Sportard: Once More Into the Breach Old Man
Sportard
Before I launch into this week’s missive I feel I should offer an apology and some form of explanation to the dozen or so loyal readers of this, the country’s most underappreciated sports column, for last week’s failure to launch.
To that end I hereby sincerely apologize for my editor getting drunk and forgetting to post it to the website.
It’s a deep dark shame really because it was by far my finest work and would almost certainly have resulted in a string of journalistic awards and inevitable syndication which in turn would have made my efforts profitable and pleased my loyal fan.
I’m not one to complain though and I respect those who bravely heed the call of vodka in the morning…
On now to this week’s column which once more pronounces on the inexhaustible topic of Springbok rugby.
I’m told that for various reasons tomorrow is going to be historical. Let’s consider these reasons shall we…
Firstly; some annoying marketing cock with a PhD in being a nauseating boy-scout, dreamed up the idea of setting a world record for the most flags simultaneously held aloft at a sports event.
One online report advises that this is being done in an attempt ‘to continue the massive wave of patriotism that emerged during the Football World Cup’.
It’s an unusually crap idea but nonetheless typical of the sort of mindless, feel-good drivel dreamed up by marketing cocks the world over.
Call me cynical if you wish but I’m almost certain that a bout of coordinated flag-waving halfway through a routing isn’t going to do a damn thing to foster patriotism. What will foster patriotism is the Boks’ putting their bogeyman to bed and beating the Kiwis by a record margin.
And what’s with the obsession with patriotism anyway. Patriotism is stupid. It implies zero-sum bat-eyed nationalism and all of the nasty crap that goes along with that stunted world view. South Africans need to get into the habit of shouting for the good and decrying the bad regardless of the flag it flies.
The second reason we’re told that tomorrow will be historic is that it marks Richie McCaw’s paltry ‘record equaling’ 51st test. Excuse me while I yawn. What the bugger is supposed to be historical about ‘record equaling’ anyway? I’ll tell you, parrot-boy… Nothing!
Moving on…
The third reason that tomorrow is supposedly going to be so mind-blowingly historical is because it will mark Tugboat’s 100th test. Now I know that I’m accused by some of tending ever so slightly towards the negative in my typical take on things, but I’m going to astound my critics here by opining that on this particular point the history boys are onto something.
John Smit is the greatest captain ever to wear the Springbok jersey. He’s brought home every accolade the game has to offer and he’s done so with style and class, good humour and much intelligence.
He’s weathered the political storms that so afflict South African rugby and he’s rallied from behind to reach impossible heights.
Instead of waving South African flags celebrating a flawed and compromised state, the shiny, happy sponsors would have done far better endorsing an effort to wave a multitude of flags bearing our captains face and acknowledging his astonishing achievements.
Because, no matter what happens tomorrow or in the future, you can count on one thing for absolute bloody certain: Come rain or shine, come win or loss, Tugboat’s gonna give it his all and that’s a reality worth celebrating.
By Mike Stephen
Devastated Smit Takes Share Of The Blame
John Smit (capt) of South Africa cries after missing a tackle that lead to the winning try being scored by Israel Dagg of New Zealand at the death.
Smit’s side led until the dying minutes of the match, when Richie McCaw and Israel Dagg pounced for tries to seal the All Blacks’ reclamation of the Tri-Nations title.
“I thought we controlled the first half well and played accurately and on our terms. In the second half we conceded a few penalties and missed touch kicks, which cost us,” Smit said. “At 22-all we wanted to get into a good field position so that Morné Steyn can have a go at a drop-goal, but we turned over possession, I missed a crucial tackle and it was game over.
“I can’t think of anything worse than losing your 100th Test by missing a tackle at the death. I’ll be disappointed for a very long time.”
Springbok coach Peter De Villiers made a number of changes to his side and was quick to praise the younger members of his team despite the result.
“The youngsters stepped up today and we can draw a lot of confidence from how they played,” he said. “If we dictate territory and possession, we can beat any team. We lost some structure in the second half and were playing less direct and more defensive.
“Those two kicks that went long were probably the turning points, as it brought us back into our half and we had to defend, where we could’ve been on the attack. It’s very painful, but we can take some heart from how we performed today. You need luck too, and today it went their way, as it did in the rest of the Tri-Nations. Winning becomes a habit, but so can losing and we’re aware of that.”
Courtesy of The Scrum
XV Reasons To Be Excited: #6 Heinrich
We’ve gone off the beaten track to select you a team of South African rugby players designed to bring a smile to your face. With the Springbok team looking battered and weary here are some of the players waiting in the wings, and cooling their heels out injured, to remind you how strong South African rugby continues to be.
The team thus far: 1. Beast Mtawarira 2. Bismarck du Plessis 3. Werner Kruger 4. Danie Rossouw 5. Andries Bekker
6. Heinrich Brussow
Brussow was written off before he ever played for the Boks as being too small – and how he proved his doubters wrong with an incredible debut season in the Green and Gold. With injury sidelining him for the season, there are those that are writing him off due to some of the new law interpretations. We think he’ll prove them all wrong again and take on the likes of McCaw and Pocock in the battle for the loose ball. The Boks have been blessed with emergence of Francois Louw as a fetching force, but even he has battled to make the step up in the Tri-Nations. It’s crying out for Brussow to return to action.
One to watch: Deon Stegmann
The Bulls fetcher proved his worth time and time again during the Super 14. He’s slight of build, mobile and a true pest on the ground. It’s difficult to see how he can play his way past the likes of Burger, Louw and Brussow, but it’s easy to imagine him making the step up to Test level.
