623 Comments

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• 101.Puma:
  17 Aug 2011, 10:05 am

  Well said Keo. I agree 100%.

• 102.Transformation:
  17 Aug 2011, 10:07 am

  @Gunther(gunther)-96: Telecom and the New Zealand Rugby Union have confirmed All Blacks coach Graham Henry was approached to front the controversial Backing Black abstinence campaign.

  But both organisations dispute claims that he was against the campaign, saying he was unable to be involved due to time limitations as the All Blacks prepare for the Rugby World Cup.

  Multiple sources had earlier told Fairfax Media that Henry was against the campaign and didn’t want to be involved.

  Backing Black has been described as a ”tongue in cheek” campaign which calls on All Black fans to abstain from *** during the World Cup and will be fronted by former New Zealand captain Sean Fitzpatrick. Backing Black is also endorsed by the NZRU as the All Blacks’ official fan club.

  ”Very early on, the idea of including Graham Henry in this campaign was discussed with the NZRU, as Graham is a fan of the ‘Abstain for the Game’ concept and was keen to be involved,” Telecom’s chief marketing officer Kieren Cooney said in an emailed statement to Fairfax Media after the company took umbrage at the report that Henry did not want to be involved.

  ”However after discussion with the NZRU and Graham we all agreed that his focus should be only on winning rugby games, at which point we approached Sean.

  ”For the same reason, at no time have we approached any of the players themselves or discussed any elements of the campaign with them.”

  The NZRU also emailed a statement to Fairfax quoting chief executive Steve Tew.

  ”In the early phases Graham was one of the celebrity options discussed to front the campaign,” Tew said. “Graham was interested in being part of the campaign and certainly did not say it was a terrible idea, but it was agreed that for 2011 the key area of focus needed to be on preparing for the big season ahead.

  ”The players were not involved in discussions around the concept and theme as the campaign is about the fans and does not involve the players.

  “Telecom and BB (Backing Black) are great supporters of the All Blacks and they put a lot of energy and creativity into getting fans involved.”

  Earlier in the day, Mark Watts, Telecom’s head of external media, had told Fairfax Media the company had no comment on claims Henry was the initial choice to front the controversial campaign and that Fitzpatrick was brought in after the All Blacks coach refused.

  ”I think that is pure speculation. I can only talk about what I know and I know that Fitzy is the right man for the job … all credit to Fitzy,” Watts said.

  Fairfax’s sources say Henry did not like the campaign and that senior players were aware of its controversial nature as well.

  ”Ted [Graham Henry] didn’t want to have anything to with it. McCaw and other senior players thought it was a terrible idea and also didn’t want to be a part of it,” said the source who is from within the top-level rugby community.

  Another source close to the Backing Black campaign also confirmed Henry had been approached and had rejected an invitation to front the campaign.

  ”An NZRU person told me Ted was offered a shitload of money to front it but refused.”

  The same source said a senior NZRU official told Telecom ”this is the most stupid idea ever” but said Telecom dug in over the proposed campaign.

  The Backing Black campaign – led by Telecom, one of the New Zealand Rugby Union’s key sponsors – is intended to galvanise support behind the men in black as they chase their first World Cup title in 24 years.

  Telecom bosses wouldn’t talk about the specifics of the campaign.

  But it is understood Backing Black’s call for sexual abstinence will be launched nationwide on Sunday with simultaneous TV commercials to be broadcast at about 8.40pm.

  A source said the advertising campaign would be ”bright and bold” including posters, billboards and adverts emblazoned onto buses.

  During the planning stage of Backing Black, ideas included posters being placed at eye level in men’s urinals in bars and restaurants urging men who are urinating to ”think of your Mum in a bikini… abstain for the All Blacks”.

  Advertising executives also considered placing cold showers outside popular bars to show that publicans were committed to hosing down anyone tempted to break their vow of chastity.

  Advertising executives also considered placing cold showers outside popular bars to show that publicans were committed to hosing down anyone tempted to break their vow of chastity.

• 103.Gunther:
  17 Aug 2011, 10:08 am

  @Transformation(Transformation)-100:

  no comment.

• 104.Gunther:
  17 Aug 2011, 10:11 am

  @Transformation(Transformation)-102:

  I know.

  It’s beautiful.

  Fitzy heading up a campaign encouraging people to keep it in their pants.

  Anyway apparently everyone gets a black rubber cockring (presumably with the adidas logo on it) to promote the vibe.

  It’s too good to be true.

  bad news for you though if lilly joins up

• 105.Puma:
  17 Aug 2011, 10:13 am

  @>^..^< katman(katman)-93: Good words there Katman. “Good coaches let fresh talent shine’ And Lions have the best coach right now. He has taken almost no names and making them top class players. We need more coaches like Mitchell.

