Gatesy writes:
Here’s a prediction..
The Boks have saved their best combination for the All Blacks…the AB’s are worried about the Wallabies, anyway… the Boks will beat the AB’s …..the AB’s then have to travel from Durban to Melbourne… they’re away – we’re fresh – we beat the AB’s who are a shattered mess!! Anyone agree?
Let the [mind] games begin!!
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Temba said | June 22nd 2007 @ 10:39am | Report comment
With Jake White around you can always expect some mind games… I don’t know about the AB’s though, if they beat SA they will take the TN without breaking a sweat. Its going to be a very close match. I will never bet against the AB’s even when the boks play them. But… I don’t think they will win the RWC, they are like the proteas(SA cricket team) when it comes to world cup year. What was the word Glen and Ricky used…?
If South Africa beat the AB’s they will easily beat AUS at home to win the TN but if they lose..?
South Africa by 3 points. I hope.
Tom said | June 22nd 2007 @ 3:38pm | Report comment
You are exactly right about mindgames Temba. I see that, contrary to what was announced yesterday, Bob Skinstad and Danie Rossouw will now start against the All Blacks instead of Juan Smith and Pierre Spies. And there are rumours that Jacque Fourie isnt going to play and even that Fourie du Preez might make an appearance!! Springboks to win by a drop goal from Os Du Randt (given that someone on another blog apparently says that it takes no skill to kick one)
Terry Kidd said | June 25th 2007 @ 10:28am | Report comment
What does everyone think of this ….. no more Boks? Nnnoooooooooo
Gert Coetzee, Die Volksblad
Cape Town – A proposal to discard the Springbok and accept the Protea as the only emblem for all South African sports teams will be discussed at the ANC’s policy conference in Midrand next week.
This could lead to the disappearance of the Springbok emblem that has been used since 1906.
Cedrick Frolick, ANC chief whip in the parliamentary sports portfolio committee, confirmed on Thursday that the disappearance of the Springbok would be raised at the conference.
“It’s not only about the Springbok emblem but about uniform colours for all national teams in the interest of nation building,” Frolick said.
“Some teams do not look like South African teams when they’re on the field. The soccer team have a different strip every time they play.
“It has been decided twice that the Protea should be the only national sports emblem. The last time was in 1998. Talks about the application will now begin in earnest.”
The DA rejected the idea, saying that the ANC, unlike former President Nelson Mandela , wrongly tried linking the Springbok with apartheid and ignored the Springbok story since 1994.
“The rejection of the Springbok emblem is like throwing away a treasure from our national heritage,” DA spokesperson on sport Donald Lee said.
He said the ANC was deliberately forgetting the black, brown and Indian Springbok supporters.
Nothing distasteful about the emblem
“When Bryan Habana’s mother thinks about the Springbok emblem it will certainly not be because of apartheid but because of her son’s unbelievable performances for the Springboks.
“If Nelson Mandela could proudly wear a Springbok jersey with number six on the back there could be nothing distasteful about the emblem.
“When the players sing the national anthem with their hand on their heart, it is clear that the emblem shows how far we have come as a nation,” Lee said.
Frolick said the power to decide on national sports colours was in the hands of the minister of sport.
The delegated power for execution rested with the SA Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (Sascoc) that, in accordance with the new Sports Law, had to establish a national colours board for the awarding of all national colours.
Frolick had earlier told Rapport that the Springbok should disappear to complete transformation in rugby.
But it was more important that the SA Rugby Union should change its constitution first to have more say in managing transformation at provincial level.
“The Springbok still represents the old (racially divided) past. We should start looking at replacing the emblem,” he said
Temba said | June 25th 2007 @ 10:55am | Report comment
Makes me sick…
This is why Jake W wanted to meet with Tabo M before the RWC. Jake would meet with Tabo and showing him what the boks chances are of winning the RWC with and with out the restriction of SA rugby politics. Tabo is a business man, in the end he will see the benefits for the country if SA was to win the RWC.
For that reason the board gagged Jake, he was on his way to deal directly with the top of the chain. This is why we will not win the RWC, not because we lack good player of any color but the fact that our politics interfere with our sports. What is the point of sending a completely “black” team if they never make it to the semi’s? Winning will be far more rewarding for the country.
Its a sad thing that matchups like this weekend game will no longer be the same. Nothing in rugby is a big as a Springbok vs. All Black game. Tradition..?
