One of the icons of South African rugby is becoming a political pawn. Pressure has been applied on SA Rugby to withdraw Tendai “The Beast” Mtawarira from the Springbok squad because he’s not in possession of a South African passport.
The Zimbabwean-born loose-head prop who made his international debut in June last year, has already played 19 tests for the Springboks. His nickname echoes in stadia across the world whenever he’s in possession on the front foot. The Beast became eligible to play for the Springboks last year, having stayed and played in Durban for the period required by the International Rugby Board. He travelled the world representing South Africa – but with a Zimbabwean passport.
According to members of the Springbok management, the Beast’s place in the squad for the end-of-year tour to Europe is now in jeopardy because of his Zimbabwean connections. And there has been a request from SA Rugby to the Minister of Sport to assist with the passport application process. “If they correct to say the beast is a citizen of Zimbabwe then they are at fault with their own regulation to have a citizen of another country playing for another country – they know that,” says Sports Minister Makhenkesi Stofile. However, Stofile has denied that he wants Mtawarira withdrawn from the squad. “We cannot tell them who to put on the squad and who to take off, but we can advise them on the laws of the country and the laws of rugby,” says Stofile.
SA Rugby president Oregan Hoskins said “no comment” when he was questioned. Mtawarira and the test squad will assemble in Johannesburg on Monday before leaving for France the next day.
Wasse kak is die nou weer?
Donners soek weer moeilikheid.
@1
Ek verstaan ook nie hoe dit nou ‘n isue is nie? Beast het dan vir die Bokke teen die Lions gespeel en in die 3N??
Ek ruik al weer ‘n rot!!
They are sure going to look stupid. What are all the international teams going to say that we played a Bok without SA citizenship. It is all rubbish. As far as I know he got citizenship already. He must be using a temporary passport. The Home Affairs need to sort it out pronto. Otherwise we are the laughing stock of the world and I FEEL SORRY FOR BEAST. HE does not deserve this. Has earned money here and paid all the tax here too. He deserves to be treated better. GET that passport sorted out Home Affairs.
Good Luck our Bok Dirt Trackers.
Nice one Ruan. Good crowd no booing when kicks are being taken. We should learn from that.
Nice try by Boks. Nice little kick by Rose to set that try up.
Go Boks.
You can play for your adopted country after three years. You can only get SA citizenship after five years.
By the way, Kevin Pieterson initially played for England with a SA passport.
GBS a perfect summary of last nights game.
I have been warning for a long time that nobody in the Bok camp has got the slightest clue about the technicalities of front row play.
As a result they pick the wrong players and SA is now a rugby country that disregards a fundamental basic of the game in scrumming.
The easy ride for PDV is over.
We will be exposed this year and next.
Eventually you pay the price for years of disrespecting the scrum, and it is very difficult to fix because we have props who are very strong but who have zero technique.
This will take a long time to fix.
However it cannot be fixed until the national coach and others admit that there is a problem.
I had Leceister winning by 3 on my superbru pick last night.
I for one knew that the worlds best tight head in Castrogiavanni would destroy the worlds worst technical loose head in Guthro.
Despite the fact that Guthro is very powerfull his technique has been non existent for a long time, and he spends most scrums trying not to scrum by scrumming outside the tight head.
He has been getting away with this in SA but a world class tight head like Castrogiavanni was not going to fall for that.
As for the selections of PDV behind the front row in the loose forwards abd backs, well as I say he will be exposed now.
As for what I have read from PDV about Heinke becoming a tight head, it is laughable from a national coach!!
hmmmm
seems like i’m the only one n here
..
hey gbs
how about a thread where i can speak my mind about DICKenson’s performance in yesterday’s game?
Hi.
RIP, John Knox, Ntvl centre early/mid ’70s and very unlucky never to become a Bok.
Good day everyone!
Long time no speak, long time no internet my side.
Blackboy@12
Did John pass away, how/when? He is about the same age as Naas Botha, I think.
I remember him well, partnered N.Tvl with a guy named Van der Merwe (forgot his nick now, Stompie or something).
Both of them moved to Natal in the early 90’s….
Cheers all, see you at game time, internet permitting.
9 – Tighthead
It was embarresing to watch the boks front row being demolished like that. Now it has to be said that there is something to be learned from that by PDV.
