Goodbye to the minnows; hello to the madness
3 Oct 2011
MARK KEOHANE, in Business Day Newspaper, writes if drama’s your game, don’t go anywhere in the next three weekends.
After 48 of the most dramatic hours ever experienced at a Rugby World Cup, we finally have a competition that demands that you don’t go anywhere for the next three weekends. Goodbye to the minnows and hello to the madness of knockout rugby.
Typically, France gave us an appetiser of the madness of which they are capable. Their players simply did not pitch for a pool match they could afford to lose (and still qualify for the last eight) in protest over their fractious relationship with coach Marc Lievremont. They lost to Tonga. Lievremont said he was ashamed of the performance and admitted the players refused to engage in a bonding session.
New Zealand rugby royalty Dan Carter tore his groin muscle in a kicking drill on Saturday afternoon and the mood among locals was sombre and more applicable to when a nation mourns a popular head of state. If you happen to have been on a space shuttle, Carter, the game’s most complete flyhalf and New Zealand’s master conductor, is out of the World Cup. It is New Zealand’s worst rugby nightmare and there may now not even be an occasion for these men in black to choke.
With Carter at No10 they led the World Cup pack. Without him the All Blacks are just one of the championship-chasing pack. They would get past the Pumas even if Carter’s grandmother was at flyhalf, but getting beyond the semifinals will need a flyhalf more capable than his understudy, Colin Slade.
The All Blacks, with Carter gone and Richie McCaw on one leg, are officially in another World Cup crisis. At least they can take comfort that next year they will be unbeatable again and Carter won’t get one injury.
Some things are meant to be. The All Blacks have a World Cup curse and England a World Cup Fairy Godmother. New Zealand just can’t seem to keep it together or get it together.
England can do as they please, play as they please and pick as many plodders as they please. They’ve tossed a few dwarfs around in Dunedin, gone on the piss, admitted to switching match balls to give their struggling goal-kicking ace Jonny Wilkinson an advantage, and coach Martin Johnson acknowledged reprimanding three players who lured a hotel worker to their rooms and made suggestive comments about wanting oral sex. The only thing the England players and coaching staff have not admitted to is playing turgid rugby.
The International Rugby Board (IRB) sanction has been a “don’t do it again … now get on and win this bloody thing for us old farts in the Northern Hemisphere” before turning its full attention to the hideous crime of a Samoan player wearing a gum guard that contravened official tournament sponsorship rules.
The offence was deemed so serious that the team was fined NZ$10000, and worse was to follow for the Samoans after controversial centre Eliota Fuimaono Sapolu called Welsh referee Nigel Owens a prick, a racist and an elitist who favoured the Springboks in Samoa’s 13-5 defeat.
Sapolu tweeted that he would love to meet IRB members on the street and said the game’s administration was protecting the big five and the wealthy. He also confirmed his retirement from international rugby, arguing there was no point to it if you were a tier-two nation.
The IRB have confirmed a hearing. Toss around a dwarf and illegally switch match balls during play, but just don’t call the IRB an elite organisation.
When Samoa and Fiji played at Eden Park a fortnight ago they smashed each other for 80 minutes, then gathered in prayer as a band of Pacific Island brothers. On Friday night after the most brutal of matches against the Boks there was nothing more than a grudging Samoan handshake.
The Samoan captain spoke of referee bias and Bok captain Victor Matfield expressed disgust at the Samoan off-the- ball thuggery.
Frans Steyn, colossal all tournament, legally smashed into Samoans all night but his shoulder proved more brittle than brutal and he’s out of the World Cup.
Scotland, needing to beat England by eight points, led 12-3 in the second half before losing 16-12 to Chris Ashton’s 78th- minute match-winning try.
Wilkinson missed his first three penalty attempts and missed a left-footed drop goal from right in front. Madness.
And for 55 minutes Georgia led Argentina 7-5. Not quite madness, but a contender.
The Canadians even led the All Blacks 3-0 for three minutes. Definite madness.
