Player 23: Cotton-wool Boks

Player 23: Cotton-wool Boks

7 Jun 2009

Should Springboks be playing in the provincial matches against the Lions?

p2311The British and Irish press have expressed their disappointment at the withdrawal of the 28 players who have been named in the Bok squad, saying it has devalued the Lions tour.

Stuart Barnes, former England No 10 and Sky commentator, had this to say in the Sunday Times:

‘South Africa have adopted a sporting scorched earth policy by withdrawing their 28-man Test squad from contact with the Lions. Instead of Jaque Fourie and Juan Smith getting an early sight of the tourists with the Golden Lions and the Cheetahs, the visitors have been left to face lesser names. Encountering a frontline South African international before the first Test is about as likely as encountering an elephant in downtown Johannesburg.

‘Peter de Villiers might be thinking back to the 2007 World Cup where the All Blacks, starved of a competitive pool match, crumpled when the pressure came on in the quarter-finals. Four years ago New Zealand did the same thing to the Lions, who duly headed with delusions of English grandeur to the first Test and three weekends of humiliation.

‘The flip side of the coin is that many of the home team will not have played for five weeks or more (excluding the routine warm-up game against Namibia). Such potential rustiness could suit the Lions to perfection. By trying to be too clever, the Springboks may be acting stupidly.’

Does Barnes have a point?

Have your say, as Vodacom Player 23, below.


80 Comments

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  • 51.Langenhoven: Reply to this comment
    7 Jun 2009, 17:11 pm

    #50 Transformation: 100s mate… got to go to a BBQ a bit later…not really up to it but I got to do the decent thing… sun has just come out..

  • 52.Langenhoven: Reply to this comment
    7 Jun 2009, 17:15 pm

    #50 Transformation: I see mondli has written about gifts and the new president… seems to follow on from one of my journals..The African Farm

  • 53.Finfan: Reply to this comment
    7 Jun 2009, 17:19 pm

    The Sharks still have Kockott, so they don’t need their Bokkies in the team.

  • 54.Transformation: Reply to this comment
    7 Jun 2009, 17:22 pm

    #52 Langenhoven: lol…you should’ve been a hip hop artist, the way you’re on you own d!ck!! is mondli familiar with your blog? He he he

  • 55.Langenhoven: Reply to this comment
    7 Jun 2009, 17:25 pm

    #54 Transformation: Fred K is… so maybe they talk

  • 56.Finfan: Reply to this comment
    7 Jun 2009, 17:27 pm

    Lol in the toilet. Hear the echo and get off this blog.

  • 57.Langenhoven: Reply to this comment
    7 Jun 2009, 17:30 pm

    #54 Transformation: BTW…I noted a bit of interest from the BBC…there server seems to show up on my log regularly

  • 58.wooden spoon: Reply to this comment
    7 Jun 2009, 17:32 pm

    #10 Tacitus: The S14 is over now Tacky. Time to put the provincialism aside for the time being. It’s all about the Boks now and what’s in THEIR best interests.

    After all, the Boks, as the country’s national team, are far more important than any provincial or franchise team, but you know this already.

  • 59.wooden spoon: Reply to this comment
    7 Jun 2009, 17:33 pm

    Hahahahaha! Some people just make you laugh.

  • 60.namakwaland: Reply to this comment
    7 Jun 2009, 17:42 pm

    Langenhoven hoe lyk dit vir my jy het mense uitgesit?

  • 61.Transformation: Reply to this comment
    7 Jun 2009, 17:42 pm

    #57 Langenhoven: bbc you say? Okay…i must say i’ve only visited your blog once and just browsed through it…what would you say is the main thrust of your blog, what do you hope people will come away with after reading all of your thoughts?…

  • 62.wooden spoon: Reply to this comment
    7 Jun 2009, 17:43 pm

    You definitely leave it feeling hot, what with all the hot air about.

  • 63.Bul-a-Bhloo: Reply to this comment
    7 Jun 2009, 17:52 pm

    The court jesters gather.
    But they won’t “uitgesit” us.
    We been here for years.
    Seen it all before, will wait for them to leave, maybe after a few months, but inevitable.

  • 64.namakwaland: Reply to this comment
    7 Jun 2009, 17:54 pm

    This site is so quite,maybe the Werfbobbejane is on strike.

