Saturday, December 17, 2005
International Teams: 2006: the year of the blackout
Source: www.rugbyheaven.smh.com.au
Original Source: Reuters
New Zealand stood astride 2005 like a black-clad rugby colossus, sweeping all before them in unprecedented dominance of the global game.
In winning 11 of their 12 Test matches, the All Blacks completed a series whitewash of the British and Irish Lions, reclaimed the Tri Nations title, retained the Bledisloe Cup and finished off with a Grand Slam European tour.
Flyhalf Dan Carter was rightly acclaimed the sport's best player by both the International Rugby Board and the players' union while Graham Henry was unsurprisingly named coach of the year.
It was all fitting reward for a team playing a brand of high-speed, high-intensity, high-skill rugby at which the rest of the world could only marvel.
However, New Zealand's other notable victory this year, securing hosting rights for the 2011 rugby World Cup, was the wrong sort of black mark for the game.
After years of lip-service about the need to expand rugby's horizons, the people representing the traditional powers chose to ignore the claims of Japan and the chance to move the event to Asia for the first time.
The decision, made by an IRB council weighted ridiculously in favour of the main European and southern hemisphere nations, was widely criticised.
On the pitch, New Zealand deserved everything they got.
They began their year with a 91-0 destruction of Fiji, a warm-up for the Lions series that obviously did the job.
The Lions, with England's World Cup-winning coach Clive Woodward, arrived in New Zealand seeking only their second series win. Despite travelling with their biggest-ever squad and an army of coaching and back-up staff they never looked remotely capable of matching the heroics of 1971.
Some of Woodward's selections were baffling but there was bad luck too when captain Brian O'Driscoll was dumped out of the series in the first minute of the first Test by a controversial spear tackle that dogged All Black captain Tana Umaga for the rest of the year.
New Zealand won the first test 21-3 and then really reached the heights in the second as Carter produced a consummate all-round display to score 33 points in a 48-18 victory.
The clean sweep was duly completed but the All Black procession was jolted in their opening Tri Nations match when South Africa inflicted a 22-16 defeat in Cape Town, their only loss of the year.
Three more wins, however, secured the Tri Nations title.
The All Blacks arrived in Europe to mark the centenary of their first tour with Henry claiming a Grand Slam was secondary to developing a squad for the 2007 World Cup.
True to his word he used 30 different starters in opening wins over Wales and Ireland. Only against England, in a titanic Twickenham battle, did he feel the need to field his best team.
After all the excitement generated by their quicksilver backs, it was defensive obduracy that won the day against the world champions as, down to 14 men for the last 23 minutes, they held out for a 23-19 win.
Their second slam, 27 years after the first, was completed against Scotland but for the modern All Blacks fan the achievement will become a mere footnote if the team fail to follow up by winning the 2007 World Cup.
It was also a memorable year for Wales, whose fans regained their pride and whose team rediscovered their ability to play the sort of exciting rugby that was the hallmark of their glory days of the early 1970s.
Wales won the Six Nations for the first time since 1994 and the Grand Slam for the first time in 27 years but it was the effervescent, exciting nature of their play that gladdened the heart.
Their astonishing 24-18 victory over France in Paris featured one of the sport's great comebacks and the Grand Slam decider against an Ireland team who had also won their first three games produced an atmosphere that will live long in the hearts of the 72,000 at the Millennium Stadium.
England struggled as new coach Andy Robinson battled to overcome the loss of many of his World Cup stalwarts.
Defeats by Wales, Ireland and France left them an unaccustomed fourth in the Six Nations, though the green shoots of recovery were evident in November with victories over Australia and Samoa.
Australia signed off with a defeat in Cardiff that represented their eighth in nine games, led to the sacking of coach Eddie Jones and left a cloud over the future of captain George Gregan, who overhauled former England prop Jason Leonard to become the game's most capped player with 118 appearances.
New Zealand's Canterbury Crusaders won the last Super 12 title - it expands to Super 14 next year - beating the NSW Waratahs in Christchurch to take the honours for the fifth time.
Reuters
Click here to read full article and comments.
Original Source: Reuters
New Zealand stood astride 2005 like a black-clad rugby colossus, sweeping all before them in unprecedented dominance of the global game.
In winning 11 of their 12 Test matches, the All Blacks completed a series whitewash of the British and Irish Lions, reclaimed the Tri Nations title, retained the Bledisloe Cup and finished off with a Grand Slam European tour.
Flyhalf Dan Carter was rightly acclaimed the sport's best player by both the International Rugby Board and the players' union while Graham Henry was unsurprisingly named coach of the year.
It was all fitting reward for a team playing a brand of high-speed, high-intensity, high-skill rugby at which the rest of the world could only marvel.
However, New Zealand's other notable victory this year, securing hosting rights for the 2011 rugby World Cup, was the wrong sort of black mark for the game.
After years of lip-service about the need to expand rugby's horizons, the people representing the traditional powers chose to ignore the claims of Japan and the chance to move the event to Asia for the first time.
The decision, made by an IRB council weighted ridiculously in favour of the main European and southern hemisphere nations, was widely criticised.
On the pitch, New Zealand deserved everything they got.
They began their year with a 91-0 destruction of Fiji, a warm-up for the Lions series that obviously did the job.
The Lions, with England's World Cup-winning coach Clive Woodward, arrived in New Zealand seeking only their second series win. Despite travelling with their biggest-ever squad and an army of coaching and back-up staff they never looked remotely capable of matching the heroics of 1971.
Some of Woodward's selections were baffling but there was bad luck too when captain Brian O'Driscoll was dumped out of the series in the first minute of the first Test by a controversial spear tackle that dogged All Black captain Tana Umaga for the rest of the year.
New Zealand won the first test 21-3 and then really reached the heights in the second as Carter produced a consummate all-round display to score 33 points in a 48-18 victory.
The clean sweep was duly completed but the All Black procession was jolted in their opening Tri Nations match when South Africa inflicted a 22-16 defeat in Cape Town, their only loss of the year.
Three more wins, however, secured the Tri Nations title.
The All Blacks arrived in Europe to mark the centenary of their first tour with Henry claiming a Grand Slam was secondary to developing a squad for the 2007 World Cup.
True to his word he used 30 different starters in opening wins over Wales and Ireland. Only against England, in a titanic Twickenham battle, did he feel the need to field his best team.
After all the excitement generated by their quicksilver backs, it was defensive obduracy that won the day against the world champions as, down to 14 men for the last 23 minutes, they held out for a 23-19 win.
Their second slam, 27 years after the first, was completed against Scotland but for the modern All Blacks fan the achievement will become a mere footnote if the team fail to follow up by winning the 2007 World Cup.
It was also a memorable year for Wales, whose fans regained their pride and whose team rediscovered their ability to play the sort of exciting rugby that was the hallmark of their glory days of the early 1970s.
Wales won the Six Nations for the first time since 1994 and the Grand Slam for the first time in 27 years but it was the effervescent, exciting nature of their play that gladdened the heart.
Their astonishing 24-18 victory over France in Paris featured one of the sport's great comebacks and the Grand Slam decider against an Ireland team who had also won their first three games produced an atmosphere that will live long in the hearts of the 72,000 at the Millennium Stadium.
England struggled as new coach Andy Robinson battled to overcome the loss of many of his World Cup stalwarts.
Defeats by Wales, Ireland and France left them an unaccustomed fourth in the Six Nations, though the green shoots of recovery were evident in November with victories over Australia and Samoa.
Australia signed off with a defeat in Cardiff that represented their eighth in nine games, led to the sacking of coach Eddie Jones and left a cloud over the future of captain George Gregan, who overhauled former England prop Jason Leonard to become the game's most capped player with 118 appearances.
New Zealand's Canterbury Crusaders won the last Super 12 title - it expands to Super 14 next year - beating the NSW Waratahs in Christchurch to take the honours for the fifth time.
Reuters
Click here to read full article and comments.
Other Unions: Simple life is wasted on Harlequins
For those unaware, Harlequins are by far the biggest club in London and were relegated from the Premier League last year. They are captained by Andre Vos and bought Andrew Mehrtens to bolster their challenge for promotion. Below is an article from ex-policeman and England lock, Paul Ackford.
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
By: Paul Ackford
Welcome to the world of hog roasts, real ale and potential banana skins. It was a bizarre experience watching Harlequins survive against Plymouth Albion yesterday by 23-16.
The rugby was far more watchable than the usual fare served up by the Premiership. There were no professional fouls, no time-wasting and relatively little injury time. In fact, I'd forgotten how good a spectacle matches at this level can be.
But bizarre? Get this. One Albion old boy, now running a bar in Thailand, sidled up to me before the start. "There's a rumour I'm dead," he said in all seriousness before wandering off again.
Ten minutes earlier a bloke who said he was a policeman in charge of informants in London had approached. "I've heard your name every day for 10 years," he moaned. "My wife named our two cats Ackford and Dooley. They're dead now."
That's the beauty of National League One rugby. It's not that the rugby isn't deadly serious because it undoubtedly is. It's just that the intimacy of the occasion allows for those kinds of experiences, like watching the elderly hen party parading as Mother Christmases behind the posts, or the sight of a gang of wheelchair users enjoying the match on a raised dais courtesy of money raised by the Wooden Spoon society.
On the pitch there was a lot going on too. The ref lost a contact lens early after awarding a series of penalties against Plymouth. "That says it all," said a wag as the official prodded his left eye with his finger.
"You should have gone to Specsavers."
Then there was the clash of cultures. Quins, bolstered by a £1.5 million parachute payment after being relegated from the Premiership last season, could probably buy Albion three times over. Andrew Mehrtens, their All Black outside-half, is paid as much each year as the Albion front five together.
Before the season Quins' backroom staff surveyed each League One venue to make sure their players were acquainted with the geography and feel of the place before they turned up. Photographs of the changing rooms were taken, videos distributed.
Yesterday they had a camera at Plymouth to feed back snippets of play for Dean Richards and his coaching staff to analyse.
So it would be fair to assume, with all that money and technology and expertise on hand, that Quins would be the more sophisticated side. Er, bin that assumption. Quins were outscored by Plymouth by two tries to one as the West Country team played all the rugby, most of it coming through Mehrtens' channel. "They don't need that analysis," someone said. "They just need to get Mehrtens to tackle."
And that was perhaps the most disappointing aspect from a neutral perspective. Quins, especially in the second period, had oodles of possession yet all they did was work it to Mehrtens who sought the corners to pin down Plymouth and wait for the inevitable penalty opportunity. Adventurous it was not, but Mehrtens finished with six penalties, Quins finished with another victory to extend their unbeaten run to 12 matches and almost guarantee their return to the Premiership, and Albion finished with a record gate of 5,551 and a huge dollop of pride.
As for the state of rugby one rung below the top level. Yes, it was genuinely exciting. Yes, there were more line breaks, more adventure (mainly from Albion) than Bath and England, to name only two sides, have managed all season. But a lot of the teams in this league are populated by foreign players limiting the development of the next tier of England players.
Plymouth's back line consisted of a home-grown full-back, centres from South Africa and Tonga, a French wing, a Devonian outside-half and, for much of the second half, a scrum-half from Argentina. No complaints about the quality of their work - they gave Quins the run-around at times. But it's hardly fertile territory for England-qualified youngsters. At least Plymouth reversed that trend when it came to their forwards.
There were two images of the afternoon for me. One was of Dean Richards leaning nonchalantly, arms folded, on the post as his players ran complicated warm-up patterns. Typical Deano that.
This is a man whose idea of a warm-up in his England days was to roll down his socks, lift his shirt, pat his belly and time how long it took to stop the flesh wobbling. It was good to see him back on the English scene after a spell in Grenoble.
The other was when Graham Dawe, former England hooker and Albion coach, came off the bench to batter away at Quins for the final 10 minutes.
The staggering fact about Dawe is that, aged 46, he is still playing, still competitive and still being a proverbial pain in the arse to opposing front rows.
He couldn't pull it off yesterday and some say he should be seeking the comfort of his arm chair rather than locking horns with men half his age, but at least he is out there playing the sport rather than pontificating about it.
Still, I bet he's never had a cat named after him
Click here to read full article and comments.
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
By: Paul Ackford
Welcome to the world of hog roasts, real ale and potential banana skins. It was a bizarre experience watching Harlequins survive against Plymouth Albion yesterday by 23-16.
The rugby was far more watchable than the usual fare served up by the Premiership. There were no professional fouls, no time-wasting and relatively little injury time. In fact, I'd forgotten how good a spectacle matches at this level can be.
But bizarre? Get this. One Albion old boy, now running a bar in Thailand, sidled up to me before the start. "There's a rumour I'm dead," he said in all seriousness before wandering off again.
Ten minutes earlier a bloke who said he was a policeman in charge of informants in London had approached. "I've heard your name every day for 10 years," he moaned. "My wife named our two cats Ackford and Dooley. They're dead now."
That's the beauty of National League One rugby. It's not that the rugby isn't deadly serious because it undoubtedly is. It's just that the intimacy of the occasion allows for those kinds of experiences, like watching the elderly hen party parading as Mother Christmases behind the posts, or the sight of a gang of wheelchair users enjoying the match on a raised dais courtesy of money raised by the Wooden Spoon society.
On the pitch there was a lot going on too. The ref lost a contact lens early after awarding a series of penalties against Plymouth. "That says it all," said a wag as the official prodded his left eye with his finger.
"You should have gone to Specsavers."
Then there was the clash of cultures. Quins, bolstered by a £1.5 million parachute payment after being relegated from the Premiership last season, could probably buy Albion three times over. Andrew Mehrtens, their All Black outside-half, is paid as much each year as the Albion front five together.
Before the season Quins' backroom staff surveyed each League One venue to make sure their players were acquainted with the geography and feel of the place before they turned up. Photographs of the changing rooms were taken, videos distributed.
Yesterday they had a camera at Plymouth to feed back snippets of play for Dean Richards and his coaching staff to analyse.
So it would be fair to assume, with all that money and technology and expertise on hand, that Quins would be the more sophisticated side. Er, bin that assumption. Quins were outscored by Plymouth by two tries to one as the West Country team played all the rugby, most of it coming through Mehrtens' channel. "They don't need that analysis," someone said. "They just need to get Mehrtens to tackle."
And that was perhaps the most disappointing aspect from a neutral perspective. Quins, especially in the second period, had oodles of possession yet all they did was work it to Mehrtens who sought the corners to pin down Plymouth and wait for the inevitable penalty opportunity. Adventurous it was not, but Mehrtens finished with six penalties, Quins finished with another victory to extend their unbeaten run to 12 matches and almost guarantee their return to the Premiership, and Albion finished with a record gate of 5,551 and a huge dollop of pride.
As for the state of rugby one rung below the top level. Yes, it was genuinely exciting. Yes, there were more line breaks, more adventure (mainly from Albion) than Bath and England, to name only two sides, have managed all season. But a lot of the teams in this league are populated by foreign players limiting the development of the next tier of England players.
Plymouth's back line consisted of a home-grown full-back, centres from South Africa and Tonga, a French wing, a Devonian outside-half and, for much of the second half, a scrum-half from Argentina. No complaints about the quality of their work - they gave Quins the run-around at times. But it's hardly fertile territory for England-qualified youngsters. At least Plymouth reversed that trend when it came to their forwards.
There were two images of the afternoon for me. One was of Dean Richards leaning nonchalantly, arms folded, on the post as his players ran complicated warm-up patterns. Typical Deano that.
This is a man whose idea of a warm-up in his England days was to roll down his socks, lift his shirt, pat his belly and time how long it took to stop the flesh wobbling. It was good to see him back on the English scene after a spell in Grenoble.
The other was when Graham Dawe, former England hooker and Albion coach, came off the bench to batter away at Quins for the final 10 minutes.
The staggering fact about Dawe is that, aged 46, he is still playing, still competitive and still being a proverbial pain in the arse to opposing front rows.
He couldn't pull it off yesterday and some say he should be seeking the comfort of his arm chair rather than locking horns with men half his age, but at least he is out there playing the sport rather than pontificating about it.
Still, I bet he's never had a cat named after him
Click here to read full article and comments.
Discussions: When violence tramples on the game's fine line
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
By Mick Cleary
(Filed: 16/12/2005)
Those of us who like their rugby spiced with a touch of brutality do so because we have a precise grid reference for the fine line. On one side exists raw-meat rugby, full of big hits and collisions as well as that diminishing species, the occasional punch-up. It's a basic, visceral experience. Where else can you let loose the beast within? But the line is there, always there. The other side of the divide is a dark place, an area of mayhem and lawlessness. Anything goes.
Rugby does not often descend to those depths. When it does, it is usually yanked back to the bright uplands pretty quickly, usually by the referee's whistle.
Last Saturday, playing for Esher in a veterans' match, John Inverdale had little awareness of anything except the blood that was coursing down his face. He had just taken a boot to the forehead, and a right mess it made.
Inverdale was shepherded to the touchline and swabbed by the sponge man, who was desperately trying to stem the flow. No action was taken at the time, the referee blowing for no side immediately. The game, against Staines Vets, finished 17-17.
Inverdale, 48, and in decent shape despite years of journalistic excess, was playing on the left wing. In what was to be the last play of the game Ray Dudman, the Esher fly-half, leathered the ball downfield. Inverdale set off in pursuit, as did the covering Staines wing. The ball landed end-up, near the try-line, and bounced back over the heads of the two players.
Inverdale swivelled, lost his footing and saw another Staines player get hold of the ball. Inverdale managed to get some sort of tackling grip on the defender's leg. Mistake, as it turned out. The other leg made contact with Inverdale's head, lacerating his brow.
And that, dear reader, is where the fine line exists. Boots and heads shouldn't meet. One man's deliberate stamp is another man's accident, you might say. Ask any rugby player. They know the difference.
The pages of The Daily Telegraph would not normally be taken up with disciplinary matters of an old lags' match. Inverdale, though, is one of ours, as well as being a high-profile BBC presenter. He has not attended any function, business or pleasure, for the past five days, even skipping Sunday's Sports Review of the Year (there might be a few others wishing they'd done the same). He did a stint alongside Denise Lewis for UKTV Sport to be aired this weekend. Inverdale is there in his full gory glory.
The real point of this piece is to highlight the dilemma now facing Inverdale, one which countless rugby players face. What do you do when you're feeling aggrieved?
Complain, and you come over as a wuss, a celebrity softie crying foul in a big man's world.
But what if the citing process fails to unearth sufficient evidence? Should Inverdale consider a civil action? Tricky terrain, that one. Those that argue that every act on a sports field should be subject to the same rule of law as the ordinary civilian takes no account of the fact that Joe Soap doesn't have 10 bells knocked out of him when walking down the street. A rugby player does. And quite legitimately.
It's for this reason, this intense physical Inverdale has put the matter in the hands of his club of which he has been a member for 19 years. He is also rugby manager at Esher. Citing procedures have been issued. That's not a course every club would take. Some might not have the funds to stump up the £200 the RFU request in order to avoid "frivolous or vexatious citings".
It's for this reason, this intense physical confrontation, that the odd punch does get thrown. That, to me, is acceptable.
A boot on the head is something else entirely. The fine line is wrongly labelled. The line is very clear, wouldn't you say?
www.telegraph.co.uk/cleary Click here to read full article and comments.
By Mick Cleary
(Filed: 16/12/2005)
Those of us who like their rugby spiced with a touch of brutality do so because we have a precise grid reference for the fine line. On one side exists raw-meat rugby, full of big hits and collisions as well as that diminishing species, the occasional punch-up. It's a basic, visceral experience. Where else can you let loose the beast within? But the line is there, always there. The other side of the divide is a dark place, an area of mayhem and lawlessness. Anything goes.
Rugby does not often descend to those depths. When it does, it is usually yanked back to the bright uplands pretty quickly, usually by the referee's whistle.
Last Saturday, playing for Esher in a veterans' match, John Inverdale had little awareness of anything except the blood that was coursing down his face. He had just taken a boot to the forehead, and a right mess it made.
Inverdale was shepherded to the touchline and swabbed by the sponge man, who was desperately trying to stem the flow. No action was taken at the time, the referee blowing for no side immediately. The game, against Staines Vets, finished 17-17.
Inverdale, 48, and in decent shape despite years of journalistic excess, was playing on the left wing. In what was to be the last play of the game Ray Dudman, the Esher fly-half, leathered the ball downfield. Inverdale set off in pursuit, as did the covering Staines wing. The ball landed end-up, near the try-line, and bounced back over the heads of the two players.
Inverdale swivelled, lost his footing and saw another Staines player get hold of the ball. Inverdale managed to get some sort of tackling grip on the defender's leg. Mistake, as it turned out. The other leg made contact with Inverdale's head, lacerating his brow.
And that, dear reader, is where the fine line exists. Boots and heads shouldn't meet. One man's deliberate stamp is another man's accident, you might say. Ask any rugby player. They know the difference.
The pages of The Daily Telegraph would not normally be taken up with disciplinary matters of an old lags' match. Inverdale, though, is one of ours, as well as being a high-profile BBC presenter. He has not attended any function, business or pleasure, for the past five days, even skipping Sunday's Sports Review of the Year (there might be a few others wishing they'd done the same). He did a stint alongside Denise Lewis for UKTV Sport to be aired this weekend. Inverdale is there in his full gory glory.
The real point of this piece is to highlight the dilemma now facing Inverdale, one which countless rugby players face. What do you do when you're feeling aggrieved?
Complain, and you come over as a wuss, a celebrity softie crying foul in a big man's world.
But what if the citing process fails to unearth sufficient evidence? Should Inverdale consider a civil action? Tricky terrain, that one. Those that argue that every act on a sports field should be subject to the same rule of law as the ordinary civilian takes no account of the fact that Joe Soap doesn't have 10 bells knocked out of him when walking down the street. A rugby player does. And quite legitimately.
It's for this reason, this intense physical Inverdale has put the matter in the hands of his club of which he has been a member for 19 years. He is also rugby manager at Esher. Citing procedures have been issued. That's not a course every club would take. Some might not have the funds to stump up the £200 the RFU request in order to avoid "frivolous or vexatious citings".
It's for this reason, this intense physical confrontation, that the odd punch does get thrown. That, to me, is acceptable.
A boot on the head is something else entirely. The fine line is wrongly labelled. The line is very clear, wouldn't you say?
www.telegraph.co.uk/cleary Click here to read full article and comments.
Other Tournaments: Sale's forward charge proves too much for Castres
Sale 35 - 3 Castres
Andy Wilson at Edgeley Park
Saturday December 17, 2005
The Guardian
Sébastien Chabal celebrated the new three-year contract he signed with Sale last week with a try either side of half-time to extend their lead at the top of Pool One and take the English side to within touching distance of a first appearance in the Heineken Cup quarter-finals.
The back-row broke Castres' unconvincing resistance by plunging over from close range late in the first half, then added a spectacular second with a 70-metre gallop after intercepting Phil Christophers' pass to remove any doubt about the result.
Jason Robinson scored a third Sale try while the Castres hooker David Roumieu was still in the sin-bin for an infringement in the build-up to Chabal's first, and the substitute Robert Todd completed a near- perfect night for the Sharks by securing their bonus point with the last touch of the match. "Before the game I will sign for this," Sale's rugby director Philippe Saint-Andre said after a second win in a week against Castres. Even a worrying-looking injury to the England wing Mark Cueto turned out to be nothing more serious than a bang to his hip.
"I don't think it was our best performance, we can improve by 40%. But if we win, we score four tries and we still have a lot of work to do, that is good."
Sale are still not mathematically certain of a place in the last eight but, as their next European game is at home to Newport Gwent Dragons next month, they must now be favourites to guarantee a home quarter-final before travelling to Munster for their last pool match.
This was a far more comfortable night than last week's tight battle in Castres. The physical and mental superiority which Sale's forwards had worked so hard to establish there was never threatened by visitors who reinforced the stereotype about French teams' lack of stomach on the road. Castres made eight changes from the starting line-up beaten 20-16 in France last Friday - six in the pack - and soon went 3-0 behind to the first of three penalties from the excellent Charlie Hodgson.
But there was undeniably a contest to watch throughout the first half as the full-back Roman Teulet brought Castes briefly level and they did not concede a try until Roumieu's costly sin-binning. But Sale were always on top even if they only really clicked once in the first half, when their England wings past and present, Robinson and Cueto, combined slickly down the middle to set up the position for Hodgson's third penalty.
Shortly after that Cueto pulled up lame. It looked worryingly like a hamstring - bad timing with Sale facing three important Premiership matches in 14 days after Christmas - but Saint-André did not seem too worried later, reflecting that a win against Northampton on Boxing Day would complete "a great year".
Sale Sharks: Larrechea; Cueto (Mayor, 35), Taylor (Todd, 60), Seveali'I, Robinson; Hodgson, Martens (Coutts, 53); Sheridan, Bruno (Titterell, 64), Turner (Stewart, 64), Jones, Schofield (Fernandez-Lobbe, 53), White, Lund, Chabal.
Sub not used: Courrent.
Tries: Chabal 2, Robinson, Todd. Pens: Hodgson 3. Cons: Hodgson 3.
Castres: Teulet; Milford, Raffault, Christophers, Ropati; Delaigue, Albouy; Forestier (Hoeft, 20), Roumieu (Vigneaux, 47), Attoub (Castex, 47), Ghezal, Capo Ortega, Froment, Bernad, Taussac.
Subs: Nallet, Puricelli, Fior, Montoro.
Sin bin: Roumieu (40).
Pen: Teulet.
Referee: M Changleng (Scotland).
Click here to read full article and comments.
Andy Wilson at Edgeley Park
Saturday December 17, 2005
The Guardian
Sébastien Chabal celebrated the new three-year contract he signed with Sale last week with a try either side of half-time to extend their lead at the top of Pool One and take the English side to within touching distance of a first appearance in the Heineken Cup quarter-finals.
The back-row broke Castres' unconvincing resistance by plunging over from close range late in the first half, then added a spectacular second with a 70-metre gallop after intercepting Phil Christophers' pass to remove any doubt about the result.
Jason Robinson scored a third Sale try while the Castres hooker David Roumieu was still in the sin-bin for an infringement in the build-up to Chabal's first, and the substitute Robert Todd completed a near- perfect night for the Sharks by securing their bonus point with the last touch of the match. "Before the game I will sign for this," Sale's rugby director Philippe Saint-Andre said after a second win in a week against Castres. Even a worrying-looking injury to the England wing Mark Cueto turned out to be nothing more serious than a bang to his hip.
"I don't think it was our best performance, we can improve by 40%. But if we win, we score four tries and we still have a lot of work to do, that is good."
Sale are still not mathematically certain of a place in the last eight but, as their next European game is at home to Newport Gwent Dragons next month, they must now be favourites to guarantee a home quarter-final before travelling to Munster for their last pool match.
This was a far more comfortable night than last week's tight battle in Castres. The physical and mental superiority which Sale's forwards had worked so hard to establish there was never threatened by visitors who reinforced the stereotype about French teams' lack of stomach on the road. Castres made eight changes from the starting line-up beaten 20-16 in France last Friday - six in the pack - and soon went 3-0 behind to the first of three penalties from the excellent Charlie Hodgson.
But there was undeniably a contest to watch throughout the first half as the full-back Roman Teulet brought Castes briefly level and they did not concede a try until Roumieu's costly sin-binning. But Sale were always on top even if they only really clicked once in the first half, when their England wings past and present, Robinson and Cueto, combined slickly down the middle to set up the position for Hodgson's third penalty.
Shortly after that Cueto pulled up lame. It looked worryingly like a hamstring - bad timing with Sale facing three important Premiership matches in 14 days after Christmas - but Saint-André did not seem too worried later, reflecting that a win against Northampton on Boxing Day would complete "a great year".
Sale Sharks: Larrechea; Cueto (Mayor, 35), Taylor (Todd, 60), Seveali'I, Robinson; Hodgson, Martens (Coutts, 53); Sheridan, Bruno (Titterell, 64), Turner (Stewart, 64), Jones, Schofield (Fernandez-Lobbe, 53), White, Lund, Chabal.
Sub not used: Courrent.
Tries: Chabal 2, Robinson, Todd. Pens: Hodgson 3. Cons: Hodgson 3.
Castres: Teulet; Milford, Raffault, Christophers, Ropati; Delaigue, Albouy; Forestier (Hoeft, 20), Roumieu (Vigneaux, 47), Attoub (Castex, 47), Ghezal, Capo Ortega, Froment, Bernad, Taussac.
Subs: Nallet, Puricelli, Fior, Montoro.
Sin bin: Roumieu (40).
Pen: Teulet.
Referee: M Changleng (Scotland).
Click here to read full article and comments.
Rugby Personalities: Healey enjoys a change of role
By David Hands
The Leicester Lip is ready for life after rugby in the real world
FOR so long, Austin Healey has tried to be the central figure, the main man, the cheeky chappie — for Leicester, for England, for the Lions. Now he is content to be the impact player, the accessory rather than the fashion statement and, believe it or not, the role suits him.
Against the Ospreys last Sunday in the Heineken Cup, Healey appeared after 51 minutes as a replacement on the wing. There was a strength to his game that has not always been there and that was best illustrated not by his try, wrapped up with his forwards, but in a clash with Gavin Henson.
That it should have been Henson was a nice coincidence because he and Healey share certain characteristics, but the Wales centre tried to deal with Healey as he did with Mathew Tait during the Wales v England game last season, by lifting him off his feet in the tackle. Healey, though, kept his legs pumping and drove on through Henson as his supporting colleagues came in and kept the momentum of the attack going.
It was the sign of a player living the moment, retaining the enthusiasm of one younger than his 32 years to place alongside the experience of 51 international caps and 230 appearances for his club. A player, indeed, far more relaxed and settled than he was at the start of the season.
Next year, Healey will start training for life after rugby. “Four months ago I was quite concerned about what I was going to do,” he said. “Would I take the easy way and go into coaching or find employment elsewhere?” His answer was to consult Careers After Sport, the organisation established last year by Jon Sleightholme, the former England wing, and two partners from the world of recruitment, Alan Dickenson and Russell Yeomans, which helps elite sports people — not only from rugby — to make the transition to what Healey calls the “real world”.
The company has identified that top-class sports people represent a vaulable commodity to the business world because they have the drive and motivation to succeed. Healey’s quick wit has landed him in trouble on many occasions over the past ten years, but the intelligence and perception that he has brought to the game may also have a wider application, even if at this stage he chooses to keep his new career under wraps.
His full-time playing career will close at the season’s end and he will then play as a part-timer while he develops his alternative job. “It’s taken a huge weight off my shoulders,” Healey said. “For any international sportsman who has not been involved in a business outside sport for ten years, it’s a huge step and a worrying one.”
For the past two years, Healey has been conscious that his body could not take the strain, in particular the back injury that so affected him in 2003 and that probably cost him a place in England’s World Cup squad.
There has been the knee and the groin, too, but the back is littered with disc trouble and has caused sciatic problems in his right leg; the explosive speed is no longer there, but that has been replaced by the experience that allows him to cut the odd corner.
As it is, Healey cannot bend to talk to his two daughters, Ellie-May and Daisy — he has to kneel — and if there is one element in his life that has changed Healey from “rent-a-quote to a relatively sensible person”, it is his role as a father.
“A major point in my international career was the arrival of our first girl,” he said. “I lost a bit of drive to do stuff, I’d go for the option of taking her for an ice cream.” The birth of Daisy coincided with Healey’s omission from the World Cup squad, as though life was emphasising that there are priorities other than sporting glory.
The Leicester Lip has not been entirely buttoned, it should be said. A legion of players, colleagues and rivals still regard Healey as Mr Gobby, but the serious sportsman who has always lurked within may be due a run. In his autobiography, Healey wrote: “Inside me there is a normal person, prone to the same failings as everyone else. It’s just that I don’t want to be normal. So I don’t let him out.” Maybe normality is the next great step to be taken.
THE GREAT JAPES
Asked what his greatest strength was before his first full appearance for England in 1997, Healey said: "My ability."
Was forced to stand silent in a corner, bound with black tape and an apple stuffed in his mouth by his team-mates on 1997 Lions tour.
On professional sport: "There's no room for self-doubt. So I go out of my way to talk myself up, to bury any feelings of vulnerability. I'm at my best when it's make or break."
Healey and Matt Dawson turned up for England training with the Royal Marines in beach shirts and shorts, having bet each other £50 how long it would take Clive Woodward to protest.
Called Graham Henry, coach of the 2001 Lions, Ming the Merciless. Click here to read full article and comments.
The Leicester Lip is ready for life after rugby in the real world
FOR so long, Austin Healey has tried to be the central figure, the main man, the cheeky chappie — for Leicester, for England, for the Lions. Now he is content to be the impact player, the accessory rather than the fashion statement and, believe it or not, the role suits him.
Against the Ospreys last Sunday in the Heineken Cup, Healey appeared after 51 minutes as a replacement on the wing. There was a strength to his game that has not always been there and that was best illustrated not by his try, wrapped up with his forwards, but in a clash with Gavin Henson.
That it should have been Henson was a nice coincidence because he and Healey share certain characteristics, but the Wales centre tried to deal with Healey as he did with Mathew Tait during the Wales v England game last season, by lifting him off his feet in the tackle. Healey, though, kept his legs pumping and drove on through Henson as his supporting colleagues came in and kept the momentum of the attack going.
It was the sign of a player living the moment, retaining the enthusiasm of one younger than his 32 years to place alongside the experience of 51 international caps and 230 appearances for his club. A player, indeed, far more relaxed and settled than he was at the start of the season.
Next year, Healey will start training for life after rugby. “Four months ago I was quite concerned about what I was going to do,” he said. “Would I take the easy way and go into coaching or find employment elsewhere?” His answer was to consult Careers After Sport, the organisation established last year by Jon Sleightholme, the former England wing, and two partners from the world of recruitment, Alan Dickenson and Russell Yeomans, which helps elite sports people — not only from rugby — to make the transition to what Healey calls the “real world”.
The company has identified that top-class sports people represent a vaulable commodity to the business world because they have the drive and motivation to succeed. Healey’s quick wit has landed him in trouble on many occasions over the past ten years, but the intelligence and perception that he has brought to the game may also have a wider application, even if at this stage he chooses to keep his new career under wraps.
His full-time playing career will close at the season’s end and he will then play as a part-timer while he develops his alternative job. “It’s taken a huge weight off my shoulders,” Healey said. “For any international sportsman who has not been involved in a business outside sport for ten years, it’s a huge step and a worrying one.”
For the past two years, Healey has been conscious that his body could not take the strain, in particular the back injury that so affected him in 2003 and that probably cost him a place in England’s World Cup squad.
There has been the knee and the groin, too, but the back is littered with disc trouble and has caused sciatic problems in his right leg; the explosive speed is no longer there, but that has been replaced by the experience that allows him to cut the odd corner.
As it is, Healey cannot bend to talk to his two daughters, Ellie-May and Daisy — he has to kneel — and if there is one element in his life that has changed Healey from “rent-a-quote to a relatively sensible person”, it is his role as a father.
“A major point in my international career was the arrival of our first girl,” he said. “I lost a bit of drive to do stuff, I’d go for the option of taking her for an ice cream.” The birth of Daisy coincided with Healey’s omission from the World Cup squad, as though life was emphasising that there are priorities other than sporting glory.
The Leicester Lip has not been entirely buttoned, it should be said. A legion of players, colleagues and rivals still regard Healey as Mr Gobby, but the serious sportsman who has always lurked within may be due a run. In his autobiography, Healey wrote: “Inside me there is a normal person, prone to the same failings as everyone else. It’s just that I don’t want to be normal. So I don’t let him out.” Maybe normality is the next great step to be taken.
THE GREAT JAPES
Asked what his greatest strength was before his first full appearance for England in 1997, Healey said: "My ability."
Was forced to stand silent in a corner, bound with black tape and an apple stuffed in his mouth by his team-mates on 1997 Lions tour.
On professional sport: "There's no room for self-doubt. So I go out of my way to talk myself up, to bury any feelings of vulnerability. I'm at my best when it's make or break."
Healey and Matt Dawson turned up for England training with the Royal Marines in beach shirts and shorts, having bet each other £50 how long it would take Clive Woodward to protest.
Called Graham Henry, coach of the 2001 Lions, Ming the Merciless. Click here to read full article and comments.
Other Tournaments: English rise to top as French eye the future
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
By Matthew Pryor
IF THE best French teams have flexed their muscles in the Heineken Cup, the European Challenge Cup continues to be the preserve of the English. All five pools are led by English teams. It shows the strength, or at least level playing field, of the Guinness Premiership relative to the French championship, where the top four or five teams are so much stronger than the rest.
The French clubs in the Challenge Cup are experimenting, whereas most of the English teams see it as the best way to qualify for the Heineken Cup next season. Thus Brive did not seem too disappointed to lose 25-22 away to Borders last weekend because they fielded a young team.
“We were looking at the European Challenge Cup as an opportunity to give our younger players the chance to get some high-quality rugby, but things are starting to look good for us in terms of qualification,” Jérôme Bonvoison, the Brive captain, said.
Things are looking better for the English, but this weekend Northampton, Worcester and London Irish, who all won close-fought home games last weekend, face tricky away games against the same opponents. Northampton had to go to Narbonne last night, where Bristol lost 20-13 in the first round of matches in October, and today Worcester are away to Connacht and London Irish away to Agen.
Newcastle Falcons should stroll past L’Aquila at Kingston Park tomorrow and although they still have to travel to Brive, leadership of pool four is almost secure. Gloucester look favourites to be the top seeds, having beaten Bayonne 26-10 in the first round of games and Toulon, the bottom team in the French championship, 74-3 in Toulon last Saturday. Click here to read full article and comments.
By Matthew Pryor
IF THE best French teams have flexed their muscles in the Heineken Cup, the European Challenge Cup continues to be the preserve of the English. All five pools are led by English teams. It shows the strength, or at least level playing field, of the Guinness Premiership relative to the French championship, where the top four or five teams are so much stronger than the rest.
The French clubs in the Challenge Cup are experimenting, whereas most of the English teams see it as the best way to qualify for the Heineken Cup next season. Thus Brive did not seem too disappointed to lose 25-22 away to Borders last weekend because they fielded a young team.
“We were looking at the European Challenge Cup as an opportunity to give our younger players the chance to get some high-quality rugby, but things are starting to look good for us in terms of qualification,” Jérôme Bonvoison, the Brive captain, said.
Things are looking better for the English, but this weekend Northampton, Worcester and London Irish, who all won close-fought home games last weekend, face tricky away games against the same opponents. Northampton had to go to Narbonne last night, where Bristol lost 20-13 in the first round of matches in October, and today Worcester are away to Connacht and London Irish away to Agen.
Newcastle Falcons should stroll past L’Aquila at Kingston Park tomorrow and although they still have to travel to Brive, leadership of pool four is almost secure. Gloucester look favourites to be the top seeds, having beaten Bayonne 26-10 in the first round of games and Toulon, the bottom team in the French championship, 74-3 in Toulon last Saturday. Click here to read full article and comments.
Discussions: Poms rapt with gift for whingeing
Submitted by: Boertjie
Source: news.com.au
December 16, 2005
LONDON: The English like nothing more than a whinge - everybody knows that. An unfair generalisation? Well, they're doing their best to live up to it.
One of the more popular English stocking-fillers this Yuletide is a charming little book called Is It Just Me, Or Is Everything Shit?. It's a publishing phenomenon - sales are soaring and copies are flying off the shelves.
According to the book, by Steve Lowe and Alan McArthur, everything is grounds for a good old moan - from TV shows to royalty, pop stars, shopping centres and Che Guevara.