PDV made mistakes before and came back better for it. He normally fixes his mistakes. What i don’t understand is why those mistakes must firs be made. Everyone knew we where going to struggle, and no team can performwhen they are demolished up front.
13 – Pietman
Hallo Pietman
Stil hier sonder jou. Waar in die wereld bevind jy jouself op die oomblik?
Snoek
Hello, terug op Swakop.
Het die 4×4 roete gedoen teen die kus op hierdie week.
Gaan more af suidr tor vir die week.
Geen telefone, geen internet, net ek en die vrou en die ou Nissan, lekker man!
Gister die rugby gekyk in n pub saam met omtrent 50 locals, almal swart ouens, was een moosa eye-opener vir my, ek se jou!
Die manne ken hulle rugby!
Hul belowe ek is terug vanaand vir die Namibia wedstryd op een voorwaarde, hulle moet my toelaat om net vir een ronde te betaal.
Hulle het heel aand vir my bier gekoop, solank ek tog net kitaar speel!
Regtig nice, vreedsame mense hier van alle kleur en ras.
16 -Pietman
Lekker man, dit klink moerse. Gaan groot en geniet elke oomblik van jou trip.
Pietman – Wat is jou opinie oor gistraand se getjommel?
Snoek @17
Thx.
Iets wat ek nog altyd wou doen, om Namibia plat te ry.
Wonderlike wereld, jy weet seker.
Ek is hier en in die Kaap tot Maart, dan net n rukkie terug om my dinge na te gaan in S-K, dan is ek weer soos blits terug hier!
Kom net naweke dorp toe vir die rugby, ek is so 60 km uit die dorp hier.
Praat later.
Cheers.
(Terloops, my hotmail is af, so ek gesels maar gou hier.)
@18 Erg teleurstellend.
Ons gaan min wedstryde, indien enige, op hierdie toer wen met daai kuk voorspelers, vrees ek.
Morne kan nie alles regskop nie.
Blikslaer, maar daai Castrogiovanni is n monster, ek se jou!
tighthead,
I had them by 6. Can’t believe only 3% of Superbru backed Leicester. People must be buying the hype, but that illusion will be something of the past after this tour. The scrum is a critical part of the foundation of a rugby-team, and ours will not only be found out but humiliated on this tour.
I enjoy your posts.
It’s all good and well saying we need WP and Wiaan, but we need an Os-type expert who can teach technique and create a unit.
Helloooooooo
12@ Blackboy – Thanks for alerting us about John Knox…. I grew up as a lightie watching him…. respect, one of the greats of N-Tvl…
13@ Pietman – Dit was TJOKKIE van der Merwe… Tjokkie was kort (stocky) maar hy was blerrie goed.
How’s the Saracens’ scrum at the moment, and how many players will they lose due to the internationals?
Not too many I’d think, bunch of South Africans in that team and also in the management.
‘n Groot verleentheid gisteraand.
Miskien kan daar darem uit hierdie foute geleer word.
Toe Potgieter kaptein was, was daar minstens leierskap en ‘n plan.
Baie werk wat voorlê.
24@ Barrabas – Hulle kan werk en skaaf soveel hulle wil, as hulle nie die regte voorrye kies nie, en nie die slotte kies met “grunt” nie… en volstaan met afwesige No 7 flanke… en volstaan met Ruan Pienaar op Losskakel… is ons KAK gebook!
Dit was inderdaad ‘n verleentheid…. dit was ‘n mistasting… dit was dom!
If he travels on a Zimbo passport he should not be playing for the Boks.
Ek sien Beast gaan nou weer, Makishe Stofile se dis ok, alles is honkie dorrie….en so fok hulle voort, hou hulle besig met sulke nonsens heeldag…..
I couldnt believe it when I saw the team to play Leicester for the first time, we had absolutely no backup for what was a very average front row….and we got moered, its embarrasing, I’m shellchocked. For my money they should bring all those youngsters from the Freestate front row and let them play for the Boks. Our front row has been worrying me for a while, we are just, just coping every game…..its got to get better, no question. I am not looking forward to going to work on Monday, I’ll have to concede the Boks played up to sh!t…..but with only 3 practises together, what the hang could we expect….and young Dick Muir didnt pay any attention to field conditions this time of the year in Europe….they better wake up!!
sorry “shellshocked” not choke, but maybe it was a freudian slip!!!
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