Sanzar to probe Bok selections
8 Jul 2011
The ARU has called on Sanzar to seek assurances from the Springboks that they will field their best available team during the Tri-Nations.
The ARU has questioned the veracity of a Bok injury list that includes 21 of South Africa’s best players. It would appear that coach Peter de Villiers is resting these players for the away leg of the Tri-Nations so that they will be fresh and ready for the World Cup later in the year.
The Sanzar countries have an agreement which ensures they do not damage any of its competitions through fielding weakened teams, and ARU chief executive John O’Neill said on Wednesday that Sanzar’s chief executive officer, Greg Peters, must investigate and determine whether the Boks are reneging on that agreement.
‘The difference between 2007 and now is that we now have a permanent Sanzar office with a CEO, who has the job of monitoring and policing such matters. He [Peters] will be following up on this announcement,’ O’Neill said.
‘A couple of weeks ago we had rumours coming out of the Republic that they may be sending an understrength team. We received assurances at the time that the only players not included would be genuinely injured. We have a joint venture agreement and a broadcasting agreement, and it is important that the three countries don’t just comply with the black letter of the law, but also the spirit of the contract. Joint ventures rely on people acting honourably and consistently.
‘We’re not in a position to second-guess the Springboks, and we also have our share of injured players. But it is nowhere near 21. The sheer size of the number of players who are injured is unusual,’ O’Neill said. ‘That’s why we have asked for assurances.’
349 Comments
Pages: [1] 2 3 4 5 6 7 » Show All
7 Jul 2011, 20:26 pm
Probing dragons!
7 Jul 2011, 20:49 pm
Aussies not playing in SA or NZ conference might account for their low body count.
7 Jul 2011, 20:53 pm
Will they now PROBE every time a player gets injured and their absence might damage the quality of the tournament?
The way I see it this Tri-Nations bore will be a lot more exciting without the slow moving dinosaurs such as Burger, Matfield, Botha, etc. If the ARU is so worried about the Boks resting their players then why don’t they just fake a few injuries themselves?
7 Jul 2011, 21:02 pm
Did not take long for O Neil to start his whining !!
7 Jul 2011, 21:37 pm
cmon now Devils Spawn
DONT waste your energy here
move on, John.
You can scold em all you like
as many times as you like
and as loudly as you like.
But its always the same result.
hear no evil, see no evil, speak…..
move on, John. This ones a closed case.
7 Jul 2011, 22:17 pm
Man I hate that Pr*ck O Neil.
If I was him I’d hide my head in shame after selling us the expanded S15 tournament. He is like a used car salesman who managed to swindle his client into a rotten deal. A deal which benefits Australia but basically destroyed our Currie Cup.
But shameless Aussie that he is, he doesn’t have the sense to reap his rewards in some dirty hideaway. No, he wants to have his cake and eat it.
I reckon if he pushes just a little bit harder, we will pull out of this stupid SANZAR deal and join the Northern Hemisphere – which is an option that we alone of the Southern Hemisphere nations have, given our geographic location.
In short: The Pr*ck should keep his mouth shut or he will soon end up playing endless round robin matches against the Kiwis and Fijians, while the South Africans and their big piggybank move on to bigger and better audiences up North.
7 Jul 2011, 22:21 pm
Fact is if we still had Louis Luyt instead of spineless SARU leadership of today, then O Neil would be shivering with his tail between his legs like a whipped dog somewhere in the outback.
Alas, we are stuck with the SARU nincompoops currently at the helm, and are thus forced to listen to his endless blabbering and grandiose posturing.
7 Jul 2011, 22:23 pm
@Tacitus(Deucalion)-6: @Tacitus(Deucalion)-7: Hear farken hear!
7 Jul 2011, 23:17 pm
Freaken douchebag O’ Neill, let me explain:
You guys wanted a Super15 where the conference’s teams are pitched against eachother.
Well?
South African teams are the most physical. And the Aussies had a tea party.
So guess what, we have injuries stupid wop.
Deal with it.
7 Jul 2011, 23:19 pm
When Ozzie gets their own first class internal league together they can complain. Until then shut the f up and stop demanding we sacrifice our players health and careers.
7 Jul 2011, 23:23 pm
@Frik(frikodel)-10:
It’s a RWC year. They introduce a SR tournament that will become a year-long thing. They plot to have us donner eachother up, playing SA teams twice so that we can remove ourselves from the competition.
Nothing will come of this, but it’s bloody irritating.