The authors get no prizes for originality, however, as they're just the latest to capitalise on the malaise of pointless irritability that grips middle Britain.
The Gripes of Wrath - This Book is Guaranteed to Make Your Blood Boil is achieving success among British whiners. Or you can pick up Talk to the Hand - The Utter Bloody Rudeness of Everyday Life (or Six Good Reasons to Stay Home and Bolt the Door).
The Pedant's Revolt: Why Most Things You Think Are Right Are Wrong has also attracted plenty of buyers.
For those who like to be forewarned and miserable, there's Crap Towns: The 50 Worst Places to Live in the UK, or The Idler's Book of Crap Holidays: 50 Tales of Holiday Hell.
And let's not forget How To Support A Crap Football Team. And it's not just books. These titles all tap into the same vein of discontent that prompted the TV series Grumpy Old Men, shown in both
Britain and Australia, where middle-aged men vent their spleens on all and sundry.
There's also the companion series, Grumpy Old Women. And now into its third series is the hit TV sketch comedy Little Britain, a slide-show of grotesque characters that is as mean-spirited as it is
undeniably funny.
So what's going on?
If you were stuck beside such whingeing malcontents on the bus, you'd change seats. If you came across one down at the pub, you'd lock yourself in the loo.
So why are the English parting with their hard-earned cash to wallow in this pointless nihilism? Sure, misery loves company and all of that - but maybe these people should jump on a plane and visit a
less-fortunate country, where there is genuine cause for complaint. Then they could tell mothers scouring rubbish tips to scratch a living for their children just how crap their flight was. Click here to read full article and comments.
Source: news.com.au
December 16, 2005
LONDON: The English like nothing more than a whinge - everybody knows that. An unfair generalisation? Well, they're doing their best to live up to it.
One of the more popular English stocking-fillers this Yuletide is a charming little book called Is It Just Me, Or Is Everything Shit?. It's a publishing phenomenon - sales are soaring and copies are flying off the shelves.
According to the book, by Steve Lowe and Alan McArthur, everything is grounds for a good old moan - from TV shows to royalty, pop stars, shopping centres and Che Guevara.
The authors get no prizes for originality, however, as they're just the latest to capitalise on the malaise of pointless irritability that grips middle Britain.
The Gripes of Wrath - This Book is Guaranteed to Make Your Blood Boil is achieving success among British whiners. Or you can pick up Talk to the Hand - The Utter Bloody Rudeness of Everyday Life (or Six Good Reasons to Stay Home and Bolt the Door).
The Pedant's Revolt: Why Most Things You Think Are Right Are Wrong has also attracted plenty of buyers.
For those who like to be forewarned and miserable, there's Crap Towns: The 50 Worst Places to Live in the UK, or The Idler's Book of Crap Holidays: 50 Tales of Holiday Hell.
And let's not forget How To Support A Crap Football Team. And it's not just books. These titles all tap into the same vein of discontent that prompted the TV series Grumpy Old Men, shown in both
Britain and Australia, where middle-aged men vent their spleens on all and sundry.
There's also the companion series, Grumpy Old Women. And now into its third series is the hit TV sketch comedy Little Britain, a slide-show of grotesque characters that is as mean-spirited as it is
undeniably funny.
So what's going on?
If you were stuck beside such whingeing malcontents on the bus, you'd change seats. If you came across one down at the pub, you'd lock yourself in the loo.
So why are the English parting with their hard-earned cash to wallow in this pointless nihilism? Sure, misery loves company and all of that - but maybe these people should jump on a plane and visit a
less-fortunate country, where there is genuine cause for complaint. Then they could tell mothers scouring rubbish tips to scratch a living for their children just how crap their flight was. Click here to read full article and comments.
Other Sport - Cricket: Even Stevens at the end of Day 2
Day 2 ended much like day 1, the only difference being, the shoe was on the other foot.
South Africa was unable to take advantage of the commanding position their bowlers, especially Ntini, put them in yesterday.
South Africa could only manage to score 296, a lead of 38, before they were all bowled out by an aggresive Australian attack lead by Lee and Warne. But it could have been far worse was it not for a crucial 71 run partnership between Pollock and Boucher.
South Africa was well in control at the start of the day, but some gutsy and aggresive bowling by the Aussies, had them in heaps of trouble after lunch.
Just before tea they lost the crucial wicket of Prince, bringning in the last 2 recognized batsmen in the South African team to the crease, Boucher and Pollock. At that stage South Africa was well behind the Australian first innings total of 258, and was in serious danger of being dismissed well below the first innings target.
However, Boucher and Pollock, through a bit of luck at times it must be said, came out after tea and took the Australians on with some aggresive batting. Bracken and Warne was especially targeted, so much so that Ponting had to bring his main bowler Lee back into the attack at the expense of Bracken.
This is where Australia also made the crucial breakthrough by claiming the wicket of Pollock, who was beaten by pure pace, playing onto his stumps off the bowling of Lee ending what could have been a disasterous partnership for the home side. After the dismissal of Pollock, Boucher tried to keep the pace going, knowing that the chances of the tail enders sticking around against an attack like this, was unlikely.
This proved to be his undoing as-well, edging a delivery off Warne to hayden in the slips, when he tried to force the pace. Nevertheless, his innings was crucial in the context of the game.
South Africa ended the day probably the happier of the two sides, after they manage to claim the wicket of Hayden in the last over of the day. But it will be difficult to say who is in the driving seat at the moment, seeing that some poor bowling by Ntini in the final session, helped Australia wipe out the deficite by the end of play on the day.
Australia closed the days play on 38/1, and tomorrow the sides will start on equal footing again barr the one wicket Australia has lost.
South Africa though, will seriously need to look at their discipline. Already there was a catch dropped in Australia's second innings which could have seen Langer make his way back to the pavilion on 0. And this is not the first catch the South African fielders have dropped in this test either.
The bowlers also had better get their lines and lengths right very early on tomorrow as we saw what the Australians are capable of if they are if presented with the rubbish the South African bowlers dished up in their second innings.
The honours in the South African team belongs to the bottom order though. Not only did they put South Africa in a strong position yesterday, but through Pollock and Boucher they made sure that South Africa are still in this with a chance.
At this stage my money is on Australie though because of one factor, Warne. If South Africa fail to restrict Australia to a low target in the next day or two, Warne could prove the deciding factor on a pitch which will help him on days 4 and 5.
South Africa will need to bring their "A" game to the park tomorrow. Because tomorrow could well decide the outcome of the test match.
Match Updates - Day 2:
What seems to become almost as predictable as a NZ rugby victory, South Africa yet again managed to throw away a commanding position in the first test against Australia, because of yet another poor batting performance.
After a great opening day for South Africa in the field, Australia came back strongly on day two of the first test limiting the South African batsmen to 173/5 after 53.4 overs in the afternoon session. Having started the day in control, South Africa lost the plot with bat in hand to swing the test match in Australia’s favour again.
Apart from a De Villier’s fifty, there was nothing to write home about for the South African batsman. The first to depart was captain Smith adding only 16 runs to his overnight score. Gibbs looked to get going, only to loose his wicket yet again in the early twenties.
Jacques Rudolph disappointed with the bat only scoring 8 runs from 28 balls. Prince and Kemp looked to steady the ship a bit, but only for a short while. Kemp was deceived by a slower ball by McGrath, and going through with the drive only ended up finding the safe hands of Hodge.
Prince and Boucher are looking to build a partnership currently, with Prince showing great patience and technique. Let’s just hope these two can stay together for a while.
Follow the match live on www.cricinfo.com
More to follow.
** UPDATE **
At tea, South Africa is in a spot of bother on 189/6 having lost the wicket of Ashwil Prince shortly before tea, trapped in front by Shane Warne.
The last recognised batsmen, Boucher and Pollock, are currently at the crease and will resume duty after tea.
Batsmen to come: Langevedlt, Nel and Ntini
More to follow.
** UPDATE **
Pollock and Boucher to the rescue! The two South African veterans have decided to take Australia on in their own game, and so far, they are very successful. Pollock and Boucher resumed the evening session and came out guns blazing, smashing Warne and Bracken all over the park.
SA 218/6 after 66 overs.
Run Rate: 3.3
Overs remaining in the day: 31
South Africa trail Australia's first innings total by 40 runs with 4 wickets in hand.
More to follow.
** UPDATE **
They say that fortune favours the brave, and I guess it's none more so than for these two South African batsmen. Obviously South Africa has decided to throw caution to the wind and take the Aussies on - and so far it is working.
Anything that is slightly short or a bit wide, is dispatched with in no uncertain terms. The South Africans are literally throwing the kitchen sink at anything slightly wayward.
Pollock, at almost a run a ball (30 off 32), is leading the charge, with Boucher (41 off 55), not far behind. They have hit Bracken out of the attack and Ponting was forced to bring Lee back into the attack to stem the tide.
South Africa at 256/6 after 72.2 (RR 3.54) are now only 2 runs behind the Australian first innings total with four wickets in the bank.
Warne in particular is being targeted by these two, and apart from one or two lucky escapes where the ball was edged just wide of slip, or pulled just over the mid-wicket fielders head, the South African batsman are currently doing a brilliant job at disrupting the master spinners rythm.
More to follow.
** UPDATE **
Pollock is out! After leading a great fightback with South Africa deep in trouble, Pollock unfortunately looses his wicket defending a delivery from Lee, only managing the find the inside edge of his bat and rattling into the stumps.
South Africa has now taken a lead of 6 runs with 3 wickets remaining.
SA 264/7 after 73.4 (RR 3.58)
Next man in Andre Nel
More to follow.
** UPDATE **
50 up for Boucher!
The loss of Pollock did not seem to affect Boucher as he crashes the ball into the mid-wicket fence of the bowling of Lee to bring up his 50 in style! Well played Boucher, excellent knock.
SA 269/7 (Lead 11 runs)
Boucher 51 off 62 Balls
Nel 1 off 8
Last man out: Pollock 34 off 35 balls
Still to bat: Langeveldt and Ntini
Overs remaining: 22
More to follow.
** UPDATE **
Boucher is out. After staging a brilliant fight back with Pollock, Boucher is out edging a ball of Warne's bowling brilliantly caught by and outstretched Hayden in the slips. Boucher obviously looking to take the game to the Australians with no more recognised batsmen to come, was undone by a bit of extra spin when he looked to smash Warne over the long off fence.
There is no question though, that his innings, and that of Pollocks, was extremely important for South Africa after they found themselves in a spot of bother just before tea, and might have just swung the momentum in the favour of the South Africans.
Langeveldt, the man that replaced Boucher, lasted one ball, being trapped in front for a golden duck off the bowling of Lee.
Nel and Ntini, will no doubt look to frustrate the Australians for as long as possible.
Boucher 62 off 77 balls.
SA 291/9
Lead: 33 runs
Overs remaining: 16
More to follow.
** UPDATE **
All out! After a final flurry from Ntini, scoring 12 off 10 balls, the South Africans first innings comes to and end having scored 296 after 81.2 overs, giving them a lead of 38 runs.
The last wicket to fall was that of Ntini's who fell for a short pitched ball from Lee, only managing to balloon it up in the air where it was comfortably taken by Hodge.
South Africa, being in some trouble before tea, can thank their two veterans Boucher and Pollock for staging a brave and effective comeback. The 71 run partnership enabled South Africa not only to pass Australia's score, but also put up a handy 38 run lead, giving them a slight edge.
With 13 overs still remaining in the day, Australia has a difficult little period to negotiate before the end of play on day 2. Hopefully, South Africa will come out in full attack mode, to end what has been yet another fascinating day of cricket.
More to follow.
** UPDATE **
Aided by some poor bowling the Australians are quickly closing in on the first innings lead by South Africa.
Ntini, persisting with wayward short pitched deliveries in his first over gifted Hayden 12 runs in the form of three brilliantly executed pull shots.
Australia was also gifted a life after Gibbs failed to hold on to an edge off the bowling of Pollock that could have sent Langer packing for a duck.
The South Africans had better look at their disciplines if they are to be competitive throughout this test.
23/0 after 5.4 overs (RR 4.06)
Langer 6 off 19
Hayden 16 off 16
More to follow.
** UPDATE **
Breakthroug at last!! Hayden is caught by Boucher in the fine leg region off the bowling of Langeveldt after he skied a short pitched delivery from Langeveldt for 20.
This was a much needed breakthrough in the 3rd last over of the day as Australia, through some poor bowling from Ntini, quickly erased the first innings defecit of 38 runs.
Lee was sent in as a nightwatchman and negotiated the final deliveries of the last over successfully.
Umpire calls stumps.
Match Summary end of day 2:
Australia 258 & 38/1
South Africa 296
Lead 0
.
Click here to read full article and comments.
Friday, December 16, 2005
SA Unions: City of origin
Whilst browsing Oranje Orakel's marvelous site I noticed that he has provided a link to the Cheetahs brand spanking new website.
So, being a dutiful son of South African rugby I couldn't resist going for a peek.
It's a nice site and going through the players profiles it struck me how much players move around, at least judging from where they were born.
Wouldn't it be great to have an annual State-Of-Origin type tournament where all the players have to represent the city/town of their birth. Places like Bethlehem might surprise!
Alwyn Hollenbach - Johannesburg
Barend Pieterse - Virginia
Barry Goodes - Welkom
Bevin Fortuin - George
Bian Vermaak - Heidelberg
Chris Kruger - Queenstown
Christiaan Van Rooyen - Heidelberg, Gauteng
CJ Van der Linde - Welkom
Corniel Van Zyl - Nelspruit
Darron Nell - Uitenhage
Eddie Fredericks - Stellenbosch
Gaffie Du Toit - Cape Town
Gareth Krause - East London
Gavin Passens - Cape Town
Giscard Pieterse - Middelburg
Heinrich Stride - Port Elizabeth
Henro Scholtz - Bethlehem
Jannie Du Plessies - Bethlehem
Juan Smith - Bloemfontein
Keith Lowen - Huntly (New Zealand)
Lukas (Kabamba) Floors - Oudtshoorn
Meyer Bosman - Bethlehem
Michael Claassens - Kroonstad
Nicky Van Der Walt - Baberton
Noel Oelschig - Bloemfontein
Ockert van Zyl - Bloemfontein
Ollie Le Roux - Fort Beaufort
Os Du Randt - Elliot
Ronnie Cooke - Pretoria
Rory Duncan - Durban
Ryno Van der Merwe - Belville
Sinethemba Zweni - Port Elizabeth
Tertius Carse - Brackenfell, (Cape Town)
Tiaan Liebenberg - Kimberley
Trevor Leota - Auckland (New Zealand)
Vuyani Dlomo - Patensie
Wian Du Preez - Bloemfontein
Willem De Waal - Paarl Click here to read full article and comments.
So, being a dutiful son of South African rugby I couldn't resist going for a peek.
It's a nice site and going through the players profiles it struck me how much players move around, at least judging from where they were born.
Wouldn't it be great to have an annual State-Of-Origin type tournament where all the players have to represent the city/town of their birth. Places like Bethlehem might surprise!
Alwyn Hollenbach - Johannesburg
Barend Pieterse - Virginia
Barry Goodes - Welkom
Bevin Fortuin - George
Bian Vermaak - Heidelberg
Chris Kruger - Queenstown
Christiaan Van Rooyen - Heidelberg, Gauteng
CJ Van der Linde - Welkom
Corniel Van Zyl - Nelspruit
Darron Nell - Uitenhage
Eddie Fredericks - Stellenbosch
Gaffie Du Toit - Cape Town
Gareth Krause - East London
Gavin Passens - Cape Town
Giscard Pieterse - Middelburg
Heinrich Stride - Port Elizabeth
Henro Scholtz - Bethlehem
Jannie Du Plessies - Bethlehem
Juan Smith - Bloemfontein
Keith Lowen - Huntly (New Zealand)
Lukas (Kabamba) Floors - Oudtshoorn
Meyer Bosman - Bethlehem
Michael Claassens - Kroonstad
Nicky Van Der Walt - Baberton
Noel Oelschig - Bloemfontein
Ockert van Zyl - Bloemfontein
Ollie Le Roux - Fort Beaufort
Os Du Randt - Elliot
Ronnie Cooke - Pretoria
Rory Duncan - Durban
Ryno Van der Merwe - Belville
Sinethemba Zweni - Port Elizabeth
Tertius Carse - Brackenfell, (Cape Town)
Tiaan Liebenberg - Kimberley
Trevor Leota - Auckland (New Zealand)
Vuyani Dlomo - Patensie
Wian Du Preez - Bloemfontein
Willem De Waal - Paarl Click here to read full article and comments.
Humour: Weeweechu
One beautiful December evening Huan Cho and his girlfriend Jung Lee were sitting by the side of the ocean. It was a romantic full moon, when Huan Cho said "Hey baby, how about playing Weeweechu."
"Oh no, not now, lets look at the moon" said Jung Lee.
"Oh, c'mon baby, let's you and I play Weeweechu. I love you and its the perfect time," Huan Cho begged.
"But I rather just hold your hand and watch the moon."
"Please Jung Lee, just once play Weeweechu with me."
Jung Lee looked at Huan Chi and said, "OK, we'll play Weeweechu."....
(Scroll down)
Huan Cho grabbed his guitar and both sang....
"Weeweechu a melly Chlistmas,
Weeweechu a melly Chlistmas,
Weeweechu a melly Chlistmas,
and a happy New Year." Click here to read full article and comments.
"Oh no, not now, lets look at the moon" said Jung Lee.
"Oh, c'mon baby, let's you and I play Weeweechu. I love you and its the perfect time," Huan Cho begged.
"But I rather just hold your hand and watch the moon."
"Please Jung Lee, just once play Weeweechu with me."
Jung Lee looked at Huan Chi and said, "OK, we'll play Weeweechu."....
(Scroll down)
Huan Cho grabbed his guitar and both sang....
"Weeweechu a melly Chlistmas,
Weeweechu a melly Chlistmas,
Weeweechu a melly Chlistmas,
and a happy New Year." Click here to read full article and comments.
Rugby Personalities: Rassie Erasmus Q&A
Source: www.rugby365.com
Original Source: Rugby News/Rugby Nuus
By: Chris Schoeman
Cheetahs coach Rassie Erasmus managed to achieve in one season what most provincial coaches can only dream of their whole career ... to win the Currie Cup. Chris Schoeman, editor of Rugby News/Rugby Nuus magazines spoke to him about his career as player and coach. He gives his views on 2005 and what to expect in 2006.
Rugby365 publish the interview with kind permission of the magazines. You can visit their websites at www.sarugbynews.co.za/ and http://sarugbynuus.co.za/ for more info. (The magazines are also available at major new agencies [CNA, PNA, etc.] and supermarkets.)
Question: You're from the Eastern Cape; tell us about your life before you came to Bloemfontein.
Answer: Yes, those were the good days. I grew up in Despatch when the town was a force to be reckoned with in club rugby. I was only a lightie when I became ball boy at the town's rugby field. I regularly went to watch when the big guys were practicing. It is ironic that Pote Human, who is the present Blue Bulls forwards coach, lived next to us! Top players like Danie Gerber, Willie Meyer, Adri Geldenhuys and Frans Erasmus all played for the town club. In my high school days I often worked as barman at the rugby club where I could be in closer contact with my heroes. I myself didn't play too badly and in matric in 1990 I played for the EP Craven Week team. Os (du Randt) played for NEC and the SA Schools the same year. After that I came to Bloem for my military training and played for Free State U20s. I enjoyed Bloem so much that I decided to stay there and here I still am today!
Q: Tell us about your Free State days.
A: I played my first match for Free State in 1994 and in the end played more than 120 matches for them. I also played for Lions for two years, but I was very happy to come back to the Free State. My first highlight with them was the Currie Cup Final in 1997, but we lost by two points. Then of course there was last year's final which we also lost, but fortunately this year I was on the winning side, although this time as coach and not as a player.
Q: In 2000 you were the Super 12 Player of the Series and in 2001 the South African Player of the Series. What other highlights were there as player?
A: My first test against the British and Irish Lions at Ellis Park [1997]; thereafter our Tri-Nations title in 1998 and the 17 subsequent test victories with Nick Mallett as coach. Then of course the World Cup quarter-final against England in Paris in 1999 when we destroyed them.
Q: Which coaches stood out for you?
A: If it is just about how the game should be played, Nick Mallett was the man. André Markgraaff taught me a lot about discipline and passion and commitment.Then Oom Peet [Kleynhans], I've learnt a lot from him about one's approach to the game. He has made a huge contribution to the game in the Free State.
Q: Did you ever think during your playing days that you would one day be a provincial coach?
A: I always wanted to remain part of the game after hanging up my boots, but never thought it would happen so soon. It was only after meeting Oom Peet that I had the hope to become coach. It was a special experience to see how he thinks about the game and how he does things.
Q: What were your aims at the beginning of 2005?
A: We had been in the final the previous year and we felt at least we should go through to the final again. We've been there and we could do it again, maybe this time it would depend on the bounce of the ball, and that is exactly what happened. The final could have gone either way.
Q: How did you approach the semi-final against WP and the final against the Blue Bulls?
A: Before every match you analyse your opponents, look at their weak points and concentrate on your strong points. The WP is not really so weak up front as people think and we had to play hard to beat them. To be honest, we didn't play very well in the semi-final, but we did enough to win the match. The main thing we told ourselves was to keep the ball away from the WP backline. You will be stupid not to do it. As far as the final is concerned, you know, people don't give the Blue Bulls enough credit for their achievements. You often hear they are predictable and if you keep them at bay up front, they are very ordinary. But why can't anybody do it? Heyneke Meyer is a very shrewd coach and even in the final he came up with one or two things that were new to us. The final could have gone either way. But I have to say that it had been the first time in four years that we had been able to match the Blue Bulls for the whole 80 minutes. So we stayed in the game and in the end the ball bounced right for us.
Q: What was the atmosphere like in the dressing room before the final at Loftus?
A: I think the fact that we had been in the final the previous year and had to sit in the same dressing room at the same stadium as in 2004, made most guys somewhat calmer. But the fact remains that you still have to go onto the field and cope with everything. So there is still the quiet tension before the game. You have your experienced guys like Os, Naka and Ollie who can probably handle this better than the younger players. But the young guys like Meyer Bosman and Alwyn Hollenbach who were playing in their first final were very nervous.
Q: What can we expect from the Cheetahs in next year's Super 14?
A: Look, we managed to win the Currie Cup and the Free State players have a lot of confidence and that is good. But at the same time everybody realise that the Super 14 is a totally new competition, something different from the Currie Cup we had been used to. It has new demands, new challenges and requires new adjustments. One can't just say for instance we want to win seven matches. What will happen for instance if after seven matches you have won five and six remain? You can't say we've won five, now we only need to win two more. You have to look at every match as it comes and plan from match to match. We have already done bleep tests and power training, etc. with a big group of approximately 50 from the Free State, Griquas and Griffons and in January we will select the final group of 28. As I have said before, the Super 14 is a new challenge but we look forward to it.
Q: Some people say you shouldn't be 'pals' with the players. How do you see it?
A: I have learnt from coaches like Nick Mallett, Oom Peet and even André Markgraaff that you have to be able to relax with the players at the right time but in such a way that they won't lose their respect for you. You have to remember, I have just turned 33, how can I now all of a sudden pretend to be 40? Last year I was still playing with many of my players, winning, losing and crying together, how can I now put myself on a pedestal? I believe you have to remain the same person. When it comes to practice and game analysis and this type of thing, then you're the boss. Away from the field you have to enjoy yourself with the guys, but when it comes to rugby, it is all black and white.
Q: What is the biggest lesson you have learnt from rugby, on and off the field?
A: You know, one experiences that there are a lot of people out there who want to see that you are not successful. It is a trait of our people, they want to deny you winning and being the Currie Cup Champions. But then there are lots of people who will always support you. One should never allow the negativity of others to undermine your confidence. There will always be those who support you and they are they ones you should be able to trust.
Q: Who, in your opinion, has been the greatest player in your time and also before your time?
A: Some people won't agree with me, but when I played there was no player like of Jonah Lomu. It was often said that he couldn't turn around quick enough for chips and that sort of thing, but look at the tries he scored and the matches he had won almost all by himself. Many had lots of negative things to say about him, but I tell you, the guys were scared of him. Before my days there had been only one, Danie Gerber. We grew up in the same town and I often saw him playing for the town's team, for EP and the Springboks and he was just a phenomenal player. What impressed me just as much as his play, was his commitment. He had all the talent in the world and things came very naturally for him, but he never rested on his laurels. I often saw him jogging early in the morning and practicing on his own and I always realised he never thought he was too good for that. He was a great example to everybody.
Click here to read full article and comments.
Rugby Administration: Rugby boss back in the dock
By: Liam Del Carme
Source: www.superrugby.co.za
Original Source: Beeld
There could be enough evidence to investigate allegations further that SA Rugby Union president Brian van Rooyen, as well as members of Saru's presidents' council, contravened the organisation's code of conduct.
SA Rugby has denied that a prima facie case exists for further investigation following advocate Jannie Lubbe's investigation.
Saru CEO, Johan Prinsloo, has tried to deny the allegations, but Beeld's information is that the SABC has a copy of Lubbe's report in its possession.
Prinsloo said: "Advocate Lubbe was asked to compile a report which forms part of a broader investigation. The chairperson of our disciplinary committee, Judge Lex Mpati, and the other members of this committee must however decide whether action will be taken against anyone.
"I don't think a decision has yet been taken if grounds exist for a prima facie case. The people who reported that have more information than us."
Lubbe's investigation came about after Van Rooyen was found guilty of corporate mismanagement after an internal investigation earlier this year. He, among others, took decisions without the necessary authorisation.
SA Rugby, spurred on by the department of sport and recreation, decided to launch a comprehensive investigation.
Much broader investigation
Lubbe was asked as part of the investigation to ascertain whether or not a prima facie case could be made.
Prinsloo said it has yet to be decided if the case could be taken further.
"I don't know why everyone is concerned about the story all of a sudden. Lubbe's investigation forms part of a much broader investigation ordered on October 14. Legal procedure must take its course. The case is yet to be completed."
Prinsloo said he did not know when the investigation would be completed: "The matter is in the hands of the legal representatives. They have to take a decision and we can't tell them what to do."
Even if Judge Mpati should decide to take disciplinary action against Van Rooyen, the beleaguered president will be involved in a bigger struggle for re-election when SA Rugby's annual meeting takes place in February next year. Expectations are that he will be opposed as president.
Van Rooyen is overseas at present. Click here to read full article and comments.
Other Sport: Makhaya the Magnificant
The Bulletin by Siddhartha Vaidyanathan
December 16, 2005
South Africa 0 for 38 trail Australia 258 (Ponting 71, Ntini 5-64) by 220 runs
Makhaya Ntini bowled South Africa to a position of strength by taking 5 for 64 as Australia were dismissed for 258 on the first day at Perth. Ricky Ponting made an aggresive 71. At stumps, Graeme Smith (18 not out) and AB de Villiers (14 not out) had whittled the lead down to 220 runs.
A fiery six-over spell from Makhaya Ntini, when he rocked Australia's middle order with darting pace and whizzing bounce, turned the first Test around, putting South Africa on top on the first day at Perth. In a span of 13 deliveries, he prised out Michael Hussey, Brad Hodge and Adam Gilchrist and wrenched away Australia's advantage, set up by a glorious counterattacking half-century from Ricky Ponting. Brett Lee and Shane Warne produced plucky efforts to push the total, but Andre Nel mopped up the tail as Australia were bowled out for 258.
A feisty half-century from Ricky Ponting led Australia's rapid start in the first Test at Perth as they overcame a few setbacks to reach 3 for 175 at tea. South Africa, choking the runs in the second session, inched their way back into contention but a fine partnership between Michael Hussey and Brad Hodge thwarted any hopes of a quick fightback.
However, a Jacques Kallis-less South Africa got off to an almost-ideal start in their first Test at the WACA. Makhaya Ntini struck off his second ball, digging in a short one and Hayden was undone by the bounce as he attempted the pull shot only to see it balloon over gully, where Jacques Rudolph took a juggling catch running back. Ponting's first ball had a sense of déjà vu as Ntini's superb bouncer rattled him on the side of his helmet. He committed himself on the front foot and had nowhere to run, invoking memories of Steve Harmison's snorter to him on the opening morning of this year's Lord's Test.
But a change of guard was enough to get back his terrific judgement as a bustling counterattack began to unfurl. In Ntini's next over he rattled 13 - a glorious pull to midwicket, another pull backward of square, and a drilled boundary in front of square when Ntini pitched it up. Once he had cut through the tension like a hot knife through butter, nothing could stop him. Four more controlled fours flowed from Ponting's bat in the first hour as Langer also began finding his feet. Things got worse for South Africa after the drinks break as the duo clattered a flurry of boundaries - Langer creamed three fours off Ntini and Ponting thundered two more off Charl Langeveldt.
Pollock and Nel provided South Africa with a much-needed pressure valve after lunch and a disciplined spell pulled things slightly back. Bustling in with his characteristic zest, and generating pace close to the 135kph mark, Nel maintained a full length while bowling against an attacking Ponting. He was driven on a couple of occasions, gloriously in fact, but didn't dig it in short, unlike the erratic Langeveldt, and stopped the leak of runs from one end. Pollock's rigorous methods added to the batsmen's frustration and Ponting was trapped in front while trying to turn one to the on side. Ntini had earlier ended Langer's gritty knock - top-edging a pull just like Hayden had done - and South Africa had a small opening.
However, a composed stand between Hussey and Hodge ensured that Australia regained the initiative. Hodge was lucky to be dropped on 3, when Mark Boucher got his gloves to a hard flash, but he cashed in with some fine stroke on the off side. Hussey, it appears, can do little wrong at the moment and a couple of awesome pulls served as appetisers, promising much more after the tea break.
How they were out
Matthew Hayden c Rudolph b Ntini 0 (1 for 0)
Mis-timed a pull; juggling catch running back from gully
Justin Langer c Smith b Ntini 37 (2 for 111)
Top-edged a pull; mid-off takes the skier
Ricky Ponting lbw b Pollock 71 (3 for 117)
Trapped in front while trying to turn one to leg
Michael Hussey c Langeveldt b Ntini 23 (4 for 180)
Top-edged a pull; sensational one-handed catch running in from mid-on
Brad Hodge c Boucher b Ntini 41 (5 for 185)
Nicked a drive on the front foot
Adam Gilchrist c Gibbs b Ntini 6 (6 for 199)
Top-edged a cut to second slip
Shane Warne lbw b Langeveldt 24 (8 for 243)
Shuffled across the stumps and missed a straight one
Nathan Bracken c Boucher b Nel 10 (9 for 258)
Feathered an edge while trying to cut
Glenn McGrath c Boucher b Nel 0 (258 all out)
Caught in the crease, nicked to the keeper
Siddhartha Vaidyanathan is staff writer of Cricinfo
© Cricinfo
Follow the match live on the internet by logging onto http://www.cricinfo.com
Click here to read full article and comments.
Discussions: The Challenge
Okay, you are a frustrated South African rugby fan. Join the club, take a ticket and stand in line because it's going to be a long process, boet!
Well, here's a deal, we at Rugga World can't promise anything but we do absolutely guarantee that we'll do our utmost to get your grievances in front of the powers-that-be. Read on.
Use this thread and post your single most urgent item - please note, we will ignore ALL posts that do not contain a single important item.
We do understand that a lot of you have many issues to address, we do understand that we are getting to the festive season and we may not get the response you all would hope for.
However, it doesn't matter, we'll toll the responses and when we corner an official, AND WE WILL, we'll get him/her to address your questions and reply in a suitable thread.
So, go for it, ask away, silly questions will be totally disregarded, serious questions will be kept for an opportune moment and as soon as we get relevant replies we will get back to you.
Remember, this site is RugRat driven, whatever you guys tell us you want and need will be, and becomes our priority, within our limited budget.
We don't ask for a contribution, we are independent, we want to retain our integrity and report the way you have indicated - independent & unbiased.
We'll do that. If you can think of any way to donate or contribute then drop us a line. We'll find a way of acknowledging contributors.
ENJOY!!! Click here to read full article and comments.
Well, here's a deal, we at Rugga World can't promise anything but we do absolutely guarantee that we'll do our utmost to get your grievances in front of the powers-that-be. Read on.
Use this thread and post your single most urgent item - please note, we will ignore ALL posts that do not contain a single important item.
We do understand that a lot of you have many issues to address, we do understand that we are getting to the festive season and we may not get the response you all would hope for.
However, it doesn't matter, we'll toll the responses and when we corner an official, AND WE WILL, we'll get him/her to address your questions and reply in a suitable thread.
So, go for it, ask away, silly questions will be totally disregarded, serious questions will be kept for an opportune moment and as soon as we get relevant replies we will get back to you.
Remember, this site is RugRat driven, whatever you guys tell us you want and need will be, and becomes our priority, within our limited budget.
We don't ask for a contribution, we are independent, we want to retain our integrity and report the way you have indicated - independent & unbiased.
We'll do that. If you can think of any way to donate or contribute then drop us a line. We'll find a way of acknowledging contributors.
ENJOY!!! Click here to read full article and comments.
Rugby Administration: The King to judge the king.....
Source: www.mweb.co.za
It would seem that in South African rugby, at least, nothing ever really goes away. In a surprising development, we learn at Rugga World that Judge King will be called upon to study allegations that the Lion King has possibly exceeded his mandate as chief primate of the rugby jungle. Rugga World will report all breaking news on this story as fast as it is released but, more importantly, far more importantly, joins with all South African rugby fans in wishing these times over and welcoming in any administration that puts rugby first, rugby fans first and Springbok rugby first! Your thoughts are welcome. Whilst you are about it, in your comments, give us an indication of whether the Lion King's head rolls or is preserved in aspic!
Johannesburg - The former Judge President of the Cape, Edwin King, who was in charge of the investigation into Hansie Cronje's match fixing in cricket, will study allegations that South Africa's rugby boss Brian van Rooyen has breached SA Rugby's code of conduct.
A provisional investigation by advocate Jannie Lubbe found that there is a prima facie case to be made against Van Rooyen and other members of SA Rugby's presidents' council.
Lubbe acknowledged on Thursday that he gave the report to SA Rugby earlier this month.
Asked who would take the matter further, Lubbe said: "I know SA Rugby has approached Judge King."
Lubbe was asked to evaluate the contents of the Heunis/Brandt report that was completed earlier this year, as well as additional evidence received from, among others, the department of sport and recreation.
Lubbe said that he received the report compiled by advocate Jan Heunis, SC, and AF Brand, an attorney, on August 16.
Die Burger has a copy of the report.
He said in his report that disciplinary action should be taken against Van Rooyen because he allegedly "used his position and privileges for personal gain."
According to Lubbe, he only investigated complaints handed in after August 16.
Not in good faith
He said there were prima facie evidence that Van Rooyen had breached some code of conduct rules by "not executing the functions of his office in good faith and honesty."
Van Rooyen apparently "did not act in the best interest of Saru and thereby brought the credibility and integrity of the union into disrepute and also acted in a manner not worthy of his position."
The report also said that Van Rooyen had acted in such a manner that it impacted unfavourably on Saru, SA Rugby (Pty.) Ltd. and a commercial partner.
These contraventions referred to "his initiative and active lobbying for an office for the president in Johannesburg" and an attempt to "obtain a Rover vehicle for his personal gain."
Van Rooyen also apparently "signed several agreements without the necessary authorisation" and also gave instructions to "Saru's CEO to sign agreements without authorisation."
The report also said "Andre Bester, Rayaan Adriaanse, Cliffie Booysen and Vusi Kama" were appointed Saru employees or service providers without following the correct procedures.
"Bonuses were promised to the Springbok team and management without any authorisation or provision being made in the budget."
According to the report Van Rooyen also promised a Tri-Nations Test to the Leopards.
Van Rooyen also allegedly made false statements about the action of former Saru deputy president Andre Markgraaff and another person to Springbok coach Jake White, while confidential information about the players' remuneration was leaked."
Not in their hands
SA Rugby's CEO, Johan Prinsloo, told Beeld earlier this week that the Lubbe report did not state that grounds existed for a prima facie case against Van Rooyen.
Prinsloo explained: "The case has progressed much further than what we had thought. I only heard about this on Wednesday. The matter is not in our hands anymore. It was in the hands of Judge Lex Mpati (chairperson of SA Rugby's disciplinary committee.)
Lubbe indicated earlier that he had given copies of the report to both Prinsloo and Mpati.
When Prinsloo was asked if King is the person who would take over the investigation, he said: "Yes, the name sounds right."
King became known when he handled the investigation into Hansie Cronje's match fixing.
His name is recognised outside the country's borders, but Prinsloo was unsure about the former judge's identity.
Even though the national broadcaster is in possession of the report, and has already reported on it, Prinsloo said the report was just meant for certain people's perusal: "We can't make the report public property. How will someone like Brian van Rooyen feel if he has to read about it in the newspapers without having seen it himself?
"His legal representatives also haven't seen the report," Prinsloo said.
It is unclear what disciplinary action could be taken against Van Rooyen. Strictly speaking he can only be voted out of office at the next AGM scheduled for February.
Mpati and Van Rooyen were not available for comment.
News24/Beeld
Click here to read full article and comments.
It would seem that in South African rugby, at least, nothing ever really goes away. In a surprising development, we learn at Rugga World that Judge King will be called upon to study allegations that the Lion King has possibly exceeded his mandate as chief primate of the rugby jungle. Rugga World will report all breaking news on this story as fast as it is released but, more importantly, far more importantly, joins with all South African rugby fans in wishing these times over and welcoming in any administration that puts rugby first, rugby fans first and Springbok rugby first! Your thoughts are welcome. Whilst you are about it, in your comments, give us an indication of whether the Lion King's head rolls or is preserved in aspic!
Reading further, one would have grounds to wonder if Mr Prinsloo is completely out of touch in contemporary South African life. Judge for yourselves.
Judge Edward King will study a report that Brian van Rooyen used his position and privileges for personal gain and did not carry out the functions of his office in good faith and honesty.
Johannesburg - The former Judge President of the Cape, Edwin King, who was in charge of the investigation into Hansie Cronje's match fixing in cricket, will study allegations that South Africa's rugby boss Brian van Rooyen has breached SA Rugby's code of conduct.
A provisional investigation by advocate Jannie Lubbe found that there is a prima facie case to be made against Van Rooyen and other members of SA Rugby's presidents' council.
Lubbe acknowledged on Thursday that he gave the report to SA Rugby earlier this month.
Asked who would take the matter further, Lubbe said: "I know SA Rugby has approached Judge King."
Lubbe was asked to evaluate the contents of the Heunis/Brandt report that was completed earlier this year, as well as additional evidence received from, among others, the department of sport and recreation.
Lubbe said that he received the report compiled by advocate Jan Heunis, SC, and AF Brand, an attorney, on August 16.
Die Burger has a copy of the report.
He said in his report that disciplinary action should be taken against Van Rooyen because he allegedly "used his position and privileges for personal gain."
According to Lubbe, he only investigated complaints handed in after August 16.
Not in good faith
He said there were prima facie evidence that Van Rooyen had breached some code of conduct rules by "not executing the functions of his office in good faith and honesty."
Van Rooyen apparently "did not act in the best interest of Saru and thereby brought the credibility and integrity of the union into disrepute and also acted in a manner not worthy of his position."
The report also said that Van Rooyen had acted in such a manner that it impacted unfavourably on Saru, SA Rugby (Pty.) Ltd. and a commercial partner.
These contraventions referred to "his initiative and active lobbying for an office for the president in Johannesburg" and an attempt to "obtain a Rover vehicle for his personal gain."