  Plum should be playing Lambie all of the time at fh and not just some of the time. We should always look after the saffa players first.

• 106.willievz:
  17 Aug 2011, 10:14 am

  Why are South Africans viewing a player who can play in many positions as a prophecy of disaster?

  As opposed to Australians who relish versatility and invest in multi-skills for their players?

• 107.grant10:
  17 Aug 2011, 10:17 am

  @justrugby(justrugby)-52: ja….jdj would be my bok 12……but f steyn not going to cut it at 15 unless he loses 10 kg s…

• 108.Puma:
  17 Aug 2011, 10:19 am

  @willievz(willievz)-106: Aussie probably have too. They don’t have enough players. We do Willie. I think you get the best out of a player, playing him in only one position and not shifting him about all of the time. Look at Gits? He has been dropped now by Deans.

  It never works playing players all over the show imo.

• 109.rangerman:
  17 Aug 2011, 10:21 am

  taute looks like one for the future though he did himself no favours in the u20 wc this year vs the poms.

  pat lambie will play 12 with freddy mentoring him, is this one of the most wonderful things that can happen or what?

  i think butch will do the same for elton who is also a wondeful talent.

  interesting players emerging in sa with the likes of the ebersohns, sadie, jj, hougie, lambie, elton, hoffman and a host of new center talent like jordaan, wings like mvovo, sithole etc etc.

  its encouraging because these players are not crashball typpes at all, all thinking players with great skills.

  what i do find amazing is how quickly a young player slips off the radar in sa. a guy like frans steyn for instance was a prodigy just 4 years ago when he won a wc at 20 or 21?

  now there are younger players pushing for his place.its good but it raises questions about how to manage this process when your incumbents are youngsters themselves?

  a tightrope i am happy i dont have to walk tbho.

  but frans could have been better managed by rotation with jdv over the last three years already imo.

  he is a 12, he is a 12, he is a 12.

  and he actually has phenomenal hands, go back and watch his “sonny bill type offload” vs tonga in the last wc and you will understand what i am getting at.

• 110.Transformation:
  17 Aug 2011, 10:22 am

  @Gunther(gunther)-104: you think Black Panty will sign up?

• 111.rangerman:
  17 Aug 2011, 10:23 am

  jdj is a 13 imo.

  he doesnt have the pass or the step (off both feet) for 12 but then again, jdv seems like he has no step at all these days so i would probably choose jdj over him anyways.

  jaque fourie remains an outstanding talent though so?

• 112.rangerman:
  17 Aug 2011, 10:24 am

  @Transformation(Transformation)-110: careful now.

  blackpanty is extremely touchy and you are likely to hear the squeals of outrage from pomland if you go down that road.

• 113.Sasuke:
  17 Aug 2011, 10:25 am

  @Puma(Puma)-108: It can work in some cases, maybe to freshen a player up, to counter the opposition tactics. It can work for some players who can handle it.

• 114.Gunther:
  17 Aug 2011, 10:27 am

  @Transformation(Transformation)-110:

  I’m finding it difficult to chat to Blackie what with his new timezone.

  Which is sad really, when you think we are saddled with a **** like poppa just because he works the night shift.

  

• 115.hendrikp:
  17 Aug 2011, 10:27 am

  @rangerman(rangerman)-111:

  Doesn’t have the step off both feet? Or the pass? I’d say the complete opposite is true.

  Jaque Fourie remains an outstanding talent. The problem is can you play a more creative game with a player who has been taught to bash it up at 13? Who made his name doing that? A try every 2 games or so says he’s a top player, which is why I said he should play wing. But chucky thinks I’m delusional He’d rather have Mvovo at 11.

• 116.Puma:
  17 Aug 2011, 10:27 am

  @rangerman(rangerman)-109: Fransie, should not have gone to play overseas Ranger. Think that was his biggest mistake going so young. He does not seem to be managed well there. He still has huge talent and if he comes back will still be one of our best. He is only 24 years old. He can go back to France if he wishes after the wc 2015. He will only be 28 then.

  Kinda scary to think this youngster still has so many good years ahead, that is if he looks after himself but has to return to play his rugby in the sh. Well that is how I see it.

• 117.mxhosa:
  17 Aug 2011, 10:28 am

  Springbok backline in 2012, Peter De Villiers as the backline coach:

  15 Gio Aplon
  14 JP Pietersen
  13 Lionel Mapoe
  12 Juan De Jongh
  11 Lwazi Mvovo
  10 Elton Jantjies
  09 Francois Hougaard (quota)

• 118.willievz:
  17 Aug 2011, 10:29 am

  @Puma(Puma)-108: Morning Puma. Valid point regarding the population of player resources.

