Much has been said about Peter de Villiers’ insistence on picking players that apparently need a rest, experts on the human condition, ex-rugby players, and everyone has had a go at old SNORRE, and generally the consensus is that this has been somewhat of a bad idea. Well, let’s have the Saint play a bit of Devil’s Advocate…
What pray thee, does the players say?
No-one eluded to having been in contact with Matfield & Co. , no-one published a word of their opinions on the matter, not so much as an anonymous post somewhere. In fact, I’d even go so far as to say, that they haven’t been asked at all…not that you’d get a straight answer from them at any rate, owing to contractual obligations, job security and all that.
But is it really as bad as everyone says?
If my job consisted of 80-odd minutes of work a week, including about 20 to 25 hours worth of preparation, keeping in mind that it is a job that I myself chose to pursue, would it really be so bad?
I happen to know three gentlemen…and I use the word gentlemen in the broadest sense of the word, who work on an oil-rig, off the coast of Britain somewhere. These guys toil around 12 to 18 hours a day, 5 to 7 days a week (depending on the situation), never leaving their stations, never having ice-baths, massages or having physiotherapists or gynaecologists or whatever some rugby players these days use, fussing over them day after day…
Yes, they get a six-month break after six months, but I believe the physical strain on their bodies and their mentality during those months on the water, could be somewhat worse than what a professional rugby-player endures.
Haven’t heard them really complaining about fatigue and time off and such, because the money is good, and that is why they are there in the first place. Not for the love of their job, or because it is expected of them, no. They are in it, to cash out!
Now old SNORRE is working some Boks into the ground, because he is forcing them to do their jobs. Really? I mean…seriously?
Many people feel, send over a B-Team to the Muddy Isles, (this despite the IRB having said that they’ll have none of that anymore), and have the B-Teams exposed to Test-Rugby first hand.
Wow, am I the only one who remembers two superbly talented young players from Griquas a few seasons back? Went by the names of Gaffie du Toit and Dave von Hoeselin. You might be forgiven for not stumbling onto their names immediately, because they were blooded against the NZ All-Blacks in one of the cruelest actions ever by a Springbok coach, and subsequently their careers never came to fruition after that. They were damaged goods.
So, our idea for building a Springbok team, is to send 22 young guns into the unknown, playing on fields and in conditions, completely alien to most South Africans, and expect them to come back better, wiser players?
I am sorry, this should have been done prior to WC 2007 already, a player or two at a time, never a whole team, Jake White is just as much to blame as today’s lord of the rings and his two hobbits!
Is sending a bunch of greenback forwards over to the muddy isle fair towards Lambie and Jantjes in their Springbok debuts at 10? Is it fair to those forwards? Where should these players’ mentoring come from? The coaches? The opposition maybe? That arrogant Keo and his bunch of ass-clown rugby experts over the internet? Should they follow our extremely valuable advice maybe? I don’t think so, because in reality, none of us has the foggiest idea of what it takes to do what it takes.
What the hell are we doing? I highly doubt that Victor Matfield, John Smit, Bakkies Botha and even Fourie du Preez, Danie Rossouw and the rest of the old guard will really be an asset at the 2011 World Cup, but they could be immensely valuable NOW, mentoring their replacements, handing over the flame as it were. And for that they need to be where the action is, physically involved on a first-hand basis, in Europe.
Rugby players should stop being sissies, and do what they are paid and pampered to do, which is performing, on and off the field.
And that is a fact…
Hear hear. Well said!
I can’t for the life of me understand cricketers (ODI), soccer players and to a lesser extent Rugby players complaining if they have to perform at their best for more than 1 game a week.
Try throwing that at your boss in the corporate world!
@Scrumdown…
Rarely more than 1 game a week in the case of rugby players…
Excuse me boss, I really can’t do any work today. I worked the whole morning on Monday and really feel that I need some time off to allow my eyes to rest from the glare of the PC monitor.
Ok, no problem. Just take your stuff, F*ck off, and go find another job.
#4
Not at SARU’s offices…reply will more likely be:
“What? The whole Monday morning? Good grief man, you had better get your feet up, I’ll get two interns to do your job, no work for you now, we want you to be at your best for the Friday morning shift…!”
Problem is that us older generation players don’t fully appreciate just exactly what the physical demands on the bodies of these modern day players is all about.
Just one of these modern day tackles would have killed most of us!!
The fact is that we have to listen to scientifically based advice from people like Noakes.
We are no longer in the amateur days of skop and charge!!
Sports scientists today are capable of understanding the damage done by these enormous “HITS” as they call them today on the body.
The players are the wrong people to ask, because they are not sports scientists and have vested, often commercially based reasons for wanting to play.
It is a merciless game of high speed contact today like never seen before.
This requires a completely new type of physical specimen as a player.
As far as physical condition and damage done, this modern game is nothing liked what was played just 15 years ago.
@ The Saint:
Is SARU really a corporate?
I once had a meeting with Hoskins at his hotel in Sandton. F*ck me they don’t spare any money on the hotel bill.