8 Jul 2011, 00:02 am
@Tacitus(Deucalion)-6:
so, despite everyone here openly accepting that all 21 x Bok-players are not rrrrrreally injured
Hell, some of them are even living la dolce vita in Tuscany
but when a non-Safa also points out the same point, his contractual partner in fact
then its suddenly “bullsh*t” ?!
should you really wish to move oop north, like we hear in every season that draws defeats, then please dont forget to
turn out the lights on the way out
because that is what will happen to your rugby.
8 Jul 2011, 00:36 am
@Black Panther(Black Panther)-12:
They never said Spies was injured.
8 Jul 2011, 01:04 am
just got to love the arrogance of some SA posters..
who says the SA derbies are the most physical? what proof of this do you have rather than a one eyed opinion?
The Stormers, the best SA team got handed a rugby lesson in controlled aggression, and for all their supposed superior physicality, were made to look like schoolboys…
what a laugh…
Good on you O’Neil, about time light was shed on the fact that you cant take a SA on his word…. why agree to playing the best team possible then REMOVING 21 players who are the mainstays of your national squad?
those Saffas defending the decision have no concept of honour at all, yet I would imagine will be the very first to complain if the shoe was on the other foot…
is it any wonder people want to “get the yarpies” when they continually backstab their partners…
Please please please take your ball and go run away up north… we’ll see how long that love affair lasts, the irish already have problems with you lot, so its not just an australasian thing.. and watch your rugby retrograde something chronic…
perhaps one day SARU and co will actually develop the intricate business skills called LEADERSHIP..
but hey, I enjoy being entertained by the circus that is SA rugby…
8 Jul 2011, 01:13 am
@poppa69(poppa69)-14:
“who says the SA derbies are the most physical? what proof of this do you have …”
PROOF??
21 injured first-string SPRINGBOKS.
LMAO
8 Jul 2011, 02:05 am
@Agile T*t-Tyrant(Anairetes agilis)-15:
8 Jul 2011, 02:07 am
@Agile T*t-Tyrant(Anairetes agilis)-15: but hang on, all those Stormers players that are on the injured list, didnt they play in the game against the Saders last week?
so they managed to come through the physically superior SA derbies without a scratch, then 5 of them got injured against the physically inferior NZ side?
oh my, Im confused…. please help
8 Jul 2011, 02:14 am
@poppa69(poppa69)-17:
There are 2 reasons for that:
1) The Stormers are an unusually frail variety of South African, but tough nonetheless.
2) The Stormers had a rest week during the qualifiers, and injured themselves during with their “extramural” activities.
Only South Africans are hard enough to injure South Africans. You can’t scratch corumdum with calcite.
8 Jul 2011, 02:19 am
@poppa69(poppa69)-17:
Goodnight Poppa.
Gonna go crawl into the chest freezer in the pantry now so that I can keep warm.
Try not to worry your little head about the policing of SANZAR agreements. We all want a good spectacle at the RWC in NZ.
8 Jul 2011, 03:56 am
The problem is with the fact that SARU lied – twice.
I would also ask someone to look into it.
8 Jul 2011, 05:42 am
SANZAR greed has come back to bite it in the arhse. SA and NZ have the most demanding rugby calenders – super rugby, inbound tours, trinations, domestic comps and EOYT on an annual basis. IN 2007 NZ and SA rested top players for part of the season to ensure the RWC squads were not running on empty. This year we have an extended super rugby comp. There is so much rugby there is not even any space to fit in inbound tours if they tried.
This years Trinations will be devalued due to weakened teams but not as much as it has been devalued by each side playing each other three times. I don’t expect any of the teams to take any chances whatsoever with RWC players.
8 Jul 2011, 05:55 am
@stormer in a teacup(stormer in a teacup)-21: spot on!
John o **** says http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/union-news/aru-wants-answers-as-boks-claim-21-unavailable-20110707-1h4tc.html
Duane Vermeulen injured,
Fourie du Preez needs game time,
Schalk Burger injured , Victor Matfield old needs resting,
Frans Steyn injured,
Jaque Fourie,
Jean de Villiers needs more game time this oke is a perrenial bludger,
BJ Botha,
Juan Smith injured,
Bismarck du Plessis,
Willem Alberts injured, Andries Bekker, Jannie du Plessis,
Francois Louw injured, Gurthro Steenkamp, JP Pietersen, Butch James, Bryan Habana, Tendai Mtawarira and Bakkies Botha.
I though Habadonna needs more game time. He is out of form and needs toi find it on the field.
8 Jul 2011, 06:24 am
SANZAR can maybe then probe why the New Zealand stands are always so empty.
