tradition, another obsession.
In Pretoria, they also bleed BLUE.

Chris BjornestadOttawa Irish Rugby Club Click here to read full article and comments.

It is a little known fact that rugby is actually quite big in Russia and Eastern Europe. In a recent match between Russia and their little neighbour, Georgia, there was a crowd of 70 000!

A lot of Russian rugby actually takes place far to the east, out in Siberia. There is no doubt that these clubs get by on the bare minimum of financial resources but absolutely outstanding human spirit and the will to succeed.

How much better would it have been for the IRB to award a World Cup to a place like Russia, where it would have had a massive impact on local rugby, rather than even considering South Africa or New Zealand, who, all things being equal, should survive without one.






I quote from http://www.proptalkrugby.com/russian.html

"Communalshchik Rugby Club

This club in Russia had quite a few babes on the team. Well one that caught my eye anyways.

And since there are only a hand ful of Russian Sites I can find (this being one of them), I have included them. Say hello to Masha! (Above)

Another Club, Rostov-on-Don Rugby Club is a youth side in Central Russia.

Finally, one last site that can be reached is the Moscow Dragons RFC. Hosted by Idiot Brother #20 (acting as President of the club), Michael Bolan is an Irishman living in Moscow. Not sure what he does, but something tells me he isn't with the Irish Espionage Agency. An interesting link to a story on his page: Click here!

The links to these sites are included in the links page in the right column. Also see the Russian Rugby Union site located there as well.

Za Mir my comrades!" Click here to read full article and comments.

by Michael Bolan (Loosehead prop for the Moscow Dragons)

http://wesclark.com/rrr/russian_rugby.html

Why do we say "the Rugby Season"? I mean, season is defined as a period characterized by a particular type of weather. And do we only play when it's sunny? In Russia, one 'season' captures extremes of weather never before seen in temperate zones.

Our 'season' starts at the end of the summer: clear bright days and long balmy evenings, the leaves still green on the trees, everyone relaxed after a summer's leisure.

Saturday afternoon resembles South African rugby heaven, the sun shining down on hard packed turf, a team resplendent in new strip, the thought of a few cold pints after the match proving often more attractive than the match itself ...

And of course, there is the rugby. The open passing play, the supporting and the straight running at speed. (Props are excused from this duty, due to the potential shock to supporters.)

There is a certain perverse joy at being alive, especially after a Moscow Friday night (our bars don't close).

If you are easily depressed, you'd maybe better give up now, and go home. It's all downhill from here ...

Because the rain sets in. Personally I'm no stranger to this, having grown up in Ireland, a country where there is more water in the air than the rivers. These are the perfect conditions for dramatic rugby, a thrill for all the spectators. This is the cause of the old European game of 8 or 9 man rugby, (depending on how much you trust the scrum half).

Short passes, (dropped), ruck, maul, scrum, slog up the pitch, to have it kicked into your own 22.

The confusion which arises when you try and work out whether you or the opposition is playing in brown. Wet weather rugby is a game where everybody runs at the same speed as the props - proving that props are the more consistent players.

And, of course, this leads to that particularly Russian phenomenon of snow rugby. (The bulk of our 'season' is played on snow.)

The Arctic conditions force the team to wear enough horse liniment for the Kentucky Derby, the Melbourne Cup and the Grand National put together, and the patented Moscow blend of socks, socks, plastic bags and then more socks! Do not mock! Apparel is a life-or-death decision in -24C (-12F)! We repeatedly lose wingers to frostnip, frostbite, snowsqualls, yetis, etc., but that's ok, because they never get the ball anyway.

The only benefit is the ready availability of ice-packs, and the ease of chilling the vodka.
There was a famous physio in Northern Ireland called Bobby MacGregor, who once remarked that the "Magic Sponge" was dipped in a 50-50 mixture of Holy Water and Poteen. Chilled vodka has pretty much the same effect! (and it's cheaper).

When the weather turns, however, and the sun shines down on 6" of hard-packed snow, that's when the child in us all comes out. Knowing that if a ball goes to ground 20 feet away, it's a couple of quick steps and then a long slide, (often accompanied by the famous Celtic war-cry "Wheeeeeee"), before gathering the ball lovingly into your arms to the adulation of an inspired crowd. (I have even been penalised for enjoying myself too much on the pitch under such circumstances!)

When the snow has gone, disappearing at an alarming rate, it's amazing what can be found underneath, a bit like when they dredge lakes or canals. There's always a shopping trolley! In our case, most noticeable was about 11,000 cigarette butts, but I'm sure that most rugby other players are healthier than us. A hellish time of track shoes and road-running, which is less than pleasant in Moscow.

It does signal the beginning of the end of the 'season', though. Warsaw Tour! The Annual Warsaw 10's competition started a few years ago, in the same way that the Hong Kong Sevens started. And the weather for the last two years has left us sunburnt and jealous.
So you see, 'season' doesn't really do justice to the diverse meteorological conditions in which we play, but then, what else can we say? Other than, playing on grass ... not really in the spirit of the game, we think.

Let's hear it for the snow!

Who is Michael Bolan? This little introduction should suffice.

I am Michael Bolan, Irish, 27, with about 24 years playing experience. My dad was playing when I was born. I’m the smallest in the clan – 6’1”, 260lbs. The runt of the litter...

We are the Moscow Dragons, one of a surprisingly large number of rugby clubs in Moscow. Yes Russia plays rugby too...! They even beat France in the 70’s! It was a game supported by the army – you’ve heard the stories: better food if you play, fewer drills if you play, less PT if you play, hard currency if you play, trips abroad if you play… Get the picture?

We are the only international club in a country where the game’s popularity is dramatically on the wane, and are doing our best to avoid that. We have about 150 members, of whom about 45 are playing members, of whom about 35 know anything about the game. But that’s not important – if you have arms and legs, you can play. (I actually used to play in Germany with a guy who only had one arm, but that’s a different story...)

One big difference here in Russia is that we play rugby in the snow with an average temperature of about -10 C, (-8 F), so it's not quite as fast as elsewhere. Touchlines are marked with green paint, so the pitch looks like a photo negative. Snow-blindness and frostbite are constant worries.

I sympathised with the story on your site regarding a lack of pitches. It’s a problem here with circa 10 million people who live in apartments, and all play soccer instead of rugby. Still we soldier on, and compete in the Moscow winter league (all on snow). This past season (there’s that word again..) we started very well, middled atrociously, and came back at the end of the season, with some new players.

The crisis in Russia has hit us really badly in terms of new players, but we all hope the worst is over. Saturday at training (complete with new improved hangover from hell) we has a new English centre, and a new South African second row. Excellent!

Summer means training, difficult at the moment for me due to my arm, but the cast is off, the bones are set, and I can pass again. I may be a loosehead, but I did play on the wing for a few years. You see what a combination of puberty and Guinness does to a person!

Take careMichael Click here to read full article and comments.

Interesting on two counts. Firstly, I agree with Woodward, having Eddie coaching would strengthen whatever league he is in. It would certainly add colour if he was snapped up for a South African team but it doesn't look likely. Secondly, interesting to read Clive saying you need a couple of board members support to survive. He certainly needed that support in his time given the few dismal runs he had earlier on.

Clive shocked at his mate's axing
www.rugbyheaven.smh.com.au
By Alex Brown in London
Thursday, December 8, 2005

Photo: Getty Images

England's World Cup-winning coach, Clive Woodward, believes the Australian Rugby Union has made a grave error in sacking Eddie Jones, and has implored his long-time adversary to join the UK coaching ranks.

Woodward, whose antagonism with Jones enlivened the contests between their respective sides during four years, questioned the wisdom behind the ARU's move to sack Jones without experienced replacements at the ready midway through the World Cup cycle.

"We are well down the road to the next World Cup and I think it was a mistake to let him go," Woodward told the Herald on Wednesday. "He is an experienced coach who has had a lot of success at international level and, to be honest, there are not that many of them around. We always had a bit of fun in the media but, at the end of the day, I always had the utmost respect for him."

Woodward's message of support for Jones will come as a surprise to many. The Englishman once questioned whether Jones had the "balls" to experiment with rugby league converts, while Jones accused his rival of making excuses prior to their last meeting in 2004. The issue of decoy runners proved particularly heated over the years, with Woodward labelling the controversial ploy "the old Eddie Jones trick". He also described the Australians as "very predictable" under Jones four years ago. But that, it seems, was merely for the cameras.

"It's funny - the media always made us out to be enemies, but I probably spoke more to Eddie Jones than any other international coach and more than a lot of the coaches here," Woodward said. "I am disappointed for him."

Jones is understood to be considering a move to the northern hemisphere, although English club Leicester have already ruled him out as a potential successor to incumbent coach Pat Howard, the former Wallaby who is returning to Australia at the end of the season. If Jones makes the move north, Woodward has no doubt the expansive play that drew criticism during the Wallabies recent European tour would be effective in the tighter, forward-oriented English premiership.

"Of course it would," he said. "If I was in charge of a team in the premiership and I had a chance to get Eddie Jones, I'd do it. There's no doubt he would be successful here. And he'll be even more successful because he'll be hurting after what has just happened and eager to prove a point.

"I hope he comes here. I don't give a monkey's where they come from. If you can get an international coach like that in the England set-up or coaching the premiership, that can only help English rugby."

These days, Woodward also finds himself engulfed in a coaching-related controversy, albeit somewhat different to that transpiring half a world away in the ARU's North Sydney offices. As the performance director at Southampton Football Club, Woodward has made national headlines in England this week as a potential successor to Harry Redknapp, the outgoing manager.

Woodward has ruled himself out of the race to manage Southampton, in England's first division, despite manoeuvring within the club to elevate his role in his newly adopted sport. No stranger to internal politics, Woodward sympathised with Jones's predicament towards the end of his tenure at the Wallabies when he did not have the backing of his board.

"That can take it out of you more than anything else," he said. "I was very lucky that as England coach I always had the support of two board members. It is impossible to keep all of them happy, but so long as you have a couple of heavy hitters on your side to tell you what's going on and, really, cover your back, it is a big help.

"Once you lose support in that area, it becomes a very difficult job. No one knows how tough it is until they're in the hot seat. All noses need to be pointing in the same direction. In the real world, when this kind of stuff gets in the media, all of a sudden you and the players are reading it over breakfast and you end up talking about this, rather than scrums and line-outs and rugby issues. You start to worry about that."

Woodward dismissed suggestions the Wallabies' record of one win from their past nine Tests was enough to dismiss Jones.

"This is a period in which they have had a lot of injuries and I'm sure they would have been competitive if they'd had everyone on deck," he said. "If you're talking about a rookie coach, then maybe. But Eddie is a very experienced coach. I think he gives them the best chance of being successful.

"When I was coaching England, I always loved it when other teams were changing coaches. I think one of the main reasons New Zealand are going to be so formidable is that they have a formidable coach who, in his time, has had some real bad runs. I think Eddie had targeted the next World Cup, and it was an error to let him go."

Click here to read full article and comments.

By Alex Spink

FORMER England prop Jeff Probyn claimed yesterday that having half the national team battering each other the week before they play France improves their chances of Six Nations glory.

England are on a collision course with the clubs over what is best for the international players on March 4, when Wasps, Leicester and Bath are in Powergen Cup semi-final action in Cardiff.
The Rugby Football Union wants England players released from club duty for the duration of the Six Nations campaign whereas the clubs insist on playing their stars.

The Millennium Stadium double-header - pitting Wasps against Leicester in one tie and Bath against Llanelli in the other - comes the week after England play away in Scotland and eight days before they go to Paris.

Yet far from hurting England's chances, Probyn believes having the Powergen shoot-out on the Six Nations' rest weekend enhances their prospects.

"It will keep the players on the edge of their game," he argued. "Sir Clive Woodward once said that international matches are won by inches and not by yards. I agree with him.

"So while I can understand Andy Robinson not wanting the players to play in case of injury, I think it will do England good."

Robinson must hope Probyn is right as, with no agreement between clubs and country in sight on player release, the likelihood is that Bath's England quintet of Danny Grewcock, Steve Borthwick, Matt Stevens, Olly Barkley and Lee Mears will be tearing into Llanelli.

Worse still, Leicester's Martin Corry, Lewis Moody, Louis Deacon, Harry Ellis and Tom Varndell will be pounding into England team-mates Josh Lewsey, Matt Dawson, Tom Voyce, Simon Shaw and Mark van Gisbergen of Wasps.

Wasps chief executive David Davies said: "I think it is important that the players play in this competition, which will be good news for the sponsors and the broadcasters."

England badly need to mount a serious challenge for the Six Nations title. Last year they lost their first three games and finished fourth - their lowest position since the champion-ship was enlarged to include Italy in 2000.

ENGLAND MEN FACE FIXTURE PILE-UP
SAT 4 FEB - England v Wales (Twickenham)
SAT 11 FEB - Italy v England (Rome)
18/19 FEB - Full Guinness Premiership programme
SAT 25 FEB - Scotland v England (Murrayfield)
SAT 4 MAR - Powergen Cup semi-finals (Cardiff)
SUN 12 MAR - France v England (Paris)
SAT 18 MAR - England v Ireland (Twickenham) Click here to read full article and comments.

Image: Sporting Life
Grant Robbins
www.mirror.co.uk

EDINBURGH have won the battle to keep Scott Murray after Natal Sharks signed alternative targets in frustration at their failure to agree terms with the Scotland lock.

The 29-year-old, who won his 71st cap against New Zealand at Murrayfield, confirmed last week that he has held talks with the Sharks franchise, where Gregor Townsend spent a season, and had been offered a spot in the Natal side for the Super 14 starting in January.

Out of contract at the end of this season Murray, who is believed to have been offered a lucrative two-year deal to move to South Africa, would have linked up with former Springbok coach Rudi Straueli who is now director of rugby with the Sharks.

However, Straueli and Sharks coach Dick Muir, who watched Scotland defeat Samoa at Murrayfield, have cooled their interest after they failed to wrap up speedy deals for Murray and Leicester's Ian Nimmo.

And Muir confirmed last night that the Sharks are not looking for second row forwards after the double signing of Samoan Daniel Farani and Springbok Johan Ackerman.

Speaking exclusively to Mirror Sport, Muir said: Johan Ackerman will be with us just for the Super 14 and Daniel Farani is a fantastic acquisition who is a specialist lock but can also play in the back-row.

Scott is a player I admire and would do very well for the Sharks and enjoy the different challenge of the Super 14. He's really impressed in the autumn and we would have liked to bring him on board.

But there have been a couple of stumbling blocks to the deal and there is a very limited timescale for us to conclude any agreement with pre- season training underway.

Like last season when Gregor Townsend was with us, I'm convinced Scott would have thrived on the firmer playing surfaces. But the signings of Johan and Daniel has filled our immediate shortage in that department.

Natal bosses had made Murray their second overseas target following the capture of former All Black fly- half Tony Brown last month.

The lock, who has won Scotland's international player of the year award three times, admitted to having been approached.

Murray said: There have been some discussions with Natal but I don't want to make any further comment at this stage.

Gunners boss Todd Blackadder yesterday revealed he had pleaded with the SRU to put everything into the fight to retain one of their most influential players at the peak of his powers.
Murray's importance to Edinburgh is illustrated by the fact he is the only one of their Scotland players who started every game in the autumn who is also in the squad for Sunday's derby with Glasgow.

Blackadder said. I gave the Scotland run-on players the week off to rest and recharge their batteries but we could not keep him away. No matter how hard I tried to convince him to have some time off, we could not do it. That just shows you his commitment. Click here to read full article and comments.

Rugga World secures a world exclusive!!

