Mitchell in hot water over ref rant
13 May 2009
Keo.co.za brings you the latest from Australia’s Super 14 franchises.
Mitchell in hot water over ref rant
Force coach John Mitchell may face disciplinary action after slamming referee Marius Jonker in the media following his side’s defeat to the Stormers over the weekend.
Mitchell expressed his unhappiness about the Stormers’ winning try at Newlands in an interview with The Australian, claiming Stormers centre Dylan des Fountain had obstructed one of his players in the build up to Joe Pietersen’s second try.
‘That person [Jonker] shouldn’t referee another Super14 game or he should be disciplined or suffer some consequence,’ Mitchell said.
‘That is not acceptable at this level of football. It really needs to be looked into. It shouldn’t just be swept under the carpet.’
Sanzar tournament director Johan Botes told Afrikaans newspaper Die Burger that the matter is under investigation. Botes has reportedly written to Australia’s regional tournament director to get clarity over Mitchell’s remarks.
Reds welcome back key trio
The Reds have received a major boost for their final Super 14 clash against the Hurricanes with Berrick Barnes, James Horwill and Mark McLinden all cleared to return from injury.
Reds coach Phil Mooney named the trio to line up for Saturday’s game against the third-placed Hurricanes.
Skipper Horwill, playmaker Barnes and fullback McLinden were missing from the injury-riddled side who were comprehensively beaten 32-12 by the Crusaders in Christchurch.
In other good news for the Reds Ezra Taylor was selected after overcoming a knee injury while flanker Tasi Luafutu has been bracketed with Andrew Shaw.
Reds – 15 Mark McLinden, 14 Brando Va’aulu, 13 Charlie Fetoai, 12 Quade Cooper, 11 Rod Davies, 10 Berrick Barnes, 9 Ben Lucas, 8 Leroy Houston, 7 Tasi Luafutu/Andrew Shaw, 6 Ezra Taylor, 5 James Horwill (capt), 4 Van Humphries, 3 Laurie Weeks, 2 Sean Hardman, 1 Ben Daley.
Subs: 16 Saia Faingaa, 17 Greg Holmes, 18 Adam Byrnes, 19 Scott Higginbotham, 20 Richard Kingi, 21 Anthony Faingaa, 22 Anthony Sauer.
Rathbone given lifeline
Clyde Rathbone has a good reason to smile after being handed named in the starting line up fro the Brumbies crucial clash against the Chiefs.
A week ago Rathbone was contemplating the likelihood he had played his last match for the Brumbies after not receiving a contract offer for next year.
But the recovery of his injured quadriceps and a hamstring injury to Brumbies inside centre Gene Fairbanks has now opened up a starting position on the wing in a match on which the his side’s season hangs.
With Rathbone on the right wing, Stirling Mortlock shifts to outside centre and Tyrone Smith moves inside of Motlock to replace Fairbanks.
Brumbies – 15 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 14 Clyde Rathbone, 13 Stirling Mortlock, 12 Tyrone Smith, 11 Francis Fainifo, 10 Matt Toomua, 9 Patrick Phibbs, 8 Stephen Hoiles (c), 7 George Smith, 6 Julian Salvi, 5 Peter Kimlin, 4 Ben Hand, 3 Guy Shepherdson, 2 Stephen Moore/Huia Edmonds, 1 Ben Alexander.
Sub: 16 Huia Edmonds/John Ulugia, 17 Salesi Ma’afu, 18 Sitaleki Timani, 19 Henry Vanderglas, 20 Joshua Holmes, 21 Afusipa Taumoepeau, 22 Sanualio Afeaki.
50 Comments
13 May 2009, 07:59 am
great coach
13 May 2009, 08:49 am
Hi Grant 10
Thought he was, not so sure anymore !!! Player revolt at the begining of the season, him being suspended, not really achieving anything with the force since he has been there. Poor man management according to the players. Since his time in Aus all he has done is become another Aus whinger !!!
If anyone is to moan about referees , surely our coaches are first in line !!
13 May 2009, 08:52 am
#2 justrugby: yep especially the sharks coach in that game against the canes…
13 May 2009, 08:58 am
Firstly, Mitchell is a Kiwi, not an Aussie. But can anyone explain why pig-headed, boorish, arrogant saffers persists in insulting Aussies with a flood of expletives, when Aussies do not indulge in hate speech?