  However, I also feel that the mindset of Australian players are more positive and (dare I say) professional in this regard. They want to learn the additional skills and embrace more holistic coaching methods.

  But before you think there is something to gain from versatility, you need to have the right mindset from the word go. The right mindset in turn will also help players to enjoy the game more. For a country whose player skills are as underdeveloped as ours, we need to start embracing versatility a lot more.

  The big difference is probably that the Aussie players still know their primary role in the setup. We on the other hand go and pick Lambie at flyhalf the one day to run the ball and at fullback the next day to garryowen the ball back. Perhaps we just need to trust them to play the situation regardless of the number on their back.

  Just look at the difference between a James O’Connor and Ruan Pienaar, for instance.

• 119.willievz:
  17 Aug 2011, 10:30 am

  @mxhosa(mxhosa)-117: Aplon is 30 in 2012, surely not worth a long-term investment?

• 120.rangerman:
  17 Aug 2011, 10:30 am

  @hendrikp(hendrikp)-115: no man, jaque is a try scorer who runs beautiful lines and is a good distributor. he is no crashball specialist.

  jdj struggles with his distribution a bit buddy, he cant pass both ways and he does only step off one foot which makes him predictable.
  he has time to rectify this but he has the pace for a 13 imo, thats where i would play him in the future.

• 121.Puma:
  17 Aug 2011, 10:31 am

  @Sasuke(Sasuke)-113: I personally think you mess a player up playing him in all postions. To freshen him up then maybe a few times but let him settle in one postion. Playing in one position is where players excell more so than not. imho.

• 122.Transformation:
  17 Aug 2011, 10:32 am

  @willievz(willievz)-106: because in SA it is provincial, if lambie doesn’t play fh then the guppys worry he will be overtaken by van aswegen, sias & elton. it’s not about lambie developing versatility it’s about him nailing one spot and being seen to be better than his competitors…

• 123.grant10:
  17 Aug 2011, 10:32 am

  we need, more than anything, an innovative and hard core Management Team……

  More than anything …….thats the bottom line….

• 124.grant10:
  17 Aug 2011, 10:33 am

  @Puma(Puma)-121: I agree Puma…..

• 125.willievz:
  17 Aug 2011, 10:33 am

  @Transformation(Transformation)-122: True, provincialism is an age old enemy of SA Rugby.

  That is why it is liberating supporting a team like the Kwas.

  Keeps you sober and objective – 17 and 0

• 126.willievz:
  17 Aug 2011, 10:34 am

  @Transformation(Transformation)-122: Actually after reading that post a second time I think you are absolutely 100% correct

• 127.Transformation:
  17 Aug 2011, 10:34 am

  @rangerman(rangerman)-112: he’s moved back to “godzone” permanently

• 128.Sasuke:
  17 Aug 2011, 10:36 am

  @mxhosa(mxhosa)-117: Crazy backline that!

• 129.we have it on good authority that on september 11, a legend will rise...:
  17 Aug 2011, 10:36 am

  @hendrikp(hendrikp)-26:
  of course having said that he played at 6 on sat. does that make him even more awesome?…he did some nifty footwork…

• 130.Puma:
  17 Aug 2011, 10:40 am

  @willievz(willievz)-118: I think the Aussies mature quicker than us Willie. Could be the reason they adapt quicker than us in many aspects of life not just rugby.

• 131.Puma:
  17 Aug 2011, 10:41 am

  @grant10(grant10)-124: Yip for sure.

  Now need to take a call from Oz. Catch up later.

• 132.mxhosa:
  17 Aug 2011, 10:43 am

  @Sasuke(Sasuke)-128:

  I know, but it would make the politicians happy though…. add Chilli and Johnson in the forwards, then you have a black majority…..

• 133.Sasuke:
  17 Aug 2011, 10:43 am

  Guys like Aplon and Jaque Fourie must continue in the team until 2013 just to provide some continuity and knowledge sharing. After that guys like Sadie, De Jongh, Taute, Lambie can take up those positions permanently.

• 134.Transformation:
  17 Aug 2011, 10:44 am

  @willievz(willievz)-125: indeed, you see it here everyday, it’s not about the looseforwards south africa is nurturing, it’s all about marcel coetzee’s stats were WAY better than kolisi’s or van den heever is the fastest hurdler in the country etc…myopic provincialism that makes me sick.

• 135.Sasuke:
  17 Aug 2011, 10:46 am

  @mxhosa(mxhosa)-132: I hope the politicians back off next year when the new coach starts his tenure.