It was another boring day around the board table at Rugga World, thrashing out the financial figures, ratifying the good corporate governance protocols when PissAnt suddenly threw down his ink quill and said,

"Guys, I've got it!"
"Got what?", we dutifully chorused
"I've found the differentiator, you know how we've been scratching our heads on how to be 'different'? Well, I've got it!", PissAnt breathed heavily, "We'll track down Tackler, 3rdday, St Michel and Nancy. We'll get them in a room together and let them loose whilst we transcribe their diatribe!"
"Brilliant idea, PissAnt!", exclaimed DavidS
"Yeah, great, but how will we find them, PissAnt?", mumbled I, ever optimistic, "You didn't think that one through, did you?"
"Mmmm, ja, good point, Ras"
"I know where they are", piped up a voice in the corner
Four dumbstruck pair's of eyes focussed blearily on Donner
"Yeppers, I know where they are and I can get them", smiled Donner in a cat that got the cream manner.
"Well, don't keep us hanging, Donner, where are the bliksems?"
"No!, Not bliksem, I'm telling you guys, I can find Tackler, 3rdday, St Michel and Nancy. Not bloody bliksem though, isn't he in New Zealand?"
"Ag Donner, it's just an expression, a manner of speaking, we don't mean blerry Bliksem! We meant, ag no, forget it. Just tell us where they are", exclaimed Kandas
"Well, if you are going to be like that", mumbled Donner morosely
"No, no, it's cool, Donner, ag sorry man", placated PissAnt
"No, I think I'll just go post another lifestyle article if you ouens are going to be so donners onnooslik"
"Yassus, Donner, please man, just frigging tell us", exclaimed DavidS with that three o'clock in the morning screaming baby look.
"Ja well, okay, they're all in Keo's office", Donner was finding it hard to hide the smug look

Stunned silence

"Donner, you aren't doing a Stan on us, are you"
"Come on, Donner, we agreed, no conspiracy theories here"
"Geez, Donner, you've clearly tilted over the edge. Get him a glass of water, Kandas"
"Donner, Donner, Donner, wat DIE donner...?"
"Okes, I'm telling you! Keo is Tackler, Simon is 3rdday, Chris is Nancy and Ig is St Michel! It's obvious!"
"He's got a point you know....I always imagined Tackler as 4ft 6in and tubby..."
"S'true and what about Chris? I'm sure he wears a dress"
"Mmmmm, you know, you might be onto something, Donner. Ig does sound like he's got a plum in his mouth and he's very snooty"
"Ja, guys, and Simon is always saying blacks are superior to whites at everything!"
"Bliksem!"
"Blerry hell, PissAnt, I told you already, not blerry Bliksem. Bliksem is on holiday in New Zealand. Get it right already!"
"No, sorry man, Donner, I didn't mean Bliksem, I meant...ag, forget it"
"Donner!"
"Yes?"
"No, I didn't mean you"
"Keo is tackler, huh? Go figure, that explains why his bones always fall in favour of the All Blacks", muttered I
"Okes, I'm not sure this is right. Tackler is in jail, I'm sure of it, he murdered his wife and the SA cops nailed his ass. It can't be him, it simply cannot. Can it?"
"Ja, DavidS, I've never really bought that theory of yours. It's obvious Keo is Tackler and, thinking about it, Ig is definitely St Michel. All that 'hairy arsed sons of England are better' crap, has to be Ig!"
"Listen, guys. I didn't start this blog simply for you okes to gossip all day. If Keo wants to be Tackler and Chris wants to be 3rdday, or whatever, let them get on with it. Come, we've got work to do. I'll never get out of Windhoek if you okes don't pull finger and start making me some tom on this blerry site. Google are watching!"
"Donner!"
"Frigs sakes, what already!"
"No, forget it! Bliksem!"
"Sheesh, I ALREADY told you, blerry Bliksem is......ahhhh, I get it, you're taking the piss, aren't you? AREN'T you?"
"Ouens, work already! I'm not telling you again!" Click here to read full article and comments.

The Chronicles of Keo continue as we try to make contact with our intrepid investigative reporter DavidS and his expose on Keo’s most notorious Muppits. The last we heard from DavidS, he had skipped bail in New Zealand and headed for Singapore stowed away aboard a Chinese freighter. In Singapore he decided to take up an offer from some Brazilian drug smugglers and make some cash as a drug mule. The last we heard from his new Singaporean lawyer was that he was trying to pay off some Singaporean cops who took exception to the four keys of Coke he had in sealed condoms in his stomach when he tried to go through customs. He was trying to get onto a flight to London to meet St Michel. Good luck DavidS!

In the meantime, our expert investigative team has transcribed the newest tapes from the offices of Highbury-Safika detailing the Chronicles of Keo.

Ig: I spoke to the boss and I’m going to the George 7’s

Keo: What? I don’t have a boss…

Ig: You do. It’s Mrs. Highbury-Safika

Keo: You’re tricking me aren’t you?

Ig: Nope. Go look. HR has said I can go.

Keo: Well, what about the website updates?

Ig: You decided to close the place down for a month. The way things are going now, I’ll be asking Ruggaworld for a job next year before we open, so why should I work on the site.

Keo: What! Ban the bastards from the new website!

Ig: I can’t. We’re closed brew.

Keo: I’m not a beer stop calling me ‘brew’.

Ig: You do look a bit like one of those 5 litre draft kegs though….

Keo: One day Stu….one day…..

Ig: They asked us to publish their new address so muppits could visit

Keo: No ways! I’d rather support New Zealand like Makinkhesi Stofile and Trevor Manuel

Simon: Did I hear someone talk about New Zealand?

Keo: Yes, we’re talking about those pretenders to keo at Ruggaworld. They’re a threat.

Simon: Not to me. Remember, I’m an editor of famous name magazines like Jukskei For Beginners and The Indoor Polo Monthly and Chris Rosseauw’s Rugby Tips and the Wit and Witticisms of Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma and …..

Keo: Okay I get it oh exalted one. This puts a spanner in the works of my plans to take over SARU for my own personal gain…..where’s Chris?

Simon: Trying to OD on really strong filter coffee in the kitchen……

Keo: He’s still not over it? Stu what is this?

Ig: Your updated picture for Kingkeo.co.za

Keo: But I look short and fat!

Ig: People saw you on Special Assignment earlier this year and complained that the picture of you on the website is not accurate. It is from your 1962 school annual after all…..

Keo: We can’t have the peasants….I mean Muppits look upon the future leader of SARU as a short fat dumpy little man! I need stature and youth!

Ig: But you ARE short fat and dumpy and old!

Simon: He’s got a point. As an imminent editor of high circulation magazines like Popular Badminton….

Keo: Shaddap!

Chris: I’m feeling real sleepy guys. I think maybe I took too much coffee.

Keo: You’re not fired idiot.

Chris: That’s what you’re saying to make me feel better…., but I know when I’m not wanted….

Ig: Coffee is like Red Bull brew. It’ll wake you up, not put you to sleep.

Chris: That’s what YOU say…..

Keo: We gotta come up with an image for me as leader of SARU. This picture for one has gotta go. Stu. Contact Extreme Makeover. I need to look respectable….

Ig: Even they can’t change a short fat dumpy old keg into a prettily shaped young Bacardi Breezer bottle

Keo: One day I’m gonna roll over you…., So you’re going to George then. Can I have a lift?

Ig: Why with me? You got a car.

Keo: I need a lift. My car’s um….just….uh…..you know….for show….my wife drives me about…. And uh, a plane ticket’s gonna cost….

Ig: Huh? Just for show. How come your old lady drives you around?

Keo: Cos I can’t see over the dashboard you idiot! Click here to read full article and comments.

Image: Touchline Photo, Supersport
Article: www.iol.co.za

December 07 2005 at 05:14AM

Rugby writer Jacques van der Westhuyzen writes an open letter to Springbok coach Jake White.

Dear Jake

Congratulations on another satisfying year. Your team lost only three matches and the Boks once again cemented their place in the top two in the world.

Springbok rugby is once again respected and the likes of Ricky Januarie shot to prominence under your guidance.

'I'm sure you'll agree that 2005 was an okay year'But while the Boks were just minutes away from winning all four Tri-Nations matches and becoming the number one team in the world, it is with concern that we note your team has not progressed much since your first year in charge.

Sure, you won a game more in the Tri-Nations than was the case last season when the Boks lifted the trophy, but in playing terms, there has not been progression and as we look ahead to an expanded Tri-Nations in 2006 and the World Cup in 2007 there are a number of issues that need to be raised if the Boks are to get the better of the All Blacks in the coming years and win the World Cup.

I'm sure you'll agree that 2005 was an okay year for the Boks and I'm sure you'll spend the festive season thinking hard on what to do to get the Boks on the same level as New Zealand because, frankly, they're playing the game on a completely different level.

Firstly, and I think most in the country will agree, the persistence with Percy and Os has got to be reconsidered. And this does not only refer to the end-of-season tour when Percy was, to put it mildly, exposed as a player well past his prime.

I know you place a lot of emphasis on experience and the number of Test caps players have, but those factors will not ensure victory and satisfactory performances. Percy is still vulnerable under the high ball, but more worrying is the fact that in the time he's been back in the Bok team, he's rarely caused any problems for the opposition. He doesn't go on powerful runs, seldom links with the backline and seems only to be in the team because of his experience and kicking ability, which has also floundered in recent times.

A fullback should be one of the most dangerous weapons in a backline, a man who will be watched by the opposition, always probing. Think Chris Latham, Mils Muliaina, Leon MacDonald.Remember, Jake, the World Cup is two years away, not 12 months. The Boks need a more dangerous man at 15. That man is Johan Roets.

As solid as Os has been, he will also be a shadow of his former greatness come 2007.

Jake, you're also going to have to seriously think about who your right wing will be going forward. Hopefully the Super 14 will give you an answer.

Hopefully you've also now realised that Jacques Cronjé is not a number eight. He was a ghost on the recent trip, but thankfully the dynamic Joe van Niekerk will be back next season.

I also believe it is high time the attacking potential of the team was realised. There is simply not enough creativity among the backs and the ball rarely moves from scrumhalf to wing in one flowing motion.

For all the work put in and talent in the squad – and let's not forget these players have been together for two years now – the Boks are not playing the kind of rugby one expects of them.If you sit down and think hard about it and ask yourself which Bok is revered and feared by the opposition, perhaps only the names of Bryan Habana and Victor Matfield will pop up. The rest, I doubt, strike any fear in the All Blacks – the team we have to compare ourselves to.

Jake, I think deep down you'll agree your team has not progressed as much as you would have liked. The Boks are doing nothing to keep the opposition guessing. We've become predictable in our style and approach and until we add a new, attacking, creative dynamism to the team, we'll always play second fiddle to the All Blacks.

Enjoy the time off and I'm sure you'll be doing plenty of thinking and planning for a better, more exciting 2006. Tough decisions will have to be made, but as I'm sure you're aware, if you're going to be the best, those decisions have to be taken.

Best regardsJacques

This article was originally published on page 21 of The Star on December 07, 2005 Click here to read full article and comments.

Well, it DOES mention Sharks.........so it's rugby related... and I read a report recently that sharks might be extinct within 10 years, that might apply to the Sharks as well...

By Edmund Tadros December 7, 2005 - 5:12PM
www.smh.com.au

A large shark spotted off Bondi had scores of onlookers "screaming like monkeys" as swimmers rushed from the water.

The four to five-metre long shark was seen in the waters off Mackenzie Point in Bondi at 6pm yesterday.

About 100 terrified onlookers screamed warnings to swimmers and a resident alerted the Bondi Life Guard Service.

Two lifeguards on jet-skis were sent out to warn the estimated 500 people swimming at Bronte, Tamarama and Bondi beaches at the time.

"There were 100 people up the top screaming like monkeys," said Anthony Carroll, one of the lifeguards who went out on jet-skis to alert swimmers.

With the help of onlookers, the two jet-ski riders quickly cleared the area around the shark of swimmers.

"We moved on probably 10 people from the vicinity of where the shark was spotted," Carroll, a 10-year lifeguard veteran, said.

"They were everything from a spear-fisherman to board paddlers, swimmers and sea paddlers."
Carroll, 29, described the shark as a "monster".
"My estimate of its size would have to be, by the look of the fin, 14 feet [4.3 metres], 15 feet. The fin stood half a metre out of the water."

But he said he wasn't scared by the shark.
"I wasn't scared. I was just in awe," he said. "We're in its backyard, you kind of respect it. You have respect for the beast of the ocean.

"I've spent my whole life in the ocean and had close encounters with one shark before, but this thing was the king of the ocean. I mean, it could have eaten us at any time."
Carroll said the Life Guard Service had patrolled the coast this morning but found no sign of the shark.

Did you see the shark or do you have photos of the shark? Click here to read full article and comments.

Is stress sabotaging your sex life?

Does your stressed-out, workaholic partner seem to lose interest in sex when the going gets tough? Is it you or could it be related to stress?

According to Johannesburg psychologist, Dr Colinda Linde, a specialist in stress management: "Stress occurs when our perceived demands are greater than our coping resources." Looking at it like this, it is easy to see why stress can trigger immense anxiety and even depression. Constantly feeling out of control, powerless and worthless, one can see why a decrease in libido is not uncommon in these situations.

In many people severe stress can be the trigger for depression, panic disorder or generalised anxiety disorder. A possible symptom of these illnesses is often a loss of interest in sex or the ability to enjoy it.

A constant state of anxiety has been shown by studies to correlate with reduced sexual desire in both men and women. Physiologically it makes sense that stress hinders sex drive, because in both sexes stress reduces testosterone levels. Moreover the stress hormone adrenaline, which is secreted in our bodies when we are stressed, shuts blood flow away from the genitalia.

Hormones, hormones

Over the past few decades it has become increasingly clear that any illness, including mental illness, is most often not specific to one part of the body or functioning. The way our bodies are designed causes there to be repercussions in a number of areas. Hormones play a very important role in sex drive, and anything that affects our hormones, like the Pill, menopause, anxiety and depression, will obviously impact on our sex drive.

When looking at the symptoms of depression, like insomnia, a change in appetite, a feeling of worthlessness and anhedonia - a loss of interest in things that were normally enjoyed, including sex - we can see the immense impact this would have on libido. Sleep deprivation is an underreported and underrated cause of decreased sex drive, and although researchers have yet to tease apart the sex-sleep connection, it's likely that the hormone vasopressin plays an important role.

The change in appetite common in depression can affect libido, either through weight gain and a combined feeling of helplessness and worthlessness leading to a negative body image, or even through weight loss due to restricted eating. Research shows that the brain chemical neuropeptide Y, which kicks into high gear in response to food deprivation, also undermines sex drive.

Antidepressants

When depression is treated, a normal libido usually returns, although sadly in some cases, some of the antidepressants used in the treatment of depression, can cause sexual dysfunction themselves. Up to fifty percent of people taking SSRI's, a newer type of antidepressant, experience this side effect.

Fortunately, there are ways around this problem. Discussing the problem with your doctor will allow the two of you to decide which alternative is best for you. The alternatives include: decreasing the dosage slightly, waiting six months until your body builds up a tolerance to the drug and the side effects diminish. Another option is taking a drug vacation, where you stop taking the drug on a Thursday and start again on the Sunday, allowing you a weekend with fewer side effects - although this can only be done with certain drugs under specific circumstances. The other option is to change your drug altogether or to start taking another medication in conjunction to counteract the sexual side effects of the first.

Give your libido a boost

A healthy lifestyle is the best way to ensure a healthy libido. Eating correctly, moderate exercise and enough sleep will help you cope with stress, maintain a good body image and keep those hormones in balance. Nevertheless like weight and romance, libido can wax and wane for any number of reasons, but there is no reason to suffer in silence and feign enthusiasm for a spouse's sake, for fear that diminished interest signals a decaying marriage. A decreased libido is something millions of people around the world each year seek treatment for, and like most other medical conditions it can be treated.

For more information please contact the Depression and Anxiety Group on (011) 783-1474/6 or (011) 884-1797.

Health24 Click here to read full article and comments.

Paul Rees
Wednesday December 7, 2005
The Guardian

The Ireland captain Brian O'Driscoll will return to action for Leinster on Boxing Day, six months after dislocating his shoulder in the opening minute of the Lions' first Test against New Zealand in Christchurch when he was spear tackled by Tana Umaga and Keven Mealamu.