Van Rooyen also apparently "signed several agreements without the necessary authorisation" and also gave instructions to "Saru's CEO to sign agreements without authorisation."
The report also said "Andre Bester, Rayaan Adriaanse, Cliffie Booysen and Vusi Kama" were appointed Saru employees or service providers without following the correct procedures.
"Bonuses were promised to the Springbok team and management without any authorisation or provision being made in the budget."
According to the report Van Rooyen also promised a Tri-Nations Test to the Leopards.
Van Rooyen also allegedly made false statements about the action of former Saru deputy president Andre Markgraaff and another person to Springbok coach Jake White, while confidential information about the players' remuneration was leaked."
Not in their hands
SA Rugby's CEO, Johan Prinsloo, told Beeld earlier this week that the Lubbe report did not state that grounds existed for a prima facie case against Van Rooyen.
Prinsloo explained: "The case has progressed much further than what we had thought. I only heard about this on Wednesday. The matter is not in our hands anymore. It was in the hands of Judge Lex Mpati (chairperson of SA Rugby's disciplinary committee.)
Lubbe indicated earlier that he had given copies of the report to both Prinsloo and Mpati.
When Prinsloo was asked if King is the person who would take over the investigation, he said: "Yes, the name sounds right."
King became known when he handled the investigation into Hansie Cronje's match fixing.
His name is recognised outside the country's borders, but Prinsloo was unsure about the former judge's identity.
Even though the national broadcaster is in possession of the report, and has already reported on it, Prinsloo said the report was just meant for certain people's perusal: "We can't make the report public property. How will someone like Brian van Rooyen feel if he has to read about it in the newspapers without having seen it himself?
"His legal representatives also haven't seen the report," Prinsloo said.
It is unclear what disciplinary action could be taken against Van Rooyen. Strictly speaking he can only be voted out of office at the next AGM scheduled for February.
Mpati and Van Rooyen were not available for comment.
News24/Beeld
Click here to read full article and comments.
International Teams: Lies, damned lies and stats...
Let's indulge.
Statistics for South Africa
Games played: 328, 6.13%
Games won: 206, 62.80%
Games lost: 103, 31.40%
Games drawn: 19, 5.79%
Most wins in a row: 17
Most losses in a row: 7
Teams played: 23, 17.56%
Teams beaten: 23, 100.00%
Teams lost to: 10, 43.48%
Largest points for: 134, 134 - 3
Largest points against: 55, 55 - 35
Largest winning margin: 131, 134 - 3
Largest losing margin: 50, 53 - 3
4:44:11 PM Total points for: 6,984
Total points against: 4,712
Average points for per game: 21.29
Average points against per game: 14.37
Average points difference: 6.93
Click here to read full article and comments.
Statistics for South Africa
Games played: 328, 6.13%
Games won: 206, 62.80%
Games lost: 103, 31.40%
Games drawn: 19, 5.79%
Most wins in a row: 17
Most losses in a row: 7
Teams played: 23, 17.56%
Teams beaten: 23, 100.00%
Teams lost to: 10, 43.48%
Largest points for: 134, 134 - 3
Largest points against: 55, 55 - 35
Largest winning margin: 131, 134 - 3
Largest losing margin: 50, 53 - 3
4:44:11 PM Total points for: 6,984
Total points against: 4,712
Average points for per game: 21.29
Average points against per game: 14.37
Average points difference: 6.93
Click here to read full article and comments.
International Teams: Spotlight on: The United States Rugby Union
Continuing our efforts at Rugga World to spread the game and give coverage to all aspects of the game, we feature the United States Rugby Union today. It is a universal truism that should the USA ever really take rugby seriously, most pundits have a sneaky feeling they could be world champions within a decade, regardless of the traditions and history of countries such as New Zealand and South Africa. Their gene pool is simply too big, their resources unlimited and their real potential untapped. Unfortunately it is unlikely we'll ever get to see that potential fulfilled.
AN AMERICAN TRADITION
On May 5, 1874, Harvard University hosted Montreal’s McGill University at Cambridge, Mass., in the first recorded rugby game on American soil. While there are no records of the match and no one remembers who won, the game sparked an interest on college campuses nationwide.
As American rugby’s popularity began to grow, rugby was soon included as a sport in four Olympic Games (1900, 1908, 1920, 1924), and the United States claimed victories in both the 1920 and 1924 Games.
Shortly after the 1924 Olympics, however, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) removed rugby as an Olympic sport. Without the Olympic incentive, the sport’s growth in America collapsed and the game remained dormant for the next half century.
However, the sport then enjoyed a renaissance, beginning in the 1960s and continuing through the 1970s. This created the need for a national governing body to represent the USA in the International rugby community. Four territorial organizations gathered in Chicago, Ill., in 1975 and formed the United States of America Rugby Football Union (now known as USA Rugby). Today, USA Rugby is made up of seven Territorial Unions (TUs) and 37 Local Area Unions (LAUs),and supports more than 50,000 members.
U.S. National Teams
USA Rugby's national teams are nicknamed the Eagles. The National Men’s Team first took the field in 1976. Competing in international tournaments like the Churchill Cup and the Pan American Championship, as well as specially scheduled matches against world powers such as France and Ireland, the Eagles have qualified for four of the five Rugby World Cups, most recently at the 2003 World Championships in Australia.
The National Women’s Team, launched in 1987, claimed the first Women's Rugby World Cup in 1991 and finished second at the '94 and '98 World Cups. The Women's National Team also competes in the Churchill Cup and against world powers like New Zealand and England.
USA Rugby also fields a Boys' Under 19 team, a Girls' Under 19 team and a Women's Under 23 team, as well as Men’s and Women’s 7s National Teams - an abbreviated version of the 15-a-side game.
Mission Statement
To be a world power on and off the field.
For further information on USA Rugby please visit www.usarugby.org
Statistics for United States
Games played: 139, 2.60%
Games won: 47, 33.81%
Games lost: 90, 64.75%
Games drawn: 2, 1.44%
Most wins in a row: 4
Most losses in a row: 8
Teams played: 26, 19.85%
Teams beaten: 14, 53.85%
Teams lost to: 21, 80.77%
Largest points for: 74, 74 - 5
Largest points against: 106, 106 - 8
Largest winning margin: 69, 74 - 5
Largest losing margin: 98, 106 - 8
Total points for: 2,756
Total points against: 3,748
Average points for per game: 19.83
Average points against per game: 26.96
Average points difference: -7.14 Click here to read full article and comments.
AN AMERICAN TRADITION
On May 5, 1874, Harvard University hosted Montreal’s McGill University at Cambridge, Mass., in the first recorded rugby game on American soil. While there are no records of the match and no one remembers who won, the game sparked an interest on college campuses nationwide.
As American rugby’s popularity began to grow, rugby was soon included as a sport in four Olympic Games (1900, 1908, 1920, 1924), and the United States claimed victories in both the 1920 and 1924 Games.
Shortly after the 1924 Olympics, however, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) removed rugby as an Olympic sport. Without the Olympic incentive, the sport’s growth in America collapsed and the game remained dormant for the next half century.
However, the sport then enjoyed a renaissance, beginning in the 1960s and continuing through the 1970s. This created the need for a national governing body to represent the USA in the International rugby community. Four territorial organizations gathered in Chicago, Ill., in 1975 and formed the United States of America Rugby Football Union (now known as USA Rugby). Today, USA Rugby is made up of seven Territorial Unions (TUs) and 37 Local Area Unions (LAUs),and supports more than 50,000 members.
U.S. National Teams
USA Rugby's national teams are nicknamed the Eagles. The National Men’s Team first took the field in 1976. Competing in international tournaments like the Churchill Cup and the Pan American Championship, as well as specially scheduled matches against world powers such as France and Ireland, the Eagles have qualified for four of the five Rugby World Cups, most recently at the 2003 World Championships in Australia.
The National Women’s Team, launched in 1987, claimed the first Women's Rugby World Cup in 1991 and finished second at the '94 and '98 World Cups. The Women's National Team also competes in the Churchill Cup and against world powers like New Zealand and England.
USA Rugby also fields a Boys' Under 19 team, a Girls' Under 19 team and a Women's Under 23 team, as well as Men’s and Women’s 7s National Teams - an abbreviated version of the 15-a-side game.
Mission Statement
To be a world power on and off the field.
For further information on USA Rugby please visit www.usarugby.org
Statistics for United States
Games played: 139, 2.60%
Games won: 47, 33.81%
Games lost: 90, 64.75%
Games drawn: 2, 1.44%
Most wins in a row: 4
Most losses in a row: 8
Teams played: 26, 19.85%
Teams beaten: 14, 53.85%
Teams lost to: 21, 80.77%
Largest points for: 74, 74 - 5
Largest points against: 106, 106 - 8
Largest winning margin: 69, 74 - 5
Largest losing margin: 98, 106 - 8
Total points for: 2,756
Total points against: 3,748
Average points for per game: 19.83
Average points against per game: 26.96
Average points difference: -7.14 Click here to read full article and comments.
Other Tournaments: Maoris will walk it....again.
They can formalise whatever they wish but any tournament featuring the New Zealand Maoris only means one thing, you could contribute towards environmental concerns, cut greenhouse emissions and simply send the Churchill Cup to New Zealand via TNT. In what looks to be a lopsided encounter it is hard for your correspondent to envisage any other outcome than the Maoris beating England A, Ireland A beating Canada and Scotland A beating the USA.
Tournament organisers have formalised teams, places and dates for next year's Chruchill Cup.
The competition will include Canada, USA, England A, Scotland A, Ireland A, and the New Zealand Maori.
The six teams will be divided into two pools, a Canada pool and a USA pool, playing each team in their pool before moving to Edmonton, Alberta, Canada for the Finals Day at the Commonwealth Stadium. Each team will play a total of three matches in the tournament.
Pool A in San Francisco, USA
USA
Ireland A
NZ Maoris
Pool B in Toronto & Ottawa, Canada
Canada
England A
Scotland A
Sat 3rd June
England A v Scotland A, Toronto
USA v Ireland A, San Francisco
Wed 7th June
Canada v Scotland A, Ottawa
USA v NZ Maoris, San Francisco
Sat 10th June
Canada v England A, Toronto
NZ Maoris v Ireland A, San Francisco
Sat 17th
Finals Day, Edmonton
3rd Place Pool A v 3rd Place Pool B
2nd Place Pool A v 2nd Place Pool B
1st Place Pool A v 1st Place Pool B
Rugga World Service
Statistics for New Zealand Maori
Games played: 79, 1.48%
Games won: 48, 60.76%
Games lost: 27, 34.18%
Games drawn: 4, 5.06%
Most wins in a row: 12
Most losses in a row: 4
Teams played: 12, 9.16%
Teams beaten: 10, 83.33%
Teams lost to: 6, 50.00%
Largest points for: 69, 31 - 69
Largest points against: 36, 13 - 36
Largest winning margin: 63, 3 - 66
Largest losing margin: 25, 6 - 31
Total points for: 1,563
Total points against: 1,031
Average points for per game: 19.78
Average points against per game: 13.05
Average points difference: 6.73 Click here to read full article and comments.
Tournament organisers have formalised teams, places and dates for next year's Chruchill Cup.
The competition will include Canada, USA, England A, Scotland A, Ireland A, and the New Zealand Maori.
The six teams will be divided into two pools, a Canada pool and a USA pool, playing each team in their pool before moving to Edmonton, Alberta, Canada for the Finals Day at the Commonwealth Stadium. Each team will play a total of three matches in the tournament.
Pool A in San Francisco, USA
USA
Ireland A
NZ Maoris
Pool B in Toronto & Ottawa, Canada
Canada
England A
Scotland A
Sat 3rd June
England A v Scotland A, Toronto
USA v Ireland A, San Francisco
Wed 7th June
Canada v Scotland A, Ottawa
USA v NZ Maoris, San Francisco
Sat 10th June
Canada v England A, Toronto
NZ Maoris v Ireland A, San Francisco
Sat 17th
Finals Day, Edmonton
3rd Place Pool A v 3rd Place Pool B
2nd Place Pool A v 2nd Place Pool B
1st Place Pool A v 1st Place Pool B
Rugga World Service
Statistics for New Zealand Maori
Games played: 79, 1.48%
Games won: 48, 60.76%
Games lost: 27, 34.18%
Games drawn: 4, 5.06%
Most wins in a row: 12
Most losses in a row: 4
Teams played: 12, 9.16%
Teams beaten: 10, 83.33%
Teams lost to: 6, 50.00%
Largest points for: 69, 31 - 69
Largest points against: 36, 13 - 36
Largest winning margin: 63, 3 - 66
Largest losing margin: 25, 6 - 31
Total points for: 1,563
Total points against: 1,031
Average points for per game: 19.78
Average points against per game: 13.05
Average points difference: 6.73 Click here to read full article and comments.
World Cup 2007: France will beat New Zealand
Source: The Observer
By: Eddie Butler
You don't have to look far from home to find the favourites for the Rugby World Cup in 2007. And they are not the All Blacks, says former Welsh Test back-rower Eddie Butler.
HERE we are, just over the mid-point hump between the Rugby World Cup in Australia and the next one, to be held in France in 2007. Hump is the word, that being what the Australians have got with Eddie Jones. The coach who took them, against the odds, to the final in Sydney has gone, following a long campaign against him, prompted by a recent record that revealed just one win in the Wallabies' last 10 games.
For years, Jones managed without a front row of true Test quality. He had Bill Young, but he never had a complete unit that could provide the security of possession and ballast that might have made his job easier. Now everybody knows Australia are there for the taking at the scrum.
It is not a pretty place to be, but it does seem slightly harsh to sack the coach when the real problem seems to be beyond his reach. Perhaps he hasn't tried hard enough to poach a few large islanders. Or perhaps he was resigned to the All Blacks pinching Tongan-born Saimone Taumoepeau first.
New Zealand are clearly the No. 1 rugby-playing country. Drawing on the best players from five Pacific Islands - their own North and South islands, plus Tonga, Fiji and Samoa - they have assembled a formidable squad, certainly the richest and deepest pool of talent the game has ever known.
Since there is no reason to suppose their recruiting policies can be tamed by the IRB in time for the next World Cup, it would appear they will remain red-hot favourites to win the trophy that has eluded them since 1987. (And to our Kiwi readers who claim that other countries poach as vigorously as the All Blacks, how can it be that Sitiveni Sivivatu and Sione Lauaki can one year play for the combined Pacific Islands against New Zealand, and the next be playing for the ABs? That's not missionary work but piracy.)
Even on their recent tour, and even as they were purring towards their second grand slam over Wales, Ireland, England and Scotland, there were signs that each game, Ireland excepted, was becoming progressively harder for the All Blacks. Maybe that was the nature of the fixture list, or a result of experimenting with selection and overuse of the replacements' bench at Murrayfield, but, if you compare how the All Blacks began their international year (discounting a run-out against Fiji) and how they ended it, it seems clear they have been hauled in slightly by the chasing pack.
Defence coaches will work out how to pull open the curtain of dummy runners New Zealand manoeuvre in front of their passers. Referees and the law-makers will be invited at every opportunity to clarify what the All Blacks do at the post-tackle situation. Analysts will point out how much illegal (unpenalised) wheeling the All Blacks impart on the scrum. Two years of intense scrutiny lie ahead.
Is it an advantage to have faced New Zealand and been bowled over by them, and have two years to plot revenge? Or is it better to be France? They were the very first high-profile victims of Graham Henry's All Blacks, but that was last year in Paris. Since then, France have gone serenely about the business of preparing themselves to host the next World Cup.
If any team can benefit from having the game's biggest tournament on home soil, it is France. And if any team can take on New Zealand in a passing game, it must be France. English-speaking teams have all crept up in modern times into a flat-back formation. Only France remain faithful to a steep-angled alignment. Dave Ellis of England may have organised their defence into a tightly disciplined system, but in attack France remain utterly French, with Frederic Michalak the slightly enigmatic chef de gare and Yannick Jauzion pure, level-headed class in the centre. Between the midfield and front row, France have a back row and halfback maturing in the vat, with Jean-Baptiste Elissalde and Yannick Nyanga on track to be very tasty. And talking of maturity, if little Thomas Castaignede carries on playing the way he is, he could still light up a World Cup. He sees more in the blink of an eye than the England three-quarter line see in a month of unblinking concentration on their fourth volume of "How to Create Space".
By 2007, I think France will have moved ahead of New Zealand. And whenever France make a move, England should not be far behind. In the professional age, these are the two that have been the European leaders in research and development. They, in turn, have hauled the Celts forward.
But there are still some pretty dismal rumours about discontent in Andy Robinson's camp. This is not about the tug between club and country; this is about how England want to play. It seems the politics may disguise the suspicion among the players that their current coaches will not be able to train them towards a brighter future. That is serious. And just as this may not be the best time for New Zealand to hit a peak, so it is not the moment for England to hit rock bottom. It seems they have left themselves with too much to do before the World Cup. Australia have sacked Jones, but have a track record of being able to react quickly to crisis. England's crises tend to linger. Two years is not long for a country that has allowed its club-country row to fester as long. And there is a long way for England to go - from monstrous up front to all-round creative.
It would appear then, at this mid-point between World Cups, that neither of the sides that went to the last final can look much beyond a quarter-final. Which does open up a window for somebody else. For Wales, perhaps, although the autumn series saw them severely stretched when it came to digging into the reserves. But at least they continued to play, and Shane Williams emerged after a series of traffic accidents to show against Australia what instinct and balance can still achieve.
If the challenge of England and Australia may fade, then South Africa's will grow. The Springboks have been through a strange old period, but theirs is a peculiar old country. Or young country. The point is that after such upheavals in their rugby politics and among their players and coaches, change is no longer a word that frightens them.
They have clung to just one tenet from the bad old days - aggression. But that is no bad thing. And Jake White has added an awareness that means they spring from defence to counterattack with even sharper reflexes than France or New Zealand. If White can just find himself an outside-half of the quality of Dan Carter … it's a hell of an if.
Given the place of Sven in England's sporting affections and headlines, and the importance attached to the role of Duncan Fletcher, it should come as no surprise that the rugby coach is now apparently more important than the players. Think of Clive Woodward: it was all his fault. We are only now finding it just about palatable to say the Lions were simply beaten by a better All Blacks team. Think of Eddie Jones.
But the coach is important, because he has to keep his team ahead of the rest, or up with the leaders. We used to say that rugby, despite appearances, was simple - it's not. It's a very difficult game, not necessarily to play but to manage.
What will determine who will emerge as the front-runner over the next two years is not the brawn on the field - not even an Australian tighthead - but the brains off it. That, plus the prospect that the axe may not be satisfied with taking out just Eddie Jones.
Rugga World Service:
Statistics for France vs New Zealand
Games played: 41, 6.86%
Games won by France: 10, 24.39%
Games won by New Zealand: 30, 73.17%
Games drawn: 1, 2.44%
Most wins in a row for France: 3
Most losses in a row for France: 8
Largest points for France: 43, 43 - 31
Largest points against France: 54, 54 - 7
Largest winning margin for France: 14, 8 - 22
Largest losing margin for France: 47, 54 - 7
Total points for: 544
Total points against: 931
Average points for per game: 13.27
Average points against per game: 22.71
Average points difference: -9.44 Click here to read full article and comments.
By: Eddie Butler
You don't have to look far from home to find the favourites for the Rugby World Cup in 2007. And they are not the All Blacks, says former Welsh Test back-rower Eddie Butler.
HERE we are, just over the mid-point hump between the Rugby World Cup in Australia and the next one, to be held in France in 2007. Hump is the word, that being what the Australians have got with Eddie Jones. The coach who took them, against the odds, to the final in Sydney has gone, following a long campaign against him, prompted by a recent record that revealed just one win in the Wallabies' last 10 games.
For years, Jones managed without a front row of true Test quality. He had Bill Young, but he never had a complete unit that could provide the security of possession and ballast that might have made his job easier. Now everybody knows Australia are there for the taking at the scrum.
It is not a pretty place to be, but it does seem slightly harsh to sack the coach when the real problem seems to be beyond his reach. Perhaps he hasn't tried hard enough to poach a few large islanders. Or perhaps he was resigned to the All Blacks pinching Tongan-born Saimone Taumoepeau first.
New Zealand are clearly the No. 1 rugby-playing country. Drawing on the best players from five Pacific Islands - their own North and South islands, plus Tonga, Fiji and Samoa - they have assembled a formidable squad, certainly the richest and deepest pool of talent the game has ever known.
Since there is no reason to suppose their recruiting policies can be tamed by the IRB in time for the next World Cup, it would appear they will remain red-hot favourites to win the trophy that has eluded them since 1987. (And to our Kiwi readers who claim that other countries poach as vigorously as the All Blacks, how can it be that Sitiveni Sivivatu and Sione Lauaki can one year play for the combined Pacific Islands against New Zealand, and the next be playing for the ABs? That's not missionary work but piracy.)
Even on their recent tour, and even as they were purring towards their second grand slam over Wales, Ireland, England and Scotland, there were signs that each game, Ireland excepted, was becoming progressively harder for the All Blacks. Maybe that was the nature of the fixture list, or a result of experimenting with selection and overuse of the replacements' bench at Murrayfield, but, if you compare how the All Blacks began their international year (discounting a run-out against Fiji) and how they ended it, it seems clear they have been hauled in slightly by the chasing pack.
Defence coaches will work out how to pull open the curtain of dummy runners New Zealand manoeuvre in front of their passers. Referees and the law-makers will be invited at every opportunity to clarify what the All Blacks do at the post-tackle situation. Analysts will point out how much illegal (unpenalised) wheeling the All Blacks impart on the scrum. Two years of intense scrutiny lie ahead.
Is it an advantage to have faced New Zealand and been bowled over by them, and have two years to plot revenge? Or is it better to be France? They were the very first high-profile victims of Graham Henry's All Blacks, but that was last year in Paris. Since then, France have gone serenely about the business of preparing themselves to host the next World Cup.
If any team can benefit from having the game's biggest tournament on home soil, it is France. And if any team can take on New Zealand in a passing game, it must be France. English-speaking teams have all crept up in modern times into a flat-back formation. Only France remain faithful to a steep-angled alignment. Dave Ellis of England may have organised their defence into a tightly disciplined system, but in attack France remain utterly French, with Frederic Michalak the slightly enigmatic chef de gare and Yannick Jauzion pure, level-headed class in the centre. Between the midfield and front row, France have a back row and halfback maturing in the vat, with Jean-Baptiste Elissalde and Yannick Nyanga on track to be very tasty. And talking of maturity, if little Thomas Castaignede carries on playing the way he is, he could still light up a World Cup. He sees more in the blink of an eye than the England three-quarter line see in a month of unblinking concentration on their fourth volume of "How to Create Space".
By 2007, I think France will have moved ahead of New Zealand. And whenever France make a move, England should not be far behind. In the professional age, these are the two that have been the European leaders in research and development. They, in turn, have hauled the Celts forward.
But there are still some pretty dismal rumours about discontent in Andy Robinson's camp. This is not about the tug between club and country; this is about how England want to play. It seems the politics may disguise the suspicion among the players that their current coaches will not be able to train them towards a brighter future. That is serious. And just as this may not be the best time for New Zealand to hit a peak, so it is not the moment for England to hit rock bottom. It seems they have left themselves with too much to do before the World Cup. Australia have sacked Jones, but have a track record of being able to react quickly to crisis. England's crises tend to linger. Two years is not long for a country that has allowed its club-country row to fester as long. And there is a long way for England to go - from monstrous up front to all-round creative.
It would appear then, at this mid-point between World Cups, that neither of the sides that went to the last final can look much beyond a quarter-final. Which does open up a window for somebody else. For Wales, perhaps, although the autumn series saw them severely stretched when it came to digging into the reserves. But at least they continued to play, and Shane Williams emerged after a series of traffic accidents to show against Australia what instinct and balance can still achieve.
If the challenge of England and Australia may fade, then South Africa's will grow. The Springboks have been through a strange old period, but theirs is a peculiar old country. Or young country. The point is that after such upheavals in their rugby politics and among their players and coaches, change is no longer a word that frightens them.
They have clung to just one tenet from the bad old days - aggression. But that is no bad thing. And Jake White has added an awareness that means they spring from defence to counterattack with even sharper reflexes than France or New Zealand. If White can just find himself an outside-half of the quality of Dan Carter … it's a hell of an if.
Given the place of Sven in England's sporting affections and headlines, and the importance attached to the role of Duncan Fletcher, it should come as no surprise that the rugby coach is now apparently more important than the players. Think of Clive Woodward: it was all his fault. We are only now finding it just about palatable to say the Lions were simply beaten by a better All Blacks team. Think of Eddie Jones.
But the coach is important, because he has to keep his team ahead of the rest, or up with the leaders. We used to say that rugby, despite appearances, was simple - it's not. It's a very difficult game, not necessarily to play but to manage.
What will determine who will emerge as the front-runner over the next two years is not the brawn on the field - not even an Australian tighthead - but the brains off it. That, plus the prospect that the axe may not be satisfied with taking out just Eddie Jones.
Rugga World Service:
Statistics for France vs New Zealand
Games played: 41, 6.86%
Games won by France: 10, 24.39%
Games won by New Zealand: 30, 73.17%
Games drawn: 1, 2.44%
Most wins in a row for France: 3
Most losses in a row for France: 8
Largest points for France: 43, 43 - 31
Largest points against France: 54, 54 - 7
Largest winning margin for France: 14, 8 - 22
Largest losing margin for France: 47, 54 - 7
Total points for: 544
Total points against: 931
Average points for per game: 13.27
Average points against per game: 22.71
Average points difference: -9.44 Click here to read full article and comments.
Discussions: Perspective, or, One Man's Giant is another's Dwergie
You all did it at school. The teacher asked you to form a circle, one of you was nominated to whisper a few sentences in your neighbour's ear, they in turn would pass on the message until it reached your classmate on the opposite side from where you started. Thus, "The three brown bears went running through the woods hunting for juicy berries" was miraculously transformed into, "The free round pears were running with honey and Lucy Woods is a lekka stuk".
Rugby and rugby history is no different, we've seen statistics manipulated, especially in South Africa, to massage whatever subliminal message was intended for your ears.
As an exercise in change, I thought I'd just throw some weird and wonderful stuff at you. Take from it what you will, discard the useless.
Breyton Paulse is the lightest Springbok ever, sheesh the oke is about 76kg. Okay, maybe at the start of his career. It matters not, he is nowhere near the most svelte Bok ever fielded, the honour belongs to one Billy Sendin, weighing in at a marvelous 60 kilograms. Billy graced the fields of New Zealand and Australia on the 1921 tour.
Rudi Straeuli capped far too many Boks and ensured we sent out raw recruits to face the molten lava that is the heat of international rugby. Maybe he did but he didn't select fifteen new caps who were all starting their first test! Did anyone? Yip, the opening test of the 1949 New Zealand tour.
How can we possibly play Schalk 'The Hulk' Burger at eighthman? Sheesh, he's already played at blind and open side! Schalk has a long way to go to match the indomitable Boy Louw, he played in every single forward role for the Boks and, yes, there were still eight positions in those days.
I've never seen such a light Springbok forward pack. Maybe not but with today's packs averaging around 900+kg's, spare a thought for the 1906 pack who cumulatively weighed in at 672 kg's!
South African rugby is one of the oldest in the world. Absolutely! It saw the light of day in 1889, a mere stripling, however, compared to the Indian Rugby Board which formed in 1874!
Has a player ever played rugby and cricket for South Africa? Yes! Has a player ever played rugby and cricket and captained South Africa? Yes! Has a player ever played rugby and cricket and captained and refereed South Africa? Yes! Has a player ever played rugby and cricket and captained and refereed and coached for South Africa? Yes! Has a player ever played rugby and cricket and captained and refereed and coached and beaten WG Grace at cricket for South Africa? Yes! Yes! Yes! HH Castens!
The Springboks spent sixty unbeaten years in rugby test series. Oh, some will mock, it was all those biased Japie refs, well, maybe, but unless those 'Japie' refs travelled on all 6 tours overseas during that period then it is a highly fallacious argument! You try playing in fifty four tests and lose only 11! Click here to read full article and comments.
Rugby and rugby history is no different, we've seen statistics manipulated, especially in South Africa, to massage whatever subliminal message was intended for your ears.
As an exercise in change, I thought I'd just throw some weird and wonderful stuff at you. Take from it what you will, discard the useless.
Breyton Paulse is the lightest Springbok ever, sheesh the oke is about 76kg. Okay, maybe at the start of his career. It matters not, he is nowhere near the most svelte Bok ever fielded, the honour belongs to one Billy Sendin, weighing in at a marvelous 60 kilograms. Billy graced the fields of New Zealand and Australia on the 1921 tour.
Rudi Straeuli capped far too many Boks and ensured we sent out raw recruits to face the molten lava that is the heat of international rugby. Maybe he did but he didn't select fifteen new caps who were all starting their first test! Did anyone? Yip, the opening test of the 1949 New Zealand tour.
How can we possibly play Schalk 'The Hulk' Burger at eighthman? Sheesh, he's already played at blind and open side! Schalk has a long way to go to match the indomitable Boy Louw, he played in every single forward role for the Boks and, yes, there were still eight positions in those days.
I've never seen such a light Springbok forward pack. Maybe not but with today's packs averaging around 900+kg's, spare a thought for the 1906 pack who cumulatively weighed in at 672 kg's!
South African rugby is one of the oldest in the world. Absolutely! It saw the light of day in 1889, a mere stripling, however, compared to the Indian Rugby Board which formed in 1874!
Has a player ever played rugby and cricket for South Africa? Yes! Has a player ever played rugby and cricket and captained South Africa? Yes! Has a player ever played rugby and cricket and captained and refereed South Africa? Yes! Has a player ever played rugby and cricket and captained and refereed and coached for South Africa? Yes! Has a player ever played rugby and cricket and captained and refereed and coached and beaten WG Grace at cricket for South Africa? Yes! Yes! Yes! HH Castens!
The Springboks spent sixty unbeaten years in rugby test series. Oh, some will mock, it was all those biased Japie refs, well, maybe, but unless those 'Japie' refs travelled on all 6 tours overseas during that period then it is a highly fallacious argument! You try playing in fifty four tests and lose only 11! Click here to read full article and comments.
Thursday, December 15, 2005
Brannasnacht: The Constitution
Well Brannasnacht will be officially open at 21H00 CET. Till then I would just like to remind all newcomers and all the "hardebaarde", who has not yet posted on the night of Rugga World Brannasnacht (including board members), of the constitutional questions.
The questions are the following:
1. What is your shoe size?
2. When last did you get lucky?
3. Where and did you expect it?
4. Were you ever responsible for any veldfires because of it?
5. What would your wife/girlfriend/husband/boyfriend say if he/she sees the answers to the questions or any of your posts?
Enjoy Brannasnacht with us and under no circumstances miss it without an apology, unless you want to be held responsible for every catastrophe in the world for the next week. Answers to the above can be posted from 20H30 onwards in order for members to evaluate them when they log on at 21H00. Click here to read full article and comments.
The questions are the following:
1. What is your shoe size?
2. When last did you get lucky?
3. Where and did you expect it?
4. Were you ever responsible for any veldfires because of it?
5. What would your wife/girlfriend/husband/boyfriend say if he/she sees the answers to the questions or any of your posts?
Enjoy Brannasnacht with us and under no circumstances miss it without an apology, unless you want to be held responsible for every catastrophe in the world for the next week. Answers to the above can be posted from 20H30 onwards in order for members to evaluate them when they log on at 21H00. Click here to read full article and comments.
SA Unions: SWD Eagles Coach
It is rumoured that Phil Pretorius has been appointed Coach of the SWD Eagles. This is a rather irresponsible and erroneous statement as the Eagles are not ready at this time to effect such an appointment.
Pretorius has been asked, and has graciously accepted, a caretaker position to prepare players for the 2006 Vodacom Cup, until the Eagles are ready to appoint a Coach. This foresight of the newly elected SWD Executive has been widely welcomed by the Southern Cape business community and potential sponsors. More to follow. Click here to read full article and comments.
Pretorius has been asked, and has graciously accepted, a caretaker position to prepare players for the 2006 Vodacom Cup, until the Eagles are ready to appoint a Coach. This foresight of the newly elected SWD Executive has been widely welcomed by the Southern Cape business community and potential sponsors. More to follow. Click here to read full article and comments.
Super 14: WHO WILL FRONT THE CATS – WE SPECULATE
The franchises haven’t announced their Super 14 squads yet. They will on 6 January 2006. On 21 January 2006 the Cats face their first challenge against a young and inexperienced Spears. Snubbed for the Super 14 by Norman Arendze’s panel, the Spears will be out to make a point. DavidS, the quintessential Cats fan, speculates about the make-up of the squad and the one that will face the stern Spears test and probably the Stormers at Newlands in the season opener
There are a few things to recall about this side. The first is that under the rugby transformation edict that Mveleli Ncula issued there must be eight black players in the squad, six in the match 22 and eight in the squad of 30. The second is that Frans Ludeke will want to retain the nucleus of the Lions for the squad and basically, the squad will be a beefed up Lions squad with depth added at key positions where the Lions are lacking. If DavidS was the selector with these conditions, this is the squad he’d like to see.
1. Lawrence Sephaka
2. Lukas Van Biljon
3. Marius Hurter
4. Kleinjan Tromp
5. Jannes Labuschagne
6. Cobus “Baywatch” Grobbelaar
7. Wikus Van Heerden ©
8. Gerhard Vosloo
9. Enrico Januarie
10. André Pretorius
11. Ashwin Willemse
12. Wayne Julies
13. Jacque Fourie
14. John Daniels
15. Conrad Jantjes
16. Gordon Gilfillian
17. Jonathan Mukoena
18. Earl Rose
19. Baksteen Nel
20. Nicholas Eyre
21. Grant Estehuizen
22. James Van der Walt
The other four?
23. Casper Steyn
24. Heinrich Kok
25. Willem Stolz
26. John Daniels
Aside from Jonathan Mukoena (Leopards) and Casper Steyn (Pumas) the rest are all from the Lions and their selections are self explanatory. Two notes. There are still injury clouds over André Pretorius, Ashwin Willemse and Kleinjan Tromp. If the three of them don’t make it, then there would be the following replacements in my Cats side:
a. For André Pretorius Nel Fourie
b. For Kleinjan Tromp Trevor Hall (seeing as Cobus Grobler – the other one – has moved to Bloem)
c. For Ashwin Willemse Ogingwa Siwundla
However in the starting line-up, Casper Steyn, who was superb for the Pumas last season at flyhalf would replace Pretorius. Ashwin would be replaced by John Daniels and Gordon Gillfillian would start.
We have a massive shortage of quality at scrumhalf and here’s sincerely hoping we don’t have an injury with Enrico Januarie, because there’s a vast difference between him and the next best in Nicolas Eyre. Anyway look carefully and note this down:
You are looking at the names of the Super 14 Champions 2006. Click here to read full article and comments.
SA Unions: Captain Matfield...
Victor Matfield needs 5 more games as captain for the Bulls to eclipse Joost van der Westhuizen's record of 17 matches as captain for the Pretoria based franchise.
It is widely accepted that the appointment of Matfield as captain is a mere formality, and that Fourie du Preez will be appointed as his understudy. Matfield has already captained the Bulls 12 times in the past.
Derick Hougaard needs 15 more points to beat, believe it or not, Marius Goosens record of 165 points, and Supparugby reckons fans should not be surprised to see Hougaard get more game time next year.
In my opinion, the loss of Anton Leonard is bigger than what most Bulls fans would care to admit at this stage, and his absence will have a huge impact on their campaign next year. Nevertheless, good luck to the Bulls.
Source: Supparugby.co.za
Click here to read full article and comments.
It is widely accepted that the appointment of Matfield as captain is a mere formality, and that Fourie du Preez will be appointed as his understudy. Matfield has already captained the Bulls 12 times in the past.
Derick Hougaard needs 15 more points to beat, believe it or not, Marius Goosens record of 165 points, and Supparugby reckons fans should not be surprised to see Hougaard get more game time next year.
In my opinion, the loss of Anton Leonard is bigger than what most Bulls fans would care to admit at this stage, and his absence will have a huge impact on their campaign next year. Nevertheless, good luck to the Bulls.
Source: Supparugby.co.za
Click here to read full article and comments.
Super 14: Cobus Grobler is a Cheetah
The Lions lock Cobus Grobler will join Rassie's men in January where he will be available for the Central Union's Super 14 campaign.
The Lions decided to let Grobler go confident that Trevor Hall, Kleinjan Tromp and Jannes Labuschagne will be able to do the job for them.
As an 18 year old he used to play with Barend Pieterse for the Lions under 21's team and chances are the old partnership will resume once the Super 14 starts
Source: Supparugby.co.za Click here to read full article and comments.
The Lions decided to let Grobler go confident that Trevor Hall, Kleinjan Tromp and Jannes Labuschagne will be able to do the job for them.
As an 18 year old he used to play with Barend Pieterse for the Lions under 21's team and chances are the old partnership will resume once the Super 14 starts
Source: Supparugby.co.za Click here to read full article and comments.
Super 14: Probable Stormers team for S14 of 2006
Seeing that the cutoff for the announcement of the teams are only 9 January 2006, it seems some rugrats (Rugga World posters) want to start speculating over the possible teams. The biggest problem still is the tight five shortages and with Dollie going to the Spears, flyhalf was left a little thin with Grant still to prove himself.
Here is my squad if I was afforded the luxury of selecting them.
1 Neil Fullard
2 H Shimange
3 JD Moller
4 Andries Bekker
5 Ross Skeate
6 Schalk Burger
7 Justin Melck
8 Joe van Niekerk
9 Paul Delport ©
10 Peter Grant
11 Jongi Nokwe
12 De Wet Barry
13 Jean de Villiers
14 Ryno Benjamin
15 Chavanga
16 Edmonds
17 Eddie Andrews
18 Rob Linde (Who else???)
19 Luke Watson
20 Bolla Conradie
21 Marius Joubert
22 Justin Peach
Rest of 26
Doug Weatley
Frolick
Werner Greeff (unfortunately)
Pieter Louw
Most of my selections speaks for themself, the one however I would like to explain is Jean at 13. I still maintain that Jean on the outside will create more opportunities than close in. Anycase De Wet is a great organiser of defense and with the lack of a brilliant tight five the Stormers will have to do alot of defending. Paul Delport must captain the side as it is imporbable that he will be required to do Boks duty and therefore some continuity can be taken through to the CC
Now fire away!
Click here to read full article and comments.
Here is my squad if I was afforded the luxury of selecting them.
1 Neil Fullard
2 H Shimange
3 JD Moller
4 Andries Bekker
5 Ross Skeate
6 Schalk Burger
7 Justin Melck
8 Joe van Niekerk
9 Paul Delport ©
10 Peter Grant
11 Jongi Nokwe
12 De Wet Barry
13 Jean de Villiers
14 Ryno Benjamin
15 Chavanga
16 Edmonds
17 Eddie Andrews
18 Rob Linde (Who else???)
19 Luke Watson
20 Bolla Conradie
21 Marius Joubert
22 Justin Peach
Rest of 26
Doug Weatley
Frolick
Werner Greeff (unfortunately)
Pieter Louw
Most of my selections speaks for themself, the one however I would like to explain is Jean at 13. I still maintain that Jean on the outside will create more opportunities than close in. Anycase De Wet is a great organiser of defense and with the lack of a brilliant tight five the Stormers will have to do alot of defending. Paul Delport must captain the side as it is imporbable that he will be required to do Boks duty and therefore some continuity can be taken through to the CC
Now fire away!
Click here to read full article and comments.
