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
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8 Jul 2011, 08:34 am
@Blokkies(Blokkies)-46: yeah, and imagine that B team lose both their games on tour, then the A team lose both their games at home in SA…
thats really going to go down well with the SA supporters, and will seriously undermine your WC challenge…
lets remember, these “A” team players lost 5 from 6 last year in the 3Ns, including a couple at home… but I really dont mind you guys resting so many players, a person like Matfield has already had two weeks off, by the time he gets to play a home 3Ns game it will be something like 4 to 6 weeks break, with only two games warm up before the tourny begins… I can see a lot of rested and undercooked Saffas being injured by the polynesian briothers because they arent match fit anymore…
8 Jul 2011, 08:36 am
@grant10(grant10)-50: I agree with you.
We are justified in resting our players but not at the cost of our integrity.
8 Jul 2011, 08:46 am
“… comply with the black letter of the law, but also the spirit of the contract.”
(1) what about the “spirit of the world cup”? rather be cautious and have the players fresh for that showpiece.
(2) “… spirit of the contract” – what’s this guy smoking; there’s no such thing as loyalty and “in good faith” any more. get with the times.
8 Jul 2011, 08:47 am
Really, who cares about the ARU?
We need to do what’s best for the Boks and the RWC and that means resting players who have played too much in the past months. Don’t be surprised if the All Blacks do the same on their away leg.
Hopefully the Saders will burst their bubble this weekend.
8 Jul 2011, 08:51 am
@Taahirah(Taahirah)-52: that integrity boat sailed the moment Luyt gave away a gold watch… and the subsequent walkout only confirmed as such…
add in justice 4, travel disadvantage (thanks Reds and Saders for proving this furphy) and now an unbeliavable amount of injured players (did all the stormers hurt themselves by slipping on their tears in the change rooms after the semi?) AFTER agreeing to play the best side..
did you guys have any in the first place?
8 Jul 2011, 08:52 am
O Neill can moan all he likes, and I’m not condoning the behaviour if SARU here, just pointing out that withour Multi-Choice’s African viewing revenue the competition will basically cease to exist. African based revenue accounts for more than the Autralasians combined.
But good luck getting those rugby playing mad Argentinians to cough up the missing revenue. It is their national sport after all
8 Jul 2011, 08:53 am
Hey Transformation. I told you John O’Neil won’t let this rest!
8 Jul 2011, 09:01 am
O Neils a total twat, they should never have expanded the format of the S15 to inclue so many matches and have played a 3N in a RWC year, in the first place. The reason the aussies are sitting best of the lot, is cos they dont have a local competition. Moreover, the RWC is just over the pond for the,, whereas oyur team is going to have to travel to australasia for the away leg, then return home and then travel back for the RWC.
Its total bs and they must they actually tell him to stfu or pull right out of this farce, who the fk does he think he is.
8 Jul 2011, 09:08 am
no wonder he wants to gold us to the ‘spirit; of the contract, the Boks will nbe absolutely buggered by the time they arrive at the RWC.
this oke is a huge ****-stirrer. what does he think ppl wont watch the 3N because its a new selection of bok players? utter ****, if anything there might be more interest because ppl want to see a new Bok team. Ask any Bok fan on here if they wont watch an AB v SA game or an Oz v SA game because oz or nz are fieling a weakened side, rubbush. Especially in a RWC year – he is just causing nionense – would he actually prefer that all the players are injured or are buggered for the showpiece downunder?
Wheh Nz pulled their 20 odd players from nthe S15 in 2007, why were there no arguments then?.
8 Jul 2011, 09:12 am
@Yetirat(Yetirat)-40: It does seem to be a losing battle and maintaining interest appears to be a constant struggle just to stay out of the red. That’s the real reason behind O’Neill’s complaint, he’s worried about financial losses. How long can pro rugby really remain viable in Oz and NZ?
8 Jul 2011, 09:21 am
@cab(cab)-59:
“Wheh(sic) Nz pulled their 20 odd players from nthe S15 in 2007, why were there no arguments then?.”
because they didnt have an agreement in place with their “partners” to play the best players, that agreement came about because of the 2007 S15 fiasco… an agreement YOUR union said they would honour this year…
though its got to be a Saffa persecution thing the Australasians have initiated, isnt it?
