David Pocock
David Pocock’s principled stand against homophobia on the field will cost him any chance of captaining Australia again, says former Wallaby Greg Martin.
Pocock’s on-field complaints to the referee led to Waratahs forward Jacques Potgieter being fined AU$ 20 000.00 for using homophobic slurs during his side’s win over the Brumbies on Sunday.
Respected rugby commentator Martin says Pocock did the right thing in speaking out but his action will split opinion in the game.
“He’ll pay for it. It will mean that he will never captain the Wallabies again,” Martin told Brisbane’s Triple M radio on Tuesday.
“What he’s done, he hasn’t fractured the game down a Waratahs-Brumbies line… It won’t be fractured down like that, but it will be fractured upon clear-thinking, modern-thinking footballers who will support David Pocock and the more old school, hard heads who will say that was a disgrace he shouldn’t have done that.
“There are schools of thought both ways, but that will break it down the line.”
It’s the 2nd time in 6 months Pocock has taken a public stance on an issue, after he was arrested in November for chaining himself to a digger in a protest against the opening of a coal mine inside a New South Wales state forest.
Pocock captained the Wallabies under former coach Robbie Deans in 2012, before consecutive serious knee injuries blighted his career.
But Martin believed the Australian Rugby Union would no longer be comfortable with having him as national team captain.
“They have a role to play in appointing the Australian captain because he is the voice box,” Martin said.
“They’ll get worried that he will get up on his soapbox about all sorts of issues.
“Do you want that when they are not your principles?
“He’s getting his own principles out there and they are strong principles but maybe the ARU won’t want that and they will go ‘hold on, loose cannon.
“Maybe he can play and be a member but he can’t be our leader and our voice piece’.”
Meanwhile Australia’s 1st gay rugby union team, the Sydney Convicts, have invited the apologetic Potgieter to train with them and watch some of their matches in the wake of his homophobic slurs toward Brumbies players.
“We often find that people using this kind of language don’t fully understand the harmful effects it can have on those around them, particularly those struggling to accept their own sexuality,” Convicts president Robert McPherson said.
“We would welcome Jacques to come down to meet the boys and hear their stories, which is why we will invite him to join us for a few of our training sessions and to watch a few games.
“He would quickly recognise that being gay has no impact on a person’s ability to play rugby or their passion for the game.”
rugby365
because he stands up for people he is not good captaincy material? š
1 @ MacroBull:
No, not that… but because he is a maverick and might not have everybody’s support anymore…
Maybe he’ll be seen as a devisive personality… and I think on that argument there might be a heap of merit.
2 @ grootblousmile:
It was interesting to see in general the amount of support he got for taking his stance and standing up to protest against whatever was going to happen to the forest (and got arrested for it presumably because that was breaking some or other law) but when he has stood up for other humans due to what he heard on a rugby field (possibly actually helping to uphold a law) that is seen in a negative light by some, sadly on here as well.
@ grootblousmile:
Scared to divide opinion on those that are homophobic and those that are not?
No doubt if he is not captain because of those reasons it will undue what Gareth Thomas tried to do when he came out? Indeed it will say “don’t speak out on homophobia or you will lose your social stance”
Respect to Pocock, I would not expect anything less from JdV either.
@ Bullscot:
agree wholeheartedly, we have just seen how narrow some people are. This whole thing filters down to school. You need to make a stance somewhere. No place better than with rolemodels
No doubt Jacpot is sincerely sorry, I am confident he will learn from this.
Hoekom stig hierdie mense ‘n gay rugby club?
Dit gaan nie oor rugby nie, maar om hul gruwelike lewenswyse te bevorder en te laat goedkeur deur mense.
JP, bly weg ou maat.
MacroBull wrote:
There is a big difference between insulting someone because he’s gay i.e. homophobia and swearing at someone WHO IS NOT GAY
If Snoop dog calls Jay Z “My Nigga” it’s not racism but you try it?
Pocock sees himself as and activist but in reality he’s being a self-righteous self-important asshole
Bullscot wrote:
Bullscot wrote:
The best part of coming to RT is the straight talk, no PC bullshit
Living in the developed world where means no-one dares to call a spade a farking spade get’s tedious, but logon to RT you can and that’s what makes it a breath of fresh air
There won’t be a PUB NIGHT tonight, I have people to consult…
grootblousmile wrote:
Damn
Ek wou vanaand net Erasure en Boy George vir Pocock en sy fanboys gespeel het
I’m not condoning what Jackpot said, nor am I of the opinion that Pocock should not feel the need to stand for certain principles…
However, by his actions on Sunday (and he could have done it more diplomatically) he tends to alienate himself from some – and I’m sure he is happy to do so in standing up for what he believes in.
