Is Springbok rugby dead?Nope, Butana Komphela and Cedrick Frolick didn't secure a majority vote in a secret overnight meeting to decide the fate of the Bok emblem. (Well, with plonkers like that you never know, but for the time being the Bok emblem's still "safe", I believe...)
I'll start by mentioning the performance on Saturday night in Sydney, against the Wallabies.
In the build up to the test match, Jake and Bobby were very positive, talking up the chances of our "B-team". "All the pressure were on the Wallabies", and Bob even said we "should expect to see them play Bulls rugby".. (Well, Blobby: you have nooooo idea how much it hurts to admit this, but the last time I checked the Bulls were actually winning, ma' china.....)
Before kick off, I was hoping for another classic "backs against the wall" performance from the Bokke. I mean, the stage was perfectly set: Aussie have been doing most of the talking during the week - They were extremely vocal about Jake snubbing them (by resting his top players), and it would've been a major embarrassment if the Wallabies were to lose against the B-grade Boks. So, Jake indeed hit the nail on the head by saying "all the pressure are on them".
Hell, we even had the dream start I was hoping for! After 13 minutes the score was 17 - 0. Ok, a fair amount of luck was involved, but still..... In test rugby you take-a-the-points, hey! But, then it happened.... For some strange reason, we stopped "playing". For the next 67 minutes I had to sit and watch a natural talent like Ruan Pienaar opting to play "dryfings" with Julian Huxley, and CJ and co just being synical by trying to waste as much time as possible... And, if that wasn't enough, we also had to witness how Gary and Johan received their marching orders from Your Royal Honiss for some stupid actions....
To watch the Boks lose, REALLY, really sucks! Heck, to watch them lose against the Wallabies is even more hurtful.. But to read afterwards how the coach said "even when we were leading 17 - 0, I still didn't think we could win it" really, really, really sucks!!!! How on earth can you expect the NZRU and ARU to take you seriously, when it seems you don't even believe it yourself that these players are capable of winning a game on tour???? Just what exactly must the players be thinking? "Ok, no need to worry about the AB's this weekend... Coach doesn't think we can do it, so we're going to get smashed in any case.."
The All Blacks are saying how desperate they are to get back to winning ways this weekend in Christchurch. If the Boks actually believe they don't stand a chance, they're on a hiding to nothing. Eissssh.....
The feeling amongst the supporters after the defeat in Sydney is also one of "ag, don't worry, we'll get them in the World Cup later this year". Since when have we stopped giving a damn about the result in test matches? Last time I checked SARU were still handing out test caps for these! I don't know, but aren't we getting a little bit carried away with the World Cup issue? (just like the Kiwi's) It's like we don't give a $hit about what's happening in between?
And, if that's not depressing enough, the list of SA rugby players playing abroad are growing by the day. No longer is it just a player in the twilight of his career leaving. Young players like Ronnie Cooke, Corniel van Zyl and Phillip Burger have all committed to French clubs recently. (Funny how a couple of years ago we would've been fuming if we heard something like this. Nowadays it's almost an "ok, good for them" feeling..)
Nick Mallett also ruffled feathers at SARU, by apparantly explaining "quota selections" to the French Clubs. SARU's Mveleli Ncula would like the rest of the world to believe it's purely because of financial reasons (make no mistake: financial security obviously plays a big part) that the players are leaving, but the truth is they probably all had enough of the politics in SA rugby.. Why should they put up with it, when they can concentrate on purely doing their job, in other words playing rugby in say England, France or Italy, and in the process earn top dollar?
So, Butana Kompela, Cedrick Frolick and co may well be on a mission to kill the Springbok, but I'm affraid it might be confined to the ICU already...