8 Jul 2011, 09:25 am
oh bollocks poppa, your lot pulled players and there was not a peep.
it cuts both ways, open your eyes.
8 Jul 2011, 09:29 am
@poppa69(poppa69)-55: Well, lets break it down, shall we?
that integrity boat sailed the moment Luyt gave away a gold watch… and the subsequent walkout only confirmed as such…
I fail to see how Luyt adjudicating Bevan as the best referee in 1995 compromises our integrity. Does McCaw’s most recent IRB player of the year compromise the integrity of that body? Or Paddy O Brien having a pizza with the All Black front row after them complaining about scrum decisions compromise the integrity of NZ as a whole?
Subsequent walkout? Sooooooo. Coz the Kiwis walked out OUR integrity is questioned? Well then.
add in justice 4
Totally justified. Bakkies was hard done by.
travel disadvantage
So SA teams are the only ones who’ve ever complained of travel fatigue? If I can do a Transie, provide evidence of a NZ team/s having said something similar would you consider NZ to not have integrity? Doubt it…
8 Jul 2011, 09:32 am
@poppa 51
As you clearly state : our so-called A team lost 5 out of 6 last year, including ALL AWAY games. Therefore our so-called b team cannot do any worse then, can they? nAnd who knows, maybe their hunger to prove themselves might end with the result that they actually play better than the A team might have anyway……
I for one do not believe that many of the ‘A team’ are the best in their posittions anyway, so IMHO the team we are sending over might just give a better account of themselves than the ‘A team’.
8 Jul 2011, 09:33 am
@cab(cab)-62: thats because GH hadnt AGREED with his SANZAR partners that he would ensure the BEST players were played..
something PDV has OPENLY gone back on does this not compute… why AGREE to something then turn around and not do it? thats the problem Cab..
4 or 5 players, no worries… but TWENTY ONE ????????? what a circus..
8 Jul 2011, 09:42 am
@Taahirah(Taahirah)-63:
the Bevan debate… the fact that
a) the field had to be squeegeed so a game could even begin, knowing full well that France would have gone through if the game had been abandoned… who had to make that call?…
b) the doubt over the French try, who also had to make that call?
Subsequent walkout? it wasnt only NZ who walked out of the function, or has that slipped your memory too?
but hey, yeah its a wonderful look… be proud…
8 Jul 2011, 09:42 am
You SAFFA supporters are a sorry bunch.
Your hate is misdirected. Rather direct your attention to your spineless SARU who entered into the agreement. O’Neil/Australia doesn’t own you or force you to do anything, how could they?
The remark by that hypocrite, justrugby at 4 has to be seen to be believed. Does he only read his own posts?
Keo is living proof that there is no nation on earth that comes close to the level of whining and moaning that is self evident on this site.
That the poms come a poor second is a revelation, and a sorry one at that.
8 Jul 2011, 09:46 am
@grant10(grant10)-50: before this season began, pdv told these okes this comp will be too much on the players and the same john o’neill, drunk from his shafting of andy marinos said “nonsense”, well f*ck him too, he must just take the money from the expanded super rugby format and shut up!
SARU concerns ‘nonsense’
2011-02-09 07:46Email | Print
Super 15 concerns SARU boss
Sydney – South African concerns that the expanded Super Rugby tournament will lead to players suffering from exhaustion at this year’s World Cup have been laughed off by their Australian counterparts.
Instead Australian officials and coaches argue that player fatigue can be avoided through mature management.
With just over a week before the start of the Super Rugby competition, which involves a 33 percent increase in the number of games, a new conference structure, more local derbies and a fifth Australian team, Springbok coach Peter de Villiers has warned that players could find the new structure too demanding.
Mindful that South African provincial sides that make the finals could be involved in 19 matches between February and July in three different time zones, De Villiers said: ”There is a concern that the players could physically be totally exhausted after the Super Rugby competition. The competition is going to be more intense and therefore more exhausting.”
But when the Australian Super Rugby launch was held at the Sydney Observatory on Tuesday, there was not an oxygen bottle in sight. Instead the Australian contingent argued they wouldn’t mind more top-class games.