What more, asked everyone? Surely an Italian win against Ireland to seal the most dramatic conclusion to the 40- match round robin stage.
Come on Italy, screamed every South African. Say what they may publicly, the Boks would much have preferred the Irish as quarterfinal opponents.
It was not to be. Instead they have the Tri-Nations champions Australia to beat to make it to Eden Park for the first time in this tournament.
If you are planning on going anywhere on Sunday, pick a church to offer thanks or for a World Cup mourning.
I’d suggest it is safer just not going anywhere. The 2011 Rugby World Cup is officially open.
397 Comments
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3 Oct 2011, 21:30 pm
Look into that cracked mirror and ask why do you ‘Eeltjie’, and your French ‘Beeltjie’ talk such absolute garbage for pages on end and deem to think it is ‘philosophy’ of anything when all it amounts to is faecal matter needed to be flushed into the sewer?
3 Oct 2011, 21:32 pm
strange world we live in….wp send there u 21 b team and beat the guppis in durbs…..
farken hell…..
I was scared to paly touch on the beach just in case AC called me up!
3 Oct 2011, 21:32 pm
Just commenting coz Im never on here at this time of night.
Oh.
Bob Dylan rocks!
3 Oct 2011, 21:33 pm
@grant10(grant10)-250:
I asked the drastic question because of a rumour that you had “health issue”. Achilles is minor then. Keep well.
Is it not better for you and your StormerBurgers then that I take him out once and for all?
3 Oct 2011, 21:34 pm
Hi G10
I am very interested to know what you plan to do if the Boks go all the way and John lifts the trophy?
Will you admit that your months and months of spewing hatred on this site towards him was indeed a mistake?
3 Oct 2011, 21:35 pm
@ET.(ET.)-251: Well it much better than your garbage.
People like you are a dime a dozen. Corner street cliche
3 Oct 2011, 21:39 pm
@ET.(ET.)-254: no health issues at all thanks…..a slight scare thast turned out to be a false alarm….but never been fitter or better looking mate….loving life and all its gifts……..
I will make a prediction here and now…..
we choose the right team and beat the aussies we win the WC…..I am not scared of kiwis or the rest of the teams over there …
i am scared of aussies…..because I fear we will choose a team that wont be capable of competing with them.
Way to beat aussies is simple….moer Hulle!
We gotta choose Bissy….brussow….schalk and Alberts to start…..
Pray for a top 40 minutes from bakkies….then D Rossow….
Too late for a Butch at 10 now……and pray JDV steps up because cooper and Mc Cabe will want to dart at the 10 …12 channel…..
We can win this damn thing now….
up to pdv and the selections
Plain and simple imo
3 Oct 2011, 21:39 pm
@Taahirah(Taahirah)-253: And don’t forget Bon Jovi is da bomb…
I walk these streets, a loaded six string on my back
I play for keeps, ’cause I might not make it back
I been everywhere, and I’m standing tall
I’ve seen a million faces an I’ve rocked them all
I’m a cowboy, on a steel horse I ride
I’m wanted dead or alive
3 Oct 2011, 21:40 pm
@David(David)-190:
Note how you respond to LIES as I have not been on this site for the whole damn w-end?
Be aware too that if LEEDS beat the Donnies on Friday then they will be in the top 6 with a game to spare.
Also how dramatic of you to want to force people to believe that Hein Bruss’ nose is on his lower right cheek instead of the centre of his face?
Can you English never be totally honest even about mundane matters like rugby.
3 Oct 2011, 21:40 pm
To be a bit more clear I am not looking for a barney -. I just happen to believe that the current tactic of bringing on a rampaging, snorting Bissy after 50 mins is a tactic that works pretty well and is obviously well-thought out. Smit scrums like a mofo and he clearly has a part to play in wearing the opposition down.
I think the way Smit is being used in this WC is calculated and intelligent.
If it goes to show that keeping Smit as captain was the correct strategy for this campaign (I am not talking about previous losses) then all your previous comments about him will have proved to be unfounded, no?