O'Driscoll had hoped to play in one of Leinster's Heineken Cup matches against Bourgoin this month but instead will make his comeback in the Celtic League derby against Ulster at Ravenhill, providing the Ireland coach Eddie O'Sullivan with some badly needed relief after heavy defeats by New Zealand and Australia last month.

"The Heineken Cup came too early for Brian," said his father, Frank, yesterday. "He is jumping to get back on the field again but the plan is for him to return during the last week of this month after he has done contact work in training."

Umaga is considering his international future after leading the All Blacks to a grand slam over the four home unions last month. He is expected to announce whether he will be available for New Zealand's 2006 programme before the start of the Super 14 series in February.

Like O'Driscoll, the Lions and Wales scrum-half Dwayne Peel has been hampered by an injury since the New Zealand tour. He is set to make his second start of the season in the Heineken Cup against Wasps on Sunday and yesterday he ended speculation he would be joining the English champions next season by signing a two-year contract with Llanelli Scarlets.

"There was interest from other clubs, which was flattering, but none was bigger than the Scarlets in terms of tradition and ambition," said Peel. "I have grown up here and it is a special place. We're entering a really exciting time now."

Peel will not find himself mired in the politics of English rugby. The leading clubs and the Rugby Football Union are on a collision course over the Powergen Cup semi-finals, which are being staged back-to-back at the Millennium Stadium in March. Twickenham wants England players to be rested because the weekend falls between Six Nations rounds.

"It is important that our top players play in this event," said Wasps' chief executive David Davies, whose side face Leicester in the first semi-final. "Unless there is an agreement to the contrary, I expect all our England players to be available. It is the first time Wasps will have played at the Millennium Stadium and we want to field our strongest side."

The Gloucester lock Mark Cornwell has been cleared of stamping by the RFU. He was cited after an incident in Gloucester's 19-8 win over Saracens 11 days ago. Click here to read full article and comments.

http://www.dispatch.co.za/2005/12/07/Sport/abprot.html

South Africa's batting was ripped apart in Perth yesterday by a Western Australian bowling attack which has struggled in the Australian domestic competition this season - and included a player drafted from club level.

On a disastrous second-day of their three-day tour match against Western Australia, the out-of-practice tourists made a dismal 179 in reply to the home side's first innings total of 391/8 declared.

Western Australia then enforced the follow-on and at stumps South Africa had slumped to 25/2 - still 187 runs adrift - with opener Jacques Rudolph on 14 and Ashwell Prince on one.
Opener AB de Villiers was the first wicket to fall in the second innings when he was caught behind for seven while Herschelle Gibbs suffered the same fate on 13.

Western Australia had declared their first innings closed half an hour before lunch and at first it seemed as though the South Africans would make full use of an unusually slow WACA ground surface with De Villiers and Rudolph putting on 71 before the first wicket fell.

The Proteas then collapsed, losing their remaining 10 wickets for 108, with only tailender Nicky Boje offering any resistance with an unbeaten 26.

First-class debutante Shawn Gillies, drafted into the team from local club Melville, started the rot with his second delivery, bowling De Villiers for 27.

Four balls later the Jamaican-born allrounder struck again, this time dismissing Rudolph for 43 after he lifted a catch to point. He finished the innings with 3/41 from 11 overs.

It was a dismal performance from the Proteas who believe they can beat Australia on their home soil in the upcoming three-Test series starting at the same venue on December 16.
Following the fall of the openers, the batsmen dropped at an alarming rate. Gibbs, making 25 before being clean bowled by Edmondson, was the only one to offer any resistance.

Ashwell Prince (4), Mark Boucher (8), Shaun Pollock (4) all preceded ducks from Makhaya Ntini and Andre Nel, while Charl Langeveldt made a brief cameo with Boje to make 14.
Western Australia has lost all four of their domestic matches this season. - Sapa-AFP Click here to read full article and comments.

"It is a statistical curiosity that all the Cambridge tryscorers were born on the African continent — out of Africa, they say, always something new."

By David Hands, Rugby CorrespondentOxford University 16 Cambridge University 31
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,377-1910640,00.html

THE Varsity match has needed an injection of spice for some time and an overcast afternoon at Twickenham yesterday provided it. Cambridge, shrugging off the loss of their full back in the opening minutes and the departure of two forwards to the sin-bin, grew in stature to dominate the second half and win by the widest margin in this fixture since 1996.

It was a more exciting contest than many in recent years, largely because of the sensible tactical mixture offered by the winners, although Oxford supporters will have been dismayed by the collapse of their team after a promising first quarter. Apart from a couple of early close-range scrums, the Dark Blues seldom threatened Cambridge’s line, until they were finally awarded a penalty try as the game entered injury time.

Three penalty goals from James Whittingham gave them the lead at the interval, with Rudi Bosch not only the first of three yellow cards in the match but the first recipient of a card in the history of the fixture. But Cambridge seemed as effective with 14 men (two of their five tries came in reduced circumstances) as with the full complement and Bosch cemented his place in history in more positive style with two of those tries.

The loose-head prop from Bothaville, 31 last month and linked with a move to Saracens thanks to his friendship with their Springboks prop, Cobus Visagie, was part of a scrum that ground down Oxford. Twist and turn as they would, the Oxford tight five could not stay the pace in the third quarter; they lost Sean Brophy to the sin-bin during a period of close-range scrums when Cambridge, too, might have been given a penalty try and finally buckled when Andy Clements crossed. Then, from the restart, David Akinluyi added Cambridge’s fourth try. So Cambridge, with their 58th win in the 124th Varsity match, reclaimed the MMC Trophy in the 30th and last year of the sponsorship agreement.

They looked on shaky ground when Ian McInroy was carried off after a clash of heads with Doug Abbott and his replacement, Steffan Thomas, also left on a stretcher after a mistimed tackle on Whittingham. But Thomas returned and Jonny Ufton, calling on all his experience of professional rugby with London Wasps, kept Cambridge heads up.

On what was virtually their first visit to the Oxford 22 they scored, opting to push a kickable penalty into the corner and then driving a lineout maul some 15 metres before Bosch emerged with the ball and the game’s first try.

Akinluyi and Joe Ansbro offered differing running skills behind the scrum, but it was the experience and strength of their forwards that offered the way back into the match. The early threat offered by James Jones, the Oxford No 8, was nullified and though Bosch’s yellow card, for lineout obstruction, gave Whittingham his third successful kick, his colleagues resumed after the interval with a series of driving plays which finally earned a try for Nic Alberts.

When Bosch returned, Cambridge settled to their work much as England’s scrum did against Australia last month, with the same result as Brophy departed. In his absence Clements scored after 18 phases of play and when, from Ufton’s clearance after the restart, Anthony Knox elected to chip ahead, Akinluyi charged the ball down, collected the bounce and ran 35 metres to score.

Oxford finally managed to exert a degree of pressure and Alberts collected a yellow card for collapsing a maul. Another drive from a lineout brought Oxford their penalty try but Bosch forced his way over after Tom Tombleson was caught behind his own posts and conceded a five-metre scrum.

It is a statistical curiosity that all the Cambridge tryscorers were born on the African continent — out of Africa, they say, always something new.

HOW THEY LINED UP AT TWICKENHAM
SCORERS: Oxford University: Try: Penalty try (80+2). Conversion: Whittingham. Penalty goals: Whittingham 3 (16, 21, 40+9). Cambridge University: Tries: Bosch 2 (27min, 80+4), Alberts (44), Clements (60), Akinluyi (61). Conversions: Ufton 3. SCORING SEQUENCE (Oxford University first): 3-0, 6-0, 6-5, 9-5 (half-time), 9-10, 9-17, 9-24, 16-24, 16-31 Click here to read full article and comments.

Does this never end? Is it just a pipe dream to wish for a scandal free rugby administration?

By Derrick Spies
http://www.theherald.co.za/herald/news/n06_07122005.htm

EP RUGBY chairman Willem Stuurman has been banned from taking part in any rugby structures in the Eastern Province for the next five years after being found guilty of submitting fraudulent claims and acting dishonestly.

Meanwhile, Eastern Province Rugby Union chief executive Phillip Joseph remains in power, despite the recommendations of a second report commissioned by the EPRU, which stipulates that criminal action should be taken against him.

Aldy Meyer, who will remain EPRU’s acting president, said he could only confirm that the disciplinary action against Stuurman had been concluded. He did not want to confirm the charges as Stuurman still had leave to appeal.

Stuurman confirmed that he had been banned for five years after being found guilty on five of the 21 charges that were brought against him.

Each of the charges dealt with claims for travel expenses of between R30 and R1 040 in December and January last year. The claims total R2 870.

Stuurman said the last two claims of R1 040 each had never been processed, so he was being suspended for five years as a result of a R790 payment.

“I don’t see how they can justify employing advocate Marius Grobbelaar at considerable expense to act on their behalf for such a small amount,” he said.

Stuurman denied that the claims were false and said he would appeal against the decision.
“My lawyer has advised me to exhaust all local procedures and structures, but we will definitely be taking legal action against EP Rugby for defamation,” he said.

Meyer confirmed that Grobbelaar had represented EPRU in the disciplinary hearing but said no invoice had yet been submitted for this.

A source alleged that the second report on the accusations against Joseph, drafted by three advocates, had cost EPRU around R69 000. He further claimed the report had indicated that criminal or disciplinary action be taken against Joseph.

Stuurman said it was ridiculous that he had been suspended while the “main culprit”, Joseph, was still in charge of the union’s affairs. Click here to read full article and comments.

Stormers import former export06/12/2005 21:32 - (SA)

Herbert Pretorius Cape Town

- The unheralded Doug Wheatley of the West Coast has been contracted to strengthen the Stormers tight five next year. The 27-year-old prop has played in the competitive English Premier League the past four years and played opposite the best scrum-workers in world rugby. Wheatley is not unknown in Cape rugby circles.

Before joining London Irish in 2002, he wore the Boland Cavaliers jersey a few times and also played for the Western Province Under-21 team. Wheatley, 1.88m and 121kg, knows the Stormers technical analyst, Gary Gold. Gold, a Province assistant coach, was the coach of London Irish for a couple of years and he knows Wheatley's abilities well.

Gold said: "I think he has the potential to make an impact in the Super 14 series, because he's been exposed to top level competition for the past four years. "He regularly played opposite players like Mike Worsley, Phil Vickery, Trevor Woodman and Andrew Sheridan (the English scrum sensation) in the Premier League. "He played opposite strong men like Sylvain Marconnet in the Heineken Cup series.

"Last season you did not have matches with the same high intensity week after week in South Africa. You would, for example, play against smaller teams like the Griffons, Border and the Falcons for two or three weeks and then all of a sudden you played against strong props like Kees Lensing (previously with the Bulls) and BJ Botha (Sharks). Has a lot to offer "If you don't succeed in England, you have nowhere to hide. I think a player like Wheatley who has played nearly 50 matches there, has a lot to offer," Gold said. Wheatley, like Eddie Andrews, is at home on both sides of the scrum and he will probably not specialise in one of the positions in the Stormers jersey. It will be useful to use him on the loose and tighthead as it wil open the options.

"It will be of prime importance to have a proper rotation system because the Super 14 series will be a long and hard competition and that's where Doug will be valuable." Wheatley's most important opponents for the No 1 jersey will be JD Moller and Eddie Andrews, while Andrews, Neil Fullard and Attie Winter will do battle with him for the tighthead berth.

The Stormers, with the exception of their Springboks, have started their intensive preparation for the Super 14. Gold said the "micro aspects of the game" were receiving special attention. "Apart from gym and conditioning, we are having several sessions practicing micro skills repetitively.

"We are giving attention to, among others, running into a gap; how to win the battle at breakdown points; basic techniques in tackling; forward drives; how to lift players in the lineouts and at kickoffs and accurate handling. "All the technical sessions are filmed on video and discussed in detail with the players. It's similar to filming your golf swing and analysing it step by step afterwards," Gold said. The success of the preparation will be tested for the first time at the end of January when the Stormers play a warm-up match against the formidable Bulls. The Stormers will also play a warm-up against the brand new South Eastern Cape regional team, the Southern Spears. The Stormers first Super 14 match will be against the Cats in Johannesburg on February 11.


Doug's Details:
Place of Birth: Yzerfontein, South Africa
Position: Prop
Weight: 19st 0lbs (121Kg)
Height: 6' 2" (1.88m)
Date of Birth:
Former Clubs: Moorreesburg RFC, Bedford Blues, Leeds Tykes (Loan)
Representative Honours: Boland Kavaliers, Western Province U21s
Heroes: Pieter de Villiers
Hobbies: Crayfish Catching; Game Hunting
Fan Sponsor: Vivienne Taylor Click here to read full article and comments.

Why are we cursed with a body as incompetent as SARU to oversee the game in South Africa?

Particularly in South Africa, with it's inherent challenges and the need to address the historic inequities, one would wish for an organization that communicates clearly to their ultimate stakeholders, the rugby public.

As an example of what I'm talking about one needs only visit the Australian Rugby Union website. Relevant information is easily accessible, clearly presented and professional.

http://www.rugby.com.au/about_the_aru/annual_reports/2004_annual_report,27276.html

For example, should you wish to know exactly who is administering Australian rugby, there is a clear link to their 'Office Bearers', within which is contained a comprehensive listing of office bearers, including who can vote, LIfe Members, IRB representatives, Directors of ARU Player Welfare Fund etc. Do SARU even have a Springbok or South African player welfare fund?

It is also very instructive to read through their Marketing document and other reports.

By contrast, it is usually inspired guesswork to know who is on SARU's board, never mind any other position. The SARU website is awful, usually out of date, uninformative and providing the barest details possible. It's as if they DON'T WANT you to know anything.

Do yourselves a favour, compare the High Performance report from the ARU with the 'High Performance' report from SARU. I challenge you not to burst into tears.

http://www.rugby.com.au/verve/_resources/ARU_2004_Annual_Report_-_HPU_Report.pdf
http://www.sarugby.co.za/downloads/annualreport/high%20performance.doc

Bear in mind that this is the quality of work they actually allow us to see. Can you imagine what their inhouse work looks like? That notorious 2 page fax comes to mind. It doesn't bear thinking about really. If their public face, in the guise of their website, is any indication, then it is no wonder this is a body mired in confusion, obfuscation and incompetence.

Is there nothing that can be done about them? They really are too unprofessional for words. No wonder our influence has been constantly waning at the IRB.

Bliksem the hound could have administered a better body than the motley crew currently running things. Click here to read full article and comments.

Sponsorship and Branding Opportunities

There are opportunities still available this season for companies to benefit from an association with The ************ through sponsoring a match, the match ball and players.

Match Sponsorship: to include table of ten at the ****** Business Club, tannoy and programme mentions, choice of Man of the Match.

Match Ball Sponsorship: to include table of ten at the ******* Business Club, tannoy and programme mentions, donation of the match ball.

Player Sponsorship: mention in the match day programme and on the website, access to the player for events and/or publicity.

For further information please contact ******** on *********** or sally.*******@*******-********.com.
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The FRONT PAGE of ANY website must be turned into a sole marketing opportunity for the forthcoming match!!!!

In other words, there must be a 'false' front page that simply says, "The EAGLES to face the Pumas at home", "Last OPPORTUNITY to secure front seat places" - date, time, where to obtain tickets and THEN entry to main site.
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Conferencing & Banqueting Introduction

A superb function venue in the very heart of the city

The Clubhouse at ****** Rugby not only overlooks the famous ********* Ground that has been graced by many of the game’s most celebrated players, but also provides a superb function venue in the very heart of a beautiful city.

Why come to ****** Rugby?

Fast and efficient service- we will answer all enquiries within 24 hours.A wealth of experience - we can help plan your event from start to finish.Excellent location, beautiful surroundings – parking available."We can arrange your event the way you want it- whatever it is you want we will endeavour to make it happen"

Whether it is a wedding, corporate function or Old Boys gathering, come to ******* Rugby for your ideal venue!