13 May 2009, 09:06 am
#3 poppa69: Hi Poppa, yip that was a shocker and the Canes got the “done in” …no doubt, but that’s one stand out game, if you review the entire Super rugby since inception Saffa sides have consistently been done in. I remember a Stormers brumbies game wher for the entire mmatch the stormers never received 1 single penalty.
13 May 2009, 09:09 am
#4 OzyAvo: LOL !!
13 May 2009, 09:09 am
#5 justrugby: Hey mate… Im inclined to agree with you… and that stormers match reminds me of a certain game a couple of years ago, but lets not go there
13 May 2009, 10:36 am
#4 OzyAvo:
I do not know why.
Just as I do not know why pig-headed, boorish, arrogant Aussies persist in insulting South Africans with a flood of expletives.
I guess the best answer I can give is that there are pig-headed, boorish, arrogant people (hopefully in the minority) within every nation, and they persist in insulting others with a flood of expletives.
To suggest Australia is immune from such pig-headed, boorish, arrogant behaviour is disingenuous, Ozyavo!
13 May 2009, 11:24 am
poor rattlebones, no contract offer for next year. This while the members of his u21 WC team like Schalk and Jean have a WC medal, are facing the BL and prospects of big money up north soon.
Ai, sometimes it is good to be a SAFFER instead of a whinger.
13 May 2009, 11:55 am
Funny comment that #8. On this site crass Saffers frequently insult Aussies. I challenge you, or anyone else, to submit evidence of any Aussies taking a swipe at Saffers.
13 May 2009, 12:30 pm
#10 OzyAvo: is this a trick question?
13 May 2009, 12:37 pm
It did look like obstruction to me, but that’s the way it goes. You win some you lose some.
13 May 2009, 12:45 pm
No Mayibuye. John Mitchell, a Kiwi, chooses to criticise a SA ref and your compatriots then take it on themselves to react by labelling Aussies sheepshaggers,c onvicts etc etc…a frequent occurence on this site. When questioned over their crass comments, they justify it by accusing Aussies of the same puerile behaviour. I would just like to know chapter and verse, because I’ve never seen, or read it, from Aussies.
13 May 2009, 12:50 pm
#13 OzyAvo:
erm….., “puerile behaviour” other than “pig-headed, boorish, arrogant saffers” and “crass Saffers” you mean?
13 May 2009, 13:06 pm
Earlier on, before Keo edited and censored it, there was a barrage of vitriol directed at Aussies from crass, pig headed, arrogant and ignorant saffers. YES!
13 May 2009, 13:19 pm
yeah mate. well then, I’m off.
I know you and your ilk and the vast majority of your countrymen far too well to not wind up REALLY insulting you with cold no-expletives truth. Consider this a close call and run along.
Peace and goodwill dude
13 May 2009, 13:25 pm
Don’t threaten pal. You and your ilk started it…now you don’t like getting a tiny bit of your own medicine – typical.
13 May 2009, 13:27 pm
#15 OzyAvo:
You are correct Ozzy.
Read the comments on any Austalian themed Thread, and over the top spiteful and rancid posts are the norm.
Why I’m not sure, as South Africans are flocking to your country and seem to enjoy it when the get there.
13 May 2009, 13:38 pm
Well I’ve never met any Aussie preoccupied with hating and bating South Africans…on any website or other forum. All I wanted to know is why Saffers revel,and persist in, insulting Oz and it’s people on this site?
13 May 2009, 14:09 pm
#19 OzyAvo:
A heady mix of ignorance an arrogance…
13 May 2009, 14:17 pm
#19 OzyAvo: I’m not sure where the sheep shagging cropped up from, but it’s as old as the pyramids. Saffers just don’t like Aussie sportsmen because there is a general consensus that they are arrogant.
Why the over-the-top bitterness, I’m not sure. I for one admired the Baggy Greens that included the Waugh brothers, Greg Blewett, Glen McGrath and Shane Warne. And the Aussie team when Gregan, Larkham, Nathan Grey, and Matthew Burke were in full flight was pretty awesome.
I digress, but I suppose we didn’t like losing to the Aussies.