Humour: CULTURAL EDUCATION AND TAKING RUGBY FURTHER
In the spirit of reconciliation and our ten year old democracy, the intrepid roving reporter of Ruggaworld, DavidS has decided that the time has come to spread the word of the cultural nuances of South Africa’s various people about. Yesterday, poster provincejoulekkading published a guide to understanding what people from the Cape Flats are saying. Today, DavidS visits the people of Lenasia (or Lens) as they call it and tells our readers how to speak to them when visiting this fascinating mix of Afro-Euro-Asian cultural fusion
Cabbie: Car
Witoh: A white person (as in: “I checked out the witoh at the robot with a GTI and all”)
And all: An acceptable way to end a sentence (as in: “I’m tuning this witou and all”)
Tune: Either done to a car or when speaking to someone. (as in: “What you tuning me and all?” or “Hey I tuned my cabbie right? So now it’ll drag a BM 325 and all.”)
Drag: Street racing
Rounds: Tyres (as in: “Hey check out my new Yokohama rounds and all.”)
Darkie: Black person (as in: “I tuned the darkie at the garage to put sky in my rounds.”)
Clips: R100 notes (as in: “Hey I paid three clips for petrol and all)
Shades: Sunglasses (as in: “Hey I schnaaid my medical aid with Ray-Ban shades and all”)
Hey: An acceptable way to start a sentence. The opposite of “and all” (as in: “Hey that ou tuned me whatwhat and all”
Right: Not a direction. It’s a word that ends a sentence as a question. (as in: Now the ou in the BM at the robot goois me a glare right?”)
Ou: Referral to a person, but in a negative way. Being called an “Ou” in not a good thing. Pronounced “Oh”.
Drop: Winning a fight or drag race. (As in: “This ou tuning me whatwhat got dropped with one capsizing blow”)
Whatwhat: Addressing a person in a negative way. It is acceptable to ask the ou in the bar why he’s tuning your cherrie “whatwhat”. It is however not a good idea to ask the Metro Cop who pulled you off for speeding why he’s tuning you “whatwhat”, as then there will be lots of “whatwhat” tuned
Boere: The police or Metro
Sun City: Diepkloof Prison in Soweto. (As in: “Hey I tuned the boere who pulled me off why they’re tuning me whatwhat right? Hey then they put me in Sun City for the weekend one time and all”)
Onetime: Not the new budget airline. The phrase “onetime” refers to something immediate. (As in: “This ou was tuning me whatwhat so I dropped him onetime and all”)
Cherrie: Female (As in: “Hey I want to take this cherrie for a ride in my cabbie right?”)
Lens: Lenasia. A traditionally Asian residential area south of Johannesburg. (As in: My pozzie’s in Lens and all.”
Pozzie: The place where you stay. See above.
Schnaai: To figuratively screw someone over. (As in: “Hey, let me tune you one time, I schnaaid that darkie three clips down for the new sounds in my cabbie and all”)
Sounds: The music system in a car. (As in: “Hey check this out one time. I got me a new tweeter and subwoofer for my sounds and all”)
So next time our loyal readers come to Johannesburg and have the opportunity to visit the quant town of Lenasia, Just pull in at Lens and all and tune the Ous and all. Till next time, when DavidS will bring our loyal readers another snippet of news in his travels and travails around the world. Lastly, DavidS just wants to express his thanks to the Ruggaworld Board for financing his travels around the world and hushing attempts from British, Singaporean and New Zealand authorities to have him extradited. Oh yes and thanks for paying off the cops in Ventersdorp too.
There has been no attempt in Kwazulu-Natal to take rugby to the Indian community. I know traditionally Asians are supposed to enjoy cricket and soccer more, but it is an untapped market for rugby to market itself against. I wonder why nobody has actually taken the time to find out why this is so. I watched the 1995 RWC Final at a pub with three Indian friends who cried and embraced me when the whistle went. However, I have never seen or heard of Asian rugby players, aside from those in Japan (which mostly consists of Kiwi cast-off imports in any case)
Click here to read full article and comments.
Cabbie: Car
Witoh: A white person (as in: “I checked out the witoh at the robot with a GTI and all”)
And all: An acceptable way to end a sentence (as in: “I’m tuning this witou and all”)
Tune: Either done to a car or when speaking to someone. (as in: “What you tuning me and all?” or “Hey I tuned my cabbie right? So now it’ll drag a BM 325 and all.”)
Drag: Street racing
Rounds: Tyres (as in: “Hey check out my new Yokohama rounds and all.”)
Darkie: Black person (as in: “I tuned the darkie at the garage to put sky in my rounds.”)
Clips: R100 notes (as in: “Hey I paid three clips for petrol and all)
Shades: Sunglasses (as in: “Hey I schnaaid my medical aid with Ray-Ban shades and all”)
Hey: An acceptable way to start a sentence. The opposite of “and all” (as in: “Hey that ou tuned me whatwhat and all”
Right: Not a direction. It’s a word that ends a sentence as a question. (as in: Now the ou in the BM at the robot goois me a glare right?”)
Ou: Referral to a person, but in a negative way. Being called an “Ou” in not a good thing. Pronounced “Oh”.
Drop: Winning a fight or drag race. (As in: “This ou tuning me whatwhat got dropped with one capsizing blow”)
Whatwhat: Addressing a person in a negative way. It is acceptable to ask the ou in the bar why he’s tuning your cherrie “whatwhat”. It is however not a good idea to ask the Metro Cop who pulled you off for speeding why he’s tuning you “whatwhat”, as then there will be lots of “whatwhat” tuned
Boere: The police or Metro
Sun City: Diepkloof Prison in Soweto. (As in: “Hey I tuned the boere who pulled me off why they’re tuning me whatwhat right? Hey then they put me in Sun City for the weekend one time and all”)
Onetime: Not the new budget airline. The phrase “onetime” refers to something immediate. (As in: “This ou was tuning me whatwhat so I dropped him onetime and all”)
Cherrie: Female (As in: “Hey I want to take this cherrie for a ride in my cabbie right?”)
Lens: Lenasia. A traditionally Asian residential area south of Johannesburg. (As in: My pozzie’s in Lens and all.”
Pozzie: The place where you stay. See above.
Schnaai: To figuratively screw someone over. (As in: “Hey, let me tune you one time, I schnaaid that darkie three clips down for the new sounds in my cabbie and all”)
Sounds: The music system in a car. (As in: “Hey check this out one time. I got me a new tweeter and subwoofer for my sounds and all”)
So next time our loyal readers come to Johannesburg and have the opportunity to visit the quant town of Lenasia, Just pull in at Lens and all and tune the Ous and all. Till next time, when DavidS will bring our loyal readers another snippet of news in his travels and travails around the world. Lastly, DavidS just wants to express his thanks to the Ruggaworld Board for financing his travels around the world and hushing attempts from British, Singaporean and New Zealand authorities to have him extradited. Oh yes and thanks for paying off the cops in Ventersdorp too.
There has been no attempt in Kwazulu-Natal to take rugby to the Indian community. I know traditionally Asians are supposed to enjoy cricket and soccer more, but it is an untapped market for rugby to market itself against. I wonder why nobody has actually taken the time to find out why this is so. I watched the 1995 RWC Final at a pub with three Indian friends who cried and embraced me when the whistle went. However, I have never seen or heard of Asian rugby players, aside from those in Japan (which mostly consists of Kiwi cast-off imports in any case)
Click here to read full article and comments.
Other Unions: Moffett exits by attacking 'selfish' clubs
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
By David Hands, Rugby Correspondent
MORE than 1,000 guests mingled at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff last night in celebration of 125 years of Welsh rugby. They did so amid a sense of continued optimism that rugby union in Wales, with a grand slam safely tucked away last March and positive developments afoot in the community game, is heading in the right direction at last.
That they could enjoy such a sense of wellbeing owes much to the efforts of a man who was born in England (he prefers to specify Yorkshire) and who has spent most of his life in Africa, Australia and New Zealand.
David Moffett, 58, stepped down nearly 11 weeks ago as chief executive of the Welsh Rugby Union and has been, in his words, an “agent for change”. In three short years he has cut away at the chains that kept Welsh rugby bound to the past, attracted rivers of criticism and delivered a variety of barbs of his own.
Despite his English roots, he has the Australasian way of calling a spade a bloody shovel and he regards as failure his inability to bring some sense of coherence to the northern-hemisphere season. Clubs on either side of the Channel are “particularly selfish”, he says, and the way the season is structured is “stupid”.
He will return to the southern hemisphere with words of advice for his erstwhile counterparts in Europe that he knows will not be well received. Moffett will tell anyone who cares to listen that a European league would be the answer to the mishmash of competitions that bedevil progress and would still leave the Six Nations Championship as the jewel in the northern crown.
He dislikes administrators sheltering behind commercial agreements with broadcasters and sponsors as an excuse to postpone change and believes that both these shareholders in the game would receive more for their money from one high-quality, pan-European competition. “I have given up in the last six months,” he said. “I have spoken to all the home unions and they say we would never get it through. But, as it is, the southern hemisphere is laughing at people here.
“We have to learn that less is more, otherwise you will end up with just three sub-international professional tournaments in the world: the Super 14, the French championship and the Guinness Premiership. If anyone thinks that’s good for world rugby, then go on down that line.
“The French and English clubs are particularly selfish. I don’t think they or their owners understand the real dynamics of rugby as opposed to football. The football model is the last thing rugby needs to follow. Only a handful of clubs are likely to win their competitions and we are reaching that point in the European Cup.
“We have been guilty of thinking more is better in Wales, but if you look at sport generally, the most valuable competition outside the Olympic Games and football’s World Cup is the NFL in the United States. Sixteen weeks, 32 teams playing in conferences with play-offs and the Super Bowl.
“In the southern hemisphere, the Tri-Nations and Super 14, played over 16 weeks, fund the whole community game. They look at the demands made on players in Britain, at the injuries to players, while they are on the beaches.
“It’s all because of the stupid system here and the scandal is that there is no real desire to address it. There is a very cursory review going on about the so-called integrated season, but the southern hemisphere doesn’t need to change.”
In Moffett’s view, a European league, building on the success of the Heineken Cup and played in three conferences, would supersede the Premiership in England, the French championship and the Celtic League. It would reduce playing demands and the need for outsize squads, bring clarity for player and spectator alike and would not impinge on the Six Nations, which generates about £45 million a year for a seven-week competition.
Yet he will depart with a justified sense of achievement, having helped to create a streamlined playing structure for the professional game in Wales, forced through a more manageable structure for the debt owed on the Millennium Stadium and designed the backdrop from which Welsh rugby has regained global respect.
“This has been the hardest job I have done,” Moffett said. “I have a simple view of how to run a business: income has to exceed costs. That’s the case now in Wales — we are budgeting this year for a £6 million profit. I’ll leave it up to others to judge the extent of the difference I have made.”
PART-TIME HEALEY
AUSTIN HEALEY, the Leicester and former England utility back, will finish as a full-time rugby player at the end of this season. He will continue to appear for Leicester as a part-time player, but a new career opportunity lies in wait. Healey, 32, won 51 England caps from 1997 to 2003 and made two Lions tours. His new job, still under wraps until he has signed a contract, is not involved with sport
Click here to read full article and comments.
By David Hands, Rugby Correspondent
MORE than 1,000 guests mingled at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff last night in celebration of 125 years of Welsh rugby. They did so amid a sense of continued optimism that rugby union in Wales, with a grand slam safely tucked away last March and positive developments afoot in the community game, is heading in the right direction at last.
That they could enjoy such a sense of wellbeing owes much to the efforts of a man who was born in England (he prefers to specify Yorkshire) and who has spent most of his life in Africa, Australia and New Zealand.
David Moffett, 58, stepped down nearly 11 weeks ago as chief executive of the Welsh Rugby Union and has been, in his words, an “agent for change”. In three short years he has cut away at the chains that kept Welsh rugby bound to the past, attracted rivers of criticism and delivered a variety of barbs of his own.
Despite his English roots, he has the Australasian way of calling a spade a bloody shovel and he regards as failure his inability to bring some sense of coherence to the northern-hemisphere season. Clubs on either side of the Channel are “particularly selfish”, he says, and the way the season is structured is “stupid”.
He will return to the southern hemisphere with words of advice for his erstwhile counterparts in Europe that he knows will not be well received. Moffett will tell anyone who cares to listen that a European league would be the answer to the mishmash of competitions that bedevil progress and would still leave the Six Nations Championship as the jewel in the northern crown.
He dislikes administrators sheltering behind commercial agreements with broadcasters and sponsors as an excuse to postpone change and believes that both these shareholders in the game would receive more for their money from one high-quality, pan-European competition. “I have given up in the last six months,” he said. “I have spoken to all the home unions and they say we would never get it through. But, as it is, the southern hemisphere is laughing at people here.
“We have to learn that less is more, otherwise you will end up with just three sub-international professional tournaments in the world: the Super 14, the French championship and the Guinness Premiership. If anyone thinks that’s good for world rugby, then go on down that line.
“The French and English clubs are particularly selfish. I don’t think they or their owners understand the real dynamics of rugby as opposed to football. The football model is the last thing rugby needs to follow. Only a handful of clubs are likely to win their competitions and we are reaching that point in the European Cup.
“We have been guilty of thinking more is better in Wales, but if you look at sport generally, the most valuable competition outside the Olympic Games and football’s World Cup is the NFL in the United States. Sixteen weeks, 32 teams playing in conferences with play-offs and the Super Bowl.
“In the southern hemisphere, the Tri-Nations and Super 14, played over 16 weeks, fund the whole community game. They look at the demands made on players in Britain, at the injuries to players, while they are on the beaches.
“It’s all because of the stupid system here and the scandal is that there is no real desire to address it. There is a very cursory review going on about the so-called integrated season, but the southern hemisphere doesn’t need to change.”
In Moffett’s view, a European league, building on the success of the Heineken Cup and played in three conferences, would supersede the Premiership in England, the French championship and the Celtic League. It would reduce playing demands and the need for outsize squads, bring clarity for player and spectator alike and would not impinge on the Six Nations, which generates about £45 million a year for a seven-week competition.
Yet he will depart with a justified sense of achievement, having helped to create a streamlined playing structure for the professional game in Wales, forced through a more manageable structure for the debt owed on the Millennium Stadium and designed the backdrop from which Welsh rugby has regained global respect.
“This has been the hardest job I have done,” Moffett said. “I have a simple view of how to run a business: income has to exceed costs. That’s the case now in Wales — we are budgeting this year for a £6 million profit. I’ll leave it up to others to judge the extent of the difference I have made.”
PART-TIME HEALEY
AUSTIN HEALEY, the Leicester and former England utility back, will finish as a full-time rugby player at the end of this season. He will continue to appear for Leicester as a part-time player, but a new career opportunity lies in wait. Healey, 32, won 51 England caps from 1997 to 2003 and made two Lions tours. His new job, still under wraps until he has signed a contract, is not involved with sport
Click here to read full article and comments.
McKeever: The Key to McKeever
Questions and answers session(s) with Tony McKeever, CEO of The Southern Spears. Mr. McKeever will visit us from time to time to answer your questions and discuss with you all the reasons why The Spears will be the Super 14 Champions in 2007 and 2008 and ...
Tony, from all of us at Rugga World, thank you very much for your time and the fact that you are prepared to enter into discussions with us.
Tony:
Here goes...........denuded by the sharp minds of rugby junkies.
What quaestion do you want answered?
No - ISC are not the Title Sponsors - that is under negotiation
OORB Q # 3 to TMC
What is your view on Rugby Union analysis and the use of technology in your franchise.
Technology is an essential tool - but not at diminishing the skill set and reflexes of the rugby talent - this needs to enhance their synapses.
Will IT be used to link the 4 entities at operational level?
Yes - as this will be the players pool or well to which we will go to on numerous occasions.
To DavidS:
The Spears will use the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University Field and Sports Academy facilities - I am in discussions to demolish and build a Home of the Spears that will be a multi-purpose facility for cinderella sports and lifestyle activities synonymous with rugby.
OORB # 5 to TMc
Do you have a vacant post for a Technical Analyst?
Yes - see www.thespears.co.za/careers
DavidS:
The Spears brand must be a brand for the People - A People's Team
If you want any tickets for the 14th January or 21st January - JUST ASK - But wear RED
This team that you say is inexperienced - have tested as good as the "best" in South Africa in Speed - Fitness - Strength - Conditioning & Endurance.
The missing component is mental - but that comes with a full stand of People's Team supporters - my target is 30,000 on the 14th January and we are half way there already.
The mental approach also exposes a vulnerability to the high profile names - as every one is wont to throw up - their mental state is more fragile - not stronger - than our Spears.
Kandas:
Just signed on - trying to work out how to use this stuff
Oranje Orakel: Hi Tony. As a Cheetah fan, I must compliment you with the Roll-out of the Spears Brand.
It impresses me and I wish you, your management team, the players and the fans the best of luck for the future. I see that the other areas is mostly covered.
Kandas: No problem. :)
Some of the guys on this site think that EVERYTHING that goes wrong is Kandas' Fault. From there the KF. They learn quickly though.
Thanking for answering our questions.
Feel free to give us more info though. Some of the guys on this site, ironically, are quite good at spreading the good news.
Oranje Orakel: Tony
Would you consider alternative mediums for Broadcasting- ea podcasting- if the current contract does not specifically excludes it?
DavidS: Tony
I see SARU has just released a directive indicating the 'quota' of black players they want in the Super 14 teams.
From your squad make-up thus far it appears that you are deeply committed to transforming rugby perception in SEC.
SEC is the spiritual home of African rugby in SA. What are you going to do to take the game to black communities in SEC and I suppose more difficult to the rest of the country?
Oranje Orakel: Tony
Thanks for taking the time in answering the questions- much appreciated.
Donner: Tony,
Thank you for answering our questions. It is great to see that our opinions and questions does caryy weight.
Good luck with the Spears. It is a part of our country that has many untapped resources not only on the rugby front.
DavidS: Tony
My Q4
Are there parts of the Spears operation where you think the organisation may be lacking in people and expertise asid from the obvious inexperience of the team itself.
What are you doing to meet those challenges?
DavidS: Tony
I think you are setting a fantastic example of CEO accesibility for the other Super 14 Franchises to live up to.
I also have to compliment you on the absolutely professional way that you have rolled out the brand so far.
Good luck for the future. I am certain that with the professionalism you have displayed so far, the success of the team is virtually guaranteed. Click here to read full article and comments.
Tony, from all of us at Rugga World, thank you very much for your time and the fact that you are prepared to enter into discussions with us.
Tony:
Here goes...........denuded by the sharp minds of rugby junkies.
What quaestion do you want answered?
No - ISC are not the Title Sponsors - that is under negotiation
OORB Q # 3 to TMC
What is your view on Rugby Union analysis and the use of technology in your franchise.
Technology is an essential tool - but not at diminishing the skill set and reflexes of the rugby talent - this needs to enhance their synapses.
Will IT be used to link the 4 entities at operational level?
Yes - as this will be the players pool or well to which we will go to on numerous occasions.
To DavidS:
The Spears will use the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University Field and Sports Academy facilities - I am in discussions to demolish and build a Home of the Spears that will be a multi-purpose facility for cinderella sports and lifestyle activities synonymous with rugby.
OORB # 5 to TMc
Do you have a vacant post for a Technical Analyst?
Yes - see www.thespears.co.za/careers
DavidS:
The Spears brand must be a brand for the People - A People's Team
If you want any tickets for the 14th January or 21st January - JUST ASK - But wear RED
This team that you say is inexperienced - have tested as good as the "best" in South Africa in Speed - Fitness - Strength - Conditioning & Endurance.
The missing component is mental - but that comes with a full stand of People's Team supporters - my target is 30,000 on the 14th January and we are half way there already.
The mental approach also exposes a vulnerability to the high profile names - as every one is wont to throw up - their mental state is more fragile - not stronger - than our Spears.
Kandas:
Just signed on - trying to work out how to use this stuff
Oranje Orakel: Hi Tony. As a Cheetah fan, I must compliment you with the Roll-out of the Spears Brand.
It impresses me and I wish you, your management team, the players and the fans the best of luck for the future. I see that the other areas is mostly covered.
Kandas: No problem. :)
Some of the guys on this site think that EVERYTHING that goes wrong is Kandas' Fault. From there the KF. They learn quickly though.
Thanking for answering our questions.
Feel free to give us more info though. Some of the guys on this site, ironically, are quite good at spreading the good news.
Oranje Orakel: Tony
Would you consider alternative mediums for Broadcasting- ea podcasting- if the current contract does not specifically excludes it?
DavidS: Tony
I see SARU has just released a directive indicating the 'quota' of black players they want in the Super 14 teams.
From your squad make-up thus far it appears that you are deeply committed to transforming rugby perception in SEC.
SEC is the spiritual home of African rugby in SA. What are you going to do to take the game to black communities in SEC and I suppose more difficult to the rest of the country?
Oranje Orakel: Tony
Thanks for taking the time in answering the questions- much appreciated.
Donner: Tony,
Thank you for answering our questions. It is great to see that our opinions and questions does caryy weight.
Good luck with the Spears. It is a part of our country that has many untapped resources not only on the rugby front.
DavidS: Tony
My Q4
Are there parts of the Spears operation where you think the organisation may be lacking in people and expertise asid from the obvious inexperience of the team itself.
What are you doing to meet those challenges?
DavidS: Tony
I think you are setting a fantastic example of CEO accesibility for the other Super 14 Franchises to live up to.
I also have to compliment you on the absolutely professional way that you have rolled out the brand so far.
Good luck for the future. I am certain that with the professionalism you have displayed so far, the success of the team is virtually guaranteed. Click here to read full article and comments.
Super 14: New Super 14 quotas
Source: www.sundaytimes.co.za
RUGBY teams representing South Africa in next year's Super 14 tournament must have no fewer than eight players of colour in their squads, the South African Rugby Union (Saru) has announced.
This was revealed by Saru's deputy chief executive Mveleli Ncula, addressing delegates on the second day of a provincial sports indaba at an East London beachfront hotel.
Of the 30 contracted players, eight must be black – six in the final squad of 22 and four in the starting line-up.
Stern warning
He sent a stern warning to coaches who were not willing to adhere to this new resolution.
Ncula said Saru was serious about transforming rugby from grassroots level to the top echelons.
He added that the new rule was part of Saru's transformation charter.
"Anyone who does not comply with this will have to face serious consequences. We have to make sure each and every province in South Africa is following this law."
The new rule will come into effect next year.
'We don't want to bring politics into sport'
"We do not want to bring politics into sport, but want to afford opportunities to those who have never had them.
"I refuse to believe there aren't enough black players in South Africa who can play in the Super 14," Ncula said.
"Look at the U21s: 60 to 70 percent of the team was black. They did us all proud.
"You cannot tell me today that the players who went on to beat New Zealand in the finals of the World Cup were not picked on merit.
"The technical staff of that team (were under) no pressure whatsoever to select black players."
New franchise
He hailed Southern Spears coach Peter de Villiers, former head coach of the U21 team, for his willingness to give enough opportunities to black players. Talking on the new Southern and Eastern Cape franchise, Ncula said it was imperative that the Southern Spears, as the franchise is now known, received maximum support from the people of the Eastern Cape, including the government.
"Since the team will not be actively participating in the Super 14 next year, we have already organised some friendly matches for them to prepare the squad. They must use next year to prepare for the upcoming battle."
The Central Unions will become the fifth South African franchise to participate in the tournament.
The team that finishes fifth will be relegated and replaced by the Spears.
However, Spears will not be relegated until 2009 and thereafter they will be judged equal to others.
The sports indaba ends today.
Daily Dispatch Click here to read full article and comments.
RUGBY teams representing South Africa in next year's Super 14 tournament must have no fewer than eight players of colour in their squads, the South African Rugby Union (Saru) has announced.
This was revealed by Saru's deputy chief executive Mveleli Ncula, addressing delegates on the second day of a provincial sports indaba at an East London beachfront hotel.
Of the 30 contracted players, eight must be black – six in the final squad of 22 and four in the starting line-up.
Stern warning
He sent a stern warning to coaches who were not willing to adhere to this new resolution.
Ncula said Saru was serious about transforming rugby from grassroots level to the top echelons.
He added that the new rule was part of Saru's transformation charter.
"Anyone who does not comply with this will have to face serious consequences. We have to make sure each and every province in South Africa is following this law."
The new rule will come into effect next year.
'We don't want to bring politics into sport'
"We do not want to bring politics into sport, but want to afford opportunities to those who have never had them.
"I refuse to believe there aren't enough black players in South Africa who can play in the Super 14," Ncula said.
"Look at the U21s: 60 to 70 percent of the team was black. They did us all proud.
"You cannot tell me today that the players who went on to beat New Zealand in the finals of the World Cup were not picked on merit.
"The technical staff of that team (were under) no pressure whatsoever to select black players."
New franchise
He hailed Southern Spears coach Peter de Villiers, former head coach of the U21 team, for his willingness to give enough opportunities to black players. Talking on the new Southern and Eastern Cape franchise, Ncula said it was imperative that the Southern Spears, as the franchise is now known, received maximum support from the people of the Eastern Cape, including the government.
"Since the team will not be actively participating in the Super 14 next year, we have already organised some friendly matches for them to prepare the squad. They must use next year to prepare for the upcoming battle."
The Central Unions will become the fifth South African franchise to participate in the tournament.
The team that finishes fifth will be relegated and replaced by the Spears.
However, Spears will not be relegated until 2009 and thereafter they will be judged equal to others.
The sports indaba ends today.
Daily Dispatch Click here to read full article and comments.
Rugby Administration: RUGBY AND BEE – HOW DOES THE 60% AFFECT OUR RUGBY?
Recent news reports will have us believe that rugby is being forced to have 60% black players. This was widely reported on keo.co.za and in the Afrikaans media and exacted a hysterical outcry from fans. Here we examine what this BEE thing is all about, transformation charters and how it will affect rugby
Picture Credit: The Department of Trade and Industry
What is Broad Based
These days, we hear a lot about Broad Based black economic empowerment. What is broad based black economic empowerment and how does it affect rugby?
Broad based is a term that derives from the new black economic empowerment initiatives of the government. Their studies showed that in the awarding of work, and determination of black economic empowerment credentials, the narrow view was taken that ownership and management of a company should be the sole determinator of whether a company or organisation was black empowered. This allowed several companies who were making good contributions to black economic empowerment. It also allowed unscrupulous operators to use black people to front their company, while they still did all the work.
The government studies revealed that the different measurement levels were misleading. For instance, many companies created a black owner / director / shareholder. But this did not affect the way the people in the company worked at all. It contributed nothing to really empowering people.
So they developed a new measurement system called broad based black economic empowerment. This does not just measure ownership and top management. It goes further. It creates a scorecard to measure broad based black economic empowerment. So now your black empowerment credentials are measured on a wide basis and not the narrow ownership / management alone.
So how does this scorecard work?
The scorecard measures seven categories of black economic empowerment contributions. It measures your black economic empowerment contribution on a score out of 100. Each category counts for a certain number of points. These are called weighting toward the 100 score. These categories are (with the weighting in brackets):
1) Black ownership (20 out of 100)
2) Black management (10 out of 100)
3) Employment Equity (10 out of 100)
4) Skills development (20 out of 100)
5) Procurement from BEE enterprises (20 out of 100)
6) Development of BEE enterprises (10 out of 100)
7) Residual elements of contribution (10 out of 100)
Any company with a score above 65 is seen as a black economic empowered company. This means a company can stay completely white owned and managed and still be considered a black economic empowerment company. There are sub-categories of measurement in the seven divisions. For example, management measures not just the number of black people in controlling positions in a company, but also black women.
The targets
Each category contains a measurement of where a company should be aiming at as a target. The points a company then scores out of the weighted score is then determined on the basis of their percentage compliance with the target. The targets are:
1) Ownership – 25% + 1 shareholding
2) Management – 50% of voting rights at board level
3) Employment Equity
- 71% African
- 14% white
- 10% coloured
- 5% Asian
- 50% women
4) Skills Development – 4% of annual payroll must be spent on training initiatives
5) Affirmative procurement – 50% of non discretionary spending with BEE companies annually
6) Enterprise Development – 2% of Pre-Tax profits spent per year
7) Residual elements – 3% of post-tax profits spent on corporate social investment per year
Charters and changing the scorecards
Industries can collectively get together and draft their own scorecards. These are called Charters. There are two types of charters. The first is an advisory charter. With this charter an industry will publish a proposed scorecard as an advisory charter to commit itself to BEE. The second is a mandatory charter. This is also industry specific and it effectively replaces the generic scorecard. Examples are in the mining sector, where the involvement of women in the industry has been reduced to a 10% target because for obvious reasons the industry is not woman friendly.
The proposed health industry charter may not be constitutional because it goes over the top in targets, setting woman involvement at 60% and black ownership at 80%. But these are the vagaries that face people who choose to involve themselves in an industry controlled by the esteemed minister Manto.
The Rugby Charter
SARU presented a transformation charter to government. Now aside from being a nice little PR exercise to impress the Minister of Sport, it is also necessary. Firstly, the sport is also one that is not woman friendly. Secondly, the public face of the sport is the players and this is where change must be seen.
So what does this charter say? The overwhelming measurement criterion of the sport is weighted toward the players. So, black player representation counts for 60 points on the scorecard. This does not mean 60% of players must be black. It means that how well represented the player profile is of the racial demographics of the country counts for 60% of the total score out of 100. So, the player make-up of 71% African, 14% white, 10% coloured and 5% Asian is what counts for 60 points on the scorecard.
The rest of the measurement criteria do not count as much and this is a massive concern. Firstly, it ensures that the predominantly inept white administrators and their lackeys, who have controlled rugby for years, will stay in power. Secondly, there is very little or any weight attached to the developmental aspect of the game, whilst I believe that the skills development of players (who will only play professionally for between 10 and 15 years) and the growth of the game at a grass roots level have been thrown by the wayside in an effort to impress government with player representation figures, losing of course from view that in order to meet the player representation criterion, we actually need to go out there and find these players.
In conclusion, BEE scorecards are complex business. SA Rugby has again gotten it completely wrong in concentrating on the wrong end of the spectrum with their proposed charter. They have promised top flight professional players from a portion of the community that is still in the embryonic stages of growing into the sport, without any thought for where those players will come from or how they will grow the stature of the sport in this community so quickly.
In yet another typical SARU communications KF, their own proposed charter is not even available on their website. Click here to read full article and comments.
Other Sport: Polly sides with ICC on sledging
An Article by Boertjie
The veteran Protea seamer Shaun Pollock yesterday sided with the ICC in its stance
towards sledging, whilst the Aussie captain Ricky Ponting gave his players the go-ahead to continue the practice.
On Tuesday the ICC issued a stern warning to both teams that they risk misconduct charges if they continue the sledging that has dominated the build-up to the first test starting in Perth on Friday. The chairperson of the ICB, Ehsan Mani, said earlier this week that the image of the game should be protected and that cricket was not a game for hooligans.
"I think the ICB did well to act pro-actively to ensure that emotions stay calm rather than taking action halfway through the series when things have already got out of hand," Pollock said.
Ponting said that sledging is mostly "light-hearted" and done in a "good spirit" to try to intimidate the opponents.
"It's part of the game. As long as a player's character isn't attacked, I don't see any thing wrong with a war of words before a Test. It's part of the psychological warfare and as old as the hills. The cricketing public likes it."
Ponting was supported by the former South African Test batsman, Barry Richards, who has lived in Perth for decades.
"The ICB should rather concentrate on sorting out much more important matters - like the mess in Zimbabwe cricket." Richards said.
Source: Christo Buchner, Beeld
Some classic sledges
The following are snippets of the almost constant banter between players
that goes on at Cricket games the world over.
Glenn McGrath to Otto Brandes, tubby South African no.11, after a 85 mph
delivery whistles past Brandes' chin: "Why are you so fat?"
Brandes retorts: "Because every time I f#ck your wife, she gives me a biscuit."
An English county bowler was having surprising success against the great
West Indian Viv Richards, who'd played and missed at several balls.
Foolishly, the bowler piped up, "Hey Viv, it's red and it's round."
A steaming Richards cracked the next ball into another postcode and told
the bowler, "Hoy mon. You know what it looks like - go fetch it."
Merv Hughes was being Merv, aiming constant abuse at English batsman
Robin Smith. But having been told that he "couldn't bat to save his f#cking
life", Smith smashed a four, walked down the pitch and said: "Make a good pair,
don't we? I can't f#cking bat and you can't f#cking bowl."
Merv has something of a reputation of being a master sledger, and one of his greatest moments surely was during the 1991 Adelaide Test against Pakistan.
Merv was unimpressed with Javed Miandad speaking Urdu rather than English, and even less so when Miandad contemptuously called him a “fat bus conductor.”
A few balls later the ‘fat bus conductor’ dismissed Javed.
“Tickets, please,” Merv called out as he ran past the departing batsman.
Merv Hughes & Viv Richards
And it’s not just because he’s in this feature three times that Merv is considered to be a master sledger. Sometimes the moustachioed one didn’t even need to speak to get under a batsman’s skin.
During one Test match in the West Indies he didn’t say a word to Viv Richards - but continued to stare at him after deliveries.
“Don’t you be staring at me, mon,” said Richards. “Get back and bowl. This is my island. This is my culture. Don’t you be staring at me. You have no right to be staring.”
Merv didn’t reply, but after he dismissed Viv with his fifth ball, he announced to the departing batsman: “In my culture we say ‘piss off’.”
Viv Richards & Greg Thomas
However, it’s also the case that Richards has gone on record to state that “My better innings were when I was being sledged” and his famous exchange with Glamorgan bowler Greg Thomas when he was playing for Somerset would certainly suggest as much.
After going past the outside edge with a couple of deliveries, Thomas told Richards: “It's red, round and weighs about five ounces."
Unfortunately for Thomas, the next ball was in the ‘slot’ and Richards hammered it out of the ground and into a river.
At which point Viv piped up: “Greg, you know what it looks like. Now go and find it"
And, if that wasn’t enough, Richards then went on to hit 140 in 75 minutes.
Arjuna Ranatunga appealed that he had "sprained" something during a WSC final at the SCG, where the game had been shortened due to rain and the atmosphere was running at about 95% humidity. The very exhausted Ranatunga duly duly
asked the umpire for a runner.
As clear as a bell through the effects mic you heard Healey's legendary reply "you don't get a runner for being an overweight, unfit, fat c#nt".
Click here to read full article and comments.
Other Sport: Graeme Smith's part in the War of Words
It's funny how the media works, and Graeme Smith probably thinks the same. Not the people, just the 'system'. Internet sites, newspapers and radio stations need to generate news to stay in business, of course, but they wouldn't stay in business if people weren't interested in reading the news. Most cricketers and other sportsmen don't have the time or inclination to read news or 'comment' outside their immediate sphere of interest so when it is presented to them at a later date, it appears, to all intents and purposes, as fresh.
Source: cricinfo.com
Picture: Getty Images
By Neil Manthorpe (15 December 2005)
Almost three months ago Smith said that England's Ashes triumph had contributed towards Australia losing their "aura of invincibility". Nobody outside of Australia took much notice at the time because they were too busy nodding in sage agreement at what appeared to be harmless statement of the obvious. But when the comments were presented to Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath once South Africa arrived in Perth, they were taken as a stinging, inciteful and personal afront by the great bowlers. And they wasted no time in hitting back with comments about Smith's big mouth and arrogant attitude. Actually, Smith has said almost nothing to contribute towards the 'war of words' which made the ICC so nervous they saw fit to issue a bizarre warning about players adhering to the 'spirit of the game'.
Fortunately, not everybody has taken the pre-series hype at face value. And anyway, hype is a good thing. It creates interest, sells tickets and keeps the game alive and well. But at least one former South African player, who has seen it all before, has seen it for what it really is. "The truth is I don't think Graeme has said very much at all since arriving in Australia. The comments that Shane and Glenn are referring to were made weeks, even months ago by Graeme and nobody even noticed back then," said an amused Gary Kirsten from Cape Town. "The media 'machine' in Australia loves a bone to chew on and they don't let go. But Graeme hasn't risen to the bait and that's a very good sign. He must just keep quiet and let his cricket do the talking," Kirsten said. "When I was still playing we knew that Steve Waugh thrived on a chirp, he loved the opposition having a word or two with him. We learnt a bit too late that we were better off saying nothing to him."
Not that Smith hasn't been outspoken in the past, of course. Like Waugh he prefers his cricket to played in a heated environment and he's not complaining now that he will face Australia - notably Warne and McGrath - in an environment that another former Protea, Allan Donald, describes as "potentially white hot." "Graeme is a very passionate and occasionally outspoken guy, and he can handle himself fine, but my concern is for the rest of the team," says Donald. "There are some pretty young guys in the team and even some of the older blokes haven't played in Australia before. Now they're feeling the heat of an Australian series and, deep down, I wonder if they're concerned that Graeme has turned the heat up even more."
Test matches at the WACA tend to be adrenalin-fuelled, fast-moving affairs with explosive moments occurring closer together than at most international venues. Once again, Smith loves that idea and when he helped create the team's new motto of 'brave cricket' back in August, it was partly with Perth - and the rest of the Australian series - in mind.
But whereas Donald fears Smith may have intimidated his own team-mates with the level of his bravado, one of his predecessors as national captain, Kepler Wessels, wonders whether it may all be part of Smith's grand plan to protect his more vulnerable men. "He has set himself up as this macho, take-it-on-the-chin kind of captain who leads from the front. He will face the sternest test of his life in Australia with that leadership style but, maybe, part of the plan is to deflect all the Aussie aggro towards himself and away from his team mates allowing them to play their normal games," Wessels said. Whilst stopping a long way short of optimism about South Africa's chances, Kirsten can't help remembering the last time Smith was the subject of such strong pre-tour hype: "The last time Graeme had so much pre-series banter was in England in 2003 and he started with back-to-back double hundreds," said Kirsten. "I'm sure he won't do that again but he does respond positively to this sort of stuff. I don't know, but the Aussies might just be distracting themselves."
Warne and McGrath, Ntini and Pollock; Hayden and Ponting, Kallis and Gibbs. They could, and probably will, have a say in the outcome of the series, but Graeme Smith may just hold the master-key. For many, many reasons besides his bat.
Neil Manthorp is a South African broadcaster and journalist, and head of the MWP Sport agency
Thanks to Wesley for keeping an eye on the cricket for us! Click here to read full article and comments.
Discussions: Is this the end of the John Smit saga?
Source: www.iol.co.za
By Brendon Foot
It certainly wasn't "home Jerome" but rather "off to hospital" for the French captain Jerome Thion, who suffered a fractured larynx as a result of the clash of the captains in Paris.
This resulted in Springbok captain Smit receiving a "Dear John" from the International Rugby Board, who banned him for six weeks.
The Frenchman recovered fairly quickly, being allowed to drink "milk and frozen products" the next day, which in itself must have been something of a punishment for any food and wine-loving Frenchman.
Sharks CEO Brian Van Zyl bemoaned the loss of fellow-Pretoria High School Old Boy Smit, who will be unavailable for the first three Super 14 matches next year.
Can Thion, or his club (who are reportedly considering legal action) successfully sue Smit for damages?
Although there is an increasing tendency towards litigation as a result of violence in sport, most of these incidents "stay on the park". This can partly be ascribed to the testosterone-inclined notion that "cowboys don't cry".
Some matters have found their way to court, however. The Boshoff brothers, for example, will probably think twice before playing squash against one another again. One of the brothers was injured by a "flying" racquet and sued his sibling in the Free State Provincial Division of the High Court.
