Smit keeps mum over Bees comment
3 Sep 2010
John Smit wants reporters to stick to rugby and stop kicking up a fuss about the Bees Roux trial. Perhaps he should pass on the message to Peter de Villiers.
Without provocation, De Villiers made an outrageous statement on Monday claiming the Boks were fully behind Roux, the Blue Bulls player charged with the murder of a Tshwane policeman.
The statement has angered a lot of people, not least of all De Villiers’ employers at the South African Rugby Union. It’s also caused a stir among those close to the deceased.
According to News24, at a memorial service for Ntshimane Johannes Mogale, the Tshwane metro police regional director Moloko Racheku said he shuddered when the Springboks announced that they were 100% behind Roux.
De Villiers said the team supported the player, not the deed, but how the situation developed. He never once offered the team’s condolences to the family members, who are ironically, big Springbok supporters. That there is an ongoing investigation into the case is irrelevant. De Villiers should have shown some tact.
Smit has always been the more sensible and diplomatic of the Boks’ coach-captain duo, but brushed the question aside on Friday. Asked for clarification on whether the Boks had discussed the matter and whether they are fully behind Roux, he said: ‘Stick to rugby. I know it’s hard for you guys, but stick to rugby’.
It was a difficult situation for Smit. If he echoed De Villiers’ statement, he would have made the same mistake as his coach. If he said the Boks weren’t behind Roux, he would have contradicted De Villiers and confirmed widespread belief that the national coach is a loose cannon.
Smit only has his coach to blame for putting him in that situation. De Villiers is in trouble for those comments and will be ‘assessed’ by Saru in the coming days, but his statement about Roux was made as the team’s spokesman. His careless comments have ensured the Boks look as bad as he does.
By Jon Cardinelli, in Bloemfontein
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286 Comments
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3 Sep 2010, 18:34 pm
Sarel Pretorius too slow with the let go, Griquas murdering tries left and right. GET THE BALL OUT FFS
3 Sep 2010, 18:36 pm
Held up 5m scrum
3 Sep 2010, 18:38 pm
Sarel PAINFULLY slow, being replaced
3 Sep 2010, 18:40 pm
running out of time
3 Sep 2010, 18:44 pm
Schoeman scores!
3 Sep 2010, 18:45 pm
33 – 28 to Cheetahs
3 Sep 2010, 18:47 pm
Cheetahs win
3 Sep 2010, 18:55 pm
Bugger it! Did the Kwas blow some opportunities?
F**k it i lost that pick on superbru
3 Sep 2010, 19:36 pm
Is this a blog or hate site? Pdivvy all the way!
3 Sep 2010, 21:02 pm
Fok die WP , kry ek kak vanaang ! `Wp man in die vrystaat ! nee wat dis kak , Rassie moet sy kak los met met 20 20
3 Sep 2010, 21:04 pm
Haal my hoed af vir Elton, goeie speler
3 Sep 2010, 21:07 pm
@Andre_WP(Andre_WP)-260: Ya nee, the season has unravelled in a matter of three weekends. Dunno what the reasons are.
3 Sep 2010, 23:21 pm
Hi all.Christchurch got hit by a 7.4 magnitude earthquake early this morning (4.30am N.Z. time) and the damage is quite bad but no loss of life at this point…may put the R.W.C into a bit of disarray for next year but all should be o.k…
3 Sep 2010, 23:34 pm
@Diontnz(Diontnz)-263:
yeah, freaky sh*t alright. Just checked with the whanau in Canterbury. All well. Coupla towns cut off from power and water tho. Central Chch looks a bit dodgy, buildings collapsed. Lucky it was at 4:35am, noone on the streets at that time otherwise those piles of bricks would have taken out a few pedestrians.
NZ has a history of massive earthquakes and violent volcanic eruptions, scary sh*t.
3 Sep 2010, 23:35 pm
@Rugby Nutter(Rugby Nutter)-259:
yeah
Save Krusty !
4 Sep 2010, 00:02 am
@Black Panther(Black Panther)-264: If in need of any buckets, apparentlty they have loads in Palmerston North!
Glad to hear no serious injuries!!
4 Sep 2010, 00:11 am
@Black Panther(Black Panther)-264:
Doesn’t sound good at all. Haven’t picked up any news this side yet.
Otherwise, how you doing? Long time, no speak.
4 Sep 2010, 01:54 am
The Boks are as culpable as P Diddy in this scenario, to openly discuss a legal case amongst 22 rugby players and several coachs, and come to a conclusion without the sanity of the Bok’s spokesman, is utter madness and entirely indictable. The pronouncement of innocence or guilt on the certain Bees Roux has not been determined as of yet, and as such, SA rule of law must take its course before any interested groups proffer their support or denigration.
4 Sep 2010, 02:00 am
It is quite amazing that a sect of the Bulls fan are rather partial on this murder allegation, and the remainder of the country countless of race has been critical of the act, as extremely excessive regardless of the circumstances in consideration of a policeman being killed. John Smit one must say was obtuse in his response but the real question is, did the Bok camp discuss an on-going murder case and decide without judicial prudence on innocence of one of their brotherhood!
4 Sep 2010, 02:01 am
Was John Smit a party to the discussion with P Diddy, and in fact agreed with the majority on the matter?
4 Sep 2010, 02:06 am
If John Smit and Victor Matfield were a party to this collective decision, it would ruin a stellar leadership track record of John Smit, and possibly scupper Victor Matfields hopes of being SA’s talisman. In respect to John Smit, if he has any part in the Boks aggregate thought on the matter, and either initiated or supported the many on the position that the national team ought to support an alleged police murderer, I would without hesitation hold no weight to his historical diplomatic nous, and deem him as a direct threat to national security.