Wonder what he thought of me rocking up on my bike? Not that I really give a sh1t. He never kept his word on any of the things he said he would do.
At least the Lions players don’t need a rest.
Not one of the useless tossers have played more than 100 minutes of Rugby all year!
@ The Saint:
I understand what you are saying and agree, but for a different reason.
We need to play the best players now and not keep them for a “possible” future. There is too much focus on saving players for the RWC.
I was just wondering about that gynaecologist you were talking about. The only player I can think of who may use one is Meisiekind.
@ Scrumdown:
Now, now, that’s not nice. I do know that Mitchell has trained them for more than 100 minutes.
Perhaps you are thinking of the Super14.
@ tight head:
Let’s be honest…true “HITS” are few and far between, as rugby evolved, it has become more beneficial keeping the guy in the air, rather than performing a Brian ‘The Chiropractor’ Lima vs. Derick Hougaard HIT!
Yes, the collision might be more powerful and such, but the human condition is an interesting one, I have never seen the human body conform to what science tells it to do, too many tales of the impossible being possible to subscribe to that notion.
Sorry man, I just can’t see what the fuss is about, my rugby playing days is a mere 5 years back…and guys necks has been broken for decades before that, the HITS has always been there, but then again, the players evolved WITH the game…it’s not a one-sided development is it?
@ biltongbek:
Don’t know hey, Bismarck is so full of shit sometimes I feel like he’s on a monthly cycle…
Hehe…had to share this in light of my previous comment…
Guy 1: Geez man, you look like you had a rough night?
Guy 2: Had to sleep on the coach last night.
Guy 1: What? The missus a bit cross?
Guy 2: Cross? I was commenting on her mood, when she jumped on her menstrual cycle and ran me the fcuk over…
12@ The Saint:
That would be the job of a proctologist woudn’t it?
@ biltongbek:
I said on WTR that the win against WP was more due to their errors than the Lions creating chances.
The home wins against the Sharks and the Cheetahs was far too close, and both games could easily have been lost by the Lions.
To lose to the Pumas is not acceptable, and to win only 50% of your games is also not acceptable.
Yes JM has done some good work, but unless Kevin de Klerk stands by his promise to sign “4 or 5 world class players” the Lions will remain also rans incapable of hanging on to the youngsters they have.
No amount of Arms dealer and IT cash can keep decent players at a Union that can’t offer exposure to a higher level due to a lack of performance.
I have it on very good authority that Mr de Klerk also stated that the Lions would play in 2 home semi finals this year, and if they didn’t he would offer “my head and the heads of those around me”. He’s still in office and certainly hasn’t offered to resign.
Eish, the more things change the more they stay the same.
Let’s see what the Super Currie Cup (S15?) offers in the way of performance from the men in red and white.
@ Scrumdown:
Are you insinuating that Bandise Maku is not a World Class signing? I had Bulls tell me just a few months back he was a better technical hooker than Liebenberg and Bismarck!
@ The Saint:
Yes, Saint I agree that it is complicated and depends on the individual player.
This leads me to ask why the need to manage playing time, and the answer to that is because you want to present the best team in the best condition in your most important games as a coach.
Problem starts with knowing who your best team is!!
So what we need to see from the Bok coach is someone who makes hard decisions now and sticks by them.
This means picking the very best combination of experience and youth now and moulding that into the WC winning team.
He cannot do this by playing everybody and anybody until a couple of months before the WC, telling us that he is experimenting or working towards his WC team.
The tough calls should be made now and every player should know where he stands now.
@ biltongbek:
Assisting proctologist…gynaecologist would check that the right hole is being entered.
@ Scrumdown:
I know you guys don’t like Louis Lluyt, but that was the last time the Lions trophy cabinet wasn’t bare.
@ The Saint:
I can just see the proctologist saying to the Gynie.
“we’re going arse about face here doctor”
@ tight head:
Well SNORRE has not been giving away Springbok jerseys left, right and centre like mr. Streauli and Viljoen before him, he has maintained his core group throughout. I think though, he has succumbed to public opinion somewhat, albeit in the wrong positions. I think he is grasping a straws at the moment, and hoping that the guys he has been loyal to, repays his kindness with performance.
@ Scrumdown:
Hey Scrumdown thinking about the day I met Kevin on the rugby field, I just don’t know who is going to march into Kevin’s office and demand his resignation!!!
@ biltongbek:
And the gynie replying…Face? What the hell is a face?
#22
Check his contract, there’s bound to be a loophole…
@24@ The Saint:
He doesn’t have a contract, he’s not an employee!
All Lions games will be in future be moved to the gay adult channel as screening of fifteen arseholes being hammered for 80 minutes is considered too explicit for DSTV.
I hear Robertsons are making a new product, the packaging is white with a red stripe across the box and they’re calling it the laughing stock.
The Lions Rugby team are going to change the emblem on their shirts.
The Golden Lion will now become a golden tampon to celebrate their worst period in history.
22@ tight head:
Quite a large unit isn’t he.
Scrummie
Correct me if I’m wrong…but you are a Lion are you not?
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