3 Oct 2011, 21:41 pm
I have been preaching from this Keo pulpit for some time now: Smit, FdP, Matfield et al don’t want a wotld cup medal. They got that hanging from their bars, framed in their lounge or somewhere in a bank safe. The only thing they want is to be immortalized like the team of ’37, Don’t you guys get it?????
Wether the bodies are still up to it……..not sure. Commeth the hours we shall see.
3 Oct 2011, 21:42 pm
@ET.(ET.)-251: you talking to me dumb fck ignoramus dunce… you wouldn’t know a philosophy from a kaleidoscope or a stethoscope up your half witted half incubated excruciating twiddle de dumbfuck arse… you the biggest phonyfuck doctor going… actually willing and encouraging somebody to die from thrombosis or heart failure on a public blog.. that’s the kind pseudo fuckup physician you are..
3 Oct 2011, 21:42 pm
@grant10(grant10)-257:
Not ever going to happen.
If it does then I have stated openly that I will lose my cyber life.
3 Oct 2011, 21:42 pm
@G10
I agree with your take on Spies though!
3 Oct 2011, 21:45 pm
@Blokkies(Blokkies)-255: mr Blokkies…..
Plod is a has been passenger stopping boks from actually doing the business…
FFS ….He almost lost us game vs Wales….we were gone for all money till Bissy came on….smell the roses you silly little man…..wakey wakey…..
We need our best….not some slow coach 2 nd rate has been …..Matfield can captain…play bissy….
klaar…
FFS….namibia and fiji were piss poor….I tell you something for nothing….if plod had played vs samoa we would have lost….
Bissy….schalk…alberts and brussow start every team in world will kak themselves……
stary a bok pack with spies at 8 in tandem with fat boy we are in the kak…..we got away with it ve wales by the skin of our foreskins……but we cant risk it now…
its like taking a 2 nd shot with the russian roulette….you can pull that trigger bud….I am too farken scared!
3 Oct 2011, 21:45 pm
@261 bokke bo
aaaaah, but what is the only thing better than one WC medal hanging from your rearview mirror?
TWO WC medals !
3 Oct 2011, 21:46 pm
Reading this is sounds like Keo and the crew are actually beginning to enjoy themselves now!!
The competition is really perking up…
3 Oct 2011, 21:47 pm
@Blokkies(Blokkies)-260: fark mate….plods captaincy says it all….something like played 11 …;ost 10…..get a life….you have a fixation with a fat boy….i have a fixation with winning….now lay off and stop talking kak …please
3 Oct 2011, 21:48 pm
@grant10(grant10)-265:
Hello sunshine..!!
3 Oct 2011, 21:51 pm
We take out Aussie Sunday we can go ALL the way.. that is how simple it is..
take out Aussie and the sky is the limit..
but buried deep down inside John Smits own mega suave mighty aura psyche is the nagging lack of self belief doubt that even he has due to the FACT that he has never really beaten them with aplomb in all his aura filled years .. That is Why it is almost imperative that we let the mongrels like Bismark, Brussow, Burger, Botha, Roussow, Alberts and Hougaard loose vs Aussie and NOT try and ‘Contain’ them for 50 odd minute BEFORE we let the dogs out… that is the big mistake we could VERY well make this Sunday..
3 Oct 2011, 21:51 pm
@carol(carol)-267: nerves are absolutely shot to pieces……
loving every damn minute…..
3 Oct 2011, 21:51 pm
Amanda Knox is found not guilty
3 Oct 2011, 21:51 pm
Amanda Knox is found not guilty and cleared.
3 Oct 2011, 21:52 pm
Amanda Knox is found not guilty and cleared in Italy.
3 Oct 2011, 21:52 pm
@carol(carol)-269: are you well….?
I have been more than a little busy…..damn it is not right that 1 man have so much fun and chaos I tell you!
3 Oct 2011, 21:52 pm
Amanda Knox not guilty
3 Oct 2011, 21:53 pm
Blokkies266; Granted, but:”Oupa, which Springbok team was the best to ever leave the land of the long white cloud?’ has a nice ring to it !!!!!!!