4 Sep 2010, 02:12 am
The truth will out and we shall be able to assuage the arguments put forward by the springbok individuals, I shudder at the thought of the tenure of the discussion, how intelligent could this discussion have really been? These guys are not employed to cajole with the sentiments of the authors of the Western Canon! What did they say besides quoting the bible without provision of interpretation!
4 Sep 2010, 04:17 am
PDivvy says whatever comes into that hot empty space between his ears and doesn’t seek approval or consideration by Smit, Matfield, Hoskins or even Mrs Pdivvy.
None of them can get sucked into any PDivvy hourly idiocy. That guy’s strictly flying solo.
4 Sep 2010, 08:58 am
@I am a stormer(I am a stormer)-267:
fair to middling here on Mud Island. Kids now back at school and w/e sports about to start. Impending chaos.
4 Sep 2010, 09:33 am
@Black Panther(Black Panther)-274:
Cool this side too. Except that Province lost to the Lions last night. 3 losses on the trot now after 6 straight wins.
Can you adam and eve that? The Lions! But they’re looking much better.
How the Counties doing?
4 Sep 2010, 09:43 am
@TheTackler(TheTackler)-273:
My advice to PDiv would’ve been to let people think him a fool rather than open his mouth and remove all doubt.
Too late now.
4 Sep 2010, 10:07 am
@I am a stormer(I am a stormer)-275:
incredible turnaround by the Lions, would never have picked them beating Province. Is Carlos getting any playing-time or is he mostly limited to coaching these days ? Not a great fan of Mitch myself but he’s an excellent fwds coach and it sounded like thats where Transvaal needed the help most.
Counties having a good season, in context of being cr@p for so long. We have a very young team – a 21yr old lock is Capt – and complemented by Tana Umaga as the old hand. If we can keep other teams off our players (eg Nani-Williams), we’ll be there in next year or 2. To think, Keiran Read could be leading the team out instead, before he was thieved as a youngster by the red’n'blacks, Way of the World now, I know. Anyway, Im still hurting from our loss to Southland and not getting our hands on the Log’o'Wood for the 1st time. When the Shield eventually lands in Pukekohe, I’ll be on the 1st plane home !
How do you see the match going today ? I forsee the Wallabies being hammered, they missed their chance last week and Boks will build from there. The young bogan at no9 looks tasty, no ?
4 Sep 2010, 13:51 pm
@Black Panther(Black Panther)-277:
Apologies for delayed response. Was out for a while.
Today, i can’t see Boks making the same defensive errors as last week. Game today will be a lot more structured. Just hope we keep ball in hand more, moving it through the phases and only kick for territory – not skop and chase rubbish.
What was the story about the AB’s getting rid of Mitchell? Apparently he had a decent record. At the Lions right now, they think he’s the best thing since sliced bread and have given him a 3 year contract.
Carlos is the back line coach and gets on the field only in emergengy. Marshall was here to support him over the weekend of the Soccer City test when Carlos was on the bench. Was first Currie Cup game Marshall had attended.
And can’t believe Umaga still going strong.Saw him on TV playing in a legends game earlier this year. Was first ever rugby match played at the Cape Town Stadium used during the SWC.
4 Sep 2010, 14:09 pm
“De Villiers said the team supported the player, not the deed,”.
Did pugulists come out in support of Iron Mike Tyson when he was accused of rape?
Isn’t it rich, isn’t it *****
Losing my timing this late in my career
And where are the clowns
Quick send in the clowns
Don’t bother they’re here.
4 Sep 2010, 14:28 pm
@Panzer Chief(cane)-279:
Great song. Very applicable around here.
Every time PDiv opens his mouth, it’s simply to change feet.
4 Sep 2010, 15:04 pm
@I am a stormer(I am a stormer)-280:
Ha !
4 Sep 2010, 15:19 pm
“Scorn him, ridicule him, even grudgingly respect him for his independence and eccentricity, but South Africa’s rugby coach, Peter de Villiers, should never be underestimated.
Whether it was his inspiration or simply a South African Rugby Union precaution, de Villiers certainly had his ear to the railway track and his eyes on the line ahead to next year’s World Cup” writes Phil Wilkins (Aussie RugbyHeaven)…
Interesting…
4 Sep 2010, 15:21 pm
and Vickerman thinks that the overhill Boks are not over the hill…
“Vickerman also believes the Springboks, who came from behind to beat the Wallabies last week, are being unfairly criticised for having too many seasoned players in their ranks.
”I think so. They are good side. They won the 2007 World Cup. They beat the British and Irish Lions last year. They won Super 14 this year. Then they had a bad few matches,” he says. ”At the end of the day they are a good side. I can’t be too critical of age because I am getting over the hill myself, but some of those guys have the runs on the board. You don’t just forget how to play rugby overnight.”
4 Sep 2010, 15:24 pm
@Bell(Bell)-282: further on in the Wilkins article
“The guillotine was wheeled out again this week when South African media claimed de Villiers’ comments in support of Bees Roux, the Bulls prop who stands accused of murdering a policeman, would lead to his sacking by outraged SARFU officials. But those reports had softened in tone by week’s end and de Villiers, rugby’s great survivor, looked well positioned to hold on to his post.”
…I don’t think they disrespect him as much as we think…
4 Sep 2010, 15:28 pm
@Bell(Bell)-284: it seems that he thinks that the media are sensationalising the issue by “claiming” that the comment would lead to his sacking…. like some writers on this site… I tend to agree… This doesn’t take anything away from the fact that the statement was misplaced though imo…
4 Sep 2010, 15:37 pm
@Panzer Chief(cane)-279: you’re just upset because PDV called out the horribly biased reffing earlier in the tournament (and it was horrible)
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