(P.S. the site must detail menus, sample wine lists, room dimensions, sample flower arrangements, other facilities etc.)
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Sponsors must be gained for EVERY function of the club - from water, rehydration, pub sponsor, favourite local newspaper, sports supplements, 'Independent' financial advice etc etc etc
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Organise a weekly braai event, invite local musicians, magicians, talent artists etc, set up braai areas, provide all ancilliary equipment and necessities etc etc etc

It is VITAL to create a BUZZ in the town - we want the SWD ground to be a place TO BE on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday night. Enthusiasm, 'n boer maak 'n plan attitude and old fashioned hard slog will make it work!

Invite local chefs to come up for a cook-off, get the media involved, let the chefs advertise their restaurants, sell the food with a little mark-up for the chef and the club.

Have a local Food Festival or Festival of Local Products - from cheese, biltong, droee wors, smoked fish etc etc etc The SWD Rugby Festival of Food!!!! Get sponsorship from various national food companies etc.

Gotta run, more ideas to follow! Click here to read full article and comments.

Merchandise:

Okay, we want hats, beanies, scarves. We want jerseys, socks, perhaps beach towels (if they are cool) and little boys pyjamas. Cups or mugs, ties, tea towels, car stickers, lapel badges and calendars - yes, calendars of all these fit, strong young men in revealing poses at the scenic spots of the region. Why not picnic baskets? Get the women involved on a committee to devise the most desirable items for a picnic basket plus the packaging and basket itself. Obviously long shelf life products but with a tasteful imprint of SWD, or whatever region, on them. Discrete, not overpowering.

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Baby gear - always a winner. Again, keep the committee men away, get the women involved in a small but attractive range of baby gear - cute, cuddly, modern, attractive.

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On the web must be a link to Gift Ideas for Him - perhaps even Gift Ideas for Her. For him must be traditional logo stuff, approach manufacturers, ask for a limited edition run of stuff - coolbags, watches, wallets, spare wheel covers, sun vizors for the car, umbrellas, lighters etc etc

Do the same for her but make it soft, stylish and in fashion - pastel colours, pink, mauves - forget sticking rigidly to your 'corporate colours' - give women what they want, fashionable, ready to wear stuff for running about town or going to a braai or the rugby.

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Hook up with the local golf club, offer a discounted special deal for a years membership and a season ticket.

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Sell, sell, sell EVERYTHING!!!! The space on the walls in front of urinals, the space on the backs of toilet doors, the back side of match day tickets. EVERYTHING is marketable, everything must go!

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Get the local computicket or bank to sponsor building the front page of your website if they are the ones through whom the public must buy tickets. Keep it simple, clear and uncluttered - e.g. http://www.tigers.co.uk/index.php

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Get THE local supermarket to have a corner devoted to your sales products - what's good for you is good for them and vice versa. You must be on the ball when dealing with them. In the UK most big clubs have a club shop in the centre of town, in SA we must adapt - the local big supermarket will do but don't go in half-arsed! You have to appeal to their sense of 'region', everyone helping everyone to get bigger and better.

Same with the local tourist office, SWD will be a big deal in the holistic regional setup, they are duty bound to assist and help you grow and you are duty bound to be reliable, quick and proactive in dealing with them.

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Our VIP Matchday Hospitality is available for two or more people, and allows you and your guests to relax in friendly surroundings and enjoy world-class rugby. Eagles matchday hospitality is a great way to entertain customers and suppliers, reward staff or just have a memorable day out with family and friends.

Your day at Eagles will include:
Four-course silver service lunch with wine
Complimentary pre-match bar
VIP match seating
Post-match afternoon tea
Visits from playing squad for Q&A sessions
Plus:
Reserved car parking
Match day programme and gift for each guest
Competitions and prizes
Price from ********* per person
For further information, please contact our Sales Team on ************ or by email sales@eagles.co.za Click here to read full article and comments.

I cannot vouch for the accuracy of these figures but they were reported as being in the region of, or are guesstimates.

I'm just curious as to how much money SARU pours down the drain. When you start totalling up the figures it is a massive amount.

1. +/- R1m fine to the IRB.

2. +/- R3m to Accenture for a company wide audit, which looks like it was promptly ignored.

3. +/- R5m to pay out Oberholzer, Nayo and Straeuli.

4. Who knows how much to pay out all the rest who have left since Van Rooyen became President?

5. Who knows how much to pay for all the legal costs since Van Rooyen has become President, considering the amount of legal opinion that has had to be engaged, this must total a massive amount.

6. Who knows how much to pay for all the internal inquiries, investigations, disciplinaries and audits?

7. Who knows how much to pay for that abortive process to choose a new S14 franchise? An exercise in farce from the start considering the immediate challenges to the decision. The entire process was a waste of time and money and the union presidents could have thrashed it all out in one meeting considering that's what they ended up doing anyway.

8. Who knows how much to pay for all these meetings held by the Manco and/or President's Council? They are only meant to meet about 4 times a year, they've apparently already met about 13 times this year - incurring accomodation, transport, food and reimbursement costs.

9. Who knows how much to hire Oberholzer as a consultant for the world cup bid, a process in which we were knocked out in the first round with a measly 4 votes.

10. Who knows how much in compensation payments, like the PA who got +/- R200k?

I've never heard of a sports body that leaks money like SARU, their only saving grace at the top is that the Springboks are a sought after commodity. However, that doesn't help the small unions when SARU wastes money hand over fist instead of disbursing it to the likes of Griquas or the SWD, in order to help them survive.

As far as I'm concerned the board members of SARU should be ashamed of themselves. Their performance is risible.

As I say, we don't know the real figures because SARU don't communicate with the public. As awards go for corporate communication, SARU would be the last in line to win it. Click here to read full article and comments.

Well, well, well. What a match for South African interest!

The first time in 124 years that a player is sent from the field and, you guessed it, he's a Saffa!! Not to be outdone by this audacious behaviour, his team mate, who is, yes, you guessed it again, a Saffa, promptly followed suit!!

Yes, Ladies and Gents, young Grey College, Bloemfontein Old Boy, Rudi Bosch, became the first player ever to be sent off in a Cambridge/Oxford intervarsity in front of 40 000 fans at Twickenham. Fortunately the young man was not to be left alone for too long because his, Afrikaanse Hoer Seunsskool Old Boy, team mate, Nic Alberts joined him soon after!

Still, not satisfied with making history, the two young lads scored 3 tries between them and played like Trojans. Neither boy is small, Alberts is 6 foot 6 inches, and they threw their not inconsiderable weight around to great effect.

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Oxford University 16 Cambridge University 31
Four second half tries, including two in two minutes midway through the half, helped battling Cambridge snatch the MMC Trophy from Oxford’s grasp in the 124th Varsity Match at Twickenham today.
The second half haul included a second try for South African prop Rudi Bosch, who had scored the Light Blues only first half points while MMC man of the match fly half Jon Ufton converted three of the four as Cambridge dominated the half.
It was Cambridge’s 42nd win in 121 matches played at Twickenham, since the Varsity match was first played at Oxford back in 1872
MMC man of the match Jon Ufton said: “This win means so much to all the boys. It’s a unique feeling in rugby because the Varsity is just one game. But you could see from the supporters and the players just how much it means to us.”
Winning coach Tony Rodgers added: “I would have liked to have kept the ball a bit tighter but this was a wonderful result – fantastic! We had a shaky star but the push-over try gave the team a lot of confidence.”
The match started badly for Cambridge who had full back Ian McInroy stretchered off after just nine minutes and then lost his replacement Stefan Thomas four minutes later.
And to make matters worse Oxford went in front with two penalties from centre James Whittingham in the 10th and 13th minutes to lead 6-0.
But, as the half wore on, Cambridge, well marshaled by Ufton, came more and more into the game and when Bosch was driven over for a 23rd minute try on the end of a 15 metre drive from the pack Cambridge suddenly began to gain in confidence.
Bosch, however, headed for the bench on 37 minutes following a yellow card from referee Wayne Barnes and within minutes Whittingham had kicked his third penalty to put Oxford 9-5 ahead at the break.
Despite starting the half with 14 men, the Cambridge pack startled their opposite numbers with the intensity of their driving and four minutes into the half they had driven flanker Nick Alberts over for the first of their four second half tries.
Minutes later Alberts was again held up over the line and, with Oxford down to 14 men following a yellow card for prop Sean Brophy, the Light Blues stunned Oxford with two tries in three minutes.
The first came as dangerous wing David Akinluyi was stopped inches short of the line and lock Andrew Clements was on hand to pick up and drive over and it was Akinluyi who scored the second himself.
The left wing got in the way of full back Anthony Knox’s chip ahead and picked up the rebound to scorch in from 30 metres and for Ufton to add his second conversion.
Although the Dark Blues enjoyed a brief period of pressure that resulted in a yellow card for Alberts for deliberately collapsing the scrum and a penalty try for Oxford it was Cambridge who once again had the final say.
With Oxford left wing Tom Tombleson forced to touch down over his own line Cambridge’s rampant forwards applied the pressure at the scrum to drive Oxford back over the line for Bosch to touch down his second try and for Ufton to convert.

Oxford University’s U21 team gave the Dark Blues some comfort by beating Cambridge U21’s 23-6 in the warm-up match.
Oxford led 15-6 at half-time following early tries from Adam Healey and James Squires plus a conversion and penalty for fly half Jules Allfrey before Cambridge hit back with two penalties from full back Davidson.
Oxford again took control after the break with Allfrey adding a penalty and replacement Tim Catling rounding off a wonderful break from centre Sam Humphrey-Baker. Click here to read full article and comments.

Article submitted by Boertjie. And, Yes, he just had to include the section on SEC and SWD, etc. :)

Saru president Brian van Rooyen is named as the "Dodgy deal of the Year" by Argus sportswriter Dale Granger in his annual "Raspberry Awards" for starring roles of incompetence and comedy. In the category "Disservice to SA Rugby" the Saru President's Council is top of the list.

Of Van Rooyen the author says:
"Besides attempting to divert R1 million of SA Rugby's budget for an office in Johannesburg, Van Rooyen tarnished his reputation by trying to drive off with a sponsored SUV."

No mention is made of Van Rooyen's other misdemeanors, e.g. the R150 000 he spent on once-off entertainment of the selected few riders of the rugby gravy train.

The President's Council is described as "the fatcats" who blew R6 million of Saru's budget and "wasted a lot of oxygen by backbiting and bickering their way through the year."

"They gave new meaning to hidden agendas, while making few unselfish decisions for the good of the game."

Under the heading "Honour and Integrity" mention is made of the way Rian Oberholzer had lobbied for Aussie to host the 2003 World Cup. The quid pro quo was that the Aussies would support any future South African bid, only for SA to be stabbed in the back with their vote going to Japan.

The SEC provinces Border, EP and SWD is named "Amateurs of the Year".

"All three ended the year technically bankrupt, having failed as professional sporting entities, and have now been lumped together as the SEC region. In addition the Eastern Cape players received an unwelcome end-of-year bonus when told that they were being made redundant."

Other recipients are:

Media Personality of the Year:
Alastair Campbell for being part of an expensive PR disaster during the Lions tour.

Coaching Calamity of the Year:

Clive Woodward, England's World Cup winning coach for blowing the RFU budget for the Lions tour of New Zealand, "and then sticking with with the old guard, ignoring the credentials of Welsh players who starred in the Six Nations."
Click here to read full article and comments.

19th Century rugby is the parent of NFL, Rugby League, and Rugby Union Have you ever thought how the terminology of Football Positions and scoring used in the football codes came about? In the world's major footy games - American NFL, Rugby League and Rugby Union - the names of football postions and many other rules are common to all. This is because all of these sports came from rugby in the 1800s in England.

Let's have a look back at football history and how some of the terms were derived.
As in soccer, early point scoring was limited to the kicking of goals. These could only be kicked from the field in normal play or from gaining a free kick at goal after a 'touchdown' behind the opponent's goal-line.

Touching the ball down behind the opponents line did not itself earn a team any points. All it entitled the attacking side to do was attempt (try) to kick a goal from in line with they touched down. The spectators, in their enthusiasm, would take up the shout ‘‘Try, Try'', meaning an attempt should be made at kicking the goal.

The act of putting the ball down behind the goal-line came to be called a 'try' in rugby (union and league) and a 'touchdown' in American football. Points were introduced in the later part of the 1800s for scoring a try or touchdown - which changed the objective these games away from just scoring goals.

A try/touchdown is now worth twice as much as a goal from general play in both gridiron (6 points touchdown / 3 points field goal) and rugby league (4 points try / 2 points penalty goal). In both these games, it is rare for a team to win scoring more goals than tries/touchdowns.

In rugby union, the goal is worth slightly more in comparison to the try (5 points a try / 3 points a goal). There is a lot more 'football' (kicking of the ball) in this code than American football or rugby league. In rugby union matches where two teams are relatively even in skill, it is more common to see many more goals than tries being scored.

Can you see then how the above descriptions display attributes of gridiron, rugby union and rugby league?

It also shows that rugby shared many of its rules with early soccer - perhaps rugby and soccer had a shared football parent as well in the very early 1800s in England. Many of the football positions in all the related games are the same or variations.

In American football the scrum was replaced by a 'line of scrimmage'. The ball is placed in the centre and 'snapped back' by the centre. The opposing side can't strike for the ball until it has been snapped. In rugby league a similar principle has been adopted, though only one player from each team is involved. Rugby union has continued to use the original method of allowing players from either side to strike for the ball on the ground - although in recent seasons players have been allowed to place the ball behind themselves and thus shield the ball from their opponents.

The method used to continue with play once a player has been tackled has challenged rule makers in all three games since the 1890s. Each has their advantages and disadvantages.

http://www.rl1908.com/resources/football-positions.htm Click here to read full article and comments.

The scrum is the foundation of rugby and is the basis from which Rugby Positions and their names have originated over the centuries.

In the early years of rugby scrums went on for over twenty minutes at a time. This so intrigued the spectators that they would take out their pocket watches to time the scrummage. In the meantime the few backs would be standing shivering in the wet waiting for the ball to emerge (which was principally their only role). The scrummages then were a solid mass of humanity, the two packs of forwards would be fifteen a side, and would form a compact circle, with those in the centre standing bolt upright.

A change in the laws resulted in faster and more spirited forward play with the long-drawn-out scrummages disappearing. Forwards also developed the arts of wheeling the scrum and dribbling the ball, which played a part in shortening the time of the pushing contests. Another development, which was far more important, was the emergence of the practice of actually heeling the ball out for players in the backs to use. This in itself was a major revolution in the development of the game and rugby positions. For it not only was previously thought to be sharp practice but also effeminate for the backs to have the ball to pass among themselves.
This development also required a major marketing effort with the spectators for they believed that the scrums and the maul, which normally preceded it, to be far more exciting then the most brilliant of runs, the cleverest dribbling, or the prettiest drop at goal.

At the time that the first standard set of rules for the game were being drawn up teams consisted of twenty rugby positions - made up of seventeen forwards and three full backs whose sole job was to fall on the ball if the opposition managed to hack it out the scrum. The next development in the game was the restriction of the number of players to fifteen and with positions fixed to ten forwards and five backs. This was written into the laws a little over one hundred years ago in 1893.One then asks:"How did the rugby playing positions get their names?"

Originally there were only two Rugby Positions - forwards and backs. It was only when the rules were first drafted in the 1870's that the full back, of which there were three, was named and his role defined. A rule change limited the position to one player on the rugby field for each team. The decision was then made that the other two players would be stationed at a midpoint between the forwards and the full backs and were to be called halfway backs. In time this was shortened to half backs. Their role and that of the full back continued to be in position to fall on the ball in the event of the opposition hacking it out of the scrum.

In 1878 at Cardiff, in Wales, they developed a short pass to one of the half backs who would then go charging ahead with the ball. He became known as the flying half back which in time was shortened to the fly half.

In addition they reorganised the scrum, developed short passes amongst the forwards and long passes amongst the backs. This lead to the need for more players to be placed in the back line between the halves and the full back so they were called quarters and the fact that three of them were put in this position led to them being known as "three - quarters". The middle player being called the centre with the two on his outside called wings.

