When it comes to rugby, let's stay positive

American sports always put things into perspective for me. When I think about how long teams have waited to win a championship -- the losing seasons their fans have endured year after year, sometimes for decades -- it makes rugby look trivial.

Jay-sus, what is it with this tennis crap (lob over, lob back, lob over, lob back) about Bakkies Botha? He's a good tough player, but he won't be remembered as a great of the game. Anything wrong with stating the bleeding obvious??? Ahhh Temba, what were you saying again? And what wine were you drinking?

It's Eminem, man, Eminem.

I feel quite pessimistic about rugby because of the way the ELV's concerning the breakdown and free kicks have been shelved. I understand these are critical to the development of tactics where the primary aim is scoring positively rather than with penalties, and that political rather than technical objections were used to scupper these laws. Of most concern is the way the whole law-building process has been hijacked and butchered. Of course if someone can explain how these laws were dropped using due technical process, then I would be much more optimistic! While my heart is with the wallabies today, perhaps they are getting ahead of themselves on the basis of two Trination home wins. They do appear to be a team of thinkers though. A narrow, last-gasp all black victory at eden park.

Matfield is brilliant indeed.

TembaVJ - I thought it was ironic that your article 'When it comes to rugby, let’s stay positive' immediately attracted negative comments. Still and all I liked the jist of what you were saying & like your good self I also enjoy trolling through the Rugy comments whilst sipping wine. May I enquire if your's is a good Sth African variety? I have a preference for a nice Shiraz from Botobolar Organic Winery Mudgee NSW, known as KK's Choice. Kevin Kartstrom is the winemaker & teller of bloody good yarns. But back to your article. As a Wallaby fan, I'd have to agree that all's great in the Rugby World and even better when enjoyed with a fine wine. Prediction for today from me is Wallabies to roll the AB's by 10. Graham Henry's nerves will crack as he realises that the man that should be coaching the AB's is doing more with less and beating him at every turn. Richie McCraw will have a strong game after a long absense but not fit enough to last past 60 minutes and the AB's will lose direction when he leaves the field at which point the Wallabies will twist the knife & secure the win. Or.......the AB Coaching staff are actually bluffing big time and they really do understand the ELV's and this outfit just runs riot over the Wallbies. But I don't think so this time around. Cheers all and enjoy the Rugby.

In any case... I thought the French had always been the bad boys of rugby?

Fair play guys, but the most important part is that Botha really isn't a particularly special player. Matfield is undoubtedly a rugby genius and in many ways he was easily 50% of the reason SA won the WC. Botha however, is uninspired at best. He rarely offers anything in loose play and he is hardly a lineout giant. The success of Matfield covers the fact that there is a paucity of locks in SA. Beyond Matfield there is Botha, Bekkers and Muller. Not exactly stratospheric. If you compare what other number 4s offer; the muscularity of O'Connell, Vickermann, Shaw and Nallet, and they all have much softer hands than Botha. They are consistenly present in the loose and all are very good in the air too. Botha is just a new Wiese, a new Otto. Unless he starts to offer more, especially under the ELVs, SA are eventually going to get caught short. In my opinions SA fans are idolising the wrong lock. Matfield by a long, long stretch.

And what would the world be without Botha, the rugby player? Better, and not a person would miss him. Not surprisingly those who talk misty eyed about the past, myself included, never talk about Richard Loe. We talk about Bunce, Fitzpatrick, Martin Johnson, Lewsey, Campese, Horan...all of which never thought the retinal nerves a part of tough play. Botha does. You, TembaVJ, have policed at least one thread on this site with something like authoritarianism, stating that Botha is a good player. He isn't. It is really simple. He isn't. No smart alec would pick him in their 22, not unless the levels of talent in the world rugby arena dived. He has never, and I mean never, impacted a game like a Johnson, Eales, Zinzan Brooke, Finnegan, Peinaar and many others...all of which don't see the retinal nerves as part of rugby. Let's keep rugby positive, and like the judges and witnesses presiding over the Nazi trials, call a spade a spade. Botha, who you so loudly state is a 'good christian' (whatever that means), is a dumb, ugly, vicious thug. Brooke wasn't. Loe was. Who do we care to talk about over a beer in a pub? Brooke everyday. Eales and Johnson. Lewsey, Campese, Bunce, Pienaar. But Loe? Botha? Pfff...f-off. Does Botha make a game more memorable? Only ever for the wrong reasons. We fondly remember tough games, fought honestly and hard, with a beer shouted between teams after the game. Could I ever shout Botha a beer after trying to rip the eye-balls out of a team mate? I'd have to be thick or gutless, non of which is endemic to honest, good, strong and brave players. Of all creeds. Forget about it, Botha I wouldn't buy a beer for after a game. Temba and Westy idolise thugs. I don't. J.

Botha is the best at what he does, and it's not being a lock. Yes he is a hardman, and plays very physically but no its not at this he excels. He is the best at intentionally breaking the law to deliver physical punishment and mayhem. He is unsurpassed as a hero and thug, without peer AND doing it smart enough and not be rubbed out of the game through suspensions. Have to give credit where it is due. This is why he is so beloved by bok supporters. He is one of their own, metes out physical punishment that they know are illegal and gets away with it. In their minds that makes it ok even if others view it as cheap shots. Hero to the boks, thug to most everyone else.

That's not strictly true given that on various threads I have said that SA have some fantastic players, simply put Botha is not one of these. I have actually provided a prediction on another threat btw.

You would say that Benjamin, as you are unable to utter a positive word as soon as anyone mentions the word Springbok. Themba, interesting article, but it's not as though other countries are without contraversy. Anyway, seeing as I haven't been able to find a preview anyone willing to provide predictions for the weekend. I have the All Blacks to get up by 5 at home. Nothing tougher than winning on the road in the Tri-Nations

I don't want to be pedantic but I don't think Botha is the best at what he does. Better no 4s include Vickermann, Horwill, O'Connell, Shaw, Grewcock, Nallet and possibly Thorn.