NZ See Bakkies Botha As A Nutter
Bryan Habana, Bakkies Botha and Peter de Villiers.
When Bakkies Botha finally departs this world for the great scrum in the sky, his brain should be donated to the medical fraternity to allow doctors to explore what demons lurk inside the big man’s hard drive.
By all accounts, Botha is a decent bloke – when not wearing rugby boots.
A religious and devoted family man, he has, in the past, said all the right things about the need to have an edge to his game – but denied that he deliberately goes out to maim opponents.
But as halfback Jimmy Cowan discovered in Saturday night’s test at Eden Park, the massive Springboks lock is no playful puppy on the field. Incensed at the All Black tugging at his jersey in the opening minutes, Botha delivered a crude head butt that, if it had connected properly, could have knocked the Southlander senseless.
Botha paid the price when he was suspended for nine weeks.
“Yeah, well, I’m not surprised,” was All Blacks coach Graham Henry’s reaction. “He’s got a history. He’s probably lucky he didn’t get more than nine weeks.”
This incident was the latest in a raft of nasty incidents that have blighted Botha’s career and it is not only international opponents who have felt his wrath. Crusaders fans might recall he was rubbed out of the Bulls’ Super 14 semifinal in Soweto because he had been suspended for smashing Stormers fullback Gio Aplon in a ruck cleanout.
Last year Botha copped a three-week rest for belting Waratahs skipper Phil Waugh and was later controversially banned for two weeks for a dangerous charge on British and Irish Lions prop Adam Jones. Ironically, Botha was innocent on that occasion, with even Jones stating the suspension was unwarranted. Yet many people felt it was karma catching up with him.
In late 2002, Botha announced his arrival on the international circuit by being yellow-carded for stomping in his test debut against France and the following year he received an eight-week holiday for attacking the face of Wallaby hooker Brendan Cannon.
Yet, off the field, the polite Botha is a pleasant and engaging media interview subject. In previous seasons he has spoken to The Press about his love for his children and how he enjoys discussing family matters with opponents such as Brad Thorn after matches.
Following a test in Durban several seasons ago – a rough encounter that involved Richie McCaw repeatedly being targeted – the players retreated to a lounge bar at Kings Park, although Botha was notable for his absence. Instead, he sat in a quiet area next door, playing with his small children away from the hubbub of talking heads and clinking glasses.
It was in stark contrast to the menacing fellow charging around in the green and gold No4 jersey several hours earlier.
However, the Springboks coaches must be asking themselves whether they can field such a loose cannon as they prepare for the Rugby World Cup next year.
Henry has clearly had enough of Botha’s antics, even if Peter de Villiers has defended him.
Courtesy of stuff.co.nz
Weekend Rugby Wrap
South Africa vs France
While football took precedence this weekend, with World Cup fever in full flight, there were still a host of top-notch rugby fixtures played.
The Southern hemisphere sides laid down the gauntlet to their Northern foes.
The All Blacks hosted Ireland, trumping their visitors 66-28 in what proved to be a high-scoring, eventful match.
The All Blacks ran into a 38-0 first half lead after the Irish had Jamie Heaslip red carded for kneeing Richie McCaw. He has since been banned for five weeks.
The second half was somewhat more competitive with the Irish fighting gallantly. They played with 13 men at one stage when flyhalf Rona O’Gara was sin binned.
The nine-try romp highlighted just how dangerous the men in black are with ball in hand.
Flyhalf Dan Carter shone with the boot kicking seven from seven and became only the fourth player to reach 1000 points in Test rugby.
While the All Blacks were ruthless on attack, they will need to tighten up their defence ahead of the Tri-Nations series in July.
Their trans-Tasman foes, Australia hosted England in the first of a two-test Cook Cup series.
The Wallabies overcame the English 27-17, and it was Reds star pivot, Quade Cooper who illuminated a dull affair.
The bad boy of Australian rugby came good with two tries and a penalty.
The Wallabies fielded a green front row in debutant Ben Daley, Saia Faingaa and Salesi Ma’afu and their lack of experience showed.
The scrums were a giant headache for Welsh referee Nigel Owens, who ordered countless resets. He finally lost patience with the home side and England were awarded a brace of penalty tries.
Australia always appeared to have an ageing English side’s number, but they made hard work of the victory and will need to shore up their front row deficiencies.
Meanwhile, in Cape Town the World Champions locked horns with the Six Nations champions. Pundits predicted a tight game with the home side tipped to squeak a cliffhanger.
However, those conservative predictions proved unfounded as the Boks romped to a five-try 42-17 victory.
The Boks ended their hoodoo against the French suffocating their visitors at the breakdown and bullying them in the tackle.
The Boks were a fiercely determined bunch with monstrous hits proving the order of the day.
The Tricolores looked a shadow of the side that swept all before them in the Six Nations and will claim fatigue played a role in their humbling defeat.
Pierre Spies got the rout underway as early as the second minute and for the next 78 the Boks grew in confidence and stature.
The Boks chalked up a 28-0 lead against a side they had not got the better of since 2005.
Stormers winger Gio Aplon produced a mesmeric display of skill and speed to score his brace and claim the Man of the Match award.
Up front, the Boks laid an impressive foundation, with Gurthro Steenkamp the star shining brightest.
The big man continued his impressive form since the Super 14 and scored a memorable try on his 29th birthday.
The Boks also boasted a mean-looking bench and the substitutes played their part in the 40-point rout.
SI’s moment of the weekend: Gio Aplon’s first try where he bumped of a would-be French tackler and jinked his way to the line, was something special.
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