The introduction of a fourth player into the three-quarters was to a large extent, accidental, with Wales again being allowed to take the honour. Cardiff were due to play a tough match away from home and their first choice centre was not available so they promoted one Frank Hancock from the second side in his place. Hancock was a great success scoring two vital tries. When the Cardiff selectors sat down to pick their team for the next match they were keen to revert to their original team, but they were most reluctant to drop Hancock, so they compromised by introducing a fourth three-quarter. Within two years Wales had introduced it at international level and the game became closer in postions to today.

The New Zealanders were quick to see the advantage of having a fourth player in the three-quarters. Their solution was to change the standard rugby positions by pulling a forward out of the pack and put him between the half back and the three-quarters. Their problem was what did they call the new position. Legend has it that consent was reached by deciding that the half back was 4/8ths and the three-quarters 6/8ths, so therefore the new position must be a 5/8ths, a name that has continued to this day in that country. When fly half play developed they introduced the first 5/8th and the second 5/8th.

The forwards in the early days were just a mass of players, having an important role, but having no individual responsibility. When the scrum developed into the eight man unit it operated on the basis of first there, first down. From this came the formation of the 3-2-3 or the 2-4-2 scrum formations, both of which was developed in the United Kingdom, and it was from this style of scrumming that the term back row players first originated.

http://rl1908.com/Rugby-Positions.htm Click here to read full article and comments.

I am sure most of you have read the latest SA Rugby magazine. One article was extremely interesting to me, Minnow Masacre.

Since the SEC franchise and the unions in that region has been under discussion lately, I thought it would be interesting to post some of the facts regarding the differences between our traditional big unions and the minnows.

For me, it just shows how inept rugby administration in this country is, and how you can only respect some of these unions and their dedicated coaching staff.

Number of times a smaller union was trounced by one of the big 5

37

Number of giant killings in the 2005 Currie Cup

1 (Boland vs WP)

Number of players contracted by the Blue Bulls

85

Number of players contracted by Border Bulldogs

13

Sharks player budget for 2005

R 30 000 000.00

Griffons Player Budget for 2005

R 2 000 000.00

What the top player at the Sharks earns a month

R 125 000.00

What the top player at the Griffons earns a month

R 15 000.00

Worst paid Shark player earns

R 8500.00

Worst paid Griffons player earns

R 3000.00

The match fees the Bulls willpay out in the Super 14 2006

R 972 000.00

The amount of match fees the Griquas will pay out in 2006

R 0

The money the Bulls will pay 30 players in the Super 14 2006 excluding bonusses and incentives

R 7 291 667.00

Harry Pienaar (Griffons coach) on resources available to unions

"The big unions like the Bulls have these analysis systems worth R 950 000.00. We just cannot match that. Our video analysis technology consists of me sitting on a Sunday afternoon with a video of the game and two TV's. It takes nine hours, and I manually copy the sections of the game I want to highlight onto another video."

Kobus van der Merwe on how rugby in the Cape and Kimberly differs

"An eye-opener for me was how much the guys have on their plates here. They are very secluded from what happens at a semi-amateurish union. The amount of all the kit these guys receive, all the extra benefits are amazing. Guys have supplement sponsors here, at Griquas they had to go to the pharmacy to buy their own."

Support

If a WP player is out for a year through injury, the union will pay his salary for six months after the injury. After that, the contract insurer kicks in.

If a Griquas player is in the same situation, he is paid for two months only.

Fruit Juices, milk and yoghurts are delivered every Monday to the door of a WP player. Griquas players get the Volksblad.

It is quite shocking to see the difference. And this is porbably why you have to respect a union like Boland for kicking WP's asses earlier this year even more.


Source: SA Rugby Magazine December 2005 issue Click here to read full article and comments.

Antonie Lombard
Full names: Antonie
Date of birth: 6 Dec 1885
Place of birth: Bedford, South Africa
School: De Villiers Graaff, Villiersdorp
Initial province: Eastern Province
Date of death: 22 Feb 1960 (Age 74)
Test summary: Tests: 1 Tries: 0
First Test: 27 Aug 1910 Age:24 Forward against Britain at Crusaders (St George's Park), Port Elizabeth
Last Test: 27 Aug 1910 Age:24 Forward against Britain at Crusaders (St George's Park), Port Elizabeth



John Luyt
Full names: John Douglas
Date of birth: 6 Dec 1884
Place of birth: Ceres, South Africa
School: South African College School (SACS)
Initial province: Eastern Province
Date of death: 3 Oct 1964 (Age 79)
Test summary: Tests: 4 Tries: 0
First Test: 23 Nov 1912 Age:27 Forward against Scotland at Inverleith, Edinburgh
Last Test: 11 Jan 1913 Age:28 Forward against France at Le Bouscat, Bordeaux









Hugh Ferris
Full names: Hamish Hood
Date of birth: 6 Dec 1877
Place of birth: Newry, Co Down, Ireland
School: Methodist College, Belfast
Initial province: Transvaal
Date of death: 17 Jul 1929 (Age 51)
Test summary: Tests: 1 Tries: 0
First Test: 12 Sep 1903 Age:25 Flyhalf against Britain at Newlands, Cape Town
Last Test: 12 Sep 1903 Age:25 Flyhalf against Britain at Newlands, Cape Town Click here to read full article and comments.

KKNK spog met nuwe naam ná reuse-borgskap van bank
29/11/2005 20:23 - (SA)

OUDTSHOORN. – Die Klein Karoo Nasionale Kunstefees sal voortaan as die Absa KKNK bekend staan nadat dié bankgroep ’n nuwe borgskap aangekondig het van byna R20 miljoen oor die volgende vyf jaar.

Absa het ná vier jaar as een van die KKNK se vernaamste borge dié bykomende vyfjaar-belegging in die fees aangekondig.

Hiermee het Absa en die KKNK hul suksesvolle vennootskap tot die jaar 2010 vasgeknoop en hulle verbind tot die bevestiging en viering van ’n unieke, ontwikkelende Suid-Afrikaanse kultuur as weerspieëling van die identiteit van ’n groeiende nasie.

Dié nuwe borgskap gee aan Absa die naamgewingsregte van die KKNK. Dié toonaangewende kunstefees sal vir die duur van die kontraktydperk as die Absa KKNK bekend staan.

Volgens me. Karen Meiring, hoof-uitvoerende bestuurder van die KKNK, is hierdie belegging ’n klinkklare bewys van Absa se toewyding tot die kunste.

“Ons is opgewonde oor die volgende vyf jaar, veral ná ons suksesvolle vennootskap tot dusver, en saam beplan ons om die KKNK as ’n sleutel-rolspeler in die kunstebedryf tot nuwe hoogtes uit te bou,” het Meiring gesê.
“ ’n Samesmelting van die kunste, wat ons kerntema van 2006 tot 2010 is, is ’n tasbare vertrekpunt vir planne om ons kunstebedryf lewendig, relevant, byderwets en dinamies te hou.”

Volgens mnr. David Piedt, voorsitter van die KKNK, is dit dié kunstefees se visie om die Afrikaanse kunstebedryf sodanig te ontwikkel dat dit ’n selfs breër gehoor lok.

“Sedert sy eerste fees in 1995 was die KKNK ’n baanbreker in die vestiging van ’n nuwe denkwyse in en oor Afrikaans, ’n taal wat oor talle eeue uit die grond van dié vasteland gebore is en wat deur verskillende kulture en ervarings gevorm is,” het Piedt gesê.
“Soos dit die geval toe was, sal die Absa KKNK nou weer aan die spits staan van die deurslaggewende rol wat die Afrikaanse kunstebedryf in die viering en waardering van ’n ontwikkelende Suid-Afrikaanse kultuur speel.”

Mnr. Hein Brand, besturende direkteur van Media24, het gesê hulle is baie ingenome met die besluit.

“Media24 is steeds ’n stigtersborg en het gehelp om die kunstefees op die been te bring. Die feit dat ander borge hulself tot die kunstefees verbind, bevestig vir ons dat dit ’n lewensvatbare idee is.”

As naamgewingsborg met oorkoepelende bemarkingsregte op die feesterrein het Absa ook die bemarkingsregte verkry van drie lokale vir optredes – die burgersentrum, banketsaal en Bongolethu Nevada-saal – asook die vernuf- en kunsmark verkry.
Absa mag ook ’n korporatiewe kunsuitstalling aanbied. Die bank se korporatiewe kunsversameling met 20 000 plaaslike kunswerke is die grootste in die land.

Die nuwe vennootskap laat Absa ook toe om verskeie kategorieë van die Kanna-toekennings (wat uitnemendheid by die KKNK bekroon) en, met die samewerking van die Wes-Kaapse regering, die Voorbrandfees te borg.

Dié uitreikprojek neem die kunste na die uithoeke van die Klein-Karoo. Click here to read full article and comments.

As per usual, South Africa has it's fair share of representation in the annual Cambridge/Oxford match at Twickenham. For those who have never seen it, it is an amazing occassion, to see 40 000 fans, often more, turn out for a university match is great. Almost every year without fail there is a South African in at least one team, usually in both. As far as I recall, Nick Mallett played in this match in his time. Quite often the captain of one or other team has been a South African. Today's match sees four South Africans participating. One wonders what will become of the rugby career of these boys later?

The 124th University Match at Twickenham today, for which a crowd of almost 40,000 is expected, brings to a conclusion the most enduring sponsorship agreement in world rugby.
And Cambridge, who start as narrow favourites, will be only too happy if they repeat their victory of 1976 - the first occasion that the teams played for the Bowring Bowl - after winning only one of the past six encounters

Following Marsh and McLennan's takeover of C T Bowring, the Bowring Bowl has become the MMC Trophy, but the association between the sponsors and the universities has continued to be enormously beneficial to all three.

The face of rugby has changed to such an extent since 1976 that the University Match has become an even more anachronistic fixture in an increasingly hectic schedule, and it is all the more appealing for that.

No less than 77 international players have adorned the fixture during the past 30 years, with a World Cup-winning captain - David Kirk, in 1988 - among them. For the majority, however, it still offers the biggest rugby stage of their lives.

With Jon Ufton, the former Wasps player, at fly-half and John Blaikie, who has played for Otago Highlanders in the Super 12 competition, in the engine room, the Light Blues field the more experienced side today but it promises to be yet another close contest.

OXFORD UNIVERSITY: *A Knox (St Andrew's College, Grahamstown & Keble); *J Boto (Ipswich & University), *A James (King Alfred's, Wantage & Wolfson), *J Whittingham (King Henry VIII, Coventry & St Cross), T Tombleson (Princethorpe College & Wolfson); *J Fennell (Dublin HS & Pembroke), K Brennan (Mount St Mary's & Linacre); *P Laffin (Wallace HS, Lisburn & St Cross), *A Dalgleish (Bedford & St Anne's, capt), *S Brophy (Belvedere College & St Catherine's), R Graham (Watford GS & New), *A Harris (Hayle Community & St Cross), D Abbott (Bournemouth & Somerville), D Palm (Grey HS, Port Elizabeth & St Cross), J Jones (Stowe & St Anne's).

Substitutes: D Rosen (Brighton Coll & Green), *M Street (Ridgeway & Kellogg), C Hadfield (Bedford & University), J Bucknall (Marlborough & Kellogg), P Jenkins (Norwich & Keble), S Fauth (Brentwood Coll, Canada & Brasenose), *R Lavery (Oundle & St John's).

CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY: *I McInroy (Belmont House & Hughes Hall); D Akinluyi (St Olave's GS & Christ's), J Ansbro (Stonyhurst & Robinson), *E Carter (King's School, Parramatta & St Edmund's, capt), *C Desmond (Haileybury & Girton); *J Ufton (Whitgift & St Edmund's), R Evans (Tregaron & Hughes Hall); *R Bosch (Grey Coll, Bloemfontein & Hughes Hall), J Clark (Barnard Castle & St Edmund's), E Kalman (Belmont House & Fitzwilliam), J Blaikie (Otago Boys HS & Hughes Hall), A Clements (Ermysted's GS, Skipton & St Edmund's), *N Alberts (Afrikaanse Hoer Seunsskool, Pretoria & Hughes Hall), D O'Brien (Belvedere Coll & Hughes Hall), *M Harfoot (Giggleswick & St Catharine's).

Substitutes: T Woolsey (St Peter's, York & Queens'), *T Kirkman (Loughborough GS & St Edmund's), *A Gilbert (RGS, High Wycombe & Fitzwilliam), R Bartholomew (Berkhamsted & Jesus), C Worsley (Lord Wandsworth Coll & Hughes Hall), S Thomas (Gwyr CS & Trinity), P Magee (Royal School, Dungannon & Magdalene).

* denotes Blue

REFEREE: W Barnes (RFU). Click here to read full article and comments.

Richard Williams
The Guardian

It was on a grey March weekend in 1988 that I settled down in front of the television to watch an international rugby match. Before Wales and England could kick off, however, an extended newsflash brought pictures from West Belfast, where two members of the British army's signals regiment, 24-year-old Corporal Derek Wood and 23-year-old Corporal Robert Howes, had been dragged from their unmarked car by mourners at an IRA funeral. After being beaten and stripped, they were dragged behind a cemetery wall and shot, their final moments mercifully out of sight of the cameras.

When the pictures switched back to Cardiff Arms Park, it proved impossible to watch 30 young men mauling and rucking without the mind also calling up images of the mob engulfing the two soldiers. More than most sports, rugby is an encrypted form of warfare; on this occasion, the real thing had rendered it not just redundant but temporarily unwatchable.

I thought of that day while watching the All Blacks go through their latest version of the haka at Twickenham on Saturday. An explicit representation of the Maori's cherished warrior spirit, it has long been employed to strike terror into the hearts of their opponents.

To some, including this newspaper's distinguished rugby correspondent, the haka is a cherishable piece of pageantry, a worthwhile remnant of an authentic tribal tradition. To others, it is simply an amusing and picturesque prelude to an event upon which it can have no real influence, and is therefore harmless.

My own attitude has always been more ambivalent. Traditional pre-match ceremonies are a vital part of sport, from cricket's toss of a coin in the middle of the pitch to the voice ordering "gentlemen, start your engines" at Indianapolis. In that respect, the haka is unique and valuable. Its content is the aspect with which I have a problem.

This latest variation, given the title Kapa o Pango, is made up of the usual ingredients of elbow-waggling, crotch-fanning and lurid grimacing. Until the final seconds, that is, when the 15 players conclude the choreography by drawing fingers across throats in a gesture whose meaning is beyond ambiguity.

It was the very same gesture described by the footballers of Australia and Switzerland last week in the aftermath of the World Cup play-offs. Australia claimed their Uruguayan opponents had threatened them in Sydney, while the Swiss were greeted in like manner by Turkish fans as part of a campaign of intimidation in Istanbul.

The obvious rejoinder is to suggest those nice rugby-playing New Zealanders had no lethal message in mind - by contrast, perhaps, with Turkey's football fans and their police, whose reputation has never recovered from Manchester United's visit in 1993. On that occasion a lone fan at the airport, welcoming the arrival of Alex Ferguson's squad by holding up a small, tatty piece of cardboard inscribed "WELCOME TO THE HELL" in wobbly marker pen, was turned by the British media into a ravening mob in stories which became a self-fulfilling prophecy when the team were assaulted by the local police at the conclusion of a bad-tempered match.

Watching the All Blacks on Saturday, their eyes and biceps bulging as they roared out their war-cry, the haka seemed more gratuitous than ever. If they can get away with it, why can't everyone? No nation, after all, is without its share of historic grievances and its store of heroic legends. But the Welsh, to take but one example, do not see fit to turn their righteous anger over second homes and the turning of valleys into reservoirs for the benefit of the English into an excuse for inflicting a tiresome ritual on their sporting opponents. They would rather try to beat them where it counts; on the scoreboard.

But then the Welsh are a peaceable and poetic people, not given to ostentatious display. Perhaps the New Zealanders, too, would like to show us the better side of their nature. Click here to read full article and comments.