  • 65.wooden spoon: Reply to this comment
    7 Jun 2009, 17:56 pm

    Oh ho, I see a new ally has been found, with similar mentality…

  • 66.Bul-a-Bhloo: Reply to this comment
    7 Jun 2009, 17:59 pm

    #65 wooden spoon: The ally knows rugby well, his politics are his own.

    Well worth reading on the field, and ignoring in the stands.

  • 67.Langenhoven: Reply to this comment
    7 Jun 2009, 18:00 pm

    Guys…and idiots…Got to go BBQ at 5…Would love to stick around to enjoy some insight and entertainment..

    Later

  • 68.Langenhoven: Reply to this comment
    7 Jun 2009, 18:02 pm

    #61 Transformation: Another perspective…and hopefully a new way of thinking…Got to go ..Missus is shouting

  • 69.WP_: Reply to this comment
    7 Jun 2009, 18:06 pm

    #68 Langenhoven: what is your bolg?

  • 70.namakwaland: Reply to this comment
    7 Jun 2009, 18:10 pm

    68.Still running?Lyk my jy onthou nog die sjambok.

  • 71.WP_: Reply to this comment
    7 Jun 2009, 18:10 pm

    #67 Langenhoven: You’re the idoit, go be full of yourself elsewhere you chop.

  • 72.namakwaland: Reply to this comment
    7 Jun 2009, 18:12 pm

    71.WP. Why do you assume you are the Idiot?

  • 73.WP_: Reply to this comment
    7 Jun 2009, 18:15 pm

    #72 namakwaland: I dont, I just think its quite ironic that that idoit is calling people that.

  • 74.namakwaland: Reply to this comment
    7 Jun 2009, 18:17 pm

    73.Get that.

  • 75.Big Hit: Reply to this comment
    7 Jun 2009, 19:39 pm

    In truth these Celtic Lions have probably been saved multiple defeats by not having the Springboks in their oppositions.

    For the Boks it’s a chance missed, the Lions could’ve been demoralised and been beaten numerous times if they had let their Boks play.

  • 76.carol: Reply to this comment
    7 Jun 2009, 19:42 pm

    #75 Big Hit: Missed you last night, Coochie was on Radio 5 btw!

  • 77.SpringbokSarah: Reply to this comment
    7 Jun 2009, 20:28 pm

    As much as I would love that and it would make the provincial games more exciting, it would hurt the Boks and they already have limited time to prepare and you wouldn’t want to hurt their chances even more. They had less time to prepare, not much of a warm up and becuase the Bulls were in the final we were missing 10 people until they were done.

  • 78.Slumtown: Reply to this comment
    7 Jun 2009, 21:21 pm

    #9 KingPaul: Dis ok dat hulle gewoond raak aan wen.. dit gee hulle n vals sin van sekuriteit. Hulle gaan afchop teen ons Bokke.

    Demas het vreeslik goed gespeel vir n slag. Hy het nie keuse gehad met daai skop nie, Wian het te lank aan die bal gehang. En die bons van die bal was maar lelik vir hom op die end. Regtig nie sy vout die keer nie.

    Maar ja as Wian die bal vroer afgegee het was dit n drie verseker en as hulle hul doelskoppe geskop het was dit n ander storie. Potgieter is regtig nie veel van n speler nie en ek dink hy is verantwoordlik vir baie van die Cheetahs se swak Super 14. Toe Naas in die laaste paar wedstryde vir hulle speel was dit n ander storie. En dis jammer hulle het nie JW Jonker vroer gehad nie want hy is n baie goeie speler. Sit hom met Juries in middeveld en jy het n goeie paar 12 en 13´s op die veld. Demas of Basson en Nokwe op die vleuels met Fortuin op heelagter. Daniller het gister weer gewys hoekom ek hom nie in hoe ag neem nie. Hy speel swak. Vervang Tewis met Sarel Pretorius en jy het n redelike agterlyn.

  • 79.pierre: Reply to this comment
    8 Jun 2009, 09:34 am

    None of this matters. Play the Boks in the warm-up games, don’t play them, whatever. The gulf in talent between the Boks and the Lions is just too great, and we are going to see three Test hidings in a row. The Lions almost lost to the bottom-ranked team in the Super 14, for f**k’s sake – would have done, but for some hopelessly incomptent officiating by the world’s most clueless referee (and somehow I don’t think our Kiwi friends will be disputing my assessment of Wayne Barnes).

  • 80.seamus: Reply to this comment
    8 Jun 2009, 10:08 am

    Rest all the Bulls’ Boks

    Play everyone else.

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