Public relations disaster
18 Jul 2006
Somebody please shut these clowns up!
If it is not Joe van Niekerk firing up the Aussies with the old tale of the bounty on George Smith’s dreadlock or Jake White telling the Irish that none of their team would make his team (whilst in Dublin) or White questioning the absence of Waratahs players in a Brisbane test, it is now the leader of the pack, convener of selectors Peter Jooste telling the media just why Butch James will play and how he will play against the All Blacks.
“Against New Zealand, if you keep kicking them into the corners and stopping their momentum, they can crack under the pressure. They get frustrated far easier than the Australians,” Jooste told the media in explaining James’s late call-up.
In the meantime New Zealand sent out two players to talk up the Boks. They spoke of the wounded Bok, the pride of the Bok jersey and how tough Saturday’s test would be. They spoke of the physicality of the Boks and the demands of playing them. Graham Henry said the Boks would not again be that poor as they were in Brisbane. He said he failed to understand what went wrong because they were a better team than the result reflected.
He spoke with respect and reference, a respect the Boks don’t deserve.
Like any informed and astute sports coach, he let the local media wind up the opposition. The New Zealand media laughed at the Boks performance. They splashed ‘braindead boks’ headlines across the local papers in Wellington. The public and media in New Zealand have let the Boks know what they think of them.
Henry has not needed to chip in with a barb.
So enter our clowns.
The All Blacks have not lost in 20 tests at home in the past three years. They’ve been pushed close a few times and come out on top. They’ve played a different starting XV in nearly all of those tests and beaten everyone in world rugby. Teams have kicked to the corner and stayed there for five minutes without scoring. Think back to the Pumas in Buenos Aires a month ago. For five minutes the All Blacks held firm. They certainly did not crack under the pressure.
Any team going backwards Mr Jooste is vulnerable. Any team without momentum is not as effective. But can you tell me when you saw an All Blacks team under Graham Henry crack because of a straight-running flyhalf who keeps them in the corners with probing kicks?
I think Butch James is a good call-up, but Butch’s strength has never been a conservative game of kicking to the corners. He is an abrasive and instinctive player who can be brilliant and woeful in the same movement.
Message to the Boks. 49-0 was your statement. Now shut up, get your head down, pull on that jersey on Saturday and restore some of that pride.
Tell those hangers-on in the squad set-up that they only add to the crassness of the last week with their poorly timed need to be quoted and be read about in the papers.
It makes for great banter from the Muppits and myself, but for goodness sake get it together over there.
I feel for the public relations manager Anne Lee Murray. How does she actually get her job done when every hanger on in the squad set-up has an opinion and wants to read it in the paper over breakfast?
Where’s the control and the protocol in this squad?
Where’s the manager (oh there is not one) Where’s the communications manager? (apparently there is one) Where’s the professionalism? Where the hell is the team that won the Tri Nations in 2004?
161 Comments
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18 Jul 2006, 16:12 pm
Classic Keo!
Jake has enough problems without adding another braindead to the cause.
The straight of it is we wobbled against our opposition the last few games and our reserves are empty.
The supporters pipe dreams of world class performances don’t go beyond age group rugby. Our sterile coaching and administrative infrastructure is nothing like professional.
18 Jul 2006, 16:19 pm
How is it our Juniors are always at the Top of the tree but as soon as they move up to a professional team we are coached to play a stereotyped game. If they were the best as juniors lets keep it that way without this overcoaching.
18 Jul 2006, 16:36 pm
Now I see that rugby### are carrying a story they have “reliably learnt” that Jooste has taken videos of Watson’s last two games to New Zealand and will tell Jake to pick him. (Sorry if it’s already been mentioned).
They “hint” that another player may pick up an injury before Saturday, which would allow an extra squad member if they sent him home.
Who leaks this stuff? To Jan de Koning? or does he just make it up and hope he will never be exposed?
18 Jul 2006, 16:44 pm
I totally agree motoX.
Our okes have been over trained and have become like robots. There’s no suppleness in body and thought. The body language is stiff and awkward. Jake comes very much from the head. He has all the answers in his head and not in his heart. So intuition, street savvy and that good old vattie kakkie instinct is missing. Our okes are so poop scared to f*ck up that they do. I say Bokke remember you MUST enjoy yourselves and get over the low self esteem that has been induced by over training. Problem is…John Smit doesn’t project that attitude. He’s Mr.Nice Guy on TV but in the engine room the warrior ain’t there.
18 Jul 2006, 16:45 pm
They must be talking out of their asses then because Jooste was in Aussie with the Boks ! Hell of trip for two video tapes….
18 Jul 2006, 16:54 pm
I’m sure that’s not true Ig.
They said they have “reliably learnt”. That usually means that the former chairman of selectors told them.
Surely they can’t be liars???
LOL
18 Jul 2006, 19:04 pm
One thing is guaranteed with South Africa …
there will ALWAYS be a bonehead around to ebarrASS all of us….
19 Jul 2006, 03:20 am
Has someone at WordPress been told to block my ISP? So I can show how I can STILL get in through the back door and rattle cages louder than ever?
Jooste, Jake and the rest of the crew on the Ship of Fools really make idiots of themselves without my help!
19 Jul 2006, 05:35 am
Well, back to normal again! ISP block lifted.
19 Jul 2006, 07:56 am
Yeah, same old story. Everybody wants to be on TV and say something. You don’t hear the New Zealanders say, Carter is going to channel the inside gap because we have an inexperienced Flyhalf.
“We have the biggest pack in Bok history!”(Jake White), “I will target Gregan and Larkham!” (Ricky January), “We will klap them!” (Danie Rossouw), “Only two of their team would make my squad!” (Jake White), “Luke is too small!”, “A fetcher is someone I send to get me a beer!”, “Transformation doesn’t allow Luke to be picked!” Hahahaahaha
19 Jul 2006, 12:23 pm
Tackler,
Now the rest of us know the world is an unfair place…damn…
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