The action failed because, among other reasons, the injured brother had been found to have "voluntarily consented to the risk of injury".
The IRB regulations themselves make it clear that rugby is a physical, contact sport which often results in injury. There is provision for so-called "injury-time", after all.
The defence of "consent" only extends to injuries that occur within the normal course of the game. Even if the injury occurred as a result of a contravention of the laws (as in Smit's case), but was foreseeable in the normal course of a game, the defence will still succeed. But if an injury is caused by a deliberate intention to injure someone or a gross contravention of the rules, then there is the possibility of successfully suing. This type of intention is not uncommon in sport.
Roy Keane, who recently quit as captain of Manchester United, admitted in his biography that he deliberately targeted Alfe Inge Haaland of Manchester City. In my view, Thion (or his club) will not be able to successfully sue Smit. "Le coq sportif" had surely consented to the risk of injury and Smit's conduct did not (I think) grossly exceed the norm in this physical and risky sport.
# Brandon Foot is an attorney specialising in sports law and the past President of the Northerns Cricket Union. Click here to read full article and comments.
By Brendon Foot
It certainly wasn't "home Jerome" but rather "off to hospital" for the French captain Jerome Thion, who suffered a fractured larynx as a result of the clash of the captains in Paris.
This resulted in Springbok captain Smit receiving a "Dear John" from the International Rugby Board, who banned him for six weeks.
The Frenchman recovered fairly quickly, being allowed to drink "milk and frozen products" the next day, which in itself must have been something of a punishment for any food and wine-loving Frenchman.
Sharks CEO Brian Van Zyl bemoaned the loss of fellow-Pretoria High School Old Boy Smit, who will be unavailable for the first three Super 14 matches next year.
Can Thion, or his club (who are reportedly considering legal action) successfully sue Smit for damages?
Although there is an increasing tendency towards litigation as a result of violence in sport, most of these incidents "stay on the park". This can partly be ascribed to the testosterone-inclined notion that "cowboys don't cry".
Some matters have found their way to court, however. The Boshoff brothers, for example, will probably think twice before playing squash against one another again. One of the brothers was injured by a "flying" racquet and sued his sibling in the Free State Provincial Division of the High Court.
The action failed because, among other reasons, the injured brother had been found to have "voluntarily consented to the risk of injury".
The IRB regulations themselves make it clear that rugby is a physical, contact sport which often results in injury. There is provision for so-called "injury-time", after all.
The defence of "consent" only extends to injuries that occur within the normal course of the game. Even if the injury occurred as a result of a contravention of the laws (as in Smit's case), but was foreseeable in the normal course of a game, the defence will still succeed. But if an injury is caused by a deliberate intention to injure someone or a gross contravention of the rules, then there is the possibility of successfully suing. This type of intention is not uncommon in sport.
Roy Keane, who recently quit as captain of Manchester United, admitted in his biography that he deliberately targeted Alfe Inge Haaland of Manchester City. In my view, Thion (or his club) will not be able to successfully sue Smit. "Le coq sportif" had surely consented to the risk of injury and Smit's conduct did not (I think) grossly exceed the norm in this physical and risky sport.
# Brandon Foot is an attorney specialising in sports law and the past President of the Northerns Cricket Union. Click here to read full article and comments.
Rugby Administration: ARFU's NZ$2.5m (R11.2m) profit
Source: www.rugby365.com
Logo: Auckland Rugby Football Union
The Auckland Rugby Football Union (ARFU) is not only returning to its former glories on the rugby field, it is now also once again one of New Zealand's most powerful and profitable unions in the boardroom.
The ARFU announced on Tuesday that it had an operating surplus of nearly NZ$2.5-million (US$1.7-million, R11.2m) for the 2005 financial year. The profit was before the union handed out club grants of $849,107 (about US$600,000, R3.8m).
ARFU Chief Executive Officer David White said this was a pleasing result which has come off the back of some hard work by all involved at Auckland Rugby.
"With the British and Irish Lions tour, Bledisloe Cup test and hosting Air New Zealand semi finals and finals, it has been a busy year," said White.
"Record crowds at Blues home matches at Eden Park this year have also helped our bottom line, as Auckland Rugby receives a 55 percent distribution of the net surplus from the Blues.
"More importantly, this surplus is a result of the outstanding work done by so many. It will certainly help add to the financial stability of the union as it continues to find new ways of improving all aspects of the game at both the amateur and professional levels."
Other key announcements at Tuesday's annual meeting included the appointment of former Auckland and All Blacks great, Bryan Williams, to the ARFU board.
Williams replaces John Baird, who is stepping down after 11 years of service.
Two New Life members were also announced.
Waka Nathan, another Auckland and All Blacks icon was made a life member of the union.
Rob Fisher, who is a former ARFU and NZRU Chairman, and former Deputy Chairman of the IRB, was also made a life member.
Click here to read full article and comments.
Other Sport: After sevens rugby, George overflows for Fancourt golf
Source: www.theherald.co.za
By: Athane Scholtz Garden Route Reporter
GEORGE is buzzing as sports lovers make the most of two international events in the mountainside town.
The SA Airways Open golf tournament is being played at Fancourt from tomorrow – less than a week after the South African leg of the Fly Emirates IRB rugby sevens tournament was held at Outeniqua Park.
George Airport and George Tourism both confirmed that the town was jam-packed ahead of its traditional high season starting next week.
Outgoing George Airport manager Jenny Becker earlier confirmed full flights on most carriers. “Bookings leading up to the sports events have ensured that the airport will be very busy for an extra week and remain so until mid-January,” she said.
George Tourism director Joan Shaw said the rugby had generated many bed-nights for George.
She said all accommodation establishments in George were full for the golf long weekend and visitors were being advised to seek accommodation in neighbouring towns.
“The town and the tourism offices are very busy and there is a distinct holiday vibe in the air. It’s great. We have received many golf inquiries, particularly from the Eastern and Western Cape.”
Meanwhile, preparations for the golf tournament were well on the way. The first players arrived yesterday. The tournament ends on Sunday.
Fancourt marketing director Kwakye Donkor said he was confident that this year’s tournament would be the best ever.
“Our recent confirmation as best golf resort in Africa, combined with some of the world’s best players, will ensure an unforgettable tournament. We are excited and well prepared for the event.”
Donkor said the links course was in perfect condition and ready to host the world’s best.
“We expect that players will get out onto the course to practise and familiarise themselves with this very challenging course as soon as possible.”
The tournament – which will feature South Africa’s top players including Ernie Els, Retief Goosen, Tim Clarks and Trevor Immelman – carries an increased 1-million (R7,5-million) purse.
Fancourt is hosting its third international tournament in two years. It played host to the President’s Cup in 2003 and the Women’s World Cup in February this year.
Click here to read full article and comments.
Rugby Administration: Stuurman submits audit on EP Rugby
Source: www.theherald.co.za
Filed: December 14th, 2005
POLICE have confirmed that axed Eastern Province rugby boss Willem Stuurman has submitted an auditor’s report highlighting problems in the rugby union to the police for further investigation.
Police spokesman Johann van Greunen said detectives would be reviewing the information contained in the PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC) audit and would then take the matter to the Director of Public Prosecutions for further consideration.
“It is difficult to say what will come out of the investigation, but the final decision will lie with the Director of Public Prosecutions,” he said.
This comes three months after the initial findings of the audit, commissioned by the SA Rugby Union, were revealed. The audit highlighted three main areas of concern, including maladministration and mismanagement, alleged dishonest and fraudulent activities by chief executive Phillip Joseph and confirmation of findings from an investigation of Stuurman’s affairs.
During a meeting on August 23, which discussed the findings of the PWC audit, SA Rugby recommended that the EP Rugby Union executive “take appropriate corrective action to rectify the situation (revealed in the PWC report) in the very near future.”
SA Rugby also recommended that “with the assistance of a labour lawyer or consultant, they (EPRU) jointly suspend the CEO (Joseph) with immediate effect, and that they hold an urgent disciplinary hearing on the various allegations (contained in the PWC report) . . .”
Stuurman said he had taken the report to the police so the claims of fraud and mismanagement could be “resolved once and for all”.
Click here to read full article and comments.
Other Unions: Nobody owns the silver fern
Source: www.rugbyheaven.smh.com.au
Original Source: NZPA
The New Zealand Rugby Union has been knocked back in a bid to trademark the silver fern for exclusive use in All Blacks merchandise.
In an intellectual property rights row that has dragged on for four years, the NZRFU wanted to trademark "a black rugby jersey, or casual shirt made in the style of a rugby jersey, bearing a fern and with a white collar".
But 12 clothing manufacturers around the country joined forces to argue that the fern belongs to all New Zealanders and should not be restricted to the union and the All Blacks, an Auckland newspaper reported today.
In a judgment released yesterday, assistant commissioner of trademarks Jennie Walden said the fern was "very broad in scope and had a low level of inherent distinctiveness".
"Accordingly, the mark is not registrable," she ruled in a written decision.
The NZRFU registered a trademark on the words "All Blacks" and on its own stylised silver fern in 1991.
A key argument in this application was whether any fern and black jersey were a symbol of the All Blacks.
The Intellectual Property Office accepted that the opponents - who mainly manufacture jerseys for the tourist trade - had made significant sales of rugby jerseys in the style the union was seeking to protect both before and after the application date in June 2001.
Auckland barrister Alex McDonald, who represented the opponents, said an important aspect of the decision involved a recognition that the motives of the manufacturers were not "questionable".
"Quite the reverse, in fact, as the Intellectual Property Office asked why, if the Rugby Union considered that the opponents had acted improperly, it had not taken steps against those traders for breach of the Fair Trading Act," she said.
Union deputy chief executive Steve Tew said the bid was aimed at one "constant area of misunderstanding".
"We know people that buy jerseys are mistaken into thinking they're buying a genuine article when they're not, and off a company that don't have the intellectual property rights to the genuine article, and who are not returning the benefit from the purchase back into the game, which is what we do."
Neil Crawford, managing director of Crawford Souvenirs, one of the opponents, said the trademark application "forced us to act to defend a national symbol on a black jersey for future generations, and not be ring-fenced for the commercial benefit of one organisation".
Terry Wilson, company director of Seabreeze Fashions, another of the opponents, said the Rugby Union was entitled to use its own-style fern and the word "All Blacks".
"But the fern belongs to all of us so I thought it was a pretty rude application," he said. "It's a victory for common sense."
Mr Wilson said his company would have suffered job losses if it was no longer allowed to sell silver fern-tagged garments to tourists.
Mr Tew said last night he was disappointed with the ruling.
"Frankly we find some of the trading offers done around our intellectual property to be rude and against common sense.
"We'll continue to watch very closely and ensure the rights we already have in place are not infringed. And if they are, we will act."
NZPA Click here to read full article and comments.
Rugby Personalities: Shock death of sports personality and businessman Max Ntshona
Source: www.theherald.com
By: Mawande Jack Senior General Correspondent
SPORT in the province has been dealt a blow with the death of Port Elizabeth administrator and businessman Madoda Max Ntshona.
The 61-year-old former vice-president of the EP Cricket Board died of a heart attack in Alice, where he had attended a family function on Saturday.
“Bra Max”, as he was popularly known, was among leading figures, like the late Dan Qeqe, who popularised non-racial sports in the province through the KwaZakhele Rugby Union (Kwaru).
His dedication to the cause of non-racial sport culminated in his being elected to lead the regional ANC sports desk.
Nafcoc president Kutluano Headbush described him as a mentor to emerging business people who had suffered under apartheid. “He taught us how to fight apartheid in all spheres of life, and how to run a successful business,” Headbush said.
Nelson Mandela Bay Sports Council chairman Sibhidla Majola said Ntshona’s death was “a terrible blow to sport”.
He said Ntshona had been the longest-serving Spring Rose Rugby Football Club secretary, and had been a president of the KwaZakhele Tennis Club, United Cricket Club secretary, Kwaru executive member, and Imbewu Trust board member.
“He was instrumental in bringing to Port Elizabeth world number one tennis player Roger Federer, who in partnership with Imbewu built a tennis court, mini soccer fields, and a basketball court at Dan Qeqe.”
Ntshona was born in 1944 at Kwelerana village, next to King William’s Town.
After a few years in the teaching profession, he went to study at Fort Hare University, where he graduated with a BA in social science.
He was employed in several companies in Port Elizabeth, such as Ford and Coca-Cola.
This work experience enabled him to establish his own business, the Malinge Super Store (KwaSali), and later the Ebhongweni Business Centre.
Ntshona’s memorial service will be held at the Iqhayiya Technical College at 6pm today.
Thousands are expected to attend his funeral at the Centenary Great Hall next Tuesday.
Click here to read full article and comments.
By: Mawande Jack Senior General Correspondent
SPORT in the province has been dealt a blow with the death of Port Elizabeth administrator and businessman Madoda Max Ntshona.
The 61-year-old former vice-president of the EP Cricket Board died of a heart attack in Alice, where he had attended a family function on Saturday.
“Bra Max”, as he was popularly known, was among leading figures, like the late Dan Qeqe, who popularised non-racial sports in the province through the KwaZakhele Rugby Union (Kwaru).
His dedication to the cause of non-racial sport culminated in his being elected to lead the regional ANC sports desk.
Nafcoc president Kutluano Headbush described him as a mentor to emerging business people who had suffered under apartheid. “He taught us how to fight apartheid in all spheres of life, and how to run a successful business,” Headbush said.
Nelson Mandela Bay Sports Council chairman Sibhidla Majola said Ntshona’s death was “a terrible blow to sport”.
He said Ntshona had been the longest-serving Spring Rose Rugby Football Club secretary, and had been a president of the KwaZakhele Tennis Club, United Cricket Club secretary, Kwaru executive member, and Imbewu Trust board member.
“He was instrumental in bringing to Port Elizabeth world number one tennis player Roger Federer, who in partnership with Imbewu built a tennis court, mini soccer fields, and a basketball court at Dan Qeqe.”
Ntshona was born in 1944 at Kwelerana village, next to King William’s Town.
After a few years in the teaching profession, he went to study at Fort Hare University, where he graduated with a BA in social science.
He was employed in several companies in Port Elizabeth, such as Ford and Coca-Cola.
This work experience enabled him to establish his own business, the Malinge Super Store (KwaSali), and later the Ebhongweni Business Centre.
Ntshona’s memorial service will be held at the Iqhayiya Technical College at 6pm today.
Thousands are expected to attend his funeral at the Centenary Great Hall next Tuesday.
Click here to read full article and comments.
Discussions: Breaking News: Aussie 'Staaldraad' shocker....
In scenes that are being compared on CNN World News to the Springboks Kamp Staaldraad, we are learning that elite Australian swimmers have been put through a boot camp that included shock tactics and the 'execution' of fellow swimmers!! A clearly embarrassed Australian Swimming official was forced to concede duting an interview on CNN that when he first heard of the camp his first thought had also been on the Kamp Staaldraad that South Africa's elite rugby players had been subjected to. One hopes and trusts that the SA media will pick this story up and run and run with it!
The www.heraldsun.news.com.au reports:
Terror tactics for our swimming stars
13dec05
SOME of Australia's top gold medal hopes are enduring terror tactics in a military-style boot camp to toughen them up for the Commonwealth Games.
Training terror
As these exclusive pictures show, an imitation 9mm pistol was pointed at the head of swimmers while an "enemy" trainer pulled the trigger of a starting gun in his other hand. The "victims" of the mock execution then slumped to the ground.
Swimmers as young as 16, including world champion 50m butterfly star Danni Miatke and fellow Australian team members Shayne Reese and Sarah Katsoulis, were drafted into the extreme training in parkland in Bulleen.
A Royal Australian Navy physical trainer oversaw the torturous training regime.
Many of the 15 athletes who took part were reduced to tears.
The www.timesonline.co.uk reports:
Australia in shock over boot camp 'execution'
By Craig Lord
AUSTRALIAN sportsmen are renowned for their ruthless pursuit of victory, but the latest boot-camp tactic for hardening up the country’s swimmers, which involved a mock execution, has provoked outrage.
A squad of swimmers in Melbourne, including Danni Miatke, the world champion over 50 metres butterfly, and Shayne Reese and Sarah Katsoulis, her international team-mates, were put through a two-hour military-style exercise that culminated in an "enemy" trainer pointing an imitation 9mm pistol at the heads of two kneeling participants.
A starting pistol with live caps in his other hand behind his back, Nathan Schrag, a trainer with the Royal Australian Navy, who devised and led the exercise, pulled the triggers simultaneously for dramatic effect and the male "victims", one of them a Sri Lankan swimmer, slumped to the ground.
Others in the squad, some as young as 16, were then made to remove the "bodies" of Arun Karunaratne and Mark Pettifer on stretchers. Although the swimmers knew that Schrag’s pistol was a toy, the noise of the firing caps took some by surprise.
In their belief that the exercise would make rivals of their charges quake before Australia’s Commonwealth Games trials next month, Schrag and Rohan Taylor, the coach to the Carey Aquatic team, had invited a local reporter and photographer to record the moment. However, images of a Sri Lankan swimmer being "shot" did not go down well, particularly at a time when race riots are raging through the Sydney suburb of Cronulla.
A statement from Swimming Australia, the governing body, said that the federation was "shocked" and found the photographs of the mock execution "offensive and extremely insensitive". Glenn Tasker, the chief executive, said: "These images are nothing short of appalling, insulting, embarrassing, and are unequivocally unacceptable. Tough training regimes are part of our sport, but there is a line you don’t cross."
The exercise, which took place in the grounds of a local grammar school, involved swimmers in camouflage gear crawling on their stomachs through scrub carrying metal pipes that were substitutes for guns. When discovered by "the enemy", they were forced to endure nine-minute "punishment sessions", a gruelling exercise regime of sit-ups, press-ups and other drills that reduced many to tears.
Miatke, 18, was among those. "It was exhausting," she said, "just horrible. Sort of fun, but horrible."
At first, Taylor saw no wrong. "They spend 20 to 30 hours a week in the pool and that can get a bit boring. This was on dry land and it was a real challenge," he said. "I tell you what, they absolutely loved it. The kids just ate it up. They thought it was the best thing." Yesterday, though, he acknowledged that he had made a "significant error in judgment".
Schrag, who is scheduled to leave the navy next month, said that the exercise was normal in the military. "It puts them under a lot of duress and starts to make them distressed, physically and mentally," he said. "We had a couple of tears, which was good because it pushed people beyond where they would normally go. You find out who handles pressure."
Alan Thompson, the man at the helm of the Australia swimming team, is to raise the matter at a conference of national coaches and with swimming teachers "to reinforce the responsibilities they have to proper conduct of training programmes and to uphold the image and reputation of the sport".
Thompson said that there was still a place for gruelling, military-style camps for young swimmers, although those in charge needed "to ensure emotional barriers are appropriate as well".
Schrag has been invited to take another camp before Christmas, but the "more extreme aspects" of the programme will be removed.
TRAINING REGIMES FROM HELL
RUGBY UNION: At “Camp Steel Wire” before the 2003 World Cup, South Africa players were forced to strip and pump up rugby balls in a freezing lake and were kept there at gunpoint. Abandoned in the bush at night, they were woken every 15 minutes by gunfire.
CHINA: The regime that now prevails in many Olympic sports ahead of Beijing 2008 has drawn accusations of abuse.
Athletics: Ma’s Army of distance runners, named after Ma Jungren, the coach, ran 65km a day six days a week. Doping, not “turtle blood soup”, was their fuel.
Swimming: Zhou Ming’s charges trained 120km a week in water at altitude. He was banned for life in 1998 after some tested positive for drugs.
Diving: Before Fu Mingxia became the youngest world champion, at 12, she sat on a chair with legs outstretched and feet up on another chair as a 14st coach sat on her knees to “improve flexibility”.
EAST GERMANY: Between 1970 and 1989, about 10,000 athletes were given anabolic steroids under State Plan 14.25. Many developed serious medical conditions later in life. Click here to read full article and comments.
Wednesday, December 14, 2005
Henson is "Gelling" Again...
Gavin Henson, the Welsh glamour boy, has been voted the best celebrity hairstyle of 2005 by the British public. Hedgehog boy just pipped Chelsea’s Jose Mourihno and Daniel Radcliff, from Harry Potter fame, to walk away with the, well, cov-hair-tit award. Strangely enough, tabloid proclaimed fashion guru, David Beckham could only manage sixth place, and yes, we got a South African in there too.
It seems as soon as some stories we slag the Poms on gets a bit old, they come out with pearlers liked this over and over again.
Style director for Brylcreem and sponsors for the awards, John Birchall, had the following to say: “Gavin has really emerged as a new celebrity icon both on and off the field - it seems it wasn't only his ball skills that caught the nation's eye this year, but his sharp, crisp haircut.”
"What's great is that Gavin's new look is an easy style to create and maintain," he added.
Although Henson had his spikes trimmed a bit recently to please his (equally dof) girlfriend, Charlotte Church, but said he is now growing it back. Obviously to be ready just in time for the kick off of the Six Nations.
“It's really exciting to have been awarded the Brylcreem Best Male Hair of 2005, especially as it was voted for by the public,” he said.
"To be honest my hairstyle is pretty easy to do, but I make of point of styling my hair as I like to look presentable both on and off the pitch!"
Since he has been out for some time, I would suggest he finds form quickly, and of course, there is the matter of his team mates being pissed at him for the revelations in his recently published book too.
Our very own Kevin (Show me the money) Pieterson also made the list, unfortunately as having one of the worst hairstyles of 2005. As if we care.
Best Hairstyles of 2005
1. Gavin Henson
2. Jose Mourinho
3. Daniel Radcliffe
4. Journey South
5. Frank Lampard
6. David Beckham
7. Jack Osbourne
8. Anthony Costa
9. Robbie Williams
10. Andrew Flintoff
Worst Hairstyles of 2005
1. Pete Doherty
2, Kevin Pietersen
3. Chris Evans
4. Euan Blair
5. Elton John
6. Fran Cosgrove
7. Mark Owen
8. Peter Andre
9. Sid Owen
10. Ozzy Osbourne
Source: XtraMSN
Click here to read full article and comments.
Llanelli Scarlets 21 Wasps 13: Davies' spirit helps Scarlets
Author: Chris Hewett
Source: http://sport.independent.co.uk
Stradey Park will be no more in 18 months' time - certainly not in the rugby sense, although the developers may keep the name alive by bestowing it on the 400 houses they plan to erect on the patch of ground that gave Phil Bennett to the world and famously did for the All Blacks on the day when the beer ran dry in Llanelli's many hostelries. Will Wasps be sorry to see the back of the place? Please. They will miss it in the way a vegan misses a veal escalope.
Six years ago, the Londoners were set fair for a home quarter-final - a prize beyond value in Heineken Cup terms - until they ventured across the Severn Bridge into Scarlet territory. They lost 25-15, forfeited whatever advantage they had spent the previous months establishing for themselves and duly lost their last-eight tie at Northampton. Yesterday, the 2004 champions messed up again to leave their chances of qualifying for the knock-out stage of this season's competition at the mercy of everyone else. Such clemency is most unlikely to be forthcoming.
The Scarlets, who intend to move into a purpose-built 15,000-seater stadium complex covering 55 acres of land on the eastern edge of town in August 2007, will not award this victory a prominent place in the annals. Leaving aside the second-half try from Mark Jones that did most to hurt the visitors - a long-range finish of considerable quality that gave the increasingly depressed Mark van Gisbergen precious little in the way of spiritual uplift - there was nothing of the Llanelli brio of old. They were more interested in cutting off Wasps at the line-out and testing them around the fringes of a zillion slow-motion rucks.
But as Gareth Jenkins, their director of rugby, pointed out within a few minutes of the final whistle, this was not a day for the game's sauces and pickles. It was a raw-meat kind of an occasion - tough and testing, indigestible to those who like to see the ball moved around the field, manna from heaven to those who detest the sight of pat-a-cake rugby. Jenkins put it most succinctly.
"In this sort of match, all that matters is that your players look after themselves. They did that out there." None more so than John Davies, the venerable tight-head prop who might well have played against Noah. Davies admits to being 34, but front-row forwards are not exactly renowned for their veracity. Suffice to say he has been anchoring the Scarlets pack for more years than anyone cares to remember, and yesterday his side needed his strength - his "unbreakability," as Jenkins described it - more than ever, given the enforced absences of the loose-heads Iestyn Thomas and Phil John.
Davies had a terrific afternoon, not only at the set-pieces but in the pick-and-drive routines amid the heavy traffic. Playing the game tight to the tackle area is hardly a staple of Llanelli rugby, but there was a clear logic to the strategy in this fixture against a high-octane side like Wasps, who only function at the optimum when they are permitted to put some pace on the ball.
Time and again, Davies led his fellow forwards into the fray, knocking the visitors backwards irrespective of who might be in possession at any given moment. Time and again, Wasps fumbled their way into turnover situations that drove Jenkins' opposite number, Ian McGeechan, to distraction.
"Playing at Stradey is an emotional business," said the much-decorated Wasps coach. "We set out to get hold of the ball and keep hold of it, but this was exactly what we didn't do. I'm bitterly disappointed, because that was nowhere near the standard we set ourselves. I still have a bee in my bonnet about the things that happen at the breakdown. The ball out there was very slow, and until the game tidies itself up in this respect... But look, part of that was our fault. We simply weren't ruthless enough."
Whatever ruthlessness was in evidence was clad in red. Three points adrift at the end of a barren first half, the Scarlets broke the game open five minutes after the interval when Dafydd James took advantage of a loose pass from Alex King to score to the left of the sticks. Gareth Bowen might have extended the lead with a drop goal a few minutes later, but nudged his shot wide. No matter. When Jones cut a lovely angle down the short side of a scrum, he took the outside line offered him by Van Gisbergen and made the line in Paul Sackey's tackle.
Van Gisbergen, who converted a retaliatory try by Tom Rees, is one of the sorrier figures in professional rugby right now. Foot perfect until England called him into their squad for their autumn internationals, his collapse in form has been so drastic that Wasps left him on the bench for this contest. Called to arms shortly after the hour, he looked a bag of nerves. Few people fell over with shock when he was penalised in contact three minutes into injury time and allowed Bowen to apply the coup de grâce with a simple penalty.
Sadly for Wasps, the team is beginning to mirror the individual. For the second successive season, Europe has left them all dressed up with nowhere to go.
Llanelli Scarlets: Tries James, M Jones; Conversion Bowen; Penalties Bowen 3. Wasps: Try Rees; Conversion Van Gisbergen; Penalties King 2.
Llanelli Scarlets: L Byrne; M Jones, M Watkins, D James, G Evans; G Bowen, D Peel; D Williams, M Rees, J Davies, F Louw, A Jones, S Easterby (capt; I Afeaki, 66), G Thomas, A Popham.
Wasps: J Lewsey; P Sackey, A Erinle, S Abbott (M van Gisbergen, 61), T Voyce; A King, M Dawson (E Reddan, 80); T Payne, R Ibañez (J Barrett, 73), J Dawson, S Shaw, R Birkett, J Worsley (T Rees, 63), J O'Connor, L Dallaglio (capt).
Referee: A Rolland (Ireland).
Click here to read full article and comments.
Source: http://sport.independent.co.uk
Stradey Park will be no more in 18 months' time - certainly not in the rugby sense, although the developers may keep the name alive by bestowing it on the 400 houses they plan to erect on the patch of ground that gave Phil Bennett to the world and famously did for the All Blacks on the day when the beer ran dry in Llanelli's many hostelries. Will Wasps be sorry to see the back of the place? Please. They will miss it in the way a vegan misses a veal escalope.
Six years ago, the Londoners were set fair for a home quarter-final - a prize beyond value in Heineken Cup terms - until they ventured across the Severn Bridge into Scarlet territory. They lost 25-15, forfeited whatever advantage they had spent the previous months establishing for themselves and duly lost their last-eight tie at Northampton. Yesterday, the 2004 champions messed up again to leave their chances of qualifying for the knock-out stage of this season's competition at the mercy of everyone else. Such clemency is most unlikely to be forthcoming.
The Scarlets, who intend to move into a purpose-built 15,000-seater stadium complex covering 55 acres of land on the eastern edge of town in August 2007, will not award this victory a prominent place in the annals. Leaving aside the second-half try from Mark Jones that did most to hurt the visitors - a long-range finish of considerable quality that gave the increasingly depressed Mark van Gisbergen precious little in the way of spiritual uplift - there was nothing of the Llanelli brio of old. They were more interested in cutting off Wasps at the line-out and testing them around the fringes of a zillion slow-motion rucks.
But as Gareth Jenkins, their director of rugby, pointed out within a few minutes of the final whistle, this was not a day for the game's sauces and pickles. It was a raw-meat kind of an occasion - tough and testing, indigestible to those who like to see the ball moved around the field, manna from heaven to those who detest the sight of pat-a-cake rugby. Jenkins put it most succinctly.
"In this sort of match, all that matters is that your players look after themselves. They did that out there." None more so than John Davies, the venerable tight-head prop who might well have played against Noah. Davies admits to being 34, but front-row forwards are not exactly renowned for their veracity. Suffice to say he has been anchoring the Scarlets pack for more years than anyone cares to remember, and yesterday his side needed his strength - his "unbreakability," as Jenkins described it - more than ever, given the enforced absences of the loose-heads Iestyn Thomas and Phil John.
Davies had a terrific afternoon, not only at the set-pieces but in the pick-and-drive routines amid the heavy traffic. Playing the game tight to the tackle area is hardly a staple of Llanelli rugby, but there was a clear logic to the strategy in this fixture against a high-octane side like Wasps, who only function at the optimum when they are permitted to put some pace on the ball.
Time and again, Davies led his fellow forwards into the fray, knocking the visitors backwards irrespective of who might be in possession at any given moment. Time and again, Wasps fumbled their way into turnover situations that drove Jenkins' opposite number, Ian McGeechan, to distraction.
"Playing at Stradey is an emotional business," said the much-decorated Wasps coach. "We set out to get hold of the ball and keep hold of it, but this was exactly what we didn't do. I'm bitterly disappointed, because that was nowhere near the standard we set ourselves. I still have a bee in my bonnet about the things that happen at the breakdown. The ball out there was very slow, and until the game tidies itself up in this respect... But look, part of that was our fault. We simply weren't ruthless enough."
Whatever ruthlessness was in evidence was clad in red. Three points adrift at the end of a barren first half, the Scarlets broke the game open five minutes after the interval when Dafydd James took advantage of a loose pass from Alex King to score to the left of the sticks. Gareth Bowen might have extended the lead with a drop goal a few minutes later, but nudged his shot wide. No matter. When Jones cut a lovely angle down the short side of a scrum, he took the outside line offered him by Van Gisbergen and made the line in Paul Sackey's tackle.
Van Gisbergen, who converted a retaliatory try by Tom Rees, is one of the sorrier figures in professional rugby right now. Foot perfect until England called him into their squad for their autumn internationals, his collapse in form has been so drastic that Wasps left him on the bench for this contest. Called to arms shortly after the hour, he looked a bag of nerves. Few people fell over with shock when he was penalised in contact three minutes into injury time and allowed Bowen to apply the coup de grâce with a simple penalty.
Sadly for Wasps, the team is beginning to mirror the individual. For the second successive season, Europe has left them all dressed up with nowhere to go.
Llanelli Scarlets: Tries James, M Jones; Conversion Bowen; Penalties Bowen 3. Wasps: Try Rees; Conversion Van Gisbergen; Penalties King 2.
Llanelli Scarlets: L Byrne; M Jones, M Watkins, D James, G Evans; G Bowen, D Peel; D Williams, M Rees, J Davies, F Louw, A Jones, S Easterby (capt; I Afeaki, 66), G Thomas, A Popham.
Wasps: J Lewsey; P Sackey, A Erinle, S Abbott (M van Gisbergen, 61), T Voyce; A King, M Dawson (E Reddan, 80); T Payne, R Ibañez (J Barrett, 73), J Dawson, S Shaw, R Birkett, J Worsley (T Rees, 63), J O'Connor, L Dallaglio (capt).
Referee: A Rolland (Ireland).
Click here to read full article and comments.
Swakste jaar in jare vir Aussie-sport
Article by Boertjie.
Australiese sport het vir 'n verandering bra min suksesse om aan die einde van 2005 op terug te kyk – en dit was nie net die Wallabies wat misluk het nie.
Die Aussies is nou nie juis die gewildste spesie buitekant die eiland Doer Onder nie, en dis met 'n taamlike mate van schadenfreude dat RuggaWorld kan berig dat die jaar 2005 in baie opsigte eintlik 'n yslike annus horribilis vir die Kettingslepers was.
* In krieket het hulle die reeks om die As vir die eerste keer sedert 1986-87 verloor – nadat Glenn McGrath ewe arrogant voorspel het hulle gaan met 5-0 wen.
* Die Wallabies het agt van hul nege wedstryde verloor, laaste geëindig in die Drienasies en ontslae geraak van hul afrigter, Eddie Jones.
* Nie een van hul Super 14 spanne het die halfeindronde gehaal nie (Suid-Afrika s'n natuurlik ook nie!)
* Die rugby league span het sy eerste reeks sedert 1978 verloor – teen Nieu-Seeland met 0-24.
* Die 'onoorwinbare' Kostya Tsuzu het sy weltergewig wêreldtitel teen 'n Brit verloor toe hy handdoek ingegooi het.
* Die Aussies is vroeg uitgeskakel in die Davisbeker, en Lleyton Hewitt kon nie die Australiese Ope wen nie.
* Nie een van hul gholfspelers kon – vir die soveelste keer – een van die majors wen nie, en moes toesien hoe die Kiwi Michael Campbell die Amerikaanse Ope wen.
* Daar was talle positiewe dwelmtoetse in verskeie sportkodes. (Nie almal is so gelukkig soos Ben Tune nie!)
* Grootmeneer Shane Warne – wat nou waarsku dat die Proteas 'n sielkundige gaan nodig hê ná die toetsreeks wat Vrydag begin – het self in die poniepers deurgeloop oor sy sekskapades en die verbrokkeling van sy huwelik.
* En net nou die dag het die Kiwi's 'n wêreldrekord wentelling opgestapel in die eendag krieketreeks teen die Aussies.
(En kom ons swyg maar oor die vooruitsigte van Graeme Smith se sukkelende krieketspan in die komende toetsreeks...)
Feitebron: Sapa-AFP
Click here to read full article and comments.
O'Driscoll opts to stick with home comforts
By David Hands Rugby Correspondent
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
THE lure of life outside Dublin is not for Brian O’Driscoll yet. The Ireland captain, who hopes to make his return to action during the week after Christmas, has agreed a new contract with the Irish RFU (IRFU) that will keep him at home until after the 2007 World Cup.
Although he has not played rugby since dislocating a shoulder in the opening moments of the first international between the Lions and New Zealand in Christchurch on June 25, O’Driscoll has been courted by clubs from England and France. Indeed, on a visit to Biarritz in September, he spoke openly (and probably tactfully) of his enjoyment of French rugby, but his loyalty remains with Leinster Lions for now.
This is a significant agreement for the IRFU. It has been at pains to try and keep its leading players based in the country, but, during the summer, it lost Shane Byrne, the experienced hooker, to Saracens, Leo Cullen and Shane Jennings to Leicester, David Quinlan to Northampton and Peter Bracken and Eoin Reddan to London Wasps. O’Driscoll, the IRFU’s one player of undoubted world class, enjoys iconic status and, wherever he goes, will draw crowds.
“It is the ongoing determination of the IRFU, where possible, to keep the leading players at home and manage their welfare,” Philip Browne, the union’s chief executive, said. “It is, therefore, most pleasing to see that a player of Brian’s standing in the game has committed himself to both club and country.” The extension of his present contract, which runs out in June, is for a further 16 months and, so far as Leinster are concerned, covers only the 2006-07 season.
O’Driscoll has made 59 appearances at centre for Ireland since his debut in 1999 and been on two Lions tours, the second as captain, even though last summer’s visit to New Zealand represented a desperately disappointing experience. But he will be only 28 when the 2007 World Cup in France concludes and, given good fortune with injury, will have several productive years ahead of him.
The Irish playing structure does not make the same physical demands as that of England or France, but it will still have cost the union a substantial sum — about €500,000 (£337,000) was being bandied around — to keep a player whose commercial earning capacity would be markedly bigger were he based in England. “My desire from the beginning of this season has always been to play for Leinster and Ireland and I am thrilled to remain within the current set-up,” O’Driscoll said.
Three months ago, though, he admitted that, at some stage, he would like to “experience a new lifestyle and a different culture” and the post-World Cup period might offer that opportunity. His first task is to demonstrate his fitness to play at the highest level, possibly for Leinster in the Celtic League match against Ulster in Belfast on December 26, but, more likely, the New Year’s Eve match against Munster at the Royal Dublin Showground.
One player who has sampled the lifestyle in France is Stephen Jones, who hopes to return to action for Clermont-Auvergne against Stade Français in the Heineken Cup on Saturday. Jones, the Wales and Lions fly half, missed last week’s meeting of the two clubs because of an ankle injury.
Olivier Azam, of Gloucester, will be out for 12 weeks after an operation to his left shoulder. The France hooker has made only four Guinness Premiership appearances for his club this season. Carlos Spencer, the Northampton fly half, will miss Friday’s European Challenge Cup match against Narbonne after injuring a hand, which gives Luke Myring, 21, a rare opportunity.
Click here to read full article and comments.
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
THE lure of life outside Dublin is not for Brian O’Driscoll yet. The Ireland captain, who hopes to make his return to action during the week after Christmas, has agreed a new contract with the Irish RFU (IRFU) that will keep him at home until after the 2007 World Cup.
Although he has not played rugby since dislocating a shoulder in the opening moments of the first international between the Lions and New Zealand in Christchurch on June 25, O’Driscoll has been courted by clubs from England and France. Indeed, on a visit to Biarritz in September, he spoke openly (and probably tactfully) of his enjoyment of French rugby, but his loyalty remains with Leinster Lions for now.
This is a significant agreement for the IRFU. It has been at pains to try and keep its leading players based in the country, but, during the summer, it lost Shane Byrne, the experienced hooker, to Saracens, Leo Cullen and Shane Jennings to Leicester, David Quinlan to Northampton and Peter Bracken and Eoin Reddan to London Wasps. O’Driscoll, the IRFU’s one player of undoubted world class, enjoys iconic status and, wherever he goes, will draw crowds.
“It is the ongoing determination of the IRFU, where possible, to keep the leading players at home and manage their welfare,” Philip Browne, the union’s chief executive, said. “It is, therefore, most pleasing to see that a player of Brian’s standing in the game has committed himself to both club and country.” The extension of his present contract, which runs out in June, is for a further 16 months and, so far as Leinster are concerned, covers only the 2006-07 season.
O’Driscoll has made 59 appearances at centre for Ireland since his debut in 1999 and been on two Lions tours, the second as captain, even though last summer’s visit to New Zealand represented a desperately disappointing experience. But he will be only 28 when the 2007 World Cup in France concludes and, given good fortune with injury, will have several productive years ahead of him.
The Irish playing structure does not make the same physical demands as that of England or France, but it will still have cost the union a substantial sum — about €500,000 (£337,000) was being bandied around — to keep a player whose commercial earning capacity would be markedly bigger were he based in England. “My desire from the beginning of this season has always been to play for Leinster and Ireland and I am thrilled to remain within the current set-up,” O’Driscoll said.
Three months ago, though, he admitted that, at some stage, he would like to “experience a new lifestyle and a different culture” and the post-World Cup period might offer that opportunity. His first task is to demonstrate his fitness to play at the highest level, possibly for Leinster in the Celtic League match against Ulster in Belfast on December 26, but, more likely, the New Year’s Eve match against Munster at the Royal Dublin Showground.