Former Wobbly coach Eddie Jones is living up to his nickname yet again.

In an interview with The Sun Herald, Jones expressed his obvious disappointment in the ARU accusing them of having no integrity. "You'd think that after I'd coached the Wallabies for four years they would at least sit down with me and go through the issues and give me a chance to present my case," he said. "That wasn't done. They're entitled to do that but if you talk about rugby being a game about mateship, honesty and integrity, none of those things have shone through with the ARU."

Somehow Jones is also bemused by the fact that the ARU is not interested in building a team, but more on the performances of the National team week in and week out.

Uhm, duh Eddy, rugby is a professional sport in the end mate! Results count, not promises.

Nucifora is the right man for the job

Jones believes David Nucifora, the Auckland Blues coach, is the right man for the job. "They've made it quite clear they're not interested in developing a team, just performances - so they should pick the coach who has the highest winning percentage," Jones said.

"They've said to me the reason I'm not in the job is performance. If that's the case, they must get the most successful coach available in Australia. That guy must get the job."

Asked if he was endorsing Waratahs coach Ewen McKenzie, Jones said bluntly: "He doesn't have the best record."

While McKenzie is considered the favourite to replace Jones, it is understood Nucifora - who is to coach the Auckland Blues in the Super 14 next season - is a chance should he get the support of the three Queensland board members on the ARU.

Gregan is still the man

Asked whether his persistance with Gregan might have cost him his job, Jones said: "That's not right. The loyalty I have is to performance. Some of the comments about George have been right out of kilter and not in line with any true observation of how he's playing."

Well Eddie, I must be honest, personally I will miss your mug on the TV when you get another snotting. But it is not all doom and gloom, sources suggest his payout, (he still has 2 years left on his contract) is estimated in the region of $600,000.00.

Enjoy the holiday in Japan Eddie! I am sure we have not seen the last of you!


Source: Rugbyheaven.com.au
Photo: sarfu.co.za


Click here to read full article and comments.

After rugby trials in George, squad is down to 28 players
By BRIAN McLEAN

SEVEN Border Bulldogs players have been included in the 28-man Southern Spears rugby squad following trials held in George last Friday night.

The Bulldogs players are flyhalf Reinhard Gerber, wing Luvo Sogidashe, locks Liam Combrinck and Jaco du Toit, eighthman Pietie Loots and loosehead prop Lonwabo (Black) Mtimka.
The Southern Spears, comprising players from Border Eastern Province and the Southern Cape, make their Super 14 debut in 2007 and will use 2006 to prepare themselves.

The much anticipated squad announcement was made by head coach Peter de Villiers who yesterday said the Spears are to meet the Cheetahs in a friendly in Port Elizabeth on January 14.
This would be followed by additional friendlies against the Cats at East London's Absa Stadium on January 21 and against the Stormers in Wellington on January 28.
Thereafter, the Southern Spears go on an international campaign, playing against the likes of Kenya, the US Eagles, Uruguay, Madagascar and Argentina before they commence duty in the 2006 Currie Cup.

De Villiers, who this year coached the Springbok U19 side to World Cup glory, has chosen Border's Dumisani Mhani and the Southern Cape's Johan Lerm as his assistants.
De Villiers' co-selectors are Pieter Jooste, convener of the Springbok selection committee, Herman Masimla, head of SA Rugby's high performance unit, former Springbok flyhalf Braam van Straaten and Willie Beukes, U19 Springbok selector.

De Villiers said yesterday he had been happy with the fitness levels shown at trials.
"We will be keeping this squad together as a unit and those players not required will be sent back to their unions.''
De Villiers is hoping to add a further 17 players to the squad and will specifically be looking at additional props, locks and centres.
A delighted Bulldogs captain Pietie Loots, 29, said he had not been invited to the training camp but asked to play in Friday's trial. "I must say my inclusion came as a shock but I'm really pleased I made it at this stage of my career,'' Loots said.
Gerber, who was tried out at wing, fullback and flyhalf, was just as pleased.
"A lot of changes were made and I am really sad Josh Fowles (scrumhalf) didn't make it,'' he said.

The Southern Spears are currently attending a training squad in George until the end of the week and are expected to re-convene on January 2.
Starting next season and for the next five years, five teams will be entrenched in the Currie Cup Premier division, namely the Blue Bulls, Golden Lions, Free State Cheetahs, Sharks and Western Province.
They will be joined by the Southern Spears - next year only - and two winning teams in the Vodacom Cup competition.
The same five teams will also be in the Vodacom Cup and will play all their matches away against non-entrenched teams which means Bulldogs fans have a feast of rugby home matches in store for them next season.
SOUTHERN SPEARS SQUAD: Baldwin McBean, Reinhard Gerber, Spencer Wakeling, Basil de Joncker, Luvo Sogidashe, Ishmael Dollie, Warren Malgas, Ashley Johnson, Devon Raubenheimer, Marrice Reed, Liam Combrinck, Jaco du Toit, Marius Mostert, Ashton Constance, Petrus Methulka, Wayne Bennet, Anton van der Westhuizen, Hein Potgieter, Kenny Snodgrass, Tewis de Bruyn, Vusumzi Mbulali, Gavin Williamson, Pietie Loots, Gersham Ramazan, Ashwin Scott, Daniel Philander, Lonwabo Mtimka, Kaunda Ntunjwa. Click here to read full article and comments.

Martin Johnson

ALONG with many other people, I watched England’s autumn internationals looking for signs of improvement but I was concerned at the number of people worrying about the type of rugby they should play. Surely the type of game you want from England is a winning one, which will be successful on any given day against any given opponent.

There was a certain amount of pessimism about how England might go against New Zealand and my opinion was that, if we tried to play the game the All Blacks play, we would probably lose by 20 points or more. Instead, England did what they needed to do to get themselves into a winning position and I was very disappointed for the players that they couldn’t quite finish the job.

There is still an obsession with going wide because that’s “attacking” rugby. It doesn’t matter how you attack, you do it in a way that is effective. England’s best way of scoring tries was to take the ball close and drive it over; the try is still a try whether it comes from a maul or a fluent handling move that puts the wing into the corner. When we did take it wide against the All Blacks they drifted very well and we never got round them.

Ultimately, so much of success in rugby comes down to a command of the basics and that’s one of the areas I hope to drive home when we hold the second year of Martin Johnson rugby camps next July and August.

We spent a lot of time, after last summer’s camps, trying to refine the coaching we can give the youngsters who attend and one of the areas we will explore is the individual skills.

A lot of training time in rugby is given over to unit skills but next year we would like to be more specific in how we approach the coaching, whether it’s in handling, kicking, speed or agility skills. When I was watching the kids in the summer, the thing that made most difference to them in a short period, particularly those in the 11 to 13 group, was getting them to understand that most of the time when they have the ball it’s to create space for other people.

That means they have to pass the ball earlier than comes naturally to them. My experience is that the last thing they want to do is pass, they want to run with the ball as long as they can until they are stopped. They have to be taught that passing the ball is not simple and that it needs to be practised all the time, and that’s true for all levels of the game — as we have seen in some of the international matches during November.

The children are very enthusiastic about contact and the ability to pass the ball can be taken for granted. But it’s difficult to run with the ball at top speed and then time the pass to put the ball in front of the next player without them having to stop or check their stride. You can’t practise that enough and, like so many individual skills, when it’s done well you never notice it but when it’s done badly, you do.

You should be able to do it without thinking and that’s what I try to tell youngsters, not only in the camps but when I do bits and bobs at schools around the country. It’s all about the accuracy and timing.

Someone such as Will Greenwood would show how a short pass could make space for a support player, or someone such as Jonny Wilkinson could give an accurate long pass off both hands.
It’s the ability to know the space is there, to take the ball to a defender and not let him drift off you, that’s the key thing. There’s timing, angles of running, footwork, all to be done in the clutter of a crowded pitch. But a good kicking game can be coached, too, especially for the older children — against the Lions last summer, New Zealand had a fantastic kicking game. Done well it can be devastating, done badly and you lose possession.

The way for England to beat opponents in next year’s RBS Six Nations Championship might not be the same way as to beat New Zealand but England know they can be better. The way they played against the All Blacks, even though they lost, will have given them the belief that they can beat any team, which is a pretty good place to be. Click here to read full article and comments.

Your intrepid investigative reporter, DavidS, has managed to get a peek inside the prison cells at the Wangagrei Maximum Security Facility where the infamous Dr Colin Bouwer, whom we fondly know as TheTackler is serving a life sentence. I managed to interview TheTackler and here EXCLUSIVE to Rugga World is the first one-on-one interview with the git.

DavidS: Do you mind if I call you Tackler?

The Tackler: Why not, after all I ‘tackle’ all you Japies on keo all the time and win with facts. Hah hah!

DavidS: You left South Africa some time ago. Why?

The Tackler: It was clear that it was becoming a gravy train where the melanin enhanced people were getting ahead at the cost of everyone else. Besides, I’ve never really loved the place; after all, I come from a little dorp called Potchefstroom.

DavidS: After you left the country you did not become one of those pining expats.

The Tackler: Not at all. I immediately adopted native culture and its constant thriving for excellence above the aim of equality and mediocrity in South Africa

DavidS: You must be Potchefstroom’s most shameful export

The Tackler: I could give a stuff. I hate the place and I hate all of you…

DavidS That is evident. Why?

The Tackler: During my trial, it was those damned incompetent South African ‘pote’ who nailed me. They found out my degrees were fake and this let the Kiwis nail me.

DavidS: But the Kiwis tried and sentenced you?

The Tackler: But it was those incompetent gravy train bastards at the SAPS that gave them all the information they needed. Now look where I am?

DavidS: I noticed. Tell me. What do you think of the prison facilities?

The Tackler: What do you think? I’m the only South African here! I hate being a Saffa. I try so hard to be a kiwi, but they still……(sob)….(sob)…..

[5 minute break while guards fetch a glass of sugar water]

DavidS: You still get internet access to give us lip though?

The Tackler: Hah. And don’t I do that well. Luckily I have the best rugby team in the world as backup to my arguments.

DavidS: Why do you come to keo in the middle of the night to bother us?

The Tackler: Because I can. It’s the only Saffa site that hasn’t banned me yet. And besides nothing gives me more pleasure than to give the japies one back. I have a’friend’ who is a samoan, like half of New Zealand, who is also doing timer here and he joins me. If I don’t give enough lip, I take one up the bottom. If I piss you lot off enough, I get away with a suck and swallow.

DavidS: Sounds bad

The Tackler: I suppose…..

DavidS What do you want to say to the readers of Rugga World?

The Tackler: I am, I have been and always will be. I’m sitting here for life so I’ll always be the thorn in your side. I will remind you of being snotted at Loftus in 2003 by fifty points. I will remind you that we have 3 All Black teams in the five we field in the Super 14 and I will remind all of them that the Bulls lost to the Highlanders 23-0 at Carisbrook and got snotted….hahahah!

DavidS: Um, what do you think of the new haka?

The Tackler: Hah! Ke O Panga scarred those stupid japies at Carisbrook so much, they were 21-3 down within 20 minutes. I know it. Want to see?

DavidS: Show me.

The Tackler: [Goes through the whole stupid new haka, including childish throat slit gesture]

DavidS: I’m glad you did it because unlike the Boks I get a chance to respond….

The Tackler: Huh?

DavidS: I’ve learnt the Chuck Norris roundhouse….wanna see…

The Tackler: No…no….guards guards …help!!!!

[DavidS roundhouses The Tackler like Chuck]

DavidS: Tackler this is a sincere gift from all the japies at keo. Merry Christmas

The Tackler: Aaaaarrrgggghhhh…..I’m snotted! I’ll be back you bastards…, when I get my teeth back.

[End of transcript]

We have since lost contact with our intrepid reporter, who has hired the best lawyers in New Zealand, expat South Africans, to represent him. The lawyer says he has a good chance of getting DavidS off on the charges. He is out on bail and tells us that he stowed away aboard a Chinese freighter bound for Singapore where he will try to get a flight back to SA and pay for it by being a mule for a Brazilian cocaine syndicate. We wish him the best of luck. From SA DavidS will report to us from the UK where he will interview that other beloved Muppit St Michel…

Watch this space! Click here to read full article and comments.

Eleven Vodacom Western Province players have been invited by South Africa under-19 coach Eugene Eloff for a training camp as he prepares his charges to defend the IRB Under-19 World Championship title they won in Durban earlier this year.

The camp, to be held in Saldanha from December 3-9, is aimed at helping selectors identify players who will represent the country in the IRB tournament to be held in Dubai next year.

The players invited are:

BLUE BULLS

Henry Bantjies, Mthunzi Mabeta, Pieter Meyer, Drew van Coller, Stefan Watermeyer, Vainon Willis

BORDER

Jarryd Greyvenstein, Mathew Lutge, Musa Tukela

EASTERN PROVINCE

Kirwen Frieslaar, Lubabalo Gwavu, Christopher Juries, Marlon Lewis, Aubrey Mc Donald

FALCONS

Zander De Kock

FREE STATE

Josephus Oosthuizen, Francois Steyn, Kevin Stevens

GOLDEN LIONS

Byron Godfrey, Malungisa Nkosi, Ghaliel Markus, Justin St Jerry, Johan van Deventer, Johannes Janse van Rensburg, Alred van Rooyen, Hercules Venter

GRIFFONS

Dabeon Draghoender, Alex van Staden

GRIQUAS

Riacco Eilard, Petrus Vermeulen

KWAZULU NATAL

Christopher Mickelwood, Luzuko Vulindlu

LEOPARDS

Burton Francis, Johan Jackson, Edgar Maruthule, Hendrik Roodt

MPUMALANGA

Divan Kapp, Lehan Koekemoer

SOUTH WESTERN DISTRICTS

Conrad Britz

VODACOM WESTERN PROVINCE

Llewellyn Adonis, Kent Hendricks, Conrad Hoffmann, Hayden Groepes, Morne Jooste, Siyasanga Mkiva, Edward Peverett, Jacques Rossouw, Jean Rossouw, Andre Smith, Clayton Stewart

(WP Rugby) Click here to read full article and comments.

Morning gents, and the occasional ladies I am sure will pop in every now and then.

As you can see our little temporary blog is up and running. Thanks to some muppits, we were able to set something up in about an hour after the clowns at Keo.co.za (or the "git's" as Davids will refer to them) shut us down without warning. Thanks Ig!

Nevertheless, we managed to get Rugga World up and running to help us cope with the boredom which comes with December. As you can see on the left of the website, we have a bunch of guys that will contribute to keep us entertained.

Donner will educate the men on how to get the best festive shag this season. Kandas will keep us up to date on the latest from the SEC and related article’s. Davids, will keep us up to date what the “git’s”, responsible for Keo.co.za in his daily “award winning” installment of "The Days of Their Lives at the offices of Highbury-Safika", and other, well, typical Davids posts…. Rasputin will yet again dig up the most amazing article’s from around the world, which only he seems to find, and post most of them at the most ungodly times of the morning! And myself will try and keep everyone up to date with some sport stories and news from around the world (including the hammering I suspect we will get in Aus).

Please keep in mind we are not professional journo’s, but then, neither are the clowns at Keo.co.za, so this should not be that much different! Also, it is not a closed shop, if anyone has any news or any items of interest he thinks will be great to post on this blog, let us know and we will gladly post it for everyone to enjoy.

The idea of the blog is to have fun and talk shit. Much like we were used to on Keo, but do not expect a professional looking website. I will add some links to online games during the course of the day and maybe even a rugby quiz or two to keep us entertained. That said, if there are any HTML geniuses out there that has ideas on how to improve the look of the site let me know, I can send you the template of the blog and we can possibly add some pics or whatever.

An e-mail message will go out later today to some other regular Keo.co.za muppits who might not know where we are hanging out (thanks Rasp for that list). Also, thanks to Donner and a couple of other guys who mailed the guys with the details of this blog. The idea is to talk shit and have fun as I said, so let’s enjoy this blog until Keo.co.za is up and running again. As for the rules, we are all adults and I think we can use our own discretion.