A person who tends to alienate himself from some should in all fairness stand a lesser chance to lead people. The big thing about a leader is the ability to ALWAYS appear diplomatic, and that is certainly NOT what Pocock has demonstrated, however well he meant it.
Victoriabok wrote:
The problem is, how do you KNOW and ASSUME everyone that play rugby is not gay?
It took Gareth Thomas 15 years to go public, some players never do.
Some players rather organize their own leagues free from discrimination.
@ grootblousmile:
He broke the cardinal rule, what happens on the field stays on the field
He knows just like me and you know that JP didn’t intend to be homophobic, he just swore at them
If you watch a weekend of Super Rugby you can read the players lips and see how often they swear
Pocock is just politicking
Your captain should be team building a diplomat like Ritchie or Jean, not a divisive activist like Pocock, Kevin Pietersen or Puke
@ grootblousmile:
What did he do that is not diplomatic? It is certainly not okay to call someone a fag when your intention is to belittle them, for all jacpot knows and likely never wont is that some of his team mates might me gay.
The main point is, if its okay for senior rugby players the hammer down on people and their beliefs or even kick someone in the neck it should be dealt with to set a precedent that it should not be and wont be allowed, because children see the game too.
http://binghamcup.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/First-National-Study-on-Homophobia-in-Sport.pdf
Respect toPocock for wanting to include everyone, I disagree that he should keep his mouth shut to please homophobes…where would our country be if we felt that that is a good leader?
MacroBull wrote:
Pocock’s married and Nic White has got a girlfriend
Read what Stephen Moore says, Pocock is simply being a prick
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/rugby-union/david-pocock-accuses-waratahs-players-of-homophobic-slurs/story-e6frg7o6-1227273684949
“Allegations of slurs aside, Brumbies skipper Stephen Moore said he didnāt consider any of the ābanterā to be out of the ordinary in the niggly encounter.
āItās always like that,ā Moore said.
āI think off the field thereās a lot of guys out there that are quite good mates.
āYou know, Michael Hooper and āWhiteyā (Brumbies halfback) Nic White used to live together for a couple of years so they know each other pretty well and there was a bit of banter out there.
āBut I think it was all in the spirit of the game, and thatās the way it goes out there and I didnāt see it as an issue.ā”
I just spoke to my wife, Willem, about this.
He also agrees that it’s a despicable act, and we will gladly join in Pocock and his RT supporter’s campaign.
But we first need to march to the BBC studios to demand that they don’t reappoint that horrible Neanderthal called Jeremy Clarkson, he just hurts people’s feelings, the boor.
Then we need to quickly hug some trees, save a couple of whales and stop a pipe line from being laid ( may I say being laid ) don’t want to offend those to ugly to get some nookie.
So please save us a seat at Pocock’s next speech, only 1 seat will do, we can always turn it upside down and still have place for me, my Willem and two of Pocock’s friends as well
@ Victoriabok:
It is not about Pocock taking personal offense though or that he is gay, anyone on the field who could be gay would have taken offense even JacPot’s own team mates.
MacroBull wrote:
It’s not about being gay, it’s about Pocock being self-righteous
Even the Brumbies captain says there was nothing to it and the same everytime the two teams meet
@ Victoriabok:
Los dit maar….as die Brumbies met 20 voorgeloop het sou hy cock-a-hoop ( oops, nog n ongepaste woord ) gewees het en seker die Waratah spelers gechirp het.
Feit is, hulle was besig om pak te kry so hy het seker n strafskop of n geel kaart gesoek.
nortie wrote:
You forgot to do something about legalizing marijuana, save the whales and global warming as well
You and Willem better go back to the drawing board
@ Victoriabok:
No marijuana for us please….we prefer smoking regular fags….. š³ ….meant cigarettes.
MacroBull wrote:
Gaycock did it not for the greater good of the LGBT community, no siree he tried to get a card out of it
Typical convict move
nortie wrote:
Smoking is nie altyd net smoking nie
Wat was die advertensie op Springbokradio?
“After action, satisfaction”
Ek dink dit was Lexington of Gunston
@ Victoriabok:
Gunston as ek reg onthou….
@ Victoriabok:
@ 14
In practice the word “faggot” is mostly used to insult gay people (men) for their sexual orientation. The stigma that that being gay is bad/or wrong/or less worthy etc. is therefore inclusive to the word. Therefore Potgieterās actions were technically homophobic irrespective of whether the person at whom he aimed the insult was gay or not.
Historically the convicts are the world’s filthiest sledgers
So forgive me if a take a pinch of salt at this point.
@ robzim:
That might very well be
But why do you only take Pocockās word for it?
Why doesnāt Hooperās opinion count?
He is in the same team after all
@ gunther:
Libtard alert….you may not use the word convicts.
It hurts people like Oscar’s feelings if he knows you are comparing him with the Aussies
Victoriabok wrote:
Bat hulle vir dieselfde span?
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