13 May 2009, 14:34 pm
hey aussie
read rugby heaven its full of sa bashing
spiro zavos or watever his name is is the worst
and the aussie newspapers label us as dirty rugby players but here
is the truth
dirty players
larkham gregan justin harrsion brett shehan matt henjack
matt rogers dan vickerman even though he is a saffa
wendall salior george smith owen finnegan hage sare
look i wont be rude to aussie as i live here now
as the result of a violent robbery in sa
and hold an aussie passport so i have ot thank the
aussies for giving me a safe new home
but u guys bash us saffas in the news bad here
13 May 2009, 14:35 pm
MOZEZ22#21. You are a credit to your country, the kind of saffer I will buy a VB for. It’s a pity some, the minority, of your countrymen don’t have the same attitude. Ozzies only have respect for South African sport, so there really is no need to swipe at us.
13 May 2009, 14:49 pm
#22 klippies101: Here is a link to Spiro Zavos articles.
http://www.rugbyheaven.com.au/experts/spiro-zavos/
You should use very powerful lens to find SA bashing as you portrait here.
13 May 2009, 14:52 pm
i read rugbyheaven all the time its full of saffa bashing
13 May 2009, 14:54 pm
but at least others know what it feels like to be treated
as badly as the saffas
13 May 2009, 14:54 pm
#23 OzyAvo: #23 OzyAvo:
A VB… are you for real… willing to bet your IP is not from Aus… being 10pm here in Victoria…
13 May 2009, 14:57 pm
#25 klippies101: Please, post links to the articles which are full of SA bashing. Otherwise, who you are trying to fool?
I read that site, too, by the way.
13 May 2009, 14:58 pm
ja a vb is a bit much doesnt sound like a thing an aussie would
say
13 May 2009, 14:59 pm
i cant think of articles that bash sa off by heart
but i come across them time to time
13 May 2009, 15:07 pm
#30 klippies101: So you can’t name ANY example. How convienant.
Maybe use search engine, find real facts/articles and only THEN make your allegiations?
13 May 2009, 15:15 pm
Saffers should be more worried about combating the scourge of their national sports; rape, murder and crminality, than bashing Aussies who continue to let them in like refugees from fleeing the terror of crime.
13 May 2009, 15:23 pm
#32 OzyAvo: I think the bashing is a common reaction by most people to what they don’t know or feel threatened by. As Aus and NZ are our main comp regarding many sports there is definitely some rivalry there. Some people just take it too far.
Watch out for the comments about SA’s situation though this will open you up to more abuse (about human rights etc.) I don’t like it when someone insults my country as you did in the previous post.
13 May 2009, 16:08 pm
Well, isnt that H I L A R I O U S !
33 comments in and NOT 1 have even made reference to the jist of the article – is Jonker worthy of S14 referee status ?!
Oh no, lets head FULL TILT in to another hate-fueled argument about dirty Aussies and cheating Kiwis and moaning Safas.
1. Is Mitchell a good coach ? well, clearly he is. He coached a few decent results at Test level. He won NPC with Waikato (and Sheild ?). His start-up franchise, the Force, has improved year on year, to my eyes at least. Theyve been very strong this season. Tough job setting up a start-up in AFL country in a sh*tty AFL stadium in the Worlds most isolated city….
Is he an *ssh*le ? yeah, probably. So what ? Is that relevant ? Would Jose Mourinho still be in employment ? Laurie Mains is the best coach ever of the Mighty Otago/Highlanders and he was a right t*sser. You wouldnt find 1 word said against him by Dunedinites tho.
(Anton Oliver was from Marlborough, btw).
2. Is Mitchell right about Jonker ?
Too right. Absolutely hopeless. So is Joubert. They shouldnt be @ S14 level let alone the sacred grounds of Tests.
Too many examples to cite.
Yep, that about covers the 2 points of that article. The more I read it, the less I could see reason for all the ethnic-cleansing you fellas jumped in with.
13 May 2009, 21:04 pm
#9 moedeloos: Freedom is priceless. Something you wont understand if you live in SA.
13 May 2009, 21:09 pm
#8 Joe Maher: Your argument is disingenuous. You know exactly what he means.
13 May 2009, 21:18 pm
#22 klippies101: They may bash but its not racist hate speech. South Africans are most welcome, they make a contribution to the economy far in excess of their numbers.