3 Oct 2011, 21:53 pm
@ashampoopaloo(joel1yahoo)-270: on the money….as always skop…
I concur whole farken heartedly!
3 Oct 2011, 21:54 pm
Have a laugh while we can…
The NZRU have confirmed they’re going to offer the All Black’s coaching job to John Kirwan. Said a spokesman, “At least he knows how to handle depression.”
Bendon just phoned the NZRU. They don’t want Daniel Carter to model underwear, any more, but they think the ABs are perfect to sponsor bras … lots of support but no cup…
Police found a man had hung himself wearing an All Blacks jersey. They took it off and dressed the man in women’s underwear, so his family wouldn’t be embarrassed.
What do you call a Kiwi in the World Cup final? A Referee
What do you call an Aussie in the World Cup Final? A linesman
3 Oct 2011, 21:54 pm
Ok you are obviously not capable of level-headed discussion – your loss.
I hope you will be man enough to congratulate Smit should he lift the trophy.
With supporters like you who needs black panties?
3 Oct 2011, 21:56 pm
anyway….gotta run…..1 last parting shot
Never ever but bloody never have I been as apprehensive and plain s hit scared of a bok team announcement than this one…..
PDV my good man…please do not allow anything other than good common sense to cloud your judgement…please PDV….dont fark this up !
cheers all
outta here
3 Oct 2011, 21:57 pm
@grant10(grant10)-275:
Incredibly well thank you, not quite so chaotic as you!!
Great to see you back here. Did you see England manage to scrape a win against the flipping Scots? So funny how the Keoites slag the English off and go all gooey and week at the knees at a sight of a man in a kilt and the playing of Flower of Scotland before the game.
3 Oct 2011, 21:57 pm
@grant10(grant10)-281:
I will mail..see ya
3 Oct 2011, 21:57 pm
I post from my bb and then it says it failed,check contenr but it goes through anyway.
3 Oct 2011, 21:58 pm
@Blokkies(Blokkies)-280: not when it comes to plod….it is so obvious….and yet you ladies still try and justify why the worlds best hooker is best sitting on the bench!!
No Man….go peddle your good level headed nonsensical b s hit elsewhere……because it defies all bloody logic and good sense…..
Good nite Mr Blokkies…
3 Oct 2011, 21:59 pm
The way Ireland is playing the Boks have been clearly blessed again.
Bismark has shown once and for all that he is Smit’s biyarch and is a super sub at best. Smit’s yellow card was a moment of madness from a ref out of his depth.
The Samoans see the Boks as their bogey team and reacted as they would each and every time…panicked and intimidated before even taking the field..hence the off the ball antics. The Boks had to contend with spoiling 7′s style disruptive style rugby which is hard to play against.
The Boks biggest problem right now is to decide which good rugby player to leave out for another even better rugby player. Conundrum of note.
3 Oct 2011, 21:59 pm
@Fern is not a stud,he is merely no19(Fern)-284:
hahaha Blackberry, thats old school.
Get with the times.
3 Oct 2011, 22:00 pm
I stated earlier in the week that maybe Pdiv isn’t so dof after all by starting Bissie against the more robust Samoans. And leaving Smit to play the easier pool games.
I wish.
And, having said that, I always maintain that you don’t tamper too much with a winning team and only bring in players due to injured players.
3 Oct 2011, 22:01 pm
@carol(carol)-282: a win is a win….Scots were unlucky….as were Wales against Boks…..take the wins and start again….you guys should klap France….whio have been a damn disgrace imo….
cheers Carol….
blonde giving me the look….
3 Oct 2011, 22:01 pm
Anyway good to hear whatever this ‘scare’ was in your case G10 it was a false alarm…
We can still win this thing but it will take very acute and clear headed reasoning to steer this baby … gotta get through Aussie and then the sky is the limit.. NZ will not be nearly as big a mountain to climb if we can take care of Dingo’s boys this weekend.. this is the real Mackoy game this one coming up this weekend now !