Cheers. Click here to read full article and comments.

Tuesday, December 6, 2005

They are portrayed as obsessed about rugby, but a survey has found that a third of New Zealanders have no interest in the sport while some, as Anthony Hubbard explains, despise the game and resent its grip on Kiwi culture.

Last month, when New Zealand became the host of the 2011 World Cup, former All Black Sean Fitzpatrick said: "There are four million people in New Zealand and every one of them feels they have a share of the All Blacks."

Sports Minister Trevor Mallard said: "Our passion for rugby and sport is part of being Kiwi, and being proud to be Kiwi."
Rugby Union chairman Jock Hobbs said: "New Zealanders are passionate about their rugby ... we are a stadium of four million people!"
This is nonsense - and provably so. About one in three New Zealanders - 32 per cent - have little or no interest in rugby, according to an April poll by UMR Insight.
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The poll found 68 per cent, or about two out of three, were either very interested or fairly interested.

Based on these figures, at least 1.3 million people are outside the stadium. And the figure is probably bigger nearly a third of New Zealanders - 31 per cent - are just "fairly interested".
Presumably, then, these hundreds of thousands of New Zealanders don't feel they have a share of the All Blacks either. But they might fairly claim they are Kiwis, even proud ones.

Amid the hype and gush over the World Cup, it is good to remember these statistics. It helps to inure us against the marketing juggernaut that is trying to make rugby-going a patriotic duty.
It is precisely the marketing hype, and the ridiculous claim that to be Kiwi is to be a rugby-lover, that adds to the dissidents' fury.

Some - I am one - are not only indifferent to rugby but hostile to it. The current nonsense only makes us hate it more.

The UMR Insight poll, of 750 people with a margin of error of 3.6 per cent, has been running since 1993. It shows that throughout that time there has been a substantial number of New Zealanders not interested in rugby.

The lowest point this dissident group has ever reached in that time was 20 per cent, in November 2003. Even when rugby fever was at its height, one in five New Zealanders did not care about the game.

People dislike rugby for the same reasons they always have disliked it - its violence and its celebration of male aggression; the dopey, hard-drinking rugby culture; its mindless machismo.
"There are many people who can't stand the game," says Unitec New Zealand sports sociologist Rex Thomson.

"I was a rugby player and I coached for 25 years, so I've been with the game for over half my life - and I'm very aware of the problems the game has had and perhaps still has. I can understand why some people can't stand it."

One of the major problems, he says, is its link with booze and boozing.
"It was described in its early years in England as being the twin sister of the drinking system. The two have been absolutely intertwined throughout their history, and for many decades much of the sponsorship of the game until TV came in came from the breweries."

The New Zealand Rugby Union would have us believe that the culture of boozing has changed. The truth keeps leaking out. Former All Blacks captain Anton Oliver's biography in July revealed the secret once again. A team-bonding session in 2001, for instance, left some players so plastered the team could barely defeat Argentina: "I thought, 'We are teaching them that this is what it is to be an All Black, to drink a lot of booze."'

But things have changed since then, the rugby-boosters say. Really? Last month the Sunday Star-Times revealed that a group of All Blacks went on an all-night drinking binge in Britain.
Then there's the violence. Former All Blacks captain David Kirk described this aspect of the game with refreshing honesty in his 1997 book Black and Blue.

"One of the first things to understand about rugby is that it is a violent game," he wrote. "Sometimes it is extremely violent. While violence isn't the point (as it is in boxing or, say, hurling) it is integral to the game. You can't play well without suffering it, or being prepared to administer it.
"I'd go so far as to say that the team who can control their violence and apply it most effectively is the team that is likely to win."

Canadian sports sociologist Jay Scherer, now at the University of Alberta after spending five years at Otago University's physical education faculty, says rugby celebrates violence.
"Violence is the point. It is a fundamental or integral part of how the game is played. It is normalised and reinforced and celebrated and glorified in the media and through reinforcement from peers and coaches and role models.

"I mean, what is the famous quote from George Orwell? 'Sport is war minus the shooting.' And rugby is the most glorified warrior-like sport there is in New Zealand, obviously along with rugby league."
Scherer likes watching the game, just as he likes Canadian ice-hockey, an even more violent sport. "You know, rugby can be a very beautiful game to watch at times. Conversely it can also be a very brutal and thuggish game."
But sometimes he wonders about his own motivation for watching. "To me, it's very easy to trace the development of modern sport from those early gladiatorial spectacles, and particularly men's sport... "

There is a juggernaut of rugby boosterism at work right now, says Scherer. A great deal of money is at stake, and the marketers want to drown out any critical voices. Powerful forces are there to help. Many in the news media, he says, are part of the cheerleading chorus.
At the same time, the critical voice sometimes does get heard. In rugby-mad Dunedin - his former town - there is angry opposition to the idea that rates should be spent on the expensive refurbishment of the Carisbrook stadium.

The marketers have tried to spread the appeal of rugby, especially to women. But the gap between male and female attitudes remains notable. The UMR April poll found that 37 per cent of females had little or no interest, while only 26 per cent of males felt that way.
Rugby is perhaps more dominant in New Zealand culture than it has ever been. The reason: money and marketing. "Professionalism has brought the game into everyone's home. It's there all the time," says Thomson.

The rugby boosters like to promote rugby now as a much more sophisticated thing. The dominant figure is the dreadlocked Samoan Tana Umaga. In former times the icon was Colin Meads, a tough, taciturn farmer with right-wing views and a passion for tours of South Africa. There is a growing women's rugby movement. There are even gay rugby teams.
And for some, clearly, the heart of the game remains as black as ever: violent, macho, gladiatorial. Despite the government propaganda and the millions spent on marketing, despite the media circus and the conspicuous public enthusiasm of self-styled liberals, a third of New Zealanders still say "no" to the national game.

Sunday Star-Times, New Zealand Click here to read full article and comments.

Blou Willem Met die dat die petrolprys hierdie week so mooi afkom, het ek nou maar besluit om nie meer weg te gaan Hondebaai toe nie. Nee, ek gaan my familie se hele vloot karre volgooi en dan net hier by die huis bly totdat die brandstofpryse weer opgaan, want opgaan, sal hy opgaan, glo my! En dan gaan ek vir jou wyd en syd toer sodat ek kan spaar! Intussen is ek en Dik Daan die naweek met ons laaste tenk ou petrol na die Sonstad toe vir die groot gholf (en was ek spyt, want my bakkie gebruik eintlik diesel!) Ons twee was sover ek kon agterkom die enigste twee ouens wat nie deur een of ander firma soontoe genooi was nie en toe kom ons agter ons sal self moet betaal en nog erger, die heelpad agter Ernie-hulle aanloop, sonder 'n rusplekkie voor die TV in 'n lugverkoelde tent (hulle noem dit 'n tent, al het die goed glasvensters). En as jy mos 'n ou daar sien wat jy ken, waai hy so hovaardig van die tent se stoep af vir jou soos Koningin Liesbet op haar tagtigste verjaardag. Dik Daan sê die ding wat hom altyd die meeste irriteer, is as hy 'n ou daar raakloop en die ou brul dit daar voor almal uit: "My hel, ou Daan, wat maak jy hier??!" "Wat dink die man doen ek daar?" grom hy. "Ek's sulke tye sommer lus en antwoord: 'Ek kom sweet' of 'Jou vrou het my gestuur om jou dop te hou' of 'Ek het kom rugby kyk, weet jy dalk hoe laat is die afskop?' " Maar ek dink ou Daan is seker maar net jaloers oor ons nie ook 'n hemp en 'n sambreel present gekry het nie. Maar aan die ander kant, hoekom gee jy vir 'n ou 'n sambreel as hy klaar heeldag in die skadu sit? 'n Ander tendens het mos sy kop uitgesteek hier in ons ou landjie. Dis nou die AGP, wat staan vir die Armgat-Partytjie. Dis 'n spesiale paartie waarheen jy genooi word (soos vyftigste verjaardagvierings of verlowingspartytjies) en waar jy dan self vir als moet betaal. Die gasheer gee vir jou sulke simpel snackies (drie grondboontjies en vier chips per persoon), maar vir als wat nat is, moet jy self betaal. En dan moet jy nog help opruim ná die tyd! Groot Paul en al sy kantoorkollegas is Saterdag deur hul baas na so 'n AGP by sy huis genooi. Maandag hoor hy hy moet sy eie vleis bring, Dinsdag vra sy baas of hulle sal omgee om maar hulle eie drank ook te bring, Woensdag sê die baas vir hulle omdat van die WP-ouens by die werk nie pap eet nie moet elkeen ook sy eie bykosse saambring, Donderdag kom die eetgerei by op die lysie maar hy sê die cherry op die koek (wat hulle ook self moes bring) was toe hy Vrydag op kantoor hoor hy moet sy eie sitgoed saamvat. Toe gaan huur hy maar 'n bakkie en vat sy sitkamerstel, want hy sê hy het nie opvoustoele nie. Ag nee wat, as 'n ou nie kan bekostig om sy vriende te trakteer nie, maak dit dan maar 'n koek en tee op die dieretuin se grasperk! Pêlle gee vir pêlle met 'n lekker hart, veral hier in die feestye. So onthou as jy die dieretuinopsie kies: moet nou nie dat jou pêlle self hulle eie koekvurkies, bordjies en koek bring nie! Click here to read full article and comments.

Outeniqua Park at dusk. Light traffic noise. Ranges of mountains melding into hues of blue, merging with a darkening sky. Green. Green foliage. Green shrubbery. George is green… George is gorgeous… George is the sexiest city in our land.

George is home also to the Eagles.

Take note, you Warriors of Rugby. The Eagle is rebuilding its tattered nest. The Eagle will defend this nest as only a raptor can and will. Take note, you Gladiators of The Game, but beware… The Eagle is soaring.

SWD is one of the smallest Rugby Unions in South Africa, a veritable Cinderella. It has, in the past, had its moments: A Currie Cup Semi-final berth in 1999, a regular presence at the national Club Championships, a showing at Craven Weeks, a few 7’s Springboks… but mostly SWD was the Cinderella of SA Rugby.

No more!

No more shall you Ugly Sisters poach our talent! We shall retain the fruits of our development programs by giving talented youngsters contracts… and game time.

No more shall you Ugly Sisters pluck feathers from this bird of Jove! We shall defend our historic pride and our new-found dignity with a vigour akin to a bird of prey.

The Home of the Eagle will become the place where local, and selected national and international talent, congregate to plan to conquer land animals like Bulls and Lion and Cheetah, to net Sharks, to pluck peacocks and to snap up Daisies.

Where do you think, coaches and managers of the SA Rugby Powers, will the players our new coach wants be keenest to be: “Tshwane”, or the golf Mecca of South Africa – George; “Joeys”, or near the awesome Wilderness; “Bloem”, or in the lush Garden City; on pebbled beaches in “Durbs”, or on sandy ones at Vic Bay?

What do you think players would rather have: Game time in a green shirt, or bench time in blue or black or red strip?

The people of South Western Districts shall will the Eagles to victory. People from all walks of life, across cultural and language and race and income divides, are uniting behind the waxing call of the greatest creature of the skies – the Eagle.

Be afraid. Be very afraid. Click here to read full article and comments.

Dewi Morris: Road Tax?

The sight of then South African president Nelson Mandela presenting Springbok captain Francois Pienaar with the Webb Ellis Cup is one of the most defining images of the 20th Century, never mind the 1995 Rugby World Cup.

However the year before Mandela had met the touring England team, an occasion which provided Nobok legend Jason Leonard with a tale that still brings a smile to his face more than a decade later.

“Dewi Morris was a bit nervous meeting Nelson Mandela in 1994 and I was standing next to him,” recalled Leonard.

“We were told that we could actually ask Nelson Mandela a question and Dewi got so nervous about what he had to ask him, I mean he was literally shaking.

“And he was shaking Nelson Mandela’s hand and he literally just said, “um, um, um do you have road tax over here?”

“He asks the most important man of the 20th Century if he has road tax over there and I’m in tears. Click here to read full article and comments.

