There is no doubt the book written by Bok skipper John Smit has and will cause quite a stir, but maybe its good for the truth to be told.
The article is courtecy of News24.
John Smit’s new book (File)
Durban – Current Springbok and World Cup-winning rugby captain John Smit pulls no punches in a new book to be published this weekend.
Smit relates how Luke Watson had a “cancerous” effect on members of the national team, the inside story behind the notorious Kamp Staaldraad, and what he terms the rugby “treachery” of former Sharks prop Ollie le Roux.
Smit says: “He (Watson) never tried to become a part of us. I think he really wanted to play for South Africa, but couldn’t stand the environment, and the truth is that he irritated the living shit out of the guys. I had players in my ear about him every flipping day. He was referred to as “the cancer” of the team.”
Captain In The Cauldron Captain In The Cauldron – the John Smit Story also outlines his assessments of Bok and Sharks coaches. On the one hand there is Kevin Putt’s double-speak and Rudolf Straeuli’s overly militaristic 2003 World Cup campaign; on the other he is full of praise for Dick Muir, John Plumtree, Jake White and Peter de Villiers.
Written with The Mercury’s Mike Greenaway, the book states that former Sharks Ollie le Roux and Chris Rossouw were involved in “a poisonous collaboration” against a number of younger Sharks players, especially in their disastrous 2000 tour under Hugh Reece-Edwards.
“Those guys taught me a lot about what not to do in a team environment.”
During practice, Smit wrote, Le Roux would deliberately hold back against the scrummaging machine – his way “of telling me that I needed to know my place”.
As senior front rankers they had wanted to control the team and, night after night, he says, they had accused Smit and Craig Davidson of causing a rift in the team. He was appalled at the treatment meted out to former Sharks captain Wayne Fyvie – a true son of KwaZulu-Natal, who had put his body on the line in every match.
Smit is, however, very passionate about the Sharks and full of praise for their set-up.
While much has already been written on Kamp Staaldraad, Smit relates how this over-the-top militarism did not stop with Smit himself having to rip the head off a live chicken. The campaign was carried into the 2003 World Cup in Australia. In a stupid attempt to bring back memories of Staaldraad they were served chicken legs and eggs. They had guards posted at their doors and were trailed by the coach’s spies (their chief Adriaan Heijns, a former undercover agent in the SA Police Force, being dubbed 000 by the players) wherever they went.
“All that suffering in the pit achieved nothing, in fact it had set us back,” Smit says.
While he supports the goals of transformation, Smit also has some strong things to say about the role of some of the sport’s administrators. Sadly, he thinks they are there for personal benefit, rather than for the good of rugby.
He relates how former rugby union deputy president Mike Stofile had never supported Smit in any way and had made his views known through the media.
It had hardly filled him with confidence to know that his employer felt that way about him.
However, Smit said, it did not take him long to get over things because Stofile lost his credibility through his actions.
Puke Jan
you guys have to read in keo regarding this book
dont even respond but do yourselves a favour and read the shit some are saing about smitty our national capt
very sad that some of these know it alls are even allowed to breath , bunch of oxygin thieves
Interesting that Smittie did not appear to have a problem with Luke, but that others did…
Kanker-kots-gedoente en Oily Le Roux…. ja boet…. julle is lekwar kak!
sharky_forever @ 2
cool down bru!! 😆
self-pity d.h. lawrence
I never saw a wild thing sorry for itself
A bird will fall frozen dead from a bough
without ever having felt sorry for itself
…..
for those of you who’s wondering where you heard this poem before … its from g.i.jane, of course!!
The Things That Haven’t Been Done Before
Edgar Guest
The things that haven’t been done before,
Those are the things to try;
Columbus dreamed of an unknown shore
At the rim of the far-flung sky,
And his heart was bold and his faith was strong
As he ventured in dangers new,
And he paid no heed to the jeering throng
Or the fears of the doubting crew.
The many will follow the beaten track
With guideposts on the way.
They live and have lived for ages back
With a chart for every day.
Someone has told them it’s safe to go
On the road he has traveled o’er,
And all that they ever strive to know
Are the things that were known before.
A few strike out without map or chart,
Where never a man has been,
From the beaten path they draw apart
To see what no man has seen.
There are deeds they hunger alone to do;
Though battered and bruised and sore,
They blaze the path for the many, who
Do nothing not done before.
The things that haven’t been done before
Are the tasks worthwhile today;
Are you one of the flock that follows, or
Are you one that shall lead the way?
Are you one of the timid souls that quail
At the jeers of a doubting crew,
Or dare you, whether you win or fail,
Strike out for a goal that’s new?
#7 Jinne Ash, daais mos impressive stuff, my broer?!!
Neks taaim as iemand my byt oor ek my eie songs speel en dat hulle liefs “Lady in red” wil hoor dan skiet ek hulle die kaart:
The many will follow the beaten track
With guideposts on the way.
They live and have lived for ages back
With a chart for every day.
Someone has told them it’s safe to go
On the road he has traveled o’er,
And all that they ever strive to know
Are the things that were known before.
Ashley, die doring van Darling!
Wasn’t there a story bout Luke that got a bit lovey dovey with John Smit’s wife?