8 Jul 2011, 06:34 am
@Kietzphat(Kietzphat)-23: because opposition keep sending second rate teams… simple really, would you continue to fork out your hard earned only to be disappointed in not seeing the guys you expect to and want to see play?
so, if NZ turn up in SA without Carter, SBW, Dagg, nonu, Mils, Mealamu etc, would you too not be somewhat peeved at buying a ticket in full confidence expecting to see the two BEST teams going at it? or would you RIGHTLY feel ripped off?
all this talk of empty stands, do you remember the empty stands during the midweek games of the 09 B&I lions series? or the empty stands at Loftus this year? or the perennial empty stands at Jo’burg?
its not only a NZ problem, but hey, you probably think the stands will be empty during the WC, even though 1 Mill tickets have already been sold… eish..
8 Jul 2011, 06:37 am
@stormer in a teacup(stormer in a teacup)-21: @KevinRack(KevinRack)-22: SANZAR greed or PDivvy cashing cheques he had NO INTENTION of honouring? 4 or 5 players out due to injury, sure no probs, but 21 front line players?
and Saffas wonder why so many people think you guys are arrogant and self serving, this is just another in a fine litany of examples..
Justice 4 reneging on a contractual arrangement… what a joke, glad its not my union..
my name may be gat on here, but it is miniscule compared to SARU’s name internationally now…
8 Jul 2011, 06:51 am
When it comes to the next TV deal, I imagine O’Neill will be demanding more money than the South Africans based on this type of behavior, and he would be justified.
Rugby is a professional sport, and all the stakeholders need to be considered – including fans in other countries, and TV companies.
Despite what a number of people claim, South Africa needs Australia and New Zealand just as much as they need South Africa. No-one in the Northern Hemisphere wants us, and we don’t want to play rugby during December and January like we would have to if we played in the North. Withdrawing from SANZAR would result in South Africa playing rugby in South Africa against South Africans, maybe with some international games. Doesn’t that sound familiar?
Withdrawing the top players also further devalues the Springboks – more than any of de Villiers selections ever has done. That win/loss ratio between the All Blacks and Boks is never going to change.
The reality is the Aussies play as much rugby as the South Africans, minus a couple of Currie Cup games, which the Boks should play in any-way. The Currie Cup is already undermined – it was the Super 15 that did that. I much prefer a Currie Cup where the returning Boks don’t influence the semi-finals and finals like they have done the last couple of years.
8 Jul 2011, 06:54 am
@poppa69(poppa69)-25:
hahahahaahhahah, they are even emptier when two keeeweeee sides play knobend……..
8 Jul 2011, 06:55 am
@WOLFMAN21(WOLFMAN21)-26:
Dont think the ANZACs are too worried about what ever South Africa does, nothing surprizes. Here is a comment I read on theroar dot com dot au
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels said | Today | Report comment
JON is going through the motions, he has to appear to be raising concern. Gives him more ammo when they either renew the next TV deal or punt the carnts. Argentina would be a nice fit – ANZARG has a nice ring to it. At least we won’t have to worry about teams having their gear knocked off when abroad.
I don’t care if SA send a b,c,etc side, let us repay them in kind and send them the Rebels. Saffas refer to us as the Wobblies. so give them what they deserve. We can replace the (Rebels) imports with fringe S15 (club players)… the guys that SA sites refer to as bubbling up. Perfect example could be Perett starting for Gareth Delve.
I am liking this very much.
Reply
8 Jul 2011, 06:56 am
@whatever(whatever)-27: Loftus and Kings Park empty up pretty quickly as soon as the Bulls and Sharks start losing, so I wouldn’t be too arrogant about South African attendances. Thats need even mentioning the Lions (biggest attendance of 27 this year, including the ball boys) and the Cheetahs. Those Harley’s must scare the fans away.
8 Jul 2011, 06:56 am
@poppa69(poppa69)-25:
Yeah, ya duschbag, your name was gat long time ago…………time to faaaak of and go do the security rounds. Make sure you check all the monitors and check all doors………
8 Jul 2011, 06:57 am
How funny is that? Looks like they expect sideshow bob and his traveling band to be a Jake White clone show.
8 Jul 2011, 06:59 am
@WOLFMAN21(WOLFMAN21)-29:
Not arrogant, check out the attendance numbers. Trust me a 16k capasity stadium that looks empty does not beat a 40-50k stadium that may look half empty
Jeez, there are more people watching netball on a Thursday night in North Harbour than some of these rugger games in NZ
8 Jul 2011, 07:24 am
What rubbish, SA has by far the biggest crowd attendance! Aus and NZ 2gether doesn’t even come close to the amount of tickets we sell!!!
8 Jul 2011, 07:27 am
All this talk about ARG being part of tri nations and they can replace boks blah blah blah ! The Bok team touring AUS and NZ will beat ARG on any given saturday! Some of the bloggers here has got there head up their @sses!