One player who has sampled the lifestyle in France is Stephen Jones, who hopes to return to action for Clermont-Auvergne against Stade Français in the Heineken Cup on Saturday. Jones, the Wales and Lions fly half, missed last week’s meeting of the two clubs because of an ankle injury.
Olivier Azam, of Gloucester, will be out for 12 weeks after an operation to his left shoulder. The France hooker has made only four Guinness Premiership appearances for his club this season. Carlos Spencer, the Northampton fly half, will miss Friday’s European Challenge Cup match against Narbonne after injuring a hand, which gives Luke Myring, 21, a rare opportunity.
Click here to read full article and comments.
THE FOUR MAIN ISSUES WITH SARU
Following on Rasputin’s article yesterday, I felt the need to look further into the challenges facing SARU and highlight some of the issues that we from the outside see as the major problems facing SARU. Yesterday I said SARU’s major problem is communication. This is in line with what Rasputin highlighted yesterday in his comparisons between our rugby administration and that of Australia and England. Today, I look at the view of the public.
The rugby loving public loves the Springboks and the game but not the administration. There is a common view that the administration of rugby is corrupt and inept. This is not a new perception. It existed in the days of Doc Craven.
In those days there was a perception that the rugby administration was noting more than a broederbond government lackey. Players were selected not based on merit, but rather for their political affiliations and the fact that they studied at certain universities. The most famous example of this was the out-of-the-blue Bok selection of HO De Villiers.
It continued in the reign of Louis Luyt, where the appointment of Rian Oberholzer, rightly or wrongly, was viewed as nepotistic. There was a similar view that Louis Luyt’s reign at SARFU (as it was then) was done to benefit himself. The follow-on reign of Silas Nkanunu was viewed as tokenism that allowed the old guard to continue running things from the backdoor, while Nkanunu was the puppet black face. This should not be seen as any disrespect to Nkanunu who is a respected lawyer and judge.
The reign of Brian Van Rooyen promised much, but it has failed to impress the public. The issue, as usual, is the lack of credibility that SARU administration has with the public. The perception exists that SARU administration is inept. This is evident in the apparent infighting of the board and the very public spats that Andre Markgraaf fought in the media.
In view of the farcical appointment of the racist remark-making Markgraaf, the appointment of Mike Stofile is viewed, again rightly or wrongly, as appeasement of the ANC. The constant and ongoing forensic and legal investigations against the president’s financial management foster the view that there is something rotten in the state of Denmark. Through the ANCYL and the sports ministry we get the constant idea that rugby is paying lip service to the development and growth of the game among previously disadvantaged groups.
I must stress that these are perceptions of the public. These are not necessarily accurate. In Australia and England the administrators are the invisible guides of the game. We know the coaches and the players but do we know the board? No, but if you go to their website you can easily find out who they are. In South Africa, administrators are seen as high profile entities in their own right, separately from the game and the players with some sort of shadowy allegiance to the coaching staff. They are not seen as guides, but rather high profile dictators that are leading the game in a direction for their personal gain. Unfortunately, this perception is that personal views do not accord with what is good for the game.
Kandas’ recent expose on the pay players in the minnow unions receive highlights this.
So where is the problem? It is simple.
The perception is that administrators today are all trying to be the high profile rulers of the game that Doc Craven was. He ruled in difficult days of sports isolation, competing ideologies and political interference in rugby. There is no longer a need for such a ruler. There is a need for leadership. Firm leadership is needed for certain, but firm leadership needs to be free from the self serving interference of people who are in it for personal gain. By this I also refer to the self serving big unions who use SARU’s leadership as a way to advance their own interests. The recent decision to create a permanent set of teams in the Premier League is an example. The fourteen team system was another.
The next point is transparency. This is an ANC buzzword, and rightly so. It is an international trend. People are not stupid. We do not live in the People’s Republic of Korea where news and information needs to be sifted and edited for careful consumption by the peasants. We are not peasants. The government rightly believes people should know what goes on and how decisions are reached. That is why we have laws like the Promotion of Access to Information Act. That is why the government is online to give information to the people. SARU does not do this. As we saw yesterday, we do not even know who all the SARU board members are.
So the first point of departure is that the SARU leadership should be low profile and guides of the game, not high profile dictators. The leadership should also be free from the constant threats of getting voted out by the unions who will use them for their own self serving interests. The unions have far too much power in my view. So far, Mike Stofile is the only leader within SARU who maintains a low profile and appears free from the kind of controversy in rugby that surrounds Andre Markgraaf (Remember Markgraaf was the one who went waltzing off to Rapport to shine about Mike Stofile) and Brian Van Rooyen.
This brings me to what I call the service triangle. Wrongly, in my view, there is still a separation between the administration and the players (i.e. the game). This is the public separating the administrators, whom they universally hate, and the playing of the game itself, that they love. There should be no such separation. The game, the unions, the Currie Cup, The Vodacom Cup, the Super 14, The Springboks and the people who go out to earn SARU’s money every week on the field (‘the dressing’ as Rian Oberholzer condescendingly referred to us) are part and parcel of the administration. The administration should be seen as a component of the game, not as something evil and separate from it.
The key is communication.
SARU has a set of brands that it can market and sell. SARU has brands in its stable like the Boks, the Baby Boks, the Super 14 (not the way Vodacom sponsors it, but as a SARU brand), The Currie Cup.
These should be marketed and communicated as SARU brands. SARU could also downplay its role as a leader and rather concentrate on its role as a guide. This, after all, is the key to leadership. Leadership does not steal the limelight from performers. Instead it creates the environment for performance, and this is what SARU should be doing.
SARU certainly should have a communications arm. The communications division should be one of its most important. After all, we are getting one view from Brian Van Rooyen saying there are no more quotas and another saying that there is transformation within rugby, while yet another, from ANCYL says there is no transformation. These are issues that a good leader and a powerful communications division will deal with. A communications arm would be able to downplay the role of SARU, while highlighting its successes in administration through projects.
To conclude then, SARU needs low profile leadership, marketing of its brands, union between the brands and administration and decent communications.
These are keys to its success.
However, under the self serving 'leadership' of Brian Van Rooyen, these are forlorn hopes. Click here to read full article and comments.
The rugby loving public loves the Springboks and the game but not the administration. There is a common view that the administration of rugby is corrupt and inept. This is not a new perception. It existed in the days of Doc Craven.
In those days there was a perception that the rugby administration was noting more than a broederbond government lackey. Players were selected not based on merit, but rather for their political affiliations and the fact that they studied at certain universities. The most famous example of this was the out-of-the-blue Bok selection of HO De Villiers.
It continued in the reign of Louis Luyt, where the appointment of Rian Oberholzer, rightly or wrongly, was viewed as nepotistic. There was a similar view that Louis Luyt’s reign at SARFU (as it was then) was done to benefit himself. The follow-on reign of Silas Nkanunu was viewed as tokenism that allowed the old guard to continue running things from the backdoor, while Nkanunu was the puppet black face. This should not be seen as any disrespect to Nkanunu who is a respected lawyer and judge.
The reign of Brian Van Rooyen promised much, but it has failed to impress the public. The issue, as usual, is the lack of credibility that SARU administration has with the public. The perception exists that SARU administration is inept. This is evident in the apparent infighting of the board and the very public spats that Andre Markgraaf fought in the media.
In view of the farcical appointment of the racist remark-making Markgraaf, the appointment of Mike Stofile is viewed, again rightly or wrongly, as appeasement of the ANC. The constant and ongoing forensic and legal investigations against the president’s financial management foster the view that there is something rotten in the state of Denmark. Through the ANCYL and the sports ministry we get the constant idea that rugby is paying lip service to the development and growth of the game among previously disadvantaged groups.
I must stress that these are perceptions of the public. These are not necessarily accurate. In Australia and England the administrators are the invisible guides of the game. We know the coaches and the players but do we know the board? No, but if you go to their website you can easily find out who they are. In South Africa, administrators are seen as high profile entities in their own right, separately from the game and the players with some sort of shadowy allegiance to the coaching staff. They are not seen as guides, but rather high profile dictators that are leading the game in a direction for their personal gain. Unfortunately, this perception is that personal views do not accord with what is good for the game.
Kandas’ recent expose on the pay players in the minnow unions receive highlights this.
So where is the problem? It is simple.
The perception is that administrators today are all trying to be the high profile rulers of the game that Doc Craven was. He ruled in difficult days of sports isolation, competing ideologies and political interference in rugby. There is no longer a need for such a ruler. There is a need for leadership. Firm leadership is needed for certain, but firm leadership needs to be free from the self serving interference of people who are in it for personal gain. By this I also refer to the self serving big unions who use SARU’s leadership as a way to advance their own interests. The recent decision to create a permanent set of teams in the Premier League is an example. The fourteen team system was another.
The next point is transparency. This is an ANC buzzword, and rightly so. It is an international trend. People are not stupid. We do not live in the People’s Republic of Korea where news and information needs to be sifted and edited for careful consumption by the peasants. We are not peasants. The government rightly believes people should know what goes on and how decisions are reached. That is why we have laws like the Promotion of Access to Information Act. That is why the government is online to give information to the people. SARU does not do this. As we saw yesterday, we do not even know who all the SARU board members are.
So the first point of departure is that the SARU leadership should be low profile and guides of the game, not high profile dictators. The leadership should also be free from the constant threats of getting voted out by the unions who will use them for their own self serving interests. The unions have far too much power in my view. So far, Mike Stofile is the only leader within SARU who maintains a low profile and appears free from the kind of controversy in rugby that surrounds Andre Markgraaf (Remember Markgraaf was the one who went waltzing off to Rapport to shine about Mike Stofile) and Brian Van Rooyen.
This brings me to what I call the service triangle. Wrongly, in my view, there is still a separation between the administration and the players (i.e. the game). This is the public separating the administrators, whom they universally hate, and the playing of the game itself, that they love. There should be no such separation. The game, the unions, the Currie Cup, The Vodacom Cup, the Super 14, The Springboks and the people who go out to earn SARU’s money every week on the field (‘the dressing’ as Rian Oberholzer condescendingly referred to us) are part and parcel of the administration. The administration should be seen as a component of the game, not as something evil and separate from it.
The key is communication.
SARU has a set of brands that it can market and sell. SARU has brands in its stable like the Boks, the Baby Boks, the Super 14 (not the way Vodacom sponsors it, but as a SARU brand), The Currie Cup.
These should be marketed and communicated as SARU brands. SARU could also downplay its role as a leader and rather concentrate on its role as a guide. This, after all, is the key to leadership. Leadership does not steal the limelight from performers. Instead it creates the environment for performance, and this is what SARU should be doing.
SARU certainly should have a communications arm. The communications division should be one of its most important. After all, we are getting one view from Brian Van Rooyen saying there are no more quotas and another saying that there is transformation within rugby, while yet another, from ANCYL says there is no transformation. These are issues that a good leader and a powerful communications division will deal with. A communications arm would be able to downplay the role of SARU, while highlighting its successes in administration through projects.
To conclude then, SARU needs low profile leadership, marketing of its brands, union between the brands and administration and decent communications.
These are keys to its success.
However, under the self serving 'leadership' of Brian Van Rooyen, these are forlorn hopes. Click here to read full article and comments.
Cape Town Rugby Festival 2006
Cape Town is one of the most beautiful cities, if not the most beautiful, in the world. You have the spectre of Table Mountain in the centre of the city, the mythical meeting place of the Two Oceans, Indian and Atlantic, the vineyards of the Western Cape and a large friendly multi-cultural population.
The Victoria & Alfred Waterfront (V & A) is a great tourist venue with an abundance of good restaurants, bars & shops. The V & A is within walking distance of your hotel.
Cape Town is a paradise for shoppers and of course our quality foods and abundance of drink are extremely affordable to all. Never forgetting the “diamonds”.
THE FESTIVAL
The festival is being held in early August so teams in the Northern Hemisphere can finish their preparations for the coming season and the Southern Hemisphere teams can wind down their season.
So far we have had interest from Ireland, England, Scotland, Wales, Portugal, Italy, Australia, Thailand and Malaysia.
The event will be hosted at Hamiltons Rugby Club, one of Cape Town’s leading rugby clubs. Cape Town proudly boasts some of the oldest clubs in the country, the oldest having being founded in 1875. Teams will be matched as evenly as possible and full time referees will be employed to maintain as high a standard as possible.
We are inviting teams of all levels to come and play in what we hope will become an Annual event. Whether you are a first class team, an Extra B or a women’s team or even an Old Crocks side we would love to have you here to enjoy Cape Town.
An exciting program is planned to cater for all rugby enthusiasts in 2006. Arranged activities off the rugby field will ensure that an exciting and eventful week in Cape Town will be remembered, not only for it’s sporting aspects but it warm hospitality.
Exciting aspects of the weeks programme would include optional local sightseeing to the famous landmarks of Cape Town like Table Mountain, Cape Point and not forgetting the fruit of our wines. With this in mind all are welcome so bring family, friends and club supporters to cheer you on from the sideline whilst participating in the game we all love.
To keep camaraderie flowing evening activities will be included in the programme offering the rugby enthusiast the opportunity to have other nightlife activities!
• Dinner at the oldest Wine Estate in South Africa
• Walk the hallowed turf of Newlands Rugby ground followed by dinner in the stadium
• Comedy show offering SA’s best humour
• Meeting and mixing with local rugby clubs members
• Farewell “ruck” at the host venue
* NOTE The tournament itself will consist of 4 days of rugby and maybe a rest day in between. Should there be a Tri-Nations International or a Currie Cup match on at Newlands on Saturday, the Friday fixtures will be played. If there is no match at Newlands on Saturday, we will play on Saturday and Friday will be a day at leisure with optional tours available.
For contact details please go to www.rugby365.co.za/Cape_Town_Rugby_Festival/index.shtml Click here to read full article and comments.
Bermuda Rugby World Classic
The tiny nation of Bermuda sits perched upon the top of a 15 000 foot atoll, it's pink beaches lapped by azure and turquoise waters. The temperate year round weather has ensured it has become a magnet for the well heeled tourist to indulge in snorkelling, diving, golf or spending lazy days on secluded beaches. Or, indeed, to participate in what has become unofficially regarded as the Senior's Rugby World Cup! A group of islands off the east coast of the United States that remained uninhabited from it's discovery in 1503 until 1609 then becomes a mecca for rabid rugby fans in search of yesterday's heroes and the opportunity to sink a few pints with like minded hedonists from around the world.
The 2005 Bermuda World Rugby Classic didn't disappoint! From the return of the defending world champions, yes, our very own beloved GreyBokke, to the mighty All Blacks, they came flooding in from all corners of the globe.
The tournament, costing $900 000 to stage, was held from November 6th to the 13th and the fans were not to be disappointed with the quality of players on offer.
The line from the country song 'I ain't as good as I once was, but I'm as good once as I ever was' is very fitting for the World Rugby Classic.
With the likes of Kenny Logan, Philippe Bernat-Salles, Raphael Ibanez, Deon Kayser, Naka Drotske, Werner 'Smiley' Swanepoel, Rassie Erasmus etc. taking part this year they were never likely to disgrace the past greats who have participated in their time.
Names such as Willie John McBride, Clive Woodward, Olivier Roumat, Matt Dawson, David Campese, Mike Gibson, Rob Andrews, Jeremy Guscott, Andy Irvine, Jonathan Davies, Gareth Edwards, Fergus Slattery, JPR Williams, Danie Gerber, Francois Pienaar, Joost Van Der Westhuizen, Phil Kearns, Phillippe Sella, Jean Luc Sadiurney and Andy Haden are just some of the great players who have appeared from a total of over five hundred internationals from seventeen countries over the years.
Francois Pienaar captained a star studded Springbok team to victory last year and it was going to be interesting to see if the 2005 vintage could emulate their predecesors.
The tournament kicked off with the reigning champs, with player/coach Rassie Erasmus, facing up to the mighty Cannucks. As we have come to expect, Canada were physical and threw everything into the match upfront but with the Boks willing to spin the ball out wide at every opportunity, and with genuine pace merchants in the back three, the pace of the game eventually took it's toll on Canada with the Boks running out 33-0 winners.
The other opening round matches featured France facing an extremely fit and physical Argentinian team, the Lions taking on the USA and the All Blacks facing their old foes, Australia.
There was to be no lack of tactical acumen running around considering the AB's are coached by Andy Hadyn, the Lions by JPR Williams, the Australians by Mark Ella and the Boks by Rassie Erasmus.
THe Pumas/Les Blues affair was every bit as bruising as when their contemporaries play but the fitness of the Pumas saw them prevail in the end. The US put up a mighty struggle but failed to subdue the Lions and the Wallabies were visibly jubilant in beating their Trans-Tasman cousins.
It should be noted though that the All Blacks are the only team that really still play to the old ethos of the tournament, they never kick for posts and they field some players well past their prime. Had they chosen to go for goals they would have snuck through. A jaw clenched Andy Hadyn left little doubt what he thought of the trend towards taking the tournament seriously but acknowledged that it is the way of the world. Mark Ella couldn't hide the satisfaction he felt on once more putting one over his illustrious rivals.
The opening round results then matched up South Africa with the Lions and the very impressive Argentinian team against the Wallabies.
Your correspondent was nervous, the Lions had arrived the night before their first game and were clearly intent on enjoying the post prandial entertainment available but still looked formidable and the lightening fast Kenny Logan, with 70+ caps had just joined them. Logan, it will be remembered, had featured in a star studded all conquering Wasps team last year, led by Lawrence Dallaglio.
My nerves were unneccessary and the mighty Boks were simply too strong for the tiring Lions but it was an intensely physical match with no quarter asked or given.
It should be noted at this stage that one player had already broken his leg, another his hand and the doctors were getting plenty of stitching practise. As Rassie said, "I ran out planning to just be a link in the backs but within 5 minutes the old competitive juices were flowing and you can't help yourself".
In the other semi-final the awesome Pumas were too strong for a star studded Australian outfit and their superior fitness and preparation saw them through to a fine victory.
Naka Drotske was visibly excited about making the final, "I can't believe it, what a year, first the Currie Cup and now this".
THe evening of the final was attended by a sell-out crowd in somewhat inclement weather with a strong wind blowing straight down the pitch. The Boks had no hesitation in playing with the wind on winning the toss from Derek Bevan and proceeded to put a five pointer up quite quickly. Any thoughts of a runaway victory were soon to be banished however as a strongly mauling Pumas team rolled over for a classic pushover try.
With South Africa constantly attacking the Pumas line to no avail one started to feel a tad uneasy as half time drew near. The wind had made it impossible for the Pumas to get out of the their halffor the majority of the first 30 minutes. Would the Boks fare any better?
The rules of the tournament are fairly basic;
Must be over 33 years old.
Uncontested scrums.
No penalty kicks for goal.
Unlimited reserves and substitutions.
Rassie, who was unavailable through a hand injury, rang the changes at half time and Naka gave the boys a stern talking to and they looked determined as they ran out into the teeth of a strong gale for the second half.
Most pundits in the crowd, whilst acknowledging the strength of the Boks, were inclined to favour the fit Pumas taking the match.
Well,it was not to be and the Boks tackled the wind with classic tactics, standing close and running the ball out at every opportunity. Stretched nerves were alleviated by a Deon Kayser intercept who promptly fed out to his supporting players with a resultant length of field score under the sticks.
This seemed to enervate the Boks who went on to score twice more and put the game out of doubt although the Pumas did score a well deserved consolation try towards the death.
So the mighty Springboks achieved a fabulous back to back tournament victory, a feat last achieved by the Lions in 1997/98!
Well done Rassie, well done Naka, well done Springboks!!!
Previous winners of the Classic:
1988 Wales
1989 New Zealand
1990 New Zealand
1991 New Zealand
1992 New Zealand
1993 Classic Barbarians (Ireland, Scotland and Wales)
1994 New Zealand
1995 New Zealand
1996 New Zealand
1997 Classic Lions (England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales)
1998 Classic Lions
1999 Argentina
2000 South Africa
2001 Classic Lions
2002 Classic Barbarians
2003 France
2004 South Africa
Click here to read full article and comments.
'Hypocritical' ICC warns against sledging
An Article by Boertjie
In another of its strange actions the ICC has warned players from South Africa and
Australia that they risk misconduct charges if they continue the sledging that has dominated the build-up to the first test starting in Perth on Friday.
Both countries have rounded on the international body and defended their behaviour on and off the field. Australia captain Ricky Ponting said on Tuesday he saw nothing wrong with players engaging in banter, while South Africa's Cricketers' Association said its players had always conducted themselves in line with the spirit of the game.
"This South African team plays hard and fair and is full of experienced cricketers who have for years conducted themselves in line with the spirit of cricket," Saca chief executive Tony Irish said in a statement. "Australian players have done likewise. I am amazed that the ICC sees fit to warn players, and even past players, in the media."
"Banter is part of our game and so far the build-up to this test series looks like it is going to be pretty intense," Ponting told a news conference.
DISTRACTED BY MINOR MATTERS
Former Australia fast bowlers Jeff Thomson and Terry Alderman said the ICC was being distracted by minor matters while ignoring bigger issues in the game.
The Australian newspaper's chief cricket writer Malcolm Conn described the ICC's actions as hypocritical.
"How can the game's governing body possibly complain about what is essential promotion of the game when it is standing idly by as test countries self destruct?," he said.
By failing to act on the Zimbabwe crisis and allowing Bangladesh to continue competing at test level, the ICC is sponsoring the freefall of international playing standards."
RUDOLPH, NEL SAVES PROTEAS
Yesterday the Proteas (with an eight run deficit in the first innings), were in grave trouble on 220-8 shortly before lunch before Jacques Rudolph (201*, 371 minutes, 312 balls, 24x4, 2x6) and André Nel (64, 145m, 110b, 9x4, 1x6) put together 175 to put the Proteas in command.
This may still not be enough to earn Rudolph a test spot. Coach Mickey Arthur said they will stick with opener AB de Villiers, even though he contributed very little in his past five innings.
Rudolph may however replace Jacques Kallis, who is still struggling with an elbow injury and is unlikely to play. A final decision will be made today (Wednesday).
The match-saving partnership followed the departure of Ashwell Prince (57), Herschelle Gibbs (0), Mark Boucher (0) and Shaun Pollock (9).
Source: SuperCricket.
Click here to read full article and comments.
Tuesday, December 13, 2005
SOUTHERN SPEARS ANNOUNCES R15m APPAREL SPONSORSHIP
Port Elizabeth – South Africa: 12H00: In a landmark announcement in South African rugby, that is likely to reverberate through the 14 rugby unions, the newly formed and named Southern Spears Super 14 rugby franchise, in the Southern & Eastern Cape, today revealed the staggering sponsorship of R15 million, by the Australian manufacturer, International Sports Clothing, (ISC).The CEO of the Southern Spears, Tony McKeever, said, “Today’s signing with ISC of Australia, marks a watershed in South African rugby and propels the Southern Spears and its three shareholders, Border, Eastern Province and South Western Districts into a sports marketing category that places a value on the Southern Spears trademarks and intellectual property that is on a par with, or greater than, some of the traditional historical rugby marks in South Africa”.
McKeever added that, “The Southern Spears received five sponsorship offers from various technical apparel manufacturers, from around the world, but it was the tenacity and professionalism of the Australian company ISC, that ensured the agreement got signed today. When the other manufacturers were content to go through a drawn out ‘mating dance’ and chit-chat, ISC jumped on a plane, to meet with myself and my Spears Board, 24 hours after speaking with me on the phone, to showcase their credentials and willingness to enter into a long term partnership and grow the Southern Spears Technical and Replica Apparel Market”.
The Australian firm, ISC, have entered into a three year deal, from 2006-2008, with Southern Spears, in which McKeever has also brokered ISC’s support for all three Unions, Border, Eastern Province and South Western Districts, in an unprecedented commitment of solidarity to the sponsor, by the Southern Spears.
Speaking in a conference call from Sydney and the Headquarters of ISC, the General Manager, Brett Corrick said, “We at ISC in Australia and the UK are extremely excited at this breakthrough into the South African market and particularly, in the partnership with the Southern Spears and SpearLeaders, to cater for the Southern Spears supporters, as well as their female and kids ranges”.
Ian Wright, General Manager for ISC South Africa, declared that, “this is an exclusive agreement with the 4 rugby teams in the Southern and Eastern Cape, co-ordinated and marketed by the Southern Spears, unlike the ISC sponsorship of the Australian Super 14 Teams, the Brumbies and the Western Force, In short, we have become, ‘The Brand Behind Your Team!’.
International Sports Clothing (ISC), has operating bases both in Sydney, Australia and in the UK, employing 85 staff, with offices to open in Johannesburg in the near future. ISC is an experienced and proven designer, manufacturer, supplier and distributor of merchandise under license, with an established track record for dependability.
ISC was established in 1991 and has been a major supplier of merchandise under license to:
- Cricket World Cup 1992;
- Australian Cricket Board (ACB) 1991-2002;
- Australian Football League (AFL) 1992-2001;
- Sydney 2000 Olympics;
- Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) 2000;
- and including Fox Studios Apparel 1999-2001;
- Coco-Cola;
- K-mart;
- World Wrestling Federation;
- Big W and Myer.
Currently ISC is a licensed supplier to National Rugby League (NRL) Teams: Sydney Roosters, Newcastle Knights, South Sydney, Canberra Raiders, Penrith Panthers and Super 14 Teams: Brumbies Rugby and the Western Force.
ISC holds an exclusive supporters license for the NRL, and also holds licenses for supply to Bowls Australia.
The UK arm of ISC holds merchandise licenses to 4 of the 12 English Super League Teams; the Bradford Bulls, Salford City Reds and the Wakefield Wildcats and the new French Team, Catalans. ISC distribution includes France, Italy, USA and New Zealand.
ISC has the expertise and experience to utilise both local and offshore garment manufacturing. This knowledge ensures consistency of quality and supply.
In house sublimation printing, screen-printing, embroidery as well as outsourcing relationships with Australia’s leading knitting mills provides the ultimate in control and responsiveness to the demands of high profile teams.
ENDS
For Further Information Contact:
Melissa Uwa: 083.757.1636 or info@thespears.co.za Click here to read full article and comments.
Schumacher doesn't 'deserve' break
Source: Wheels24
Posted: 13/12/2005 10:46
Ferrari's German, who this year failed to win his first championship since 1999 (when he broke his leg), will test at Jerez this week despite usually resting until at least January at his Norway ranch.
Schumacher, 36, says he wants to 'keep working'.
"It was a very sad season," he explained at a Ferrari Christmas Party, where the Maranello staff's children were treated to a circus and a visit from Father Christmas.
"In previous years I thought I deserved holidays. This time I want to be together with the team, talk to them, check where we are, and be in the car."
After 83 career wins, Schumacher added just one more with the Bridgestone-tyred F2005 car -- the embarrassing United States GP.
He insisted: "I feel very fresh and very motivated, very hungry. I feel it would be too late to wait until January."
Schumacher said everyone in the scarlet clad team is optimistic of a better showing in 2006. President Luca di Montezemolo gave a speech in which he urged: "We must get back to winning ways".
"When you listened to the cheering," Michael enthused, "you realised the desire within everyone to do better."
Click here to read full article and comments.
Spears set to announce a major rugby sponsorship at noon
Source: EPherald
Writer: Stan Terblanche
THE Southern Spears rugby franchise, which embraces Eastern Province, South Western Districts and Border, will take another giant step forward when a R15-million sponsorship deal will be revealed by managing director Tony McKeever at the EPRU Stadium today.
Though McKeever was tight-lipped about who the sponsors are, he confirmed that those involved will fly into Port Elizabeth today and will attend a press conference at midday.
“I am ecstatic about the latest developments and I believe we are on the right road to success,” McKeever said.
He also confirmed that the kit and the entire Spears apparel will be revealed today.
McKeever added that the ‘capping ceremony’ for the players will be held on January 11 in the build-up to the first friendly of the season against the Free State Cheetahs at the EPRU Stadium on January 14.
McKeever’s first sponsorship deal came earlier this month from Algoa FM to the tune of R3-million, which was a mixture of airtime and cash.
Click here to read full article and comments.
Writer: Stan Terblanche
THE Southern Spears rugby franchise, which embraces Eastern Province, South Western Districts and Border, will take another giant step forward when a R15-million sponsorship deal will be revealed by managing director Tony McKeever at the EPRU Stadium today.
Though McKeever was tight-lipped about who the sponsors are, he confirmed that those involved will fly into Port Elizabeth today and will attend a press conference at midday.
“I am ecstatic about the latest developments and I believe we are on the right road to success,” McKeever said.
He also confirmed that the kit and the entire Spears apparel will be revealed today.
McKeever added that the ‘capping ceremony’ for the players will be held on January 11 in the build-up to the first friendly of the season against the Free State Cheetahs at the EPRU Stadium on January 14.
McKeever’s first sponsorship deal came earlier this month from Algoa FM to the tune of R3-million, which was a mixture of airtime and cash.
Click here to read full article and comments.
Rugby boss calls in police
Source: www.superrugby.co.zaPicture: Touchline Pictures
The suspended president of the Eastern Province Rugby Union, Willem Stuurman, has handed a report compiled by PriceWaterhouseCoopers to the commercial branch of the police.
Stuurman last week threatened to give the report, earlier commissioned by the South African Rugby Union, to the Scorpions.
He wanted to take the action because he felt the content of the report was being swept under the carpet by the EPRU's management.
"I started the investigation with my memorandum to SA Rugby earlier this year and now I want to end it," Stuurman said.
An EPRU disciplinary committee recently suspended him for five years because he allegedly submitted false claims.
Stuurman appealed against the suspension and wants to prove his innocence by taking the matter to the police.
The EPRU's acting president, Aldy Meyer, said his management "would handle the challenges as they come up."
He declined to elaborate on Stuurman's allegations that he was sentenced by a "kangaroo court."
However, he said earlier that his union was conducting further investigations after studying the PriceWaterhouseCoopers report.
Stuurman, however, questioned the sincerity of the EPRU management.
Stuurman said: "This is definitely not a normal process taking place.
"There are numerous irregularities and everyone is in cahoots.
"I believe the amateur arm of EP rugby must close its doors and the implementation committee selected by SA Rugby at the beginning of the year should take over.
"But I want the matter to be resolved once and for all.
"If the police should decide I am guilty and transgressed the law, I must become the first one they arrest," Stuurman said.
Click here to read full article and comments.
DIE WAARHEID SPEAKS TO DavidS AT HIS FARM IN VENTERDORP
Our intrepid reporter, DavidS takes us to the picturesque town of Venterdorp where he is introducing Yvette to the cultural nuances of the country by interviewing another famous poster maligned by Muppits, namely Die Waarheid. Die Waarheid is famous for his anti-transformation stance. He has asked us not to reveal his identity as speaking to the media is a breach of his parole conditions. Unfortunately, he has insisted on speaking in Afrikaans.
DW: Ek dring aan daarop dat jy my in my eie taal aanspreek.
DS: Nou maar goed Meneer Die Waarheid. Kom ons begin by die begin. Waarom al die haat teenoor swart mense en transformasie?
DW: Ek wil dit byvoorbaat stel dat ek geen haat koester jeens die swart massas nie. Ek kom goed met hulle oor die weg. Kyk maar na Jonas wat hier die stoep vee. As hy hom nie gedra nie en hy raak te wit dan kry hy ‘n oorveeg, en dis hoe mens met die goed moet werk. Dan kom jy met hulle oor die weg.
DS: Maar dit antwoord nie my vraag nie?
DW: Goed, wat ek duidelik wil maak is dat hierdie land as die van ons uitgekorene volk sien. Nou kom hierdie houtkoppe en hulle wil alles wat onse volk opgeboiu het van ons af wegneem en verkwansel aan hulle transformasie.
DS: Maar wat van rugby? Wat het dit daarmee te make?
DW: Rugby is die sport van onse volk. Die uitgekorene volk. En nou kom die goed met hulle transformasie en hulle wil hê dat ons die sport van ons volk moet opoffer aan hulle sodat hulle met hulle kroes koppe saam met ons volk moet speel. Al wat dit op neerkom is ‘n poging om die kultuur te ondermyn en vernietig.
DS: Maar hulle, soos jy na swart mense verwys speel tog die sport in Australië en Nieu Seeland, waar verskeie swart spellers deelneem. En natuurlik is hulle fenomenaal suksesvol daarmee.
DW: Maar nie hier nie. Die goed se houtkoppe is te vol gemors. Hulle kan nie in drie dimensies sien nie. Hulle weet nie wat om met hulle hande te maak nie en hulle kan net ‘n ronde bal skop. Kyk wat maak hulle met Zimbabwe.
DS: Sommige mense sou sê Zimbabwe is nie Suid Afrika nie. Waar kom die haat vir swart mense vandaan?
DW: Ek sê mos ek haat nie die goed nie!
DS: Waarom moet ons nie bydrae tot die gelykheid van almal nie. Sekerlik kan jy insien dat ‘n poging om mense gelyk te behandel en ongelykheid van die verlede weg te neem ‘n eerbare doelstelling is.
DW: Maar die goed is nie gelyk aan my nie! Hulle is ondiere! Moenie my ‘try’ nie mannetjie….
DS: Nou vertel my asseblief of jy vir Bryan Habana ondersteun as hy ‘n drie druk vir die Bokke of die Bulle?
DW: Maar natuurlik. Maar hy is nie een van hulle nie. Hy is ‘n bruin Afrikaner. Hy het bietjie wit in hom. Ek kan half met hom oor die weg kom.
DS: En vertel my wat het jy gedink van Rooigrond Gevangenis. Het jy iets van rasse gelykheid geleer daar?
DW: Ek het geleer dat my vet wit poephol in groot aanvraag was. Laat ek jou vertel dat as jy eers ‘n groot lang dik swart …
DS: Ja toemaar, ek wil weet of jy vriende gehad in die tronk.
DW: Natuurlik. Met my wit poephol op offer het ek baie vriende gehad, en ja meeste van hulle was swart. Ek het veral gehou van Vusi die groot ou Zulu wat my elke aand styf vasgehou het.
DS: En jou bediende?
DW: Wat van haar? Sy’s ‘n beter steek as daai Jani Allen koei!
DS: So laat ek dit reg lees. Jy haat swart mense, maar jy het geen beswaar om seksuele omgang met hulle te hê nie en jy sal hulle ondersteun as hulle goed speel vir die Bokke en die Bulle?
DW: Presies.
DS: Okei, ek is soos Dali Tambo. Na elke onderhoud gee ek my gas ‘n geskenk van Ruggaworld af.
DW: Nee maar dis gaaf. Jy sien na ek van my perd afgeval het, en almal dit gesien het op televisie is ek half skrikkerig vir die media.
DS: Nou maar staan op, hou jou ken so, en…
[DavidS gives Die Waarheid the Biggest roundhouse ever]
DW: Eeeiiinnaaaa jou wetter!.......[snork…snork] …. Ek het laas so seer gehad toe ek van my perd afgeval het op Potch se teer strate……of toe daai Zulu my boudwange die eerste keer oopgetrek het en….
[DavidS roundhouses Die Waarheid again…Jonas applauds….the housekeeper applauds and then starts to pick up Die Waarheid’s teeth lying all over the floor]
DW: Nggghhhffff……glllmmpppfff
At this stage our intrepid reporter stated that he felt personally involved and could not continue with the interview. He has said that he needed to take Yvette to Cape Town to ‘show’ her cultural diversity and where he would interview Badboyownsbliksem next, with quite a few stops along the way. Till the next time then, this is DavidS saying good hunting! He’s also asked for a picture to be published of the git so his parole officer sees it.
Click here to read full article and comments.
The Return of the Giant
The much anticipated return of Jonah Lomu to professional rugby was the highlight of the Northern Hemisphere rugby weekend. Although Lomu had a solid, rather than spectacular return, it was the event that drew the most attention from the international rugby media.
The critics were in general kind to the giant former All Black great, which is testament to the huge impact this guy made in the game of rugby before a rare kidney illness robbed him and supporters of the game worldwide of this awesome talent.
Gareth Roberts, The Gaurdian:
"Jonah Lomu did nothing to suggest he is remotely near the powers that made him such an awesome force before the kidney illness that threatened his life, but he at least confounded some of the sceptics by lasting an hour of this tough if scrappy contest.”
"The one thing that will have to improve if Lomu is to be able to leave the field at any time with a smile of satisfaction is a dramatic improvement in his most potent weapon - the pace that made his power so irresistible on so many memorable occasions.
"Perhaps this at best efficient performance is the most we should expect from a player who has won the hearts of the sporting fraternity in daring to chase his test ambitions. That this iconic sportsman even managed to get himself in good enough shape to play for an hour at professional level should qualify him for a sporting bravery award.
"Lomu's is a risk that the Blues have opted to share until the end of the season, and in the process he and they have concocted a fascinating scenario. Whether or not it pays off remains to be seen, even if the commercial value to both parties is already a clear winner."
The Telegraph shared similar sentiments but highlighted the lack of pace on Lomu’s return:
"Jonah Lomu's eagerly awaited comeback turned out to be a solid rather than a scintillating performance," said The Telegraph
"For an hour the crowd sat transfixed by the giant former All Black, desperate for a glimpse of the havoc he once wreaked throughout world rugby before illness put his career on hold.
"In the end it was a competent return as Lomu struggled to find the electric pace that had come so effortlessly to him in his pomp.
"Although the Blues are revelling in a spectacular coup it remains to be seen whether the Lomu effect will bring in more bums on seats or points on the board.
"However, Lomu's arrival means that the Blues are departing from this Heineken Cup tie on a wave of optimism unseen for the past five years of European competition.
"It is not only the team but the man himself who will be hoping that it does not turn out to be a five-minute wonder."
Wales on Sunday:
“All eyes were on Lomu though he spent most of the afternoon as an observer as Cardiff got dragged into a forward scrap by the fiery Italian champions.
"He loitered out wide waiting for the ball, though was marked by at least two defenders whenever he came close to it.
"While he remains the biggest name in the game he is no longer the threat he used to be.
"Lomu still possess awesome strength and showed good handling skills with his passing, but the stunning pace has yet to return.
"These are early days and the fact that Lomu was even on the pitch is a remarkable achievement given his nine-year battle with a rare and potentially fatal kidney disorder.
"The biggest plus is that he emerged unscathed from his return and will only get better with more games under his belt."
I for one think it is extremely brave of the big man to make a comeback. He might never be the Lomu we got to know who struck the fear of god into his opponents, but his courage is testament to the character of the guy. Good luck Jonah!
Source: XtraMSN
Original article can be viewed at:
http://xtramsn.co.nz/rugby/0,,12416-5133631,00.html
Click here to read full article and comments.
Academy signs up four overseas stars
It is always exciting to read about development initiatives being carried out by any union in South Africa. Full marks to the Sharks for pushing ahead, and maintaining, their Sharks Academy. Having foreign participants taking part can only but enhance the course for all involved and will hopefully lead to a form of osmosis for our youngsters in learning about other countries and their culture.
www.sharksrugby.co.za
Posted: Tuesday, December 06, 2005 - 08:28
Released by: The Flagship PR & Communications
Four full-time, overseas students are among the 70 applicants who have been accepted for first year courses at The Sharks Academy in Durban next year, out of a total of 215 applicants. The students who have been accepted are evenly split between the B.Com, College Marketing Diploma and Exercise Training Academy (ETA) course options.
The four overseas players who will be welcomed by the institution when they open their doors for the new term are brothers, Vladimir “Lado” and Luka Kilasonia, from Georgia in the former Soviet Union, Jason Engelbrecht from Texas, USA, and Jonathan Linnett from London.