I would also have nothing good to say bout Luke, IF it was true what was said.
fender @ 8
😯
uhm, jy’t my nounet geskok!!
ken ons mekaar? (ek vrek oor “lady in red”)
isi @ 9
never heard about it!! 😯
btw, happy b’day!!
Ja, die militêre Staaldraad benadering het nie gewerk nie. Vandat White en nou PDV die BB se ‘gentleman’ benadering begin volg het, het alles beter gegaan: gesinsvriendelik, media vriendelik, ondersteuners vriendelik, baie af tyd, eet baie melktert en koeksisters, braaivleis, kindervriendelik, bly lekker lank by die huis voor ons op toer gaan, ens ens.
Hopelik maak die manne ons trots vanaand !
bdb @ 12
solank hulle nie soos bloubul ondersteuners begin kussings byt nie,
is ek heel orraait met die ‘bloubul benadering” 😆
@12 Hello Bennie Boekwurm!
Hoegannit?
Kamp Staaldraad was die grootste nonsens ooit, weet nie wat Strauli besiel het om sulke kinderagtigheid aan te vang nie.
Ek sou wragtag nie daaraan deelgeneem het nie, ek se jou.
Wat se sin is daarin om hoenders nek om te draai en in die winter kaalgat in die middel van die nag in n modderpoel te duik?
#10 Ash
Agh nee man, Ash – ek kannie daai Chris de Burgh song vattie!
En sorrie om jou te gespoek het, ma ek skiemie ons het al ontmoetie, but then again who knows…
Of die Oos-paviljoen benadering nie! Die fanbelt brigade.
Thanks Asbak.
14: hallo Pietman, goed hier, ja, ek het Strauli geken, wonder wie het die idee in sy kop geplant ? Dalk het hy gedink die ouens is bietjie sag, maar in plaas van om hul harder te maak, toe breek hy hul so af, dat hul nog sagter anderkant uitkom. Saam met Luke Watson is Kamp Staaldraad seker nog van ons 2 grootste verleenthede in SA rugby.
Pietman, wil jou gou iets vra oor svpod.com live, moenie so gou verdwyn nie.
Ashley @8
Ag nee asbak man, ek’t net begin respekte kry vir jou met jou diep gedig en toe kom jy met ‘n “Ek laaik Lady in Red kwaai” reeltjie.
Eish, back to square 1.
Ok, gou terug potjie toe, gaan gou check voor die manne my in die volgende snooker game aanvat, hulle wil nie hoor nie!
Praat later.
13/16: ons praat nie eers van daai pawiljoen van julle daar op Nuweland wat net 5 hare en drie tanne het nie … al staan daar honderd mense nie !
Luke Watson deserved to play for the Springboks. I’ve heard Cheeky Watson and Luke Watson speak in the past and saw how their words are twisted by the media with their own agendas. Blaming 2008’s failures on Luke is pathetic (Peter de Villiers and poor selections, and other factors are to blame), just proves what a weak individual John Smit is. He blames Brad Thorn for his injury, but he actually had that injury before the game. Playing injured is letting down the team. The 2009 All Blacks was a weakened side, don’t expect mercy next year as they go unbeaten.
A good captain would pull in every player, create an environment where no-one is alienated and everyone feels like they belong in the team. Like Luke Watson can be thankful for pressure by his dad (He deserved his chances though had some good seasons of rugby, which Jake the snake didn’t want to give him), John Smit can be thankful to Jake White, because Jake kept him there and now suddenly everyone believes he’s such a great captain. People say he won 2 Tri-Nations, a World Cup, etc. Really? Anyone with the talent we have should be able to do that.
People make lists about John Smit’s triumphs, but they forget his failures which far outweighs his triumphs.
The fact is John Smit gets all these praises. He’s a weak prop, wasn’t the best hooker in Jake White’s era (isn’t right now), and he certainly isn’t as good a captain as they claim he is.
The Springboks would’ve lost most of their games this year if it wasn’t for Heinrich Brussow, and Morne Steyn.
2 – Sharky, Exactly. So much fighting going on Voldy and it is the same old same old that are rubbishing our captain.
BDB at 17.
Goeie moer, nie staaldraad of Luke het iets teen die wet gedoen nie.
Die grootste verleentheid ooit in SA Rugby moet Joost wees.
Die moer het erken hy’t dwelms gebruik.
Japie Mulder wat sy beste pel se minderjarige dogter raps is nie ver agter. Tromp met die belt?
Nee boet, daar’s baie meer groter mense wat verleentheid veroorsaak het in SA rugby as Luke.
#18 Isigidi
Ja, vi daai swak music smaak demote ons sommer die man van Ashley na Eishley. 😉
bdb
Vra maar gou, oor spvod?
25: as ek daar click dan maak ‘n venstertjie oop met FFVJ Player maar verder gebeur niks nie, daar staan wel “Start track peers” maar geen beeld begin vertoon nie. Ken jy die probleem ?
isi @ 18
ok
wat dan van eric clapton se “beautiful tonight”? 😀
Mmmmm, Lady in Red… what a kak song!!
Eishhhhhhhley, jou moegoe!!
bdb
Click jy op http://live.spvod.com ?
23: ek het gedink aan skandes spesifiek met rugby self te doen, maar ek stem met jou saam, Joost en Mulder se immorele dinge is baie slegter, as jy dit met ‘rugby skandes’ vergelyk.
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