8 Jul 2011, 07:31 am
John o’Neil and is sheep shagging countrymen wishes and envy Bok rugby, the amount of depth we have and the physicality of our forwards. Am I the only1 who noticed more pacific islanders playing for Aus teams? Even AUS junior team had polonesian boys in it, obviously John o’Neil and his clowns went shopping at the isalnds
8 Jul 2011, 07:40 am
Allow me Sanzar…
Yes ARU I can promise you from the bottom of my heart that every player on that list is injured.
8 Jul 2011, 07:41 am
The bottom line is that SARU as agreed to select their best available players. By sending a B team on tour they are effectively guaranteeing fewer ticket sales and advertising revenues thus selling the Aus and NZ unions short. The contempt for said agreement is made worse by selecting their best players for the home leg ensuring maximum ticket sales.
8 Jul 2011, 07:42 am
@littlejewhats(littlejewhats)-1:
more like probing dragons…
8 Jul 2011, 07:46 am
@Kietzphat(Kietzphat)-23:
Because they play their games in the middle of the night to give Saffas the opportunity to view quality rugby players at reasonable times on TV
8 Jul 2011, 07:48 am
What is most annoying about O’Neil, is that he’s killing South African domestic rugby whilst fighting a losing battle for Australian rugby anyway. I’m in Australia and I can tell you 2 things:
A) The vast majority of people in Oz simply don’t care about Union. It’s not even a case of League fans may watch a little Union as well. It’s a “them and us” scenario and they refuse to watch it on principle. Between Rugby League and Aussie rules which entertain the vast majority of Aussie sports fans there just aren’t enough spectators to make up the numbers for Union too.
B) Rugby Union is a dying sport here – fact. After everything O’Neil has done to pillage South African rugby to build it up in Oz, it’s all amounted to a gaint failure anyway.
8 Jul 2011, 07:50 am
@corms(corms)-37: Tough! Build a bridge and get over it. They don’t have a World Cup title to defend and they were the ones pushing to extend the S15 and include more taxing home derbies anyway.
8 Jul 2011, 07:51 am
@Black Panther(Black Panther)-12:
like oz playing nz eeeveeery year and loooooossing is gonna be sooooooo much fun for the kissing cousins?
8 Jul 2011, 07:53 am
@he’s not the messiah. he’s a very naughty boy!(i_love_u_bakkiesbotha)-38:
i mean, a-n-a-l probing dragons
8 Jul 2011, 07:59 am
@Yetirat(Yetirat)-41: It’s not a matter of getting over anything. At issue is the honoring of a contractual obligation. If SARU can’t honor a contract they shouldn’t sign it in the first place. It’s fairly simple.
8 Jul 2011, 08:02 am
Stupid Australians. What should be probed is the utter lack of intensity in the Australian game. None of their derbies came even close to the level of a typical Inter-Res game at a SA University. They should all be well rested going into the 3Nations.
8 Jul 2011, 08:05 am
Of course there is the (admittedly faint) possibility that our so-called 2nd team actually wins in Oz……… who will look like a right plonker then, eh?
8 Jul 2011, 08:06 am
@corms(corms)-44: Consider it a loophole, learn from your/their mistakes, and move on.
8 Jul 2011, 08:09 am
Let’s face it, 21 injured players is just a smokescreen to rest players. If the AB, or Wallabies wanted to, they could also come up with a list of 21 injured players. Most players will tell you they play with niggling injuries. The reality is SARU do not have the guts or integrity to admit they are resting players. It’s pathetic. At least when Henry did it, he didn’t pull any punches. Neither did Jake White when he did it. If anyone really believes this drivel is the truth, then they are either naive, or missing some brain cells.
Let them rest their players, I say. Stocomplainingng John. It will come back to bite them in the WC. Let them cry wolf for the only people beinfooleded are their own supporters. Everyone else knows the truth. Who cares anyway, the full-strength Bok team has only won twice in Australia in the last 10 years.
8 Jul 2011, 08:13 am
If the cheetahs can kill the Saders 6 – love like they did, there is no reason why the Bok B team can’t beat the all blacks…..
8 Jul 2011, 08:25 am
Bottom line is we as Saffas all know the truth, as do the Aussies and Kiwis….we are resting the A team.
Anyone remotely believing otherwise is simply being silly.
Their is so little honesty and integrity left . Should of just said we are simply not prepared to wreck our slim WC chances by sending our tired A Team back overseas and accepted the consequences, if any. The bad vibes is because we are essentially lying through out teeth by claiming, miraculously, that the 21 A team players are injured and the other 28 are, miraculously, available for selection for the away trip.
It is just very see through.
Pages: [1] 2 3 4 5 6 7 » Show All
Have your say
You must be logged in to post a comment.