14 May 2009, 06:56 am
#17 OzyAvo:
Curiously, I didn’t see the “hate” mail that prompted your poisonous little diatribe. Logging on all I saw was YOU insulting south africans and then having the hide to frown upon such insults. Again, I didn’t see what went before, but whatever it was don’t you feel a little hypocritical unleashing that stream of abuse in response??? Further, I cannot and would not try to defend a lot of the people posting on this site and although I’ve been on the site since its inception, seldom post because of some people messing it up for everyone else.
There are a few points worth mentioning though:
1. You are a guest here and it is a S african site. If you don’t like it, vote with your feet.
2. Australia is a great place and the people are generally pretty even minded and agreeable as long as you engage them on agreeable topics. There is however also a MASSIVE undercurrent of racism. The Daily Telegraph would be a good place to start looking for the uninformed (Nils) and others, but the media in general. There is also a cultural trait of being inward looking and arrogant especially as regards sport. This begins at grade then club level then state level and finally plays out on the international stage. In many ways the sportsmen cannot be blamed too much as it is the media ad the supporting public that constantly re-affrim the anything-goes mentality as long as you win. Crowds are boorish and biased, the papers play to their audience by printing scurrilous trash and the players ultimately wind up believing they can cheat, take drugs, racially slur opponents and be above the laws of sport generally speaking. Your Rugby League culture epitomises all of this, and though a lot worse than union is indicative of a mindset. Regarding the media, don’t ask for examples because it is the NORM not the exception. Anyone who does actually read Spiros Zavos and Greg Growden for example would know all too well their one-eyed shameful take on many things regarding South African sport over many years. But to single them out is unfair
3. Sad but true, Aussies do have a huge chip on their shoulder. Initially aimed at the English (for whom they reserve special small-man-syndrome behaviour) but towards the world at large. Aussie blokes are by and large an aggressive species, in pubs in traffic anywhere that there is the most remote chance that their “manhood” is in question. Screams a national identity of insecurity. Aussie women on the other hand have come out alright straight talking, beer drinking robust lasses – interesting.
4. Given the breadth of your opinions on SA, it’s problems etc., how long have you spent living there??? (PS it’s a triiiiick queeeeestion…)but unfortunately you’re obliged to answer or you make my point.
#18 cane: your opinion worries me, usually you are a well balanced, unspiteful person, and if you say there was some bad medicine earlier then it must have been pretty bad
5. Back to Ozzavo – speaking of letting Saffas in “like fleeing refugees” or whatever your line was.., actually there are fairly strict criteria to enter and live in Australia from South Africa (and elsewhere). The point being that Saffas in Oz make a massive contribution. While I hope never myself to have to spend any time with any Eastern Suburbs SA wankers, it is not out of your beneficient phalanthropy that you let Saffas in, it is upgrading your current pool. Hell, if we were actual refugees we would probably be beaten off with a stick, the media would take pictures and you’d probably vote Howard and Ruddock or Vandstone in again to celebrate.
5.#37 Inevitable: the line between “bashing” and “racist hate speech” is a very stretchy concept. ask any representative sample of Australian males what they think about muslims, aboriginals, eastern europeans, anyone of “colour” – the list is a long one, hell ask them their views on women and then try to find the line…
aaanyway, this is an old thread now and y’all probably won’t see the above which is probably just as well, though it WAS therapeutic..
14 May 2009, 07:59 am
#36 Inevitable:
What does he mean?
If you look at what he’s saying, the words he’s chosing (and the subsequent arguments he has posted on this thread) the reasonable person will deduce that he believes South Africans are “pig-headed, boorish and arrogant” and “persist in insulting Aussies with a flood of expletives”…all this “when Aussies do not indulge in hate speech?
That’s a crock of shite. I know it, you know it and he knows it.
I’m a South African living in Aus and I can tell you, my infrequent ventures onto Australian blogs have more often than not been met with “pig-headed, boorish and arrogant” responses from Aussies who “persist in insulting me with a flood of expletives”, when I merely offer a contrary view to the parochial “Aussie Uber Alles” stance, often adopted by people who have yet to venture out of their neighbourhood, let alone city or state.
Point is, there is good and bad in everyone, every nation. The crapheads from South Africa who indulge in this stuff are as despicable as the craphead Aussies who do likewise…and so on through all the nationalities of the world.
Fortunately, these louts are in the minority the world over, as most people are good and decent.