The Comrades Marathon has become a world class sporting event which attracts the leading long distance runners from countries all over the world. The first race was a down run from Pietermaritzburg whilst the first up run from Durban to the provincial capital took place in 1922 and consisted of a field of just over 100 athletes. The runner who came in eighth, was two years later to receive his Springbok rugby colours playing in the forward pack against the touring British Isles side. More remarkably was the fact that he never trained for the Comrades relying on his natural ability, and to have a greater challenge he did not make use of running shoes, preferring to complete the event in heavy rugby boots on his feet. In those days the Comrades took place on mainly sand and gravel roads.
This Springbok rugby player was Bill Payn, who in fact, played provincial rugby over a period of eighteen seasons losing four years whilst serving overseas in the First World War. He did have the opportunity then of representing South Africa in the Imperial Services Tournament held in Britain before returning home. In all, he represented Natal in fifty nine matches. Bill had a natural affinity for all games and excelled at every branch of sport that he became interested in, so much so, that he attained his provincial colours in five sports, represented Natal at cricket, boxing, baseball and athletics in addition to his main sport of rugby. However sport was but one of his interests, being recognised as an outstanding English scholar and a leading South African expert at the time in the science of Etymology, being the study of words and their origins.
Bill Payn played in two tests on the flank in the 1924 series but later after his own playing days were over he was to have an important role in the development of a post World War Two Springbok rugby legend.
The central point of this story however is his running of the Comrades Marathon and the unusual manner in which he achieved his success. Bill Payn later spoke about the run and an abridged version of that day goes as follows, `On a bleak May morning I toe'd the line at the start when some civic dignitary fired a pistol and then very sensibly buggared off back to his warm bed. When the shot rent the air, off we sped - like a crowd of Armenian refugees fleeing from the wrath of the Turkish army. Shall I ever forget that infernal run. It was not very long before I realised that I was prey to an all consuming thirst, so clamant indeed, that I could not refuse any man who offered me a drink. At Hillcrest my feet were giving me so much pain that I took off my rugby boots and found a mass of blisters had formed on the soles of both feet, some kind follower provided me with brilliantine with which I anointed my feet and then repaired to the hotel for a huge plate of bacon and eggs. This done and much refreshed I ran up Botha's Hill where at the top I found a friend who was also taking part, but he was in a very bad state so we sat down next to the road and exchanged notes and took stock of ourselves and the situation we were in. I fear that we did not move with the freedom of young athletes but rather resembled two old ducks, suffering from some distressing gynaecological disorder.
Fortunately at that stage my friend's supporter arrived on the scene with a wicker basket which contained a delicious curried chicken set on a huge bed of rice. This we shared equally and then set off together in happy companionship for Drummond and here we bent our steps to a pleasant oasis - the pub - where I lined a dozen beers up on the counter determined not so much to celebrate a victory but rather to drown our sorrows. Whilst we were busy at this, one of the camp followers arrived on the scene and urged us both to continue as there were only five runners in front of us. My friend could not continue so I set off alone for Pietermaritzburg. Somewhere along Harrison Flats I noticed a frail little woman with pink cheeks standing at the side of the road. She held up in one hand a bottle and in the other a glass. I stopped, and with old world courtesy bowed low saying `Madame your servant to command'. `Tis peach brandy', she volunteered, `and I made it myself'. I gulped down a full tumbler of this home-made brew and in a second realised that I had swallowed a near-lethal dose of the rawest liquid I had ever tasted. I am still convinced that to this charming little woman must go full credit for inventing the first liquid fuel for jet engines. Fortunately I was facing Maritzburg and I was propelled along the way. I was too far gone in my cups even to ponder on whether this assistance did not breach the prescribed laws of amateur marathon running. On the outskirts of Pietermaritzburg I was hailed by wife's family who were taking tea on the veranda. I went off the road and joined them in their tea and cakes. While we were thus happily engaged, two of my `hated' rivals went past and so it was that I ended the course number eight. In the changing rooms I discovered that the soles of my feet were now two huge pads of blood blisters. My brother-in-law then arrived and he had the uncanny insight to my most immediate needs, for he gave me a bottle of champagne, for which I was most grateful. Shortly thereafter a rugby friend arrived and chided me as to whether I had forgotten that I was due to play a first league rugby match the next day and that our team needed me. Cadging a lift on the back of his motorbike we went back down to Durban and on the following day I played full back in a pair of old `tackies'.
This account by Bill Payn does not appear possible but it has been vouched for in every detail by Arthur Newton, another friend who was himself destined to become a legend in the world of marathon running, particularly in the Comrades. Bill's time for the up run was .It was indeed a remarkable achievement by a remarkable man. His description of the race is filled with humour which so characterised his outlook on life. To illustrate this aspect there is a classic story told of Bill when he was captaining his club's first cricket side in the premier league and they were not having a very good season with the bat. He placed an advertisement in the local Natal newspaper which read, - Join Stanford Hill and bat twice on a Saturday afternoon.
Of all his sporting interests, rugby was to remain his greatest love and he devoted many years of his life to the administration of the sport, coaching young players in the enjoyment of the game. He was the founder of Natal schools rugby and became a father figure to organisation serving on its executive from 1933 - with a gap for the war years - right through until he passed away in 1959. It is interesting to note his thoughts on the game of rugby and why people are keen to play the game. Quoting him again `Why do men love to play rugby, is I feel sure, that it is the simulacrum - in simple terms it means an image of - of war as waged in the medieval days when battles were marked by the two cardinal virtues of courtesy and courage'.
His very close friend and fellow schoolmaster, Isak Van Heerden, who was to become the Springbok coach in the 1960's,commenting on Bills outlook on the game said `He looked upon the game as a friendly and controlled war, feeling that man still has his primitive instincts and one of the strongest is the love of a good fight, which no amount of civilisation has been able to eradicate. Bill saw the game merely as a natural desire of a healthy man to pit his strength and skill against that of another and that rugby was the best possible outlet. He worshipped the game for the companionship amongst friends and for the opportunities that it allowed for comaradieship with opponents after the match was over'.
Bill Payn was very much a man of Natal being educated at Maritzburg College and after qualifying as a teacher spent much of his working career teaching at Durban High School for Boys, but in 1939,at the age of forty six he once again set off for war serving as a gunner in North Africa. Whilst in action in the Western Desert he was awarded the Military Medal, receiving a personally signed letter of commendation from the Commander-in- Chief of the Allied Forces, General Alexander.
Later in the campaign the Allied troops were forced to retreat from Gazala back towards El Alamein. With the German Army closing in around them Bill made two desperate efforts to escape but was captured on each occasion, imprisoned first at Benghazi in Libya, where he was struck down with acute dysentery and his weight dropped from just over his normal of two hundred and thirty pounds to under one hundred and fifteen pounds. It took a long time but he eventually recovered and was transferred across the Mediterranean to a P. O. W. camp near Rome.
Bill's strength of character was such that he looked on prison life as a challenge refusing to be restricted and to quote him again `Life is always life if one can laugh and that captivity is what your heart makes of it.'. He accepted the conditions of imprisonment refusing to acknowledge their limitations, preferring to see in them an opportunity for fulfilment, the enrichment of character and to be of service to his fellow prisoners.
Using his ability in developing mental pursuits he kept many of his fellow inmates highly amused and was in great demand as a speaker with a range of subjects stretching from discussing the complete works of Shakespeare, a set of which he had with him in camp, to his talk on whales and their habits which was also a great favourite. He continued to teach, and was again in demand, conducting classes for those Prisoner's of War who were taking correspondence courses. A fellow prisoner wrote of him that his most outstanding characteristic was his unquestionable spirit which knew no bounds. Although he was no longer a young man, when the Italian war effort collapsed, Bill and two companions managed to escape into the mountains of Italy and were on the run for over two weeks, diverting enemy troops from the front, to search for them. Eventually they were recaptured by German troops and sent to prison camps first in Austria, then Poland and eventually to Germany itself.
Whilst he was busy keeping the spirits of his fellow prisoners up intellectually, his love of sport also played an important role in their well being with Bill forever arranging rugby and cricket matches, even teaching the prisoners from the other Allied nations the art of jukskei!. It was while they were in a prison camp at Thorn in Poland which contained an equal number of young New Zealanders and South Africans crazy about their rugby that Bill Payn's organisational ability was shown off at its very best. A rugby ball was received through the good offices of the Red Cross organisation and Bill proposed a series of `test' matches between the rugby worlds greatest rivals. He roped in two able assistants, Peter Pienaar, the son of the 1921 Springbok captain to New Zealand and Billy Millar Jnr, whose father led the 1912/13 Springboks to the U. K. With Bill Payn as the driving force, they arranged practices and made up the jerseys, and served on the `Springbok' selection panel. The making Springbok jerseys is a story in itself, with Red Cross vests being boiled together with the olive green Russian battledress which were freely available, to obtain the green. The gold was more problematical but an ingenious solution was found, the S. A. Medical staff boiled up a solution of anti-malaria tablets to achieve the right result. It was important to look the part. The rugby field was marked off with yellow clay lines on the vast sandy parade ground and with army boots considered too lethal, the players played with bare feet in the middle of the Polish winter.
It was during this period that Bill, so the legend goes, came across a young South African from Johannesburg who had been playing for the Pirates club before the war. He was a strong, talented prop forward who also had a useful boot on him. Bill encouraged him to work hard at this aspect of his game whilst stuck in the P. O. W. camp and to concentrate on his accuracy with his place kicking. The young soldier was none other than `Okey Geffin' who five years later was to become a legend in the annals of South African rugby as well as an immense thorn in the flesh of the 1949 All Black side under Fred Allen. In the first test at Newlands when South Africa fielded fifteen new caps, because of the war Okey Geffin he kicked all fifteen points, setting a record in the process. The final score was a win for the Springboks 15 points to eleven. In the Third test of the series at Durban Okey was again responsible for all the Springboks points in a close contest which we won by nine points to three.
This is the only series in which a clean sweep of four wins to nil was achieved against New Zealand. Two years later, Geffin, was a member of Basil Kenyon's highly successful side to the United Kingdom and he was the top point scorer with eighty nine points scored in thirteen appearances. The Springboks only lost one match on this tour of thirty one matches in little over five months. They won their five tests including the massacre of Scotland at Murrayfield by 44 poins to nil
But reverting to Bill Payn This is his story and it started with his personal description of his Comrades Marathon run which reflected both his humour and his tenacity. It was his friend, Izak van Heerden who perhaps summed Bill up best of all when he said, `He was always seeing a humorous situation and playing upon it. He was a merry companion, a real friend and a great champion of the game of rugby'. Click here to read full article and comments.

After a few requests from all my loyal supporters, I have been granted permission to again educate my fellow rugby supporters on the living it up as a man of today. I sincerely hope that this will make your wife's/girlfriend's visits to the site very enjoyable for them.

On all fields of play we must make sure that we can communicate in a clear and understandable way. This is quite an interesting article posted on Health24 and even our rugby players may find some value by reading it.


Sexual communication

Communication in any relationship is vital. Sexual communication even more so and often the hardest thing to do.

We are generally given no tools for this and end up doing things we don’t enjoy or are not getting what we want sexually because we don’t know how to ask for it. Often we feel embarrassed about expressing our desires for fear of what our partner will think or how they’ll respond. We also don’t want to hurt their feelings.


This lack of communication leads to dissatisfaction with sexuality, which in turn causes it’s own problems. It also creates a situation of general unhappiness about not being able to fully express yourself in life.
It’s important to understand that as fearful as you are of opening up sexually, your partner is probably just as nervous as you.

A useful technique

The following technique makes this communication much easier and allows you to guide a discussion without putting any pressure on your partner.

Asking your partner HOW something feels or what he/she likes or doesn’t enjoy puts pressure on them. Firstly they have to describe something that they may be embarrassed about. Secondly many people will not say something negative for fear of offending or upsetting their partner.

The simplest and best way to begin talking about something sexual is to ask questions that require your partner to answer YES or NO, nothing else. You can do this during lovemaking or afterwards. In fact, in a neutral time and place may be even safer.

Here’s an example of how this works. Let’s use the issue of caressing your partner’s breasts. 'Do you like the way I touch your breasts?' 'Would you like me to stroke/kiss your breasts more?' 'Would you like me to stroke your breasts firmer, more gently, more on the sides etc? 'Would you like me to kiss your nipples softer?'

This allows you to learn lots about what your partner wants and how to please them in a very gentle way.

If you’re doing this during lovemaking then the format can be a little different. As you touch your partner you ask them for feedback. Let’s use the same example as before.

Kiss her nipple in a particular way and ask: Does this feel good, would you like me to do this harder, softer, faster, slower?'

Each time you ask a question and do something different wait for her to answer. You can also allow your partner to guide you by using simple words, harder, softer, slower, faster, left, right, up or down. This way you’re able to avoid negative criticism about what they’re doing.

Criticism

Because sex is so important to us, as is the image of being a good lover, when we get told negatively what we’re doing wrong we tend to withdraw.

I’m afraid to say that men are very at fault here, thinking we know everything, particularly about sex. But here’s a fact, the only way we know if something feels good and pleasurable is to ask.

It’s important to respect your partner’s communication and guidance. This will build deep trust and safety between you.

This gentle approach opens the door to communicating about other areas of life as well. You’ll also find that after doing this a few times it will be easier to talk about sex in a more open and honest way. - (Jonti Searll, sensualist)
Click here to read full article and comments.

Our secret team of invstigatirs are recording keo as we spek. Although they were out parting this weekend so missed why we got 'skopped' out without notice. Nevertheless here, for the first episode of the Chronicles of Keo is the tape from Highbury-Safika's offices:


Keo: Damn my dingaling hurts

Ig: Um, what was that?

Keo: No..um…nothing

Ig: Is that cream working? What did you tell your wife?

Keo: I told her it was an antibiotic for the flu in my groin

Ig: Hahahah you have ‘voëlgriep’

Simon: That’s what you get for messing about with butterflies of the night

Ig: More like flies of the night….

Keo: One day Stu….one day you’re gonna trip and fall and I’m gonna be there…

Chris: Howzit! Is there anything for me to do?

Keo: No, you’re fired

Chris: Why oh why? Oh my god what am gonna do now?

Keo: I don’t care, the Muppits don’t like you so you’re outta here. Stu, have you shut those bastards up yet?

Ig: Um, ja, but they’ve like started their own show.

Keo: WHAT? Where? How dare they? Ban them!

Ig: From what?

Keo: MY website you idiot!

Ig: You closed it down short shit

Keo: Grrrrr…….. oh, ja….um I remember, Chris! You’re not really fired. Get that belt off from around your neck you stupid git.

Simon: What’re you gonna do this week?

Keo: I’m off to cover the George 7’s. I am a rugby journalist after all.

Simon: Ja, South Africa’s very own Stephen Jones

Keo: What was that?

Simon: Nothing. Chris, you can’t slit your wrists with a letter opener idiot.

Ig: I am gonna ‘build’ a new keo.co.za

Keo: Exactly. It will be called Kingkeo.co.za and I will be emperor and all Muppits will be required to swear allegiance to me forever and I will become president for life of SARU………moohahahaha……….mooohahahah……..moohahahah……..um………will someone stop that idiot from jumping out the window. We’re on the first floor for heaven sakes…. Click here to read full article and comments.

For our Cricket fans!

Western Australia is in a commanding position after the first day warm up game against South Africa.

South Africa started the day off well with Mark Boucher, stand-in as captain for the injured Kallis, elected to field first. Langeveld made the original breakthrough bowling Justin Langer for 21. He then also caught Chris Rogers on the fence off the bowling of Nel which left Western Australia 51/2. Pollock also chipped in with the wicket of Clint Heron who was caught behind.

There was some rain after lunch and at that stage Western Australia was struggling with 73/3. However, Adam Voges (sounds very South African) and Marcus North put up a great stand to go into Tea on 177/3. Voges was eventually send packing by Boje, but not after scoring and impressive 101. He was caught at long on by Garnett Kruger after they attempted to up the scoring rate.

Injury Scares

Bad news for South Africa though is that star batsman Jacques Kallis, who was the stand in captain for the injured Graeme Smith injuring his finger in the last ODI against India, has is suffering from a tendon injury in his left elbow, an injury originally sustained during a net practice in India. Shane Jabbar, South Africa’s physio, said he hoped Kallis would be fit to play in the next match against a Western Australia XI on the 11th of December.

Scorecard:

Western Australia 306/5 (Bandy 59*, Gillies 10*; 92 overs)

South Africans team: JA Rudolph, HH Gibbs, JM Kemp, *+MV Boucher, SM Pollock, N Boje, CK Langeveldt, M Ntini, A Nel, AB de Villiers, AG Prince.

Image: http://www.cricinfo.com

Click here to read full article and comments.

Jake White obviously does not agree with the majority of the Keo regulars. He believes there was a definite improvement from the Boks from last year. It seems White bases the fact that the Boks only lost 3 matches this year (Australia, NZ & France) to the 4 of last year (Australia, NZ, Ireland & England).

"I still think this year was more successful in that 2005 saw us face a much tougher schedule than we did in 2004," said White.

"At the start of the season we have just completed, there was only one game that we were absolutely sure of winning, and that was the opening game against Uruguay in East London."

"After Uruguay we played France twice, and then we played Australia a couple of times before the Tri-Nations. On this most recent tour we played Argentina in Argentina and we also played against the Six Nations champions at their home field. You only have to look at what happened to Australia to see what could well have happened to us."

It seems though that White forgets that we narrowly won against a very weak Australian team on home soil. This hardly gets rid of the bogey that has been haunting us for a number of years, namely, not being able to win away games against quality full strength teams.

We played a very tired and experimental French side in South Africa and was very lucky to walk away with a draw in Durban. To say we beat the Six Nations champions is also scraping the barrel a bit. Even the Welsh will agree that they are hardly the team that beat Ireland in the showdown for the six nations title earlier this year. Add to the fact they are were also without a couple of their stars.

We still could not beat a full strength side away from home and especially a top Northern Hemisphere team like the French. That must be worrying to some extent.

There were highlights to the performances of the Boks this year, the tests against NZ in Cape Town and Dunedin are examples of such performances, but like so many muppits, I get the feeling the team only lifts itself for games against NZ and too a lesser extent Australia. Maybe we are playing them too often?

It would have been interesting to get White's view on individual player performances. Maybe we can award points as muppits for each player who played consistently for the Boks this year on their overall performance for the whole year.

Call it the Muppits Player Award.


Image: SARugby.net Click here to read full article and comments.

Well well. It seems Joel Stransky does read Keo.co.za. Asked to compile a list of all time great players he came up with some interesting choices.

I guess like all of us, he chose players which he either has seen play in his life, or players he has played against.

Surprising selections in my view is the omission of Christian Cullen, Ray Mordt and Andre Venter. Instead he opted for Serge Blanco (close call that), Joe Rokocoko and The Sniffer formerly known as Lawrence Dallaglio.

Otherwise not a bad team.

Full team:

Serge Blanco; Joe Rokocoko, Danie Gerber, Tim Horan, Jonah Lomu, Hugo Porta, Justin Marshall, Zinzan Brooke, Richie McCaw, Lawrence Dallaglio, Mark Andrews, Martin Johnson, Olo Brown, Sean Fitzpatrick, Os du Randt.

Picture: Jan Hamman (Beeld) RWC '95 Semi-Final Click here to read full article and comments.

Well since we have been left in the bloody cold by our mates at Keo, I thought it might be a nice idea to create something to keep ourselves busy with until normality returns.

I guess we'll get the usual drivel we have become used to, the now infamous BrannasNacht, Donners Sex Tip for the day, Kandas and his spears, insightfull 3 a.m. postings by Rasputin and some sensible sports discussions every now and then.

I am still busy with the settings of the blog so be patient, give me a day or two and let's see what happens! Click here to read full article and comments.