And we have to utilize ALL our armory which is use the bust ahead vokmavoort mothers like Bismark, Steenkamp, Alberts, Botha, Brussow, Burger, Roussow
Beast, Smit, CJ, Spies, Flouw / Roussow all off bench
3 Oct 2011, 22:01 pm
Ashampoopaloo270; Don’t worry man, Bissy won’t miss those last minute hits as his so called captain does. Our strength are the arses on the woodwork. Aussies gonna wonder for every minute of the game: “when the f’k are they gonna be unleashed”. That’s what I call mental havoc. Its not bout players that run onto field, its about the ones that warm the bench!
3 Oct 2011, 22:02 pm
@grant10(grant10)-265: So let’s consider the other scenario…like it happened against Samoa. Up 13-5 with the Samoans starting to run rampant. Off comes Bismarck and all impetus, or impact is lost. Smit, albeit for 3 mins will never be able to up the ante like, say a Bismarck coming off the bench. He might’ve if he was able to make that intercept stick but it didn’t. Bismarck’s value, for now, lies in fretting himself into a frenzy on the bench for 50mins and to wreak havoc once on the field. I’m sure Smit is good enough for a 13-5 lead against the Samoans untll Div makes the change. Don’t you?
3 Oct 2011, 22:05 pm
Gooey and week?
3 Oct 2011, 22:05 pm
Correction…not all impact is lost because there is no impact, as Div decided to start the game with the player providing the biggest impact at this WC to date. Bismarck off the bench for 30 mins makes more sense than Smit off the bench for 3
3 Oct 2011, 22:06 pm
You’re a stuck record G10 – so I am not going to bother.
Thanks for insulting me though when I tried to have normal conversation with you. You really are a class act.
Good night to you too.
3 Oct 2011, 22:08 pm
@Blokkies(Blokkies)-295:
Bismark was given a chance a blew it. Enough said.
3 Oct 2011, 22:08 pm
@bokke bo(bokke bo)-291: Exactly right! What’s the news on Hougaard, as he is another one with game breaking ability better served coming of the bench.
3 Oct 2011, 22:10 pm
If we had played Smit to start vs Samoa we would have lost thats how simple the equation actually is… There would have been NO 13 point buffer margin going into half time and we would NEVER have contained them second half.. they were ALL over us like a f’ng RASH
Samoa OUTPLAYED the Boks second half due to FdP chicken **** coward that he is kicking EVERY good ball down their graciously receiving throats to dance back at us 90 % of the 2nd half… and every dumb doos idiot thinking Smit would have helped in ANY way is living in cloud cuckoo land because he was ABSENT from proceedings same way as he and Spies and FdP were ABSENT from the action vs Wales when Bismark and Alberts and Hougaard SAVED the bloody DAY.
3 Oct 2011, 22:15 pm
@Great White Shark(Predawn)-296: Samoa was insanely physical. I must say, they play the victum better than us!
No way Aus can match that physicality for a full 80. Start Guthro, John and Habana and bring on Beast, Bismarck, Alberts and Hougaard for final 30. That is as good a plan as any. All the starting 15 need to do is keep Genia and Cooper in check for the 1st 50 and it’s in the bag.
3 Oct 2011, 22:15 pm
@bokke bo(bokke bo)-291: I don’t buy this super sub strategy.. It was TOUCH and GO vs Wales.. by all accounts boks were supposed to LOSE that game.. it was DEAD and BURIED under Smit.. and Smit knows HOW much of a miracle act that Bismark, Alberts and Hougaard pulled to win that one which at 60 minutes was a no hope GONER with Smit still on the field..
Smit starting vs Aussie and they run us ragged.. and this time there may NOT BE a super sub resurrection act … Aussie are NOT as thick as Wales were to blow a lead like that…. go ask Deans who he rather have contesting against them… Bismark, Alberts, Hougaard or Smit, Spies, FdP.
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