The Kilasonia brothers represented Georgia, and Englebrecht the USA at the IRB Under 19 World Championships staged in Durban and Pietermaritzburg in April.
In addition, a contingent of 20 young players from the United Kingdom and Ireland will also train at the Academy for several months next year, as part of a gap year exchange programme.
“We are very excited about the quality of our 2006 intake,” says Sharks Academy head, Hans Scriba. “We were able to select the best 70 players out of 215 applicants. The international players also add an extra dimension to our Academy.” Click here to read full article and comments.
Kumar resignation not good enough for NZ
The resignation of the ARU chairperson, Dilip Kumar, is simply not good enough for the NZ Rugby Union. In the ongoing saga in which the ARU made public its support for Japan in the Rugby World Cup bid for 2011, NZRU made it clear that despite the resignation of Kumar, they remain ‘concerned’ about the stance its neighbours took and how it might impact the already shaky relationship between the two SANZAR partners.
Your While Australia hoped the resignation of Kumar might help mend the strained relations between the SANZAR partners, NZRU made it clear that it will take a lot more from the ARU to restore the confidence and trust they once enjoyed before this debacle.
NZRU boss Jock Hobbs issued a strongly-worded statement on Friday which gave the feeling that the huge disappointment continues at the Wellington headquarters over Australia's refusal to vote for New Zealand. This is a clear indication that NZRU believes the problems lies much deeper than Kumar.
"Despite some previous media comment, our concern was that the ARU board chose to support Japan in the RWC 2011 vote, so from that perspective, the resignation of Mr Kumar does not change our position nor alleviate our concerns about the ARU's decision," Hobbs said.
Hobbs said these concerns have been delivered to the ARU board in writing.
"I have written to the ARU board through Mr Kumar outlining our concerns and the damage this decision has done to the Australia-New Zealand relationship."
What is extremely interesting is the fact that there has been no official reaction from SARU on this matter. If the ARU, who carried more than one vote, decided to support one of their two SANZAR partners, things could have turned out very differently in the end. We must also not loose sight of the fact that this vote or votes the ARU carried, is worth Billions!
It boggles my mind that SARU and the idiots running our rugby is not supporting NZRU in this matter to find some answers about why the ARU snubbed them? Just imagine if Japan actually won the bid, and what the impact would have been on the SANZAR relationship. It just proves yet again the clowns running our rugby has absolutely no balls.
Source: XtraMSN
Original article can be viewed at:
http://xtramsn.co.nz/rugby/0,,12416-5123279,00.html
Click here to read full article and comments.
Waugh's Solution to African Cricket Woes
An article by Boertjie.
With every sportsloving fans eyes firmly fixed on the up and coming test series in Australia, we have to ask the question: Why, in a continent so rich with natural sporting talent, are there no other countries apart from South Africa that competes on the cricketing world stage?
The former great Aussie skipper Steve Waugh may just have the solution for the
African continent's woes on the cricketing field.
The 1975 cricket World Cup (and why can't they take a leaf from rugby and give it a proper name like the Don Bradman Cup?) fielded an East African side, and this may just be the solution to the continent's current woes, says former Aussie skipper Steve Waugh.
African cricket outside of the Republic is a complete shambles. It seems as if the game has completely vanished from Zimbabwe (together with many other things)
after all it's current internationals packed their bags, led by captain Tatenda Taibu.
Last week Peter Chingoka (chairman) and Osias Bvute (CEO) were arrested on several counts of corruption. In the last year secretarial expenditure rose from
R88 000 to R699 000 and the national body is almost R1 million in the red.
Kenian cricket is not better off, with continuous stories of mismanagement, infighting, and player strikes.
Waugh says there are very few guys playing cricket in Zimbabwe at the moment and that he views Kenya as an untapped resource.
He then asks why, if the West Indies can combine several islands into a national team with (sometimes limited) success, this route cannot be followed in Africa – not only to save the game from total ruin in certain contries, but to also expand it to the likes of Uganda.
"Someone has got to step in and make that situation better somehow because they're losing all the players," Waugh said.
"They've just lost their young captain (Tatenda Taibu), who has put his heart and soul into it. There has got to be something seriously wrong if he's walking away. That's a real concern."
The ICC – very much like the IRB – seems a toothles lion when it comes to matters like these asking for steps to be taken not only to expand the game, but to save it from total demise in certain countries.
In its defense the IRB may have reasoned that there is no viable course of action, given the volatile political situation in Zimbabwe and the sensitivenes of especially post-colonial countries. They may now have the solution to the problems surrounding African cricket, but will they have the will?
Waugh's advice to struggling test players was: "I just want you to bat for three hours. Don't worry about anything else."
Those who followed his advice normally succeeded. Will the ICC follow suit and at least give it a try?
Sources:
SuperCricket web page
Beeld newspaper
The reason Waugh's comments are so pertinent is simple: The ICC have been inert to the situation because they haven't had a reasonable or viable course of action presented to them. Now, thanks to a man who knows and cares about the game in Zimbabwe as much as he does in the rest of the world, they do.
Click here to read full article and comments.
Xerox Sleepover @ Newlands Rugby Stadium
Now, if I'd have known about this I'd have got my tent out of the shed and dusted it off in a flash! What a great idea for the kids. It would be great if they'd been able to make this a free function. I suppose that realistically that is impractical. Pity though, it's events such as these that create life-long fans.In January 2005 Club Newlands hosted a unique event that very few people normally get to experience - the opportunity to pitch a tent on the hallowed turf of Newlands Rugby Stadium and for a limited number of fathers and their children to sleep under the stars. Bookings for the 2006 Xerox Sleepover at Newlands Rugby Stadium is now open. The Sleepover is scheduled for Friday 13 January 2006.
The Vodacom Stormers players will join the children for a short coaching clinic followed by autograph signing and photo opportunities whilst the parents enjoy refreshments on the stands. All of this is followed by a braai and a host of fun and enjoyment - for children of all ages. Photographs, certificates and other memorabilia items all add up to an experience that will never be forgotten.
Feedback for the 2005 Sleepover:
Someone once said "Don't count the years count the memories" And the sleepover is one of those memories that will be counted! - Jo-Ann Schou
Just a big thank you for a wonderful experience, both my son Emil and I enjoyed it tremendously - Rudolph van Eck
I want to thank you all for the wonderful time my family had, it was truly an unforgettable experience!! I don't know who enjoyed it more, my husband or the kids!! - Beverley Helmobld.
Bookings are now open for the Xerox Sleepover:
Cost:
Platinum Members R175pp (R350 per adult / child (6 -13 years) combination),
Non-members R200pp (R400 per adult / child (6 -13 years) combination),
Numbers are very limited, so book now to avoid disappointment. Bookings close 10 December 2005. Children MUST be accompanied by an adult and cannot be younger than 6 and older than 13.
To book, or for more information, call Club Newlands on (021) 438 8181 or email clubnewlands@supportersclub.co.za
Your ticket is inclusive of the following:
camp site for 1 tent (max 4 people per tent - each person needs to purchase a ticket)
braai and charcoal
braai pack, bread rolls, salad
dessert
breakfast consisting of fruit juice and yogurt, coffee and rusks
goodie bag
coaching clinic by the Vodacom Stormers players
interactive games
movie
Terms and Conditions
* Event is weather permitting and may be cancelled at the discretion of the event organisers
* Indemnity forms must be signed prior to the event
* Only dome tents allowed (free standing) (max size 4 man).
* Only demarcated areas of the pitch may be used. Each "tent" will be pre-allocated a camp site
* No loud music will be allowed (we have neighbours...).
* No pets allowed
* No glass bottles/containers will be allowed. Only plastic and cans
* Torches and gas lamps permitted (no open flames)
* Toilets available but no showers
* Braai places will be supplied
* Cash Bar 4pm - 10pm
* Secure parking available
Right of admission is reserved.
To book contact Club Newlands on 021 438 8181 or e-mail clubnewlands@supportersclub.co.za Click here to read full article and comments.
Monday, December 12, 2005
Rugga World Humour: THE CHRONICLES OF KEO – CONTINUED
We are yet to make contact with our intrepid investigative reporter DavidS, after his run-in with St Michel. He tells us that Yvette is displaying her gratefulness at being released from the clutches of the poncy Englishman WHO CLAIMS TO HAVE PLAYED A GAME AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL over and over again. With that we are again drawn to the Chronicles of keo as obtained by our secret tape session:
Keo: Hahahah. I posted a story on the George 7’s without needing any help from Ig.
Simon: You stuffed up though. Look. The coments section is open again.
Keo: Dammit. Now what?
Simon: Chris knows some about computers.
Keo: Well get him here.
Simon: I can’t. He’s sitting with his head in the oven.
Keo: Well so what? There’s no gas in there.
Simon: I know but he had it on grill and his ear’s burnt to a crisp so he can’t hear a things and the paramedics are trying to save his ear.
Keo: Well draw him a picture then.
Simon: I could but he can’t reach down far enough to see what you’re drawing…
Keo: You lanky bastard. I’ll stamp your toes with these new hiking boots of mine.
Simon: Where’d you get them? At Ackerman’s Baby?
Keo: One day Simon. One day.
Simon: Yes I am a master of the witty repartee. But of course I have to be seeing as I am a luminary in the media, editor of illustrious magazines like Making Victorian Underwear for Him, The Best Tourist Destinations in Langa and ….
Keo: Oh shuddup. I’m a journalist and a good one too. At least I’ve written a book…
Simon: I didn’t take a stupid job, do it badly and waddle off in a huff because I didn’t like it just to get a story for a book.
Keo: Waddle? I’m not fat?
Simon: I know, but I couldn’t think of a word for what shorties do.
Keo: Why you ……, hey look here! There are 110 posts on my last thread!
Simon: So what. How’s you get to George?
Keo: I didn’t. Ig phones the results through to me.
Simon: On your cell?
Keo: Of course my cell.
Simon: Ja, because if it was on your office number you wouldn’t have been able to reach that high after your ….
Keo: Hey you git! I’ll hit you on the ankle with this wooden ruler!
Simon: Heheheh. I bet it was Ig who stole the cushion from your seat!
Keo: That’s not funny! At least I don’t support the Sharks.
Simon: 39-3 and 74-14. At least we got to beat the Bulls once this year.
Keo: Shuddup!!!!
Well that’s it for today. Hopefully we can bring you DavidS’ next interview which will be with arch racist Die Waarheid, provided DavidS can get permission from his parole officer to interview him in the media, as, since his release from Rooigrind Prison, Die Waarheid has been prohibited from speaking to the media. He did tell DavidS that this gagging could be blamed on what he termed a "KF" Click here to read full article and comments.
Keo: Hahahah. I posted a story on the George 7’s without needing any help from Ig.
Simon: You stuffed up though. Look. The coments section is open again.
Keo: Dammit. Now what?
Simon: Chris knows some about computers.
Keo: Well get him here.
Simon: I can’t. He’s sitting with his head in the oven.
Keo: Well so what? There’s no gas in there.
Simon: I know but he had it on grill and his ear’s burnt to a crisp so he can’t hear a things and the paramedics are trying to save his ear.
Keo: Well draw him a picture then.
Simon: I could but he can’t reach down far enough to see what you’re drawing…
Keo: You lanky bastard. I’ll stamp your toes with these new hiking boots of mine.
Simon: Where’d you get them? At Ackerman’s Baby?
Keo: One day Simon. One day.
Simon: Yes I am a master of the witty repartee. But of course I have to be seeing as I am a luminary in the media, editor of illustrious magazines like Making Victorian Underwear for Him, The Best Tourist Destinations in Langa and ….
Keo: Oh shuddup. I’m a journalist and a good one too. At least I’ve written a book…
Simon: I didn’t take a stupid job, do it badly and waddle off in a huff because I didn’t like it just to get a story for a book.
Keo: Waddle? I’m not fat?
Simon: I know, but I couldn’t think of a word for what shorties do.
Keo: Why you ……, hey look here! There are 110 posts on my last thread!
Simon: So what. How’s you get to George?
Keo: I didn’t. Ig phones the results through to me.
Simon: On your cell?
Keo: Of course my cell.
Simon: Ja, because if it was on your office number you wouldn’t have been able to reach that high after your ….
Keo: Hey you git! I’ll hit you on the ankle with this wooden ruler!
Simon: Heheheh. I bet it was Ig who stole the cushion from your seat!
Keo: That’s not funny! At least I don’t support the Sharks.
Simon: 39-3 and 74-14. At least we got to beat the Bulls once this year.
Keo: Shuddup!!!!
Well that’s it for today. Hopefully we can bring you DavidS’ next interview which will be with arch racist Die Waarheid, provided DavidS can get permission from his parole officer to interview him in the media, as, since his release from Rooigrind Prison, Die Waarheid has been prohibited from speaking to the media. He did tell DavidS that this gagging could be blamed on what he termed a "KF" Click here to read full article and comments.
More million rand sponsors back Spears rugby
Source: www.weekendpost.co.za
Author: Mark Carrels
Logo: www.southernspears.co.za/
THE South Eastern Cape Super 14 franchise yesterday received letters of intent from three more prospective sponsors in offers estimated to be worth about R15-million.
Southern Spears CEO Tony McKeever said a non-disclosure confidentiality agreement prevented him from disclosing the exact amount and the sponsors’ names.
McKeever said that the Spears needed about R50-million annually to meet financial obligations.
This amount would be divided of which R15-million was planned to be secured from the “the main sponsors”.
It was planned that a further five sponsors would commit R3-million each, and 10 other sponsors would provide R2-million each.
“To date all 13 other teams in the Super 14 have already spent about R150-million in total which puts things in perspective,” said McKeever.
“As of next month we will start negotiations on a payment agreement with our title sponsors.”
Algoa FM has already agreed to sponsor the team with R3-million.
McKeever said the contracts for the final squad of 24 players who were chosen after last night’s trials in George were being finalised. Four places are still up for grabs though.
“I am happy and absolutely delighted with the efforts by the community and the sponsors to support the franchise,” said McKeever.
He said players’ salaries would form the bulk of the SEC franchise’s expenses once the squad had been finalised.
The complement of 50 management staff members also did not come cheaply, he said. Click here to read full article and comments.
Another Aussie Head Rolls
Yes ladies and gentleman, yet another high profile Australian, in the form of ARU chairman Dilip Kumar, has resigned amid his position in the ARU and the union’s stance to support Japan ahead of their SANZAR partners in the recent Rugby World Cup bid which was won by NZ.
In what was for me personally, the silliest thing the ARU has done in a long time, this actually comes as no surprise. As a SANZAR partner, I would have personally requested that Australia be kicked out of SANZAR and a combined Pacific Island's team or Argentina to take their place in the Super 14 and Tri-Nations.
You think that is a bit harsh? Well if you look at the financial implications involved with hosting such a major event, I don’t think so. The figures the host nation makes through an event like this is staggering. And up and till now, I have not read one sensible comment from the ARU other than ‘making the game global’.
My views on how pathetic that statement is, in the sense of where it is coming from has been expressed many times. If Australia was committed to making the game global, Argentina and the Island teams could have been included in our Southern Hemisphere competitions some time ago. Off course this goes for NZ and South Africa to but I am going off the topic here.
Apparently Kumar was overthrown at a meeting of the ARU in Sydney last Thursday by a Queensland and ACT led revolt.
The ARU moved to support Kumar but their statement did him no favours. "There was unwarranted personal criticism of Dilip when the ARU Board chose to support Japan's bid for the Rugby World Cup 2011. The ARU Board remains committed to its decision to support Japan's bid." said ARU President Paul McLean.
It is well known that Australia is desperate to add a fifth Melbourne based team when the Super 14 competition expands in the future. Unfortunately their move to support Japan ahead of NZ did them no favours to have NZ’s support them on this matter.
Kumar was previously chairman of the NSW rugby board.
Source: XTRAMSN
Full Article can be viewed at:
http://xtramsn.co.nz/rugby/0,,12416-5122524,00.html
Click here to read full article and comments.
Like sands through the Aussie hourglass...
This more or less what Australian Rugby has turned into in the last couple of weeks – nothing more than a soap-opera. I must say, I am starting to feel for the poor buggers, I think no one in the world knows better than a South African rugby supporter or player, what it is like to go through a slump like this. The latest in the ongoing saga highlights the much anticipated response of George Gregan on the axing of Eddie Jones.
Although Gregan was still defiant in his stance not to debate this in public, it is very clear that the Australian captain is starting to feel the pressure and is probably avoiding any negative comment and the implications it will have on his own playing career.
"I don't really need to debate this publicly," said Gregan in The Sydney Morning Herald. "I spoke to him and he knows how I feel about it. He's been an outstanding coach. He's been a big part of my life and my career since 1998. He'll do really well in whatever he chooses to do in the future.
"We've gone through a lot together. We've had our ups and our downs, it's been a very good working relationship."
Gregan does however agree with most of us when he made mention of the fact that the results in 2005 did nothing to help Jones’ cause.
"It's the nature of what we do. We are judged on results. It's got no reflection on his work ethic - it's outstanding. It's just disappointing we didn't get the results. The coach particularly is always under pressure, particularly in Australian sport."
Gregan did come under fire from supporters of Jones for not publicly supporting him, mainly because of his close links to the former Wallaby coach. But one can hardly blame him as he is fighting a seemingly loosing battle to save his own international rugby career.
However, Wallabies vice captain, Nathan Sharpe, was more outspoken on the issue calling the sacking of Jones “harsh”.
"Eddie has been a fantastic coach for Australia and a great mentor as well," said Sharpe. "He's suffered at the hands of poor results for the Wallabies. It's a harsh call, the results of the season also lie squarely with the players."
Sharpe also believes Gregan has a lot to offer Australian rugby.
"I think he's a tremendous player and a tremendous captain," Sharpe said of Gregan.
"George, he's endured absolute mountains of criticism through the year and he's held his chin high and he's not going to let it weigh him down. I love playing under George Gregan and he's a tremendous leader. Who knows what next year's landscape is going to be with no coach appointed at this point?"
Source: XTRAMSN
Full article can be viewed at:
http://xtramsn.co.nz/rugby/0,,12416-5133753,00.html
link. Click here to read full article and comments.
Charles Futshane and Spring Rose Rugby Club
Picture: Charles FutshanePicture Source: Evening Post
I came across this gem, written by Botha Harmans for Port Elizabeth's Evening Post on August 4, 1951. From what I've been able to discover, Botha Harmans has passed away. Mr Harmans appears to have been a member of the diocesan Council and other diocesan committees of the Port Elizabeth Diocese and a campaigner for the improvement of the rights of the disenfranchised.
------------------------
A wish to spend their leisure hours profitably led two Port Elizabeth Africans, Charles ("Zet") Fushane and the late William Thube, to found the Spring Rose Rugby Club in 1907.
As the bulk of the team were domestic workers, they earned for themselves the derisive designation of "Kitchen Boys."
Most of the club practices were conducted in the moonlight on their ground situated at the open space below the Provincial Hospital, Port Elizabeth.
In 1907, the year in which the "Kitchen Boys" were promoted to the First League, the club's name was changed from Spring Grove to Spring Rose.
In 1914, under the able leadership of the late Samuel Ngene, Spring Rose qualified for the final of the John Wynne Grand Challenge Cup.
The match was staged at the Westbourne Oval, and the Roses met Wanderers, a strong Grahamstown side.
Charles Futshane remembers this hard-fought game as if it took place yesterday.
Playing on the wing, he scored the only try, giving Roses the cup.
Pleased with the game, Mr Brownlee, then proprietor of the Railway Hotel, presented the Roses with an expensive trophy - the Brownlee Trophy.
Spring Rose sportingly handed it over to the Port Elizabeth Bantu Rugby Board, and this trophy is now the principal cup for the Second League competition.
On retiring from rugby in 1937, Charlie Futshane took up first aid and in 1939 was awarded the St John's Ambulance medal.
Today he uses that knowledge to assist injured players, and he is a familiar and much respected figure in Eastern Province Bantu Rugby.
During the recent national tournament at New Brighton, Mr AZ Lamani paid Charlie a well-deserved tribute when he said that no Bantu tournament would be complete without his invaluable services.
----------------------------
The Spring Rose Rugby Club appears to be going strong and, indeed, in 2007 will celebrate it's 100th anniversary! Amongst it's luminaries it can count late ANC activist Surgeon Mjo who also served as the chauffeur to political stalwarts Govan Mbeki and Raymond Mhlaba. Mjo played rugby in the 50s with rugby legend Dan Qeqe. The New Brighton-based rugby club have the honour of placing a Springbok on their Honours Board as well in that they groomed Solomzi Tyibilika! Click here to read full article and comments.
Clubs risk meltdown unless players' health takes priority
Thomas Castaignède
December 2005
Source: The Guardian
It's been a chilling week to be a professional rugby player, with the retirements through long-term injuries of my team-mate Alex Sanderson and Worcester's Ben Hinshelwood. They are worrying enough episodes, but there is a trend here, following the departures this season of Trevor Woodman and Phil Greening. More players are being forced out of the sport than before, and they are going at a younger age.
I came close to going where they have gone with an achilles injury a few years ago, so I've always felt the long-term price paid by rugby players is higher than it is for athletes in other sports, except perhaps boxing. We will all be ugly old men, with lots of bits that creak or don't work. Our wives need to be worried about what they will be looking at in a few years, or perhaps we should be worried about our wives.
The evolution of the game in recent years has accentuated this. We all do more and more weight-training so the strain on our bodies is ever greater, particularly on the tendons. We play more and more games so we have less rest. We are all bigger and stronger so the strain on tendons and muscles in those games is greater. There won't be many more George Gregans, heading towards 120 caps.
I'd be worried if my son wanted to be a professional rugby player. The emotions you feel as a player are immensely strong, as is the pleasure you get from being in a team, but to have a career in rugby you have to give up your studies relatively young. The number of players who really succeed is relatively small, and I'd say that in England there are perhaps five guys at the moment who will be able to live off the money they have made as players when the time comes to stop.
I don't feel that players are well looked after on occasion. There are good doctors and physios in the game, who feel free to stop players competing without being pushed by the coaching staff, but some coaches and team doctors are irresponsible in not always giving priority to their players' health, instead looking only for results.
There are times when players are asked to compete in spite of a minor injury, but then they pick up something serious a few weeks later. The workload placed on certain areas of the body - back, discs, knees, groin - are extraordinarily heavy and great care needs to be taken, but sometimes the medical back-up is prehistoric.
That's crazy, mainly for the health risks, but also because clubs are gambling with their biggest assets - the players. You don't buy a Ferrari, then hand it over to a cycle mechanic. Greater investment is needed in this area, and a limit on the number of matches we play must be applied seriously.
There are also factors that are unique to England and thus to the English game. In France workplace health legislation is more stringent. If you are working in a factory and you feel bad somewhere you get an MRI or a scan to check it out. That isn't done automatically here. The onus is more on the individual and so the tendency is to wait and see.
You see players with small hamstring tears that crop up again and again, with the extent of the problem never fully investigated. In England, too, there is a tendency to believe that you can push the body more, whereas in France guys will stop if anything hurts. The British way seems brave but discretion, where injury is concerned, is definitely the better part of valour.
There's nothing worse in a player's career than having to stop before you are ready to do so, but I said to Alex this week that while it's bad having to stop, at a certain stage you have to accept the risks your body is running. You can't weigh the chance of being in a wheelchair against 80 minutes of pleasure on a rugby pitch.
I've looked down the black hole that now faces Alex, Ben and the rest. It's a hell of a moment. You go from being in the spotlight to having nothing - no training, no matches. My injury was poorly diagnosed, but there are many things that surprise me in the way the game looks after the players and if action is not taken soon, we are heading for meltdown. Click here to read full article and comments.
WHY DID WE FAIL AGAIN: A POST MORTEM ON THE 2007 RWC
A DavidS counterfactual study in fear of failure.
Another Rugby World Cup and another failure for the Boks. Where did it go wrong again? We examine the roots of failure.
In 2004 the weight of expectation was on Jake White’s shoulders. He introduced a new system uniquely suited to Springbok play. The Rush Defence. In his view of history, Springbok rugby based its success on ferocious defence. He searched the world and discovered the complex defensive system Gary Gold and Brendan Venter developed for London Irish and adapted it for the Boks. And yet, it failed the greatest acid test. Amid celebrations in Australia (yet again) and the furore that lead to Jake White’s exit from SA Rugby following the Boks’ embarrassing exit in their quarter final clash against England, a team we have beaten once since 2000 we look at the roots of failure. This week we ask why?
Defence is not the only aspect of South African rugby that determined its past success
The Springbok teams of years past were ferocious defenders. That much is certain. One needs look only at our impressive record in the pre-isolation years to know that opposition teams paid dearly to points on the board. Joggie Jansen’s famous tackle is still celebrated as one of the greatest moments of Springbok rugby. Jake White is a superb analyst of the game. He should have known that defence was not the only moniker of success in South African rugby. Bok rugby of the past had an ethos of ferocious defence and an ethos of ferocious attack. We won because we scored money than our opponents. A study of the past would have shown Jake White that South Africa was known for its ferocious attacking. Players like Hennie Muller, Danie Craven, Mannetjies Roux, Frik Du Preez, Carel Du Plessis, Naas Botha, Danie Gerber, Hennie Le Roux and Bobby Skinstead became famous not because of their tackling. They became famous because they scored points. And ultimately in rugby tackles are aesthetically pleasing but they don’t put points on the board.
South Africa also has a more readying ethos of attacking their opposition. We have some of the greatest attacking forwards in the game. Our backline players would not seem out of place in a World XV for their attacking abilities.
Where was our attack?
In the early days of 2006, many started to question two things about the Jake White Boks. Where was their attack? And, what exact role did the assistant coaches perform. This came on the back of failure to perform against France. That failure was based on a lack of forward cohesiveness and a one dimensional attack. Jake White’s charges had been together for almost two years at that stage, yet they still showed a complete lack of cohesiveness on attack and were completely outclassed at breakdowns because of their failure to commit. Expert commentator of the world famous Ruggaworld, “Pissant” analyses for us:
The rush defence requires that the opposition players be pressured into playing to your strength in defence. This means your wings and centres come up quickly on defence, creating an umbrella on the field and forcing the opposition players to break inside to find space. This drives them to where your forwards are and they can then be brought down. The problem with the defence is that it requires your pack to be loose so that they can perform the defensive moves and therefore they do not commit to rucks and mauls, making the Boks weak in this department, because of their defensive requirements.
The Bok forwards could not commit to attacking at the rucks and mauls, a traditional strength, given people like Wahl Baartman and Theuns Stofberg of the past. They were forced to ‘hang back’ to defend and not attack the opposition mauls and rucks. This gave our opponent forwards virtually free reign at the breakdowns. This ‘hang back’ attitude also affected our ability to create attacking options as the attack called for a change of a mindset incessantly drilled into the Boks that the forwards were the key to the defensive system. As a result we were always out muscled at the rucks because our forwards could not or did not commit. With our players not cleaning out rucks we were always going to be dominated at this vital area of our attack.
Our one dimensional attack and lack of flair
The French are famous for their flair. But flair for the outrageous has always been a Springbok trait too. Looking at teams of the past, we can see the amazing try that one the 1st test against the 1980 Lions started with Rob Louw carrying the ball from his own quarter line. The 1956 Lions tasted the wrath of Mannetjies Roux from the halfway line. The 1981 All Blacks knew all about Ray Mordt and Naas Botha in the last test and their penchant for the outrageous. In more recent times we’ve had rugby geniuses with a flair for the outrageous like Pieter Rossouw and Brent Russel. Percy Montgomery, the vintage version, not Jake White’s ‘improved’ version also had this flair. Bobby Skinstead was the forward with the most flair of recent times.
The Jake White Boks have none of this attacking flair. Consistently, we’ve seen players with a flair for the unusual, like Johan Roets, Brent Russel, Richard Bands, and Wayne Julies sidelined. Bryan Habana has had the flair coached out of him and he is a shadow of the player that burst onto the scene in 2004 with all the gifts to become a magnificent big name player. Pissant again:
The Jake White Springboks have just a few attacking options and our opponents cleverly noticed these and played exactly onto them. The first is the first receiver drive. In this, Joe Van Niekerk receives the ball from the scrumhalf and tries to drive it up. Our opponents were ointo this trick in the 2004 Northern Hemisphere tour already when Joe Van Niekerk regularly failed to make ground from here. The second was the inside centre short pass. In this, outside centre Jacque Fourie would run at an angle and Jean De Villiers would hand him a short pass that he took at speed. This worked in 2005, but by 2006 our opponents were onto it. It was a shock tactic and worked only when your opponents were not expecting it. Our opponents simply flooded the inside centre channel with defenders. So much so that in this world cup we conceded two intercept tries from this play. The third was the wide play. This is reserved for the rare turnover. Here the ball is quickly skipped to Bryan Habana while our opponents try to organise an attacking line to a defensive one. Once at Habana, he relies on his pace to win a race to the tryline. This happens very rarely, because we don’t turn over that much possession. There is no real defence against this because Habana will always win a straight line race against an opponent.
The way forward
The Australians have won it for a record third time. No doubt the All Blacks are thinking of the ‘four more year’ syndrome after they choked in the semi-finals against their old foe again. The Australians proved that they are the Phoenix of world rugby again after arising from the ashes of a disastrous 2004 to become world beaters again. England will be ruing their staid boring play in the light of the way France ran them ragged in the semi-final. And as the dying embers of Sydney’s celebration fires what do we do about Bok rugby.
Firing Jake White and his assistants, especially Gert Smal is a step in the right direction. White has proven that he is a reactive coach. One who looks at what his opponents do and plans accordingly. He does not plan to beat opponents. Instead his plans are based on fear of what his opponents can do. It is based on preventing the opposition from scoring and not on ensuring the Boks outscore their opponents. Yes, there is a difference. One is part of a tactic, and the other the aim of the game. Cane you tell which is which?
Gert Small, who destroyed the WP forward play and failed miserably to make the Stormers a good forward unit in the early part of the century, has managed to do the same to the Boks and his departure, reminiscent of the of Rudolph Straueli is a relief to most fans.
Newly appointed coach, Pieter De Villiers has named Rassie Erasmus and Carel Du Plessis as his assistant coaches. De Villers, who coached the Spears to a first Currie Cup semi-final onhis first try and managed a credible 5th position in the Southern Spears’ first Super 14 competition minced no words when he held his first press conference and took a swipe at the departing White, saying: “There are no such things as team weaknesses that you need to plan for. A Bok team that is weak in facets of its game play is a failing of the coaching staff, not the team. In South Africa we have all the best players in the world. A Bok team should have no weaknesses. My team and I will prove this to our opponents and the fans in the next four years. I am confident we can take Bok rugby back to the top where it belongs."
Meanwhile, the All Blacks will be hoping that the home advantage of 2011 finally breaks the drought of the past twenty years.
And what about Pieter De Villiers? Time will tell. Time alone will tell.
This is DavidS, for Ruggaworld in France. Click here to read full article and comments.
Another Rugby World Cup and another failure for the Boks. Where did it go wrong again? We examine the roots of failure.
In 2004 the weight of expectation was on Jake White’s shoulders. He introduced a new system uniquely suited to Springbok play. The Rush Defence. In his view of history, Springbok rugby based its success on ferocious defence. He searched the world and discovered the complex defensive system Gary Gold and Brendan Venter developed for London Irish and adapted it for the Boks. And yet, it failed the greatest acid test. Amid celebrations in Australia (yet again) and the furore that lead to Jake White’s exit from SA Rugby following the Boks’ embarrassing exit in their quarter final clash against England, a team we have beaten once since 2000 we look at the roots of failure. This week we ask why?
Defence is not the only aspect of South African rugby that determined its past success
The Springbok teams of years past were ferocious defenders. That much is certain. One needs look only at our impressive record in the pre-isolation years to know that opposition teams paid dearly to points on the board. Joggie Jansen’s famous tackle is still celebrated as one of the greatest moments of Springbok rugby. Jake White is a superb analyst of the game. He should have known that defence was not the only moniker of success in South African rugby. Bok rugby of the past had an ethos of ferocious defence and an ethos of ferocious attack. We won because we scored money than our opponents. A study of the past would have shown Jake White that South Africa was known for its ferocious attacking. Players like Hennie Muller, Danie Craven, Mannetjies Roux, Frik Du Preez, Carel Du Plessis, Naas Botha, Danie Gerber, Hennie Le Roux and Bobby Skinstead became famous not because of their tackling. They became famous because they scored points. And ultimately in rugby tackles are aesthetically pleasing but they don’t put points on the board.
South Africa also has a more readying ethos of attacking their opposition. We have some of the greatest attacking forwards in the game. Our backline players would not seem out of place in a World XV for their attacking abilities.
Where was our attack?
In the early days of 2006, many started to question two things about the Jake White Boks. Where was their attack? And, what exact role did the assistant coaches perform. This came on the back of failure to perform against France. That failure was based on a lack of forward cohesiveness and a one dimensional attack. Jake White’s charges had been together for almost two years at that stage, yet they still showed a complete lack of cohesiveness on attack and were completely outclassed at breakdowns because of their failure to commit. Expert commentator of the world famous Ruggaworld, “Pissant” analyses for us:
The rush defence requires that the opposition players be pressured into playing to your strength in defence. This means your wings and centres come up quickly on defence, creating an umbrella on the field and forcing the opposition players to break inside to find space. This drives them to where your forwards are and they can then be brought down. The problem with the defence is that it requires your pack to be loose so that they can perform the defensive moves and therefore they do not commit to rucks and mauls, making the Boks weak in this department, because of their defensive requirements.
The Bok forwards could not commit to attacking at the rucks and mauls, a traditional strength, given people like Wahl Baartman and Theuns Stofberg of the past. They were forced to ‘hang back’ to defend and not attack the opposition mauls and rucks. This gave our opponent forwards virtually free reign at the breakdowns. This ‘hang back’ attitude also affected our ability to create attacking options as the attack called for a change of a mindset incessantly drilled into the Boks that the forwards were the key to the defensive system. As a result we were always out muscled at the rucks because our forwards could not or did not commit. With our players not cleaning out rucks we were always going to be dominated at this vital area of our attack.
Our one dimensional attack and lack of flair
The French are famous for their flair. But flair for the outrageous has always been a Springbok trait too. Looking at teams of the past, we can see the amazing try that one the 1st test against the 1980 Lions started with Rob Louw carrying the ball from his own quarter line. The 1956 Lions tasted the wrath of Mannetjies Roux from the halfway line. The 1981 All Blacks knew all about Ray Mordt and Naas Botha in the last test and their penchant for the outrageous. In more recent times we’ve had rugby geniuses with a flair for the outrageous like Pieter Rossouw and Brent Russel. Percy Montgomery, the vintage version, not Jake White’s ‘improved’ version also had this flair. Bobby Skinstead was the forward with the most flair of recent times.
The Jake White Boks have none of this attacking flair. Consistently, we’ve seen players with a flair for the unusual, like Johan Roets, Brent Russel, Richard Bands, and Wayne Julies sidelined. Bryan Habana has had the flair coached out of him and he is a shadow of the player that burst onto the scene in 2004 with all the gifts to become a magnificent big name player. Pissant again:
The Jake White Springboks have just a few attacking options and our opponents cleverly noticed these and played exactly onto them. The first is the first receiver drive. In this, Joe Van Niekerk receives the ball from the scrumhalf and tries to drive it up. Our opponents were ointo this trick in the 2004 Northern Hemisphere tour already when Joe Van Niekerk regularly failed to make ground from here. The second was the inside centre short pass. In this, outside centre Jacque Fourie would run at an angle and Jean De Villiers would hand him a short pass that he took at speed. This worked in 2005, but by 2006 our opponents were onto it. It was a shock tactic and worked only when your opponents were not expecting it. Our opponents simply flooded the inside centre channel with defenders. So much so that in this world cup we conceded two intercept tries from this play. The third was the wide play. This is reserved for the rare turnover. Here the ball is quickly skipped to Bryan Habana while our opponents try to organise an attacking line to a defensive one. Once at Habana, he relies on his pace to win a race to the tryline. This happens very rarely, because we don’t turn over that much possession. There is no real defence against this because Habana will always win a straight line race against an opponent.
The way forward
The Australians have won it for a record third time. No doubt the All Blacks are thinking of the ‘four more year’ syndrome after they choked in the semi-finals against their old foe again. The Australians proved that they are the Phoenix of world rugby again after arising from the ashes of a disastrous 2004 to become world beaters again. England will be ruing their staid boring play in the light of the way France ran them ragged in the semi-final. And as the dying embers of Sydney’s celebration fires what do we do about Bok rugby.
Firing Jake White and his assistants, especially Gert Smal is a step in the right direction. White has proven that he is a reactive coach. One who looks at what his opponents do and plans accordingly. He does not plan to beat opponents. Instead his plans are based on fear of what his opponents can do. It is based on preventing the opposition from scoring and not on ensuring the Boks outscore their opponents. Yes, there is a difference. One is part of a tactic, and the other the aim of the game. Cane you tell which is which?
Gert Small, who destroyed the WP forward play and failed miserably to make the Stormers a good forward unit in the early part of the century, has managed to do the same to the Boks and his departure, reminiscent of the of Rudolph Straueli is a relief to most fans.
Newly appointed coach, Pieter De Villiers has named Rassie Erasmus and Carel Du Plessis as his assistant coaches. De Villers, who coached the Spears to a first Currie Cup semi-final onhis first try and managed a credible 5th position in the Southern Spears’ first Super 14 competition minced no words when he held his first press conference and took a swipe at the departing White, saying: “There are no such things as team weaknesses that you need to plan for. A Bok team that is weak in facets of its game play is a failing of the coaching staff, not the team. In South Africa we have all the best players in the world. A Bok team should have no weaknesses. My team and I will prove this to our opponents and the fans in the next four years. I am confident we can take Bok rugby back to the top where it belongs."
Meanwhile, the All Blacks will be hoping that the home advantage of 2011 finally breaks the drought of the past twenty years.
And what about Pieter De Villiers? Time will tell. Time alone will tell.
This is DavidS, for Ruggaworld in France. Click here to read full article and comments.
No Vote No Test
Article submitted by Wesley.
KwaZulu-Natal Rugby Union president Oregan Hoskins is seething after he was told that the Absa Stadium is facing the prospect of not being awarded a Tri-Nations Test match next year.
Even though the Tri-Nations series has been expanded by two extra rounds, Durban will not get one of the plum Test matches which are scheduled to go to Pretoria (All Blacks), Rustenberg (All Blacks) and Johannesburg (Australia).
With Springbok Test matches against teams from the antipodes being sell-out occasions, the Sharks stand to miss out on a small fortune.
The Sharks are likely to get one of the Scottish internationals, with Newlands in Cape Town hosting the French.
The other venue for the Scots' visit is yet to be finalised.
"We are highly annoyed about the prospect of not having a Tri-Nations game," said an irate Hoskins.
"Since the inception of the Tri-Nations in 1996 we have hosted a game every alternate year and don't see why we shouldn't have one this year," he added.
This year the Absa Stadium was awarded the French game and in 2004 the crunch Tri-Nations clash against the Wallabies was held in Durban.
If the Sharks miss out on a match against one of the traditional powers in world rugby, this will impact on suite and season-ticket sales.
It is believed that the Sharks, along with Free State, are being snubbed because the provinces tried to get a motion of no confidence passed against South African Rugby Union president Brian van Rooyen earlier this year.
The Leopards union, who have supported the president in the past, seem to have been rewarded for their loyalty with the All Blacks game.
Even though there is no rugby stadium in the region which has the capacity to host an international fixture, the Royal Bafokeng Stadium, better known for soccer, is being punted as the venue.