But to suggest, as OzyAvo does, that one country – his country – is immune is disengenuous.
14 May 2009, 08:10 am
#38 mayibuye:
#39 Joe Maher:
Well said boys…………
14 May 2009, 10:22 am
#38 mayibuye: All I ask is real L I N K S to the articles you refer to. Otherwise, it is a stream of empty hot air.
I do not know about Daily Telegraph, I DO however know about rugbyheaven.com.au. and I frequently read articles by Zavos and Gowden. If there is things, you accuse them of, you must be using microscope to see them.
On the contrary, articles here on Keo are sometimes way way (how to say it politely) … erm … more one-eyed. And I will not mention comments.
I’ll repeat it again. LINKS, please.
14 May 2009, 10:27 am
#39 Joe Maher: I do agree with you that comments in forums are abusive everywhere and one will find in general public such imbeciles in every country.
The point is about articles in serious rugby forums. Folks like klippies101 or mayibuye point their fingers to two authors, accusing them of nasty things, yet cannot show a single proof (i.e., respective articles), when asked directly.
14 May 2009, 10:34 am
#38 mayibuye: “Aussie blokes are by and large an aggressive species, in pubs in traffic anywhere that there is the most remote chance that their “manhood” is in question. Screams a national identity of insecurity.”
I must have missed that trait completely. All Aussie expats living here I had chance to meet while watching rugby were nice and friendly blokes.
The same applied to Kiwis, Saffas, Scots, Welshmen and English rugby loving people I have chatted with here in pubs.
I’d call it in one word – p r e j u d i c e.
14 May 2009, 11:39 am
#38 mayibuye:
Very well said !
Sad to see there is still only ONE article on-point (er, mine), nevertheless you are a credit to your country (whichever one that is) instead of some of the trash-talking embiciles that live on this blog (Whatever, Wayne Barnes, BokFan1 etc).
Aussies are wholly racist, a point of deference to Kiwis. They are also quite class’ist, which is interesting considering their history. There is an undercurrent of aggressiveness that is also found in NZ – eg driving a car is an interesting exercise; be prepared for cars tail-gating you until you let them pass. Poms might have their own unlikeable characteristics (unfriendly compared to SA/Aus/NZ) but they are inherently polite and respectful of personal space and very considerate.
It would be nice to have some dialogue on the actual topic at hand however – Joubert as a ref, or Mitchells right to comment. It seems Safas simply dont want to acknowledge the clear deficiencies of some of their refs, whilst retaining the rights to call every other re ‘a cheat’. Which, I think, says much about the culture in SA. Unfortunately.
14 May 2009, 12:02 pm
#44 BlackPanther:
Pot calling the kettle black again. Quick to throw out insults cause someone disagrees with your stance and the way you put it across. Practice what you preach mate.
14 May 2009, 12:07 pm
#44 BlackPanther:
Oh and another thing…….”generalisation”……an over used bow in your so called armour….I also think you will find the ref was Jonker, not Joubert …….. but the whinger was a Kiwi, which is not a supprise!
14 May 2009, 12:48 pm
#46 whatever:
Jonker…..Joubert………-> both hopeless.
Atleast in NZ we just focus on their job and critique accordingly. Makes a pleasant change from calling every ref “a cheat” when the result doesnt go your way.
Whatever, you are a complete embicile. How sad that you choose to live in NZ, date a Kiwi, and yet so clearly have the largest chip on your shoulder about the place. It shows a complete lack of maturity, Im sure your parents moved you there with the intention of displacing you out of your comfort-zone and hoping for some real character to emerge.
14 May 2009, 13:01 pm
#47 BlackPanther:
Clearly you crit a Saffa refs without knowing the difference and think that the sun shines outya nether regions. I personally don’t recall calling Kiwi ref’s cheaters, maybe you know something I don’t?? Bud, if you take everything that is written as gospel then that is your problem, but don’t call me names cause then you are stooping to my level, not so?
Dooooooos!
14 May 2009, 13:03 pm
I bet here will not be a single whingeing when Sharks crash out or Bulls do not get their home semi.
14 May 2009, 13:09 pm
#48 whatever:
“dont call me names” ????
HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA !
actually, ‘embicile’ is not a name. But by all means, use it for one because atleast that way you will comply with the Fair Trading Act.
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