When told of De Villiers’s comments, Australian Rugby Union chief executive John O’Neill said: ”We don’t share that concern, and at five minutes to midnight it is a bit late to be raising it. In planning and formating this competition, everyone had an opportunity to voice any concerns. The pros and cons were workshopped pretty thoroughly.”
O’Neill said the increase of matches from 94 to 125 and 20 local derbies compared to six last year would work in Australian Rugby’s favour, as their key players needed more high level competition.
”In Australia, you see that the NRL continues on having players playing State of Origin midweek, and backing up for the clubs the next weekend. And [Wallabies coach] Robbie Deans’s feeling has been that we haven’t been playing enough rugby,” O’Neill said.
”Robbie is remarkably relaxed about the season schedule. He is more excited about the amount of rugby they will be playing, in preparation for when he gets them [before the World Cup.]”
O’Neill said it should be remembered that after the Super Rugby final on July 9, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa will be involved in an abbreviated Tri Nations series, involving just home and away Tests.
”If fatigue does arise, the size of the provincial squads allow you to rotate players, and that’s not a new phenomenon,” O’Neill said. The ARU will keep an eye on how the provinces use their key players, but ”our approach won’t be interventionist”, he said.
Reds coach Ewen McKenzie said he was not concerned about the fatigue factor, because systems were in place to ensure it can be overcome.
”If you play high-quality rugby week in, week out, there is the potential for that to occur. The management of players is critical. You look at the European teams, and they play 10 months of the year. And they manage their players through that,” McKenzie said.
The Super Rugby starts on February 18 when the Waratahs play the Rebels at Melbourne’s AAMI Park, with O’Neill confident of a healthy Australian representation in the six-team finals series.
8 Jul 2011, 09:46 am
@poppa69(poppa69)-66: (a) The call he had to make was whether the surface was safe. His called proved to be the correct one, any injuries? Did anyone drown?
(b) Again, he made the correct call as Abdulatif Benazzi (cant bother to look up the correct spelling) afterwards confirmed himself that the ball wasnt grounded.
Subsequent walkout: It has, who else walked out?
8 Jul 2011, 09:49 am
@poppa69(poppa69)-14:
Hahaha.. the arrogance is mind boggling!
The Boks deserve a better calibre of supporter than these twankers.
8 Jul 2011, 09:50 am
All this moaning about us fielding a 2nd string ´team i8s classic mountain out of a mole hill b#llocks anyway.
Lets compare our backline from last year and the possible one for this year for example:
9. Pienaar – he is better than both Hougaard and Januarie who each started several games last year.
10. Steyn – same as last year
11. Mvovu – played on EOYT last year and acquitted himself well – is in better form than the 1st choice (Habana) anyway.
12. Olivier – fair enough not a favorite but apart from JdV he is the most experienced and best option we have at 12
13. JdJ – he is the future at 13 for the Boks anyway and has played there for the Boks before – brings x factor in a different way that Jacque does
14. Basson – one of the most in form wings in the S15 – there should be no complaints here as he played better and more consistently than JPP
15. Aplon who is much better option than Kirchner who we used last year.
So all in all poppa I think our backline this time round is better than last year and one could probably do the same comparisons with the forwards but I dont have time – gotta run.
Later gents.
8 Jul 2011, 09:53 am
@poppa69(poppa69)-66:
Howzit. Just wanted to rectify some of your statements.
Firstly, let me unequivocally state that Louis Luyt was a prize pr*ck.
The walkout did not take place after Louis Luyt handed over the gold watch. The walkout actually happened earlier. You see, what really happened was the following:
Louis Luyt, then SARU president, was getting all arrogant and asserted that in 1987 and 1991 there were no true champions because SA wasn’t there, and that in 1995 SA had proven their point.
It was this statement by Luyt that prompted the All Blacks to walk out, to be followed the French and English players.
Only once the walkout had taken place, did Luyt hand over the gold watch to Bevan for being the “best referee in the World Cup”.
To his eternal credit, Bevan refused to accept the watch and left the room.