Change the name of the team, change it all… so much so that the day of the springbok name will be forgotten by the rugby world. Something that commentators reminisce about down the track at big internationals.
It makes me sick…
Sorry it’s a touchy subject… I am not always this dramatic.
Terry Kidd said | June 25th 2007 @ 11:15am | Report comment
Temba you have cause to be suicidal let alone a little dramatic. I can’t pretend to know all the ins and outs of SA rugby, sitting as I do in my Sunshine Coast home in Oz, but for the life of me I cannot see how a move like this enhances nationalism or promotes ‘one nation’.
I would be likely to take out a contract on anyone who wanted to get rid of the Wallabies.
I want to see that great symbol, of not just SA rugby, but international rugby, remain alive and well. The Springbok is a great national sporting emblem with significant international recognition. Leave it be !!!!
Terry Kidd said | June 25th 2007 @ 12:47pm | Report comment
I very rarely have a bet on anything yet I am a little tempted to have a fling on the Wallabies v the ABs this coming Saturday evening.
Boks v Wallabies really could have gone either way although I acknowledge that the better team (by a whisker) won on the day.
ABs v Boks could also have gone either way and to my mind the Boks lost it through a couple of poor options similar to how they won the previous week.
So, my thinking continues along these lines …. is there only a struck match between all 3 teams? If so, how does a real hard game followed by convoluted travel affect the ABs?
I’m thinking that a Wallaby win is a real possibility and the Tri-Nations being a real open playing field ….. GRIN …. sorry for the real bad pun.
Zac Zavos said | June 26th 2007 @ 10:19am | Report comment
Back to Gatesy’s original post, I’d like to give him a wrap for putting a prediction out there.
We need more of this – gutsy predictions based on reasoned logic.
Ben from Pretoria said | June 26th 2007 @ 11:00pm | Report comment
Tri Nations
It seems that the resting of the top 20 Springbok players is a massive surprise to our Sanzar brothers. Jake White does not care about anything besides the World Cup and frankly if they want to kick SA out then what is left? Endless Bledisloe Cup games?
Point is, apart from selective resting the bulk of the players have been entertaining the same Aus and NZ crowds (who’s rugby adminastrators want to have steps taken) since February.
The first choice players who did not play against NZ were Fourie du Preez, Bryan Habana, Pierre Spies, Juan Smith,Gurthro Steenkamp and John Smit. All players who are either 1 or 2 in their position in the world. That is 40% of the Springbok’s first choice team not available.
Would anyone disagree that to have the best chance to win the world cup you need these players available and free of injury?
slomo said | June 27th 2007 @ 10:47am | Report comment
Hope nobody gets annoyed by my having posted this twice, but I’m so incensed by how things are going in the world of rugby, and in particular in South Africa, that I risked breaking protocol by posting this a second time. The following is what I’ve posted elsehwere:
“The current state of affairs in world rugby stinks; it is an amateurish mess. Anyone who has played rugby at a representative level will understand just how miserable it must be for today’s players, irrespective of what they get paid. It’s therefore both lamentable and understandable that the Boks are not sending their top players.
But I don’t understand why Australian indignation has only surfaced now. Why has there never been outrage expressed about the black quota hangers-on that magically become Springboks for the sole purpose of pacifying vengeful, ignorant, corrupt black politicians. Politicians who believe that the racial make-up of the Sprinbbok team should reflect the demographics of the country as a whole.
And if comes to pass next year, as has been reported in the press, that Springbok teams will by government decree have a minimum of 10 black players, will Australians protest as loudly as they are doing now, or gleefully annihilate the black dominated rabble that is sent here?”
DF6 said | June 27th 2007 @ 12:37pm | Report comment
Hey ben from Pretoria, mate Habana and du preez are probably either 1 or 2 in the world but thats where your conversation ends mate stop going on about your 40% of springboks not available, you know nz fans wouldnt be able to get away with such excuses.
To be honest you have 6 weeks of no rugby before the world cup so surely they have time there to become “injury free and fresh”?
My prediction for the world cup is that either NZ or the boks will win the world cup but Aussie on their day are capable of beating both of them, I doubt france have enough time for preparation and the fact they will have one game before the world cup together as a squad will hurt their chances, but what i look forward to most is the pool with Argentina Ireland and France to see who makes it through, that could set up a cinderella story for a team like argentina and encourage them to upset a few teams in the second round???