• 136.we have it on good authority that on september 11, a legend will rise...:
  17 Aug 2011, 10:47 am

  @Puma(Puma)-121:
  for every one player who excels by being played in one position there another who excels by being played in a number of positions. i dont think its that straightforward.

• 137.hendrikp:
  17 Aug 2011, 10:48 am

  @Sasuke(Sasuke)-133:

  Taute wasn’t overly impressive at the U20 World Champs. Francois Venter made him look average.

• 138.justrugby:
  17 Aug 2011, 10:50 am

  @grant10(grant10)-123:

  Weshould make an offer to Ewen Mackenzie, Deans contract has been extended to 2013 ??

• 139.Transformation:
  17 Aug 2011, 10:52 am

  @hendrikp(hendrikp)-137: Taute looks good in the Currie Cup, a step above U20 rugby. if you look closely enough every players has had one or two bad games, so harping on one game as f it define Taute’s career let alone his talent is infantile… #jusayin.

• 140.Transformation:
  17 Aug 2011, 10:54 am

  @justrugby(justrugby)-138: o’neill has named mckenzie as his heir-apparent, to take over from deans. you’ll have toget past HIM to get to ewan

• 141.President_of_the_Sharks_rugby_experts:
  17 Aug 2011, 10:55 am

  @justrugby(justrugby)-138: AN overseas coach wont work out ,

  you think Mackenzie will enjoy being told who he can’t and can pick? Or what Colour they should be??, or from what province they must be playing etc???

  I think not

• 142.Couchcoach:
  17 Aug 2011, 10:55 am

  @Transformation(Transformation)-102:

  I am sure there are some relieved sheep in NZ

• 143.>^..^< katman:
  17 Aug 2011, 10:56 am

  @hendrikp(hendrikp)-137: Wasn’t he flown in at short notice at the end?

• 144.Eish:
  17 Aug 2011, 10:56 am

  Between Plumtree and Muir, Lambie is on a hiding to nothing. Using the kid where it suits them and has nothing to do with what is good for the player. Lambie is a special talent with a great attitude. Playing him at 12 will shorten his career dramatically. Head on defence against big loose forwards and even bigger opposing centre’s. Yes, your 12 can be your second fly half/play maker but it comes at a price. Not that Muir or the Sharks coaches will worry about that.

  Lambie is a great 15 and a good 10. He has more pace than everyone thinks. Play him at 15 with the option to move him later in the game to 10, if changes are needed.

• 145.Slumtown:
  17 Aug 2011, 10:57 am

  How is it we cant use profanity when commenting here but Keo has a rip in the videos? Hmmmm

• 146.Couchcoach:
  17 Aug 2011, 10:57 am

  @Transformation(Transformation)-134:

  It is said that roughly 42% of stats is made up on the spot

• 147.justrugby:
  17 Aug 2011, 10:58 am

  @President_of_the_Sharks_rugby_experts(sharks_lover)-141:

  Needs to be at his terms, if not obviously no deal!!

• 148.Heavens Game:
  17 Aug 2011, 11:00 am

  Worldwide equity about to turn into Mickey Mouse currency with the next bourse crash, smash and burn (And its coming – Financial Armageddon is nearly here… Then New World Order), Bok rugger is already on fire and burning down, about to be extinguished followed by the New Protea Order…. and Keo calls for “investment”? Huh? WTF? By who… with what?

• 149.Couchcoach:
  17 Aug 2011, 11:00 am

  Lambie should play 15. No 10 is a token position in SA. All the quick loose ball go to the forwards standing in the backline anyway. We do not give our flyhalves options because we like to play off the no 9.
  Flyhalves in SA are only there to launch up and unders and to kick away the bad balls that the forwards do not want. So, you can select JS at flyhalf for that matter, it will not make a difference to the team whatsoever.

• 150.grant10:
  17 Aug 2011, 11:03 am

  @justrugby(justrugby)-138: yes…..I think Deans will lead aussies till after B Lions tour…..

  Must just get the very best……I cannot believe how our 3 stooges have decimated this team ….the lack of foresight and obvious’ player power ‘ is so endemic and overwhelming …..players out of shape…..seniors dictating and being held onto long after sell by dates, old and outdated skop en jag tactics….

  No mate….this is an era I am not proud of….

  Beginning of 2010 I said this will be a watershed year as that is when the tough choices had to be made….

  Not farken 1 tough choice was made….not even 1 !

  Now we back to the laager with M Steyn, that is the single biggest admission by PDV that we have not progressed 1 iota….not 1 iota!!!

  Laager mentality, skop en jag has won….back to the dark ages…..what the fark next, drop our fetcher??

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