However, Hoskins said all hope had not been lost and the Sharks leadership were trying to meet with Van Rooyen to reach a solution.
"We have asked SA Rugby for an audience and are hoping to meet with them in the next few days before things are finalised," Hoskins said.
The Springboks' Test-match schedule should be finalised next Monday. Click here to read full article and comments.
KwaZulu-Natal Rugby Union president Oregan Hoskins is seething after he was told that the Absa Stadium is facing the prospect of not being awarded a Tri-Nations Test match next year.
Even though the Tri-Nations series has been expanded by two extra rounds, Durban will not get one of the plum Test matches which are scheduled to go to Pretoria (All Blacks), Rustenberg (All Blacks) and Johannesburg (Australia).
With Springbok Test matches against teams from the antipodes being sell-out occasions, the Sharks stand to miss out on a small fortune.
The Sharks are likely to get one of the Scottish internationals, with Newlands in Cape Town hosting the French.
The other venue for the Scots' visit is yet to be finalised.
"We are highly annoyed about the prospect of not having a Tri-Nations game," said an irate Hoskins.
"Since the inception of the Tri-Nations in 1996 we have hosted a game every alternate year and don't see why we shouldn't have one this year," he added.
This year the Absa Stadium was awarded the French game and in 2004 the crunch Tri-Nations clash against the Wallabies was held in Durban.
If the Sharks miss out on a match against one of the traditional powers in world rugby, this will impact on suite and season-ticket sales.
It is believed that the Sharks, along with Free State, are being snubbed because the provinces tried to get a motion of no confidence passed against South African Rugby Union president Brian van Rooyen earlier this year.
The Leopards union, who have supported the president in the past, seem to have been rewarded for their loyalty with the All Blacks game.
Even though there is no rugby stadium in the region which has the capacity to host an international fixture, the Royal Bafokeng Stadium, better known for soccer, is being punted as the venue.
However, Hoskins said all hope had not been lost and the Sharks leadership were trying to meet with Van Rooyen to reach a solution.
"We have asked SA Rugby for an audience and are hoping to meet with them in the next few days before things are finalised," Hoskins said.
The Springboks' Test-match schedule should be finalised next Monday. Click here to read full article and comments.
Australian Rugby Players Set to Strike
"Take the red pill, and I will show you just how deep the rabbit hole goes." This famous line from The Matrix seems to define Australian rugby at the moment. Just when you thought Aussie rugby was at its absolute lowest, you see something like this.
The whole debacle is the result from a proposed domestic competition the ARU want to launch, the problem though, is that the players union, RUPA, is extremely unhappy with the information as it has been fed through to them. In certain cases, they learn from sources outside the ARU about proposed plans and dates for this competition and not from the union administrators themselves.
The whole issue revolves around the proposed time for the competition. RUPA’s boss, Tony Dempsey, is extremely unhappy about the lack of consultation and is of the believe, the players welfare should be priority.
"There are benefits to Australian rugby in having further high-level games," Dempsey said.
"Some of the players need more high-level games. But it is all about the number and timing of those games. A holistic approach is necessary that ensures a balanced and measured approach. We are not seeing that."
"Some of rugby's administrators would struggle to organise a ladies tennis tea party, let alone another tier of competition for Super 14 players."
"There's been a piecemeal, ad hoc approach to organising the development of Australia's next tier of players. First we get consulted about an APC being played and lend our support to the notion of it being played in June/July."
"We then learn indirectly that the ARU has done a backflip over the scheduling and is planning to go ahead with it in September/October for reasons that remain unclear."
"We at RUPA then learn indirectly from sources that the ARU is attempting to play up to five Australia A games in June/July."
"We also learn indirectly that the Brumbies and Western Force are looking to organise games in June/July against Pacific Island nations and NZ. The exact number we are not sure and nor is the ARU, it would seem."
Even if the ARU and the provincial unions push their certain proposed tournaments, such as the Australian Provincial Competition and a series involving Australia A, on the 2006 schedule the players may not take to the field."
"The message for sponsors thinking about getting involved with these matches is: caveat emptor [let the buyer beware]," Dempsey said. "If rugby's administrators want to introduce major departures to the work practice of Australia's players then they need to get the buy-in of the players."
"We will do all within RUPA's sphere of influence to ensure there is a balanced approach to the introduction of extra competitions that change dramatically the work practice of the players. We need to consider player issues. We've asked the administrators for a summit meeting where we can finalise a schedule for next year that is reasonable for all, but that seems to fall on deaf ears."
"We don't want to shoot the goose that lays the golden egg."
The only good thing I take from this, is that it seems SARU are not the only clowns when it comes to rugby administration.
Source: Rugby Heaven. The original article can be read at
http://www.rugbyheaven.smh.com.au/articles/2005/12/11/1134235936068.html
Click here to read full article and comments.
Girl from Oudtshoorn is Miss SA Teen!!!
Bertha Marie Le Roux, a stunning down to earth girl from Oudtshoorn, Southern Cape, South Africa, won the Miss SA Teen 2005 competition tonight!!!!
Oudtshoorn keeps on rocking!!!!!! Click here to read full article and comments.
Kokkewiet lays down the law.
This is not particularly new, however, the last we heard Mr Baby Richards, former (apparently) President of the Griquas Rugby Union, was reported to be adamant that he wasn't going without a fight. Apparently that was announced after he'd initially accepted an overwhelming motion by the board requesting him to vacate his position.
That request had apparently been preceded by a number of occassions where Mr Richards was alleged to have ignored the mandate given him by the GRFU board and chosen to follow his own wishes when voting on SARU matters.
It was then reported that Mr Richards had apparently had a subsequent change of heart, engaged legal counsel, and refused to vacate the President's office.
So, the question is, has Mr Richards experienced an epiphany, or is legal action still pending against the Griquas Rugby Football Union? Following on from the press release is a calm and reasonable Griquas fan's plea to his boys, which I urge you to read!
Source: www.griquas.co.za
'Mr Dawie Groenewald is die nuwe president van Griekwa rugby. Daar lê n moeilike maar n opwindende tyd vir hom voor.
Om deel te wees van die nuwe Vodacom Cheetas Super 14 span sowel as om te sien dat Griekwas weer die gesogte Vodacom beker suksesvol kan verdedig.
Mr Groenewald het ook gese dat dit vir hom n prioriteit gaan wees om klub rugby weer gesonde grondslag te bestuur en alle struikel blokke uit die weg te ruim .
Mr Groenewald is afkomstig van Springbok en hy het n pasie om rugby in die platteland sowel as in Griekwas te bevorder.'
Following on from that, at least one Griquas supporter, Kokkewiet, has very firm views on how the players should conduct themselves, or indeed, on how they shouldn't conduct themselves;
'Subject: Julle moet gaan Kyk!!!!!!
Message:
"Spelers wat net wil baklei in pubs, te groot vir hulle skoene raak en nie nederig bly nie, wat groter as die game is....klink dit bekend boys????? Jy kan eers windgat raak as jy in n Wereldbeker squad is wat DIE BEKER WEN!!!!!! Let op!!!!! Neem Kennis!!!!"
Kokkewiet wasn't finished. No sirree, not by a long way, indeed it wouldn't be an injustice to surmise that Kokkewiet was only warming up.
"Griquas gaan oor trots!!!! Neem Kennis, nie hoeveel girls jy by die local pub kan druk, of hoeveel ouens jy kan rond stamp en slaan nie, en dit nog skool kinders ook (Dalk verdien hulle dit , want hulle is te jonk vir pubs)!!! Julle ouens word betaal, magtig man! (Indeed, magtig man!) Dink n bietjie, luister na die coach en bring die beker in 2006 huistoe!!!"
Name: Kokkewiet'
Well, Griquas, you've been told - bring that cup home in 2006, or else.....
P.S. I cannot find fault with the obvious passion that Kokkewiet holds for Griquas rugby and, therefore, evidence to the contrary notwithstanding, I'm four square behind the contributor! No more slapping school boys, no matter how much they deserve it, never mind that they shouldn't be in the pub in the first place and certainly, without a doubt, no more 'drukking girls'!
Come on Griquas, get your priorities right! Beker eerste - rond stamp, slaan en druk 'later', asseblief!
Post script: I should hasten to add that the contributor is a massive fan of the underdog, and leaving underdogs aside for the moment, is a massive fan of Griquas and their quirkily independent spirit.
I'd go as far as to say that whilst I wish Mr Groenewald nothing but the best, I would include Mr Baby Richards in my best wishes and, indeed, couldn't preclude Kokkewiet, who sincerely appears to epitomise South African rugby fans the land through - we bleed Green & Gold and then our Provinces!!! Do us proud, lads.
In summary, pirates rulez! Click here to read full article and comments.
Sunday, December 11, 2005
Kruisig die wrede Springbokke!
'n Artikel deur Boertjie.
'n Terugblik op die toer van 1961
AGTERGROND:
Dirk Kamfer het die Bokke se Britse toer van 1961 vir Die Huisgenoot gedek. Sy boek met 'n versameling van sy werk, Die Elfde Uur, het onlangs ná goed 30 jaar weer in my besit gekom vir 'n heerlike herlees. Die plan is om vorentoe so dan en wan 'n bietjie meer van Kamfer se beskrywing van gebeure te plaas – ter wille van nostalgie, dalk 'n uitbreiding van kennis, maar sommer ook net vir lekker lees. – Boertjie.
"Boe-oe-oe-oe! Boe-oe-oe-oe!!!"
Dit huil soos 'n sterk, koue wind wat deur 'n skreef ingewaai kom oor die paviljoene van die beroemde Cardiff Arms Park. Dit eggo verder weg in die heuwels van Wallis... En dit gaan deur die murg van vyftien Springbokke daar onder op die veld. Veertien van hulle staan effe verdwaas en ronddtrap. Een kom na hulle teruggestap, en dis op hóm wat die volle woede van die uitjouery soos 'n geut afstort.
Hy is 'n klein kêrel, net vyf voet sewe duim bokant die groen gras van Cardiff Arms Park. Hy is net 21, maar met sy kortgeknipte kuifie en seunsgesig lyk hy baie jonger en sawwer nog. Groot was hy nie, maar die verskil tussen hom en die groot manne is: hy kom vinniger by hulle as hulle by hom.
Nou het hy "die vreeslike ding gedoen". Hy het in volle vaart op die Cardiff heelagter, Priday, afgestorm en die man met bal en al probeer vasdruk. Maar net nadat sy voete die grond verlaat het, het Priday die bal uitgeskop – en Roux se 160 pond tref die heelagter te laat.
Priday val neer soos 'n os by die slagplaas. Sy makkers probeer hom ophelp; die noodhulpmanne kom aangehardloop...
En Mannetjies Roux, Springbok, moet terugstap ... 'n klein postuurtjie teen die stormwind van Walliese woede.
'n Dosyn of meer tikmasjiene begin kletter in die persbank. "Lelike voorval in Springbokke se eerste wedstryd in Wallis ... vuil spel op beroemde Arms Park ... Is dit wat ons van die Springbokke moet verwag?
In Fleet Street begin die monsterperse al vir die vroeë uitgawes rol ...
Priday het voortgespeel, maar in die tweede helfte kom die voorryman Fanie Kuhn te laat by hom aan – en Priday word weer neergevel. En die skare boe. Weer Kamfer op sy beste:
Dieselfde pragtige stemme wat 'n halfuur tevore nog hallelujas meerstemmig gesing het dat die trane by jou oë uitwel – "Brood van die Hemel", "Die Heer is my Herder", "Voorwaarts, Christen-stryders" – dieselfde pragtige stemme skreeu nou, in boe-taal: "Kruisig hulle! Kruisig die wrede Springbokke!"
En nou kletter die tikmasjiene in vierdubbele tempo. Die miljoene moet wéét watter dierlike gedoentes hierdie Springbokke is. En so staan dit in die Britse koerante. Dae lank.
Maar tog is daar onder die gewone ondersteuners 'n soort broederskap wat die meeste dinge oorsien – soos blyk uit Kamfer se verdere vertelling:
Onderwyl die orkaan op sy sterkste loei, stap ek 'n dag of twee later by 'n klein Walliese kroegie in. Daar staan werksmanne by die toonbank. Hulle merk op dat ek 'n vreemdeling is – nee, nie so vreemd nie, want hulle herken die springbokkie op my baadjielapel ...
"Ja," sê ek hardop voor my uit, "ons het gekom om hierdie volkie vrek te maak. Cardiff was die eerste. In óns land eet ons drie naturelle voor ontbyt. Hier moet ons maar die Walliesers eet ..."
Hulle kyk my 'n oomblik vyandig aan – dan lag ons lekker hard, soos manne in 'n kroeg nog mag lag ... en ons is vriende. "Kom hier, Suid-Afrikaner ... drink 'n bier saam met my ... Nee, man, sit weg jou sigarette – rook een van myne."
Nou val hulle oormekaar om verskonings oor Cardiff te maak. "Moet jou nie steur aan die bohaai nie ... Ons voel bietjie skaam ... Dis niks om oor te raas nie ... Ons het self skuld daaraan ..."
Volgende keer 'n bietjie meer oor hierdie toer en die skrywer Dirk Kamfer. Click here to read full article and comments.
'n Terugblik op die toer van 1961
AGTERGROND:
Dirk Kamfer het die Bokke se Britse toer van 1961 vir Die Huisgenoot gedek. Sy boek met 'n versameling van sy werk, Die Elfde Uur, het onlangs ná goed 30 jaar weer in my besit gekom vir 'n heerlike herlees. Die plan is om vorentoe so dan en wan 'n bietjie meer van Kamfer se beskrywing van gebeure te plaas – ter wille van nostalgie, dalk 'n uitbreiding van kennis, maar sommer ook net vir lekker lees. – Boertjie.
"Boe-oe-oe-oe! Boe-oe-oe-oe!!!"
Dit huil soos 'n sterk, koue wind wat deur 'n skreef ingewaai kom oor die paviljoene van die beroemde Cardiff Arms Park. Dit eggo verder weg in die heuwels van Wallis... En dit gaan deur die murg van vyftien Springbokke daar onder op die veld. Veertien van hulle staan effe verdwaas en ronddtrap. Een kom na hulle teruggestap, en dis op hóm wat die volle woede van die uitjouery soos 'n geut afstort.
Hy is 'n klein kêrel, net vyf voet sewe duim bokant die groen gras van Cardiff Arms Park. Hy is net 21, maar met sy kortgeknipte kuifie en seunsgesig lyk hy baie jonger en sawwer nog. Groot was hy nie, maar die verskil tussen hom en die groot manne is: hy kom vinniger by hulle as hulle by hom.
Nou het hy "die vreeslike ding gedoen". Hy het in volle vaart op die Cardiff heelagter, Priday, afgestorm en die man met bal en al probeer vasdruk. Maar net nadat sy voete die grond verlaat het, het Priday die bal uitgeskop – en Roux se 160 pond tref die heelagter te laat.
Priday val neer soos 'n os by die slagplaas. Sy makkers probeer hom ophelp; die noodhulpmanne kom aangehardloop...
En Mannetjies Roux, Springbok, moet terugstap ... 'n klein postuurtjie teen die stormwind van Walliese woede.
'n Dosyn of meer tikmasjiene begin kletter in die persbank. "Lelike voorval in Springbokke se eerste wedstryd in Wallis ... vuil spel op beroemde Arms Park ... Is dit wat ons van die Springbokke moet verwag?
In Fleet Street begin die monsterperse al vir die vroeë uitgawes rol ...
Priday het voortgespeel, maar in die tweede helfte kom die voorryman Fanie Kuhn te laat by hom aan – en Priday word weer neergevel. En die skare boe. Weer Kamfer op sy beste:
Dieselfde pragtige stemme wat 'n halfuur tevore nog hallelujas meerstemmig gesing het dat die trane by jou oë uitwel – "Brood van die Hemel", "Die Heer is my Herder", "Voorwaarts, Christen-stryders" – dieselfde pragtige stemme skreeu nou, in boe-taal: "Kruisig hulle! Kruisig die wrede Springbokke!"
En nou kletter die tikmasjiene in vierdubbele tempo. Die miljoene moet wéét watter dierlike gedoentes hierdie Springbokke is. En so staan dit in die Britse koerante. Dae lank.
Maar tog is daar onder die gewone ondersteuners 'n soort broederskap wat die meeste dinge oorsien – soos blyk uit Kamfer se verdere vertelling:
Onderwyl die orkaan op sy sterkste loei, stap ek 'n dag of twee later by 'n klein Walliese kroegie in. Daar staan werksmanne by die toonbank. Hulle merk op dat ek 'n vreemdeling is – nee, nie so vreemd nie, want hulle herken die springbokkie op my baadjielapel ...
"Ja," sê ek hardop voor my uit, "ons het gekom om hierdie volkie vrek te maak. Cardiff was die eerste. In óns land eet ons drie naturelle voor ontbyt. Hier moet ons maar die Walliesers eet ..."
Hulle kyk my 'n oomblik vyandig aan – dan lag ons lekker hard, soos manne in 'n kroeg nog mag lag ... en ons is vriende. "Kom hier, Suid-Afrikaner ... drink 'n bier saam met my ... Nee, man, sit weg jou sigarette – rook een van myne."
Nou val hulle oormekaar om verskonings oor Cardiff te maak. "Moet jou nie steur aan die bohaai nie ... Ons voel bietjie skaam ... Dis niks om oor te raas nie ... Ons het self skuld daaraan ..."
Volgende keer 'n bietjie meer oor hierdie toer en die skrywer Dirk Kamfer. Click here to read full article and comments.
Lomu takes centre stage
Source: www.sundaytimes.co.uk
Graham Clutton at Sportivo San Michele
IN THE shadow of the Italian Alps yesterday, Jonah Lomu brought a smile to the collective face of world rugby by making his long overdue return in this Heineken Cup contest. The iconic Kiwi, whose battle against a chronic kidney complaint and subsequent organ transplant left him on the verge of premature retirement, had originally pencilled in next weekend’s return fixture with the Italian champions for his comeback game.
However, in the humble surroundings of the Centro Sportivo San Michele, the 30-year-old former All Black was given a chance to remind us all of his unique power and supreme quality.
In the end, Lomu’s contribution to a second Blues success of the European season was fairly insignificant and after an hour he was taken off for a well-earned rest. However, in lasting 60 minutes, the great man had announced his comeback.
A crowd of 4,500 were glued to Lomu from the moment he took the field, but by the time he enjoyed the ball in his hands for the first time, the Blues were three points to the good, courtesy of Nicky Robinson’s fourth- minute penalty. A minute after Lomu’s initial catch and charge, the Wales lock Robert Sidoli upstaged the main attraction by crossing for the game’s opening try.
A try four minutes later from Apenisa Vodo, which Hercules Kruger converted, concentrated the minds of a rather carefree Blues side, but once they settled into a more careful mode of attack they improved their lead when Martyn Williams stepped inside on the overlap for Robinson to convert.
A spiteful punch on Martin Jones left the prop needing stitches below his right eye, but his temporary absence provided Wales prop Gethin Jenkins with his first rugby of the season. While he was on, Lomu was penalised for holding on in the tackle and Kruger added a penalty.
Cardiff’s laxity was proving their downfall and after Xavier Rush, the game’s most significant contributor, was held up short, flanker Andy Powell knocked on with the line at his mercy.
Despite ideal conditions, both sides struggled with their handling, so when the Blues were awarded a penalty 20 metres out, captain Rhys Williams handed the ball to Robinson, who duly hooked a straightforward kick wide.
The Blues were handed a numerical advantage on 52 minutes after Martin Castrogiovanni was yellow-carded for an elbow on Rhys Thomas. The extra man did little to improve matters and, with the lineout failing to function too, the Blues were concentrating more on hanging on, rather than seeking a bonus point for scoring four tries. However, when they at last held onto possession for more than one pass, Phillips and Robinson carved a hole in the tiring Calvisano midfield and Rhys Williams scored the try. A minute later, and with Lomu having been replaced by Robinson, Phillips tapped a penalty deep inside his own half and after being dragged down 15 metres out, Robinson chipped ahead for Chris Czekaj to cross. The cameras gathered as a smiling Lomu received his plaudits and, though there was 20 minutes still to run, the game was a passing irrelevance.
STAR MAN: Xavier Rush (Cardiff Blues)
Calvisano: J van Schalkwyk; E Mulieri, M Pratichetti, C Zanoletti, A Vodo; H Kruger, P Griffen (P Patelli 71min); S Perugini, G Intoppa (L Ghiraldini 66min), M Castrogiovanni (L Cittadini 73min), J Purll, M Ngaumo, R Mandelli (A Zanni 68min), M Zaffiri (capt), W Brosnihan.
Cardiff Blues: R Williams (capt); C Czekaj, M Stcherbina, T Davies (L Thomas 79min), J Lomu (J Robinson 60min); N Robinson, M Phillips (R Powell 70min); J Yapp, R Thomas, M Jones (G Jenkins 60min), D Jones, R Sidoli, A Powell (R Sowden-Taylor 68mins), M Williams, X Rush. Click here to read full article and comments.
Graham Clutton at Sportivo San Michele
IN THE shadow of the Italian Alps yesterday, Jonah Lomu brought a smile to the collective face of world rugby by making his long overdue return in this Heineken Cup contest. The iconic Kiwi, whose battle against a chronic kidney complaint and subsequent organ transplant left him on the verge of premature retirement, had originally pencilled in next weekend’s return fixture with the Italian champions for his comeback game.
However, in the humble surroundings of the Centro Sportivo San Michele, the 30-year-old former All Black was given a chance to remind us all of his unique power and supreme quality.
In the end, Lomu’s contribution to a second Blues success of the European season was fairly insignificant and after an hour he was taken off for a well-earned rest. However, in lasting 60 minutes, the great man had announced his comeback.
A crowd of 4,500 were glued to Lomu from the moment he took the field, but by the time he enjoyed the ball in his hands for the first time, the Blues were three points to the good, courtesy of Nicky Robinson’s fourth- minute penalty. A minute after Lomu’s initial catch and charge, the Wales lock Robert Sidoli upstaged the main attraction by crossing for the game’s opening try.
A try four minutes later from Apenisa Vodo, which Hercules Kruger converted, concentrated the minds of a rather carefree Blues side, but once they settled into a more careful mode of attack they improved their lead when Martyn Williams stepped inside on the overlap for Robinson to convert.
A spiteful punch on Martin Jones left the prop needing stitches below his right eye, but his temporary absence provided Wales prop Gethin Jenkins with his first rugby of the season. While he was on, Lomu was penalised for holding on in the tackle and Kruger added a penalty.
Cardiff’s laxity was proving their downfall and after Xavier Rush, the game’s most significant contributor, was held up short, flanker Andy Powell knocked on with the line at his mercy.
Despite ideal conditions, both sides struggled with their handling, so when the Blues were awarded a penalty 20 metres out, captain Rhys Williams handed the ball to Robinson, who duly hooked a straightforward kick wide.
The Blues were handed a numerical advantage on 52 minutes after Martin Castrogiovanni was yellow-carded for an elbow on Rhys Thomas. The extra man did little to improve matters and, with the lineout failing to function too, the Blues were concentrating more on hanging on, rather than seeking a bonus point for scoring four tries. However, when they at last held onto possession for more than one pass, Phillips and Robinson carved a hole in the tiring Calvisano midfield and Rhys Williams scored the try. A minute later, and with Lomu having been replaced by Robinson, Phillips tapped a penalty deep inside his own half and after being dragged down 15 metres out, Robinson chipped ahead for Chris Czekaj to cross. The cameras gathered as a smiling Lomu received his plaudits and, though there was 20 minutes still to run, the game was a passing irrelevance.
STAR MAN: Xavier Rush (Cardiff Blues)
Calvisano: J van Schalkwyk; E Mulieri, M Pratichetti, C Zanoletti, A Vodo; H Kruger, P Griffen (P Patelli 71min); S Perugini, G Intoppa (L Ghiraldini 66min), M Castrogiovanni (L Cittadini 73min), J Purll, M Ngaumo, R Mandelli (A Zanni 68min), M Zaffiri (capt), W Brosnihan.
Cardiff Blues: R Williams (capt); C Czekaj, M Stcherbina, T Davies (L Thomas 79min), J Lomu (J Robinson 60min); N Robinson, M Phillips (R Powell 70min); J Yapp, R Thomas, M Jones (G Jenkins 60min), D Jones, R Sidoli, A Powell (R Sowden-Taylor 68mins), M Williams, X Rush. Click here to read full article and comments.
The Kiwi View Point
I have emailed Patrick and requested that I can post his weekly articles onto http://www.ruggaworld.blogspot.com/ with full accreditation, under the heading, 'The Kiwi View Point'. I've made Patrick aware that I've posted this article up here and invited him along to view it and, hopefully, stay and participate, giving us the real New Zealand opinion on rugby life.
Hopefully Patrick will come back and approve his email being a weekly, or whenever, contribution and it is my sincere hope he'll grace us with his deep felt opinions on rugby, not just New Zealand rugby, but in general.
Patrick, hope you get to see this and welcome aboard! The most enjoyable thing about Patrick is his fearless manner in presenting his view and utter committment to being transparent. Long may it last.
Should Patrick wish it, I will delete his article immediately.
The Headmaster Fiasco -
There has been a lot of talk just lately about Coach Henry’s idealistic plan to ensure the state of AB rugby, even at the risk of downgrading the money-making Super 14 game, that does the most to prop up funding of the various participating Unions. I’m referring of course to his plan to over-ride the NZ Super 14 Coaches hopes and aspirations in developing their best teams so that his team gets all the plums, and the others would need to dance to his tune. I believe this is an extremely self-centered attitude, and one that the NZRU should nip in the bud, right now ! ! !
I don’t have the slightest doubt that the rugby culture in NZ is extremely well served at all levels by having their strongest Super 14 sides, their strongest AB sides, and the now not so flash NPC comp having the leftovers to do the best they can, with the, what is not that flash, and with developing the new boys to inter-provincial rugby. I don’t have the slightest wish to disrupt either the Super 14 or the NPC just so that it will benefit Coach Henry and disregard the best opportunities for all the other Coaches. He should get the same resources as all the other Coaches in NZ – he should be capable of developing the best effort he can, with his selections in the time allotted to the tests. It is ridiculous to suggest the other Coaches and Teams should be bludgeoned into dancing to the Headmaster’s tune – now is the time for Chris Moller to put a stop to this arrogant nonsense, and take the overall view of ensuring that all that is possible to be done for the whole of NZ rugby, not just for Coach Henry’s charges.
I could be moved to agree for something of this nature to be introduced in the year of the RWC, but I think it’s a load of absolute codswallop to introduce it 2 whole seasons before the RWC.
And what do we intend to do with the average of about 4 players per year who come out of Super 14 and NPC to be the new AB’ s. Do we simply draw the line now, and say, sorry fellas, your chance of making the AB’ s for 2007 will have to be put on hold. Come on Chris, it’s time to tell the Headmaster that this garbage is a no – go ! ! !
My RWC2007 Prospects -
15….No worthy candidates at this point in time. Neither Leon McDonald or Mils Muliaina are good enough for Test rugby. Nick Evans is a current possibility, otherwise we will have to see what turns up in Super 14 this year. In most years we get about 3 or 4 new stars.
14….Rokocoko….We currently have a good reservoir of wings, and all things being equal I would have Rokocoko as my left wing. I don’t think Sivivatu has enough to offer as an AB.
13….Nonu…..Very powerful, but currently doesn’t have a Coach good enough to get the best out of him. I would not select Conrad Smith as I believe he is too fragile for a RWC programme.
12….McAlister / Umaga….By 2007 McAlister should be as big a star as Carter currently is. If Umaga is fully fit, and not totally defense orientated, he could be the mid-field reserve.
11….Gear is the obvious choice provided he is still fit. Doug Howlett will make the Team also if he is fit, currently wings are not a problem, but 2 years waiting is a long, long time.
10….Carter should make it with ease provided he’s not injured.
9……Weepu has overhauled Kelleher, but if Kelleher got some special coaching, he could get his position back. Both need to pay serious attention to contributing fully to the game plan, and putting their team First.
8……Collins….Currently we don’t have an International No.8. I think Collins could adapt well to this position. Angus MacDonald could also be a fall back choice.
7……Masoe…..I don’t think Richie McCaw will still be playing Test rugby in 2007. Concussion problems will probably force him out of rugby in 2006. Hopefully Masoe will learn to play to the rules during Super 14 this coming season. We can’t afford to field a player who the Refs will look to spot.
6……Flavell….Hopefully Flavell will get fit enough to handle the AB pace again. We have a decided current weakness at the back of the Lineout, and Flavell should fill this void extremely well. There is a serious need not to include Flavell as a lock – the best plan is to get him fully fit for the No.6 position. Angus MacDonald is also a fall back choice.
5……Williams….I have serious doubts that Chris Jack will make it for 2007. By saying that, I mean making it on merit. He may well make the team as a Canty favourite.
4……Ryan….At the time of writing Ryan should be the No.4. However, he has stuttered in the latter half of the season, and needs special coaching attention. I believe he has an attitude disorder.
3……Hayman……At the time of writing he is No.1…probably in the World.
2……Oliver…..If Oliver wants to make it to RWC2007 he will need to get a lot fitter and convince the Selectors he can play at least 2 games in a row without injury. His obvious back-up is Mealamu, who has scrummaging limitations.
1……Woodcock…Only needs to stay fit to make it as Prop.
My 2005 World 15 -
This team is selected on the basis of only from the Teams that the AB’ s played against the AB’ s in 2005.
15…..Latham OZ……Probably the only fullback in the whole season who played up to a suitable World standard.
14…..Habana SA…..A standout on the left wing requiring only a touch of space to do the business.
13....Umaga ? ? ? ….Whilst I am not a fan of Umaga as a centre, I can’t think of anyone else. Fourie of SA only has speed in his arsenal and nothing else, Mortlock of OZ has been terrible all season, O’Driscoll hasn’t had any performances to judge him on, I can’t select Nonu of NZ because he hasn’t played there very much at all……….so who else is qualified enough !
12….McAlister NZ …Clearly the rookie of the year, and a proven match winner for the AB’s. Would be my reserve Goal-kicker.
11….Gear NZ ….Clearly the leading right winger who was the leading tryscorer in Super 12 and also the top try-scorer in the EOYT.
10….Carter NZ …Player of the year on two counts. Standout performer with a string of highest scores against his name. My Goal-kicker.
9……Weepu NZ …Just a nudge ahead of Henjack (OZ) and Kelleher.
8……Van Niekerk SA….When on his game, and free from injury he shone over all others. A very savvy No.8 with good lineout strength. I think a good Forward Coach could improve his game by about 20 %
7……Masoe NZ…..With the few outings he had, he impressed with his power and athleticism. McCaw not considered because his game in 2005 bore no resemblance to what he has shown in the past.
6……Juan Smith SA …Possibly one of the most clued up loosies in the game, he played over all the others, and was a colossus in positional play. Another valuable player for added lineout strength.
5…..Vickerman OZ …Perhaps not any better than Matfield in the lineouts, but a clear winner with his overall forward game.
4…..Botha SA …There to supply the 2nd. row power in the scrums. It is also a long way to run around him.
3…..Hayman NZ …Was a clear winner over every opponent put up against him.
2…..Oliver NZ …Whilst not yet fully fit, nor seemingly capable of playing successive games without injury, he is getting closer to his best. An excellent scrummager, and a very good forward leader.
1…..Woodcock NZ … Yet another player who outplayed every opponent put up against him.
No Northern Hemisphere players in this team ? I always select a proven front row as a group, and also always select a proven pairing of scrum halves. If I broke up the front row, then Thompson and Sheridan of England would be considered in a mixed front row. In fact, had the England scrum been able to out perform the AB scrum, then they would have been selected as the front-row group, but of course the AB’s did them over.
Right now, the Sun is out, the water temperature is 19c, the fish can’t wait to take those baits, so it’s good day from me, wishing you all a Super Xmas, and a very successful New Year.
By Patrick INNES
E-mail your Comments to me at Norsyd@Ihug.co.nz Click here to read full article and comments.
Hopefully Patrick will come back and approve his email being a weekly, or whenever, contribution and it is my sincere hope he'll grace us with his deep felt opinions on rugby, not just New Zealand rugby, but in general.
Patrick, hope you get to see this and welcome aboard! The most enjoyable thing about Patrick is his fearless manner in presenting his view and utter committment to being transparent. Long may it last.
Should Patrick wish it, I will delete his article immediately.
The Headmaster Fiasco -
There has been a lot of talk just lately about Coach Henry’s idealistic plan to ensure the state of AB rugby, even at the risk of downgrading the money-making Super 14 game, that does the most to prop up funding of the various participating Unions. I’m referring of course to his plan to over-ride the NZ Super 14 Coaches hopes and aspirations in developing their best teams so that his team gets all the plums, and the others would need to dance to his tune. I believe this is an extremely self-centered attitude, and one that the NZRU should nip in the bud, right now ! ! !
I don’t have the slightest doubt that the rugby culture in NZ is extremely well served at all levels by having their strongest Super 14 sides, their strongest AB sides, and the now not so flash NPC comp having the leftovers to do the best they can, with the, what is not that flash, and with developing the new boys to inter-provincial rugby. I don’t have the slightest wish to disrupt either the Super 14 or the NPC just so that it will benefit Coach Henry and disregard the best opportunities for all the other Coaches. He should get the same resources as all the other Coaches in NZ – he should be capable of developing the best effort he can, with his selections in the time allotted to the tests. It is ridiculous to suggest the other Coaches and Teams should be bludgeoned into dancing to the Headmaster’s tune – now is the time for Chris Moller to put a stop to this arrogant nonsense, and take the overall view of ensuring that all that is possible to be done for the whole of NZ rugby, not just for Coach Henry’s charges.
I could be moved to agree for something of this nature to be introduced in the year of the RWC, but I think it’s a load of absolute codswallop to introduce it 2 whole seasons before the RWC.
And what do we intend to do with the average of about 4 players per year who come out of Super 14 and NPC to be the new AB’ s. Do we simply draw the line now, and say, sorry fellas, your chance of making the AB’ s for 2007 will have to be put on hold. Come on Chris, it’s time to tell the Headmaster that this garbage is a no – go ! ! !
My RWC2007 Prospects -
15….No worthy candidates at this point in time. Neither Leon McDonald or Mils Muliaina are good enough for Test rugby. Nick Evans is a current possibility, otherwise we will have to see what turns up in Super 14 this year. In most years we get about 3 or 4 new stars.
14….Rokocoko….We currently have a good reservoir of wings, and all things being equal I would have Rokocoko as my left wing. I don’t think Sivivatu has enough to offer as an AB.
13….Nonu…..Very powerful, but currently doesn’t have a Coach good enough to get the best out of him. I would not select Conrad Smith as I believe he is too fragile for a RWC programme.
12….McAlister / Umaga….By 2007 McAlister should be as big a star as Carter currently is. If Umaga is fully fit, and not totally defense orientated, he could be the mid-field reserve.
11….Gear is the obvious choice provided he is still fit. Doug Howlett will make the Team also if he is fit, currently wings are not a problem, but 2 years waiting is a long, long time.
10….Carter should make it with ease provided he’s not injured.
9……Weepu has overhauled Kelleher, but if Kelleher got some special coaching, he could get his position back. Both need to pay serious attention to contributing fully to the game plan, and putting their team First.
8……Collins….Currently we don’t have an International No.8. I think Collins could adapt well to this position. Angus MacDonald could also be a fall back choice.
7……Masoe…..I don’t think Richie McCaw will still be playing Test rugby in 2007. Concussion problems will probably force him out of rugby in 2006. Hopefully Masoe will learn to play to the rules during Super 14 this coming season. We can’t afford to field a player who the Refs will look to spot.
6……Flavell….Hopefully Flavell will get fit enough to handle the AB pace again. We have a decided current weakness at the back of the Lineout, and Flavell should fill this void extremely well. There is a serious need not to include Flavell as a lock – the best plan is to get him fully fit for the No.6 position. Angus MacDonald is also a fall back choice.
5……Williams….I have serious doubts that Chris Jack will make it for 2007. By saying that, I mean making it on merit. He may well make the team as a Canty favourite.
4……Ryan….At the time of writing Ryan should be the No.4. However, he has stuttered in the latter half of the season, and needs special coaching attention. I believe he has an attitude disorder.
3……Hayman……At the time of writing he is No.1…probably in the World.
2……Oliver…..If Oliver wants to make it to RWC2007 he will need to get a lot fitter and convince the Selectors he can play at least 2 games in a row without injury. His obvious back-up is Mealamu, who has scrummaging limitations.
1……Woodcock…Only needs to stay fit to make it as Prop.
My 2005 World 15 -
This team is selected on the basis of only from the Teams that the AB’ s played against the AB’ s in 2005.
15…..Latham OZ……Probably the only fullback in the whole season who played up to a suitable World standard.
14…..Habana SA…..A standout on the left wing requiring only a touch of space to do the business.
13....Umaga ? ? ? ….Whilst I am not a fan of Umaga as a centre, I can’t think of anyone else. Fourie of SA only has speed in his arsenal and nothing else, Mortlock of OZ has been terrible all season, O’Driscoll hasn’t had any performances to judge him on, I can’t select Nonu of NZ because he hasn’t played there very much at all……….so who else is qualified enough !
12….McAlister NZ …Clearly the rookie of the year, and a proven match winner for the AB’s. Would be my reserve Goal-kicker.
11….Gear NZ ….Clearly the leading right winger who was the leading tryscorer in Super 12 and also the top try-scorer in the EOYT.
10….Carter NZ …Player of the year on two counts. Standout performer with a string of highest scores against his name. My Goal-kicker.
9……Weepu NZ …Just a nudge ahead of Henjack (OZ) and Kelleher.
8……Van Niekerk SA….When on his game, and free from injury he shone over all others. A very savvy No.8 with good lineout strength. I think a good Forward Coach could improve his game by about 20 %
7……Masoe NZ…..With the few outings he had, he impressed with his power and athleticism. McCaw not considered because his game in 2005 bore no resemblance to what he has shown in the past.
6……Juan Smith SA …Possibly one of the most clued up loosies in the game, he played over all the others, and was a colossus in positional play. Another valuable player for added lineout strength.
5…..Vickerman OZ …Perhaps not any better than Matfield in the lineouts, but a clear winner with his overall forward game.
4…..Botha SA …There to supply the 2nd. row power in the scrums. It is also a long way to run around him.
3…..Hayman NZ …Was a clear winner over every opponent put up against him.
2…..Oliver NZ …Whilst not yet fully fit, nor seemingly capable of playing successive games without injury, he is getting closer to his best. An excellent scrummager, and a very good forward leader.
1…..Woodcock NZ … Yet another player who outplayed every opponent put up against him.
No Northern Hemisphere players in this team ? I always select a proven front row as a group, and also always select a proven pairing of scrum halves. If I broke up the front row, then Thompson and Sheridan of England would be considered in a mixed front row. In fact, had the England scrum been able to out perform the AB scrum, then they would have been selected as the front-row group, but of course the AB’s did them over.
Right now, the Sun is out, the water temperature is 19c, the fish can’t wait to take those baits, so it’s good day from me, wishing you all a Super Xmas, and a very successful New Year.
By Patrick INNES
E-mail your Comments to me at Norsyd@Ihug.co.nz Click here to read full article and comments.
Rugga World Humour: Giggle for the day.
The Tackler and St Michel have got together to share the festive season. Here they are wishing all their friends at keo.co.za and ruggaworld.blogspot.com a very happy Xmas and all the best for the Springboks in 2006. Click here to read full article and comments.