8 Jul 2011, 09:54 am
@poppa69(poppa69)-51: “and will seriously undermine your WC challenge” hehehe what are you smoking Popps?
if we don’t win this tri-nations in your mind it will undermine our challenge of the RWC? nice one 
8 Jul 2011, 09:56 am
@WP Till I Die(WP-Forever)-72: Thanx, did not know that myself.
8 Jul 2011, 09:58 am
@Inevitable(Inevitable)-67: no they don’t own us of force us to do anything, they have their bloody lackeys – steve tew – to out vote us! john o’neill is the same guy that f*cked over new zealand over the world cup in aus, yet the likes of steve tew STILL lick his arse and pander to each one of his whims, spineless punks.
8 Jul 2011, 09:59 am
@poppa69(poppa69)-65: I look at the team posted yeasterday and see 5 WC winners. SARU should demand NZ and OZ turn up with at least the same amount.
Oh wait, they can’t.
8 Jul 2011, 10:00 am
@Taahirah(Taahirah)-69: this answers it best..
“Mr Luyt, who is to diplomacy what Jonah Lomu is to English wingers, compounded his country’s embarrassment by inexplicably singling out the Welsh referee Derek Bevan – who officiated at the Springboks’ crucial semi-final against France – for special praise. The match, which South Africa won 19-15, was marked by controversy after Mr Bevan denied the French a last-minute try because of an infringement.
To the astonishment of the 1,000 diners – and to the Welshman’s obvious embarrassment – Mr Luyt presented him with a £1,000 gold watch, calling him ‘the most wonderful referee in the world’.
‘If everyone does not think that, I certainly do. I would ask him to step up and receive this gift as the outstanding referee in the World Cup,’ the Sarfu president said.
In the spirit of a rapidly disintegrating social event, the mortified Welshman joined his fellow officials as they staged their own walkout in protest at Mr Luyt’s behaviour. “
8 Jul 2011, 10:00 am
@Taahirah(Taahirah)-74:
Yes – I forgot to mention that when Luyt attempted to present the watch to Bevan, almost all the tournament officials at the banquet left with him.
8 Jul 2011, 10:00 am
@poppa69(poppa69)-77: sorry, this was for Taahirah but on a different thread…
8 Jul 2011, 10:03 am
@poppa69(poppa69)-79: trying to blog and work at the same time
8 Jul 2011, 10:03 am
@poppa69(poppa69)-77: See 72 above.
I dunno who the writer is who claims that the French were ‘denied a last minute try”. Was he on the field of play? Id venture a guess that Benazzi was closer to the action than the writer and thus in a better position to make the call.
8 Jul 2011, 10:03 am
LOL…SANZAR can probe whichever dark a-hole they prefer. The contract CLEARLY states we have to send our BEST AVAILABLE PLAYERS….clearly those who are not in the squad for the overseas leg are not available since they are NOT IN THE SQUAD…therefore we will select our BEST AVAILABLE PLAYERS from within our selected squad.
I don’t see any problem there. They will have to redraft the contract if they want us to send our BEST players in the future. And even that is open for debate. In essence, its all BS but we are playing within the rules as drawn up by SANZAR and its TV partners.
8 Jul 2011, 10:04 am
Firstly it is not the south Africans who are whining, it’s this jumped up tool from arsetralia who has yet again decided to create.
Secondlly a persecution complex is when someone is deluded about being attacked, there is nothing imagined about it, oneil has attacked and provoked once again.
Thirdly, most of those players are injured, we know this cos they did not take part in the business end of the S15.
But worst of the lot is this peckerhead dictating how foreign coaches should go about their preparation to win the biggest event in rugby, as compared to these profit-driven administrator technocrats who cause more trouble than anything else.
8 Jul 2011, 10:04 am
@poppa69(poppa69)-80: I gave up on the work. Priorities and all that…
8 Jul 2011, 10:04 am
@poppa69(poppa69)-14: did you in anyway object to 22 all blacks being pulled out of super rugby by graham henry at the advice of the best sports scientists in new zealand? did you care that it devalued the Super14? did new zealand seek the APPROVAL of south africa and australia before they made that decision or it was entirely self-serving and ONLY the approval of the new zealand rugby public was important to them?
hardenthefuckup!
8 Jul 2011, 10:05 am
@Yetirat(Yetirat)-40:
What stay in a country you don’t like?
More credit to the Aussies for being No 2 in the world despite the “death” of rugby union here. Amazing, isn’t it?
8 Jul 2011, 10:09 am
@Taahirah(Taahirah)-84:
@Transformation(Transformation)-73: so Trans, if whatever SA team doesnt win a SINGLE game during the shortened 3Ns, you dont think that will have any adverse affects on your WC challenge?
it wont plant seeds of doubt in their minds? or are you hoping fopr Fiji, Arg and Eng again
8 Jul 2011, 10:13 am
@Transformation(Transformation)-85: did they have an agreement in place to play their best players at that stage?
did GH therefore backstab his “partners” by doing this, or did they in fact know that the ABs were going to rest players during a provincial tourny?
did JW also seek approval not to play his A team in 07? come now Trans, the point is not who did what first, but the fact AN AGREEMENT was made… as said earlier, 4 or 5 players, no rpobs whatsoever..
but 21? twenty farking one of your top line players have injuries? when did all these stormers players get them, during the semi final or after? how could they play a semi final if they were INJURED?
has it dawned on you yet?
8 Jul 2011, 10:16 am
@Transformation(Transformation)-75:
Don’t make excuses for your spineless administrators -do something about it!
How about some meaningful suggestions for your brethren.
8 Jul 2011, 10:17 am
@poppa69(poppa69)-88:
The Stormers players were injured in the semi-final.
Remember, we got fucked up by the Crusaders…
8 Jul 2011, 10:23 am
@Big Hit(Big Hit)-60: To be fair to him, he’s only doing his job. But that doesn’t change the fact that he’s a wan%*& and he’s shafting South Africa.
8 Jul 2011, 10:24 am
@Yetirat(Yetirat)-40:
so when did you move to Aus ?
8 Jul 2011, 10:26 am
@Inevitable(Inevitable)-86: Firstly, I never said anything about not liking Oz. I said O’Neil is wan*%$ and Union is dead here. Secondly, who said anything about staying?
8 Jul 2011, 10:27 am
Tell u what there should be is a probe inserted up the rectums of the Ozzie frontrow to explain why they keep crying off with uncontested powder-puff scrums. Why is it always the ozzies?
8 Jul 2011, 10:27 am
@grant10(grant10)-50:
well spoken that man
8 Jul 2011, 10:27 am
@Black Panther(Black Panther)-92: April this year, it’s why I couldn’t resist a trip to your homeland for the RWC – would be criminal to miss it being so close.
8 Jul 2011, 10:36 am
Didn’t Steve Hansen say something to the effect that the Blues and Crusaders players will be rested?
8 Jul 2011, 10:39 am
There is nothing wrong with sending a 2nd or 3rd team to contest the Tri Nations as long as all contestants agree to it. SA should rather have approached the other two and tried to get an agreement.
Unfortunately this unilateral transparent circumvention of a commercial agreement will result in negative repercussions for SA down the line.
SA is desperate to win the WC and are prepared to gamble and like all gamblers, they are not to concerned with the consequences.
8 Jul 2011, 10:40 am
@Big Hit(Big Hit)-60:
3 Northern English clubs are on the verge of collapse – Sale/Leeds/Newcastle all play in front of 1 man and his dog. And this despite all the quality foreign players they bring in (and re-Nationalise).
Outside of the few Big Clubs in Engl (Leicester/Northampton/Bath/Gloucester) the English clubs are struggling. I was even given freebies to take the kids to see Wasps – multiple Engl and Heineken Champs – and was shocked to see such a small crowd, presumably also all there on freebies.
Should you also look at attendance no’s across the board in Engl – carving out the 1-off double-header Twickenham matches at Christmas – then you’ll also see that crowd no’s are suffering, as has been written about in the local press.
England Rugby will survive simply because it is a rich nation. Whilst other nations may not be so wealthy in the pocket, they are far richer in their natural resources.
You worry about your (adopted) Nation, Lord Bigglesbottom, and we’ll worry about ours.
8 Jul 2011, 10:41 am
@Yetirat(Yetirat)-96:
werent you living in NZ ?
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