Samoa embarrass pathetic Blitzboks
6 May 2012
The Springboks Sevens were smashed 47-0 in the Plate semi-final on day two of the Glasgow Sevens.
Samoa dominated the fixture, running in seven tries in South Africa’s worst World Series performance ever. Four were scored in the first half, while three were dotted down after the break. Alatasi Topou was the star for the victors as he scored a brace and kicked six conversions. Tom Iosefo also grabbed a hat-trick in the opening stanza.
The mauling by the Pacific Islanders was the final nail in a poor tournament campaign in Scotland. South Africa only managed to edge minnows Russia (17-14) and Scotland (19-14) and were beaten by Wales (17-5) in what should’ve been an easy Pool D on day one. They were then eliminated from the Cup section by England (19-14) earlier on day two, failing to capitalise on a potential match-winning opportunity at the death as they lacked composure and patience on attack.
Yes, the Springbok Sevens travelled to Glasgow with a weakened squad (the likes of Cecil Afrika, Kyle Brown and Paul Delport were injured) and there were several youngsters who made their international debuts, but the team still had enough quality to achieve better. Senior players like Frankie Horne, Chris Dry and Branco du Preez were available, and should’ve led the side more effectively.
This is a new low for South African sevens rugby. Paul Treu and co will need to take damage control ahead of the final leg of the 2011-12 World Series in England next weekend, and reflection and important steps forward must be taken thereafter before the new season. While the road to the 2016 Olympic Games is vital, these results in Scotland are unacceptable. And blooding new talent is not a worthy excuse.
Treu has a great sevens rugby mind, and firing him (which will be the call by some) is not the answer. The Blitzboks coach struggles to lure the quality players needed to compete with the best sevens nations in the world – mainly because Super Rugby, the Currie Cup and (to a certain extent) even the Vodacom Cup is seen as a more respectable platform than the opportunity of touring the world with the national sevens squad. Why is a player like Sibusiso Sithole, who impressed for the Blitzboks last season, playing for the Sharks XV, especially when he could’ve added value on the international sevens stage?
Saru needs to step in and help Treu’s cause. Yes, they gave the team a fancy, lavish base in Stellenbosch, but they need to assist with the player recruitment drive and establish a proper provincial sevens system. Hopefully the demolition from Samoa will be the all-time low needed to spark a change.
Blitzboks fixtures (day two):
Cup quarter-final – South Africa 14 England 19
Plate semi-final – South Africa 0 Samoa 47
Click here for all day two fixtures and results
By Gareth Duncan
61 Comments
6 May 2012, 10:21 am
How **** are these “Blitz”Boks? Lost to Wales and almost lost to Scotland and Russia!
6 May 2012, 11:21 am
blitzed?
6 May 2012, 14:23 pm
Turner – What a loss to SA…
6 May 2012, 15:30 pm
Losses to Wales and England… near losses to Scotland and Russia… what a bunch of turkeys…
6 May 2012, 16:30 pm
Paul Treeeeeeuuuuu.
6 May 2012, 16:31 pm
Kiss any thoughts of an Olympic medal of any kind goodbye as long as the status quo is maintained
6 May 2012, 16:51 pm
May I say again: Who cares?
6 May 2012, 16:59 pm
@Tacitus(Deucalion)-7:
the players who hhave contract to play
6 May 2012, 17:18 pm
7′s will become more and more prominent leading up to the 2016 Olympics.
The status of an Olympic gold is not to be underestimated.
So i expect more top players will be made available to play 7′s over the next few years.
A team like the following for example will beat the current bok team by probably about 40 points:
Pietersen
Aplon
Goosen
Hougaardt
Spies
Shalk Britz
Koster
6 May 2012, 17:20 pm
The Blitzbokke have lost half their captain, their star player, another senior player and there are other injuries. This is their worst injury crisis and at the end of a season (2nd last tournament) are having to debut 3 players who only have varsity cup experience I.e. play club rugby.
So what do you expect? We should rather get behind our team instead of hiding behind our Internet anonymity and writing stupid comments.
I’m sitting in my Bok jersey and I feel proud when my team wins and and am a man. I don’t ***** when my team loses.
6 May 2012, 17:36 pm
Blitzboks lack physicality. Too light and too easily brushed aside by the likes of Samoa and particularly Fiji. What can Treu do? only working with what he has at hand cant ***** at the guy for that. saru need to take sevens more seriously sevens and touch rugby are the corner stone for their backplay in the 15 man game and they learn this stuff from kids up to adults which is a pretty massive advantage over us. but will saru put their money in the right place? looking at the pathetic kings id say no.
6 May 2012, 17:37 pm
This is half of Samoa are playing in Europe or NZ anyway yet they can still field a competitive team. With the taken in SA, even with super rugby, currie cup and vodacom cup we should be competing. An absolute disgrace losing like this
6 May 2012, 17:39 pm
Ok boys a bit boozed up writing that previous post hence the lack of spell check, does not help with iPhone typing either. But regardless a loss like that is an embarrassment
6 May 2012, 17:41 pm
@JustAnotherFan(JustAnotherFan)-10: yeah like all those tossers who slated jake when they came out in droves when we won the world cup. our supporters are guttless arseholes to be honest. even the bafana fans support their soccer teams with more loyalty.
6 May 2012, 17:46 pm
trau and his selectors must also look wider than only the varsity cup when they select new players. They need to get aff their arses and go out and watch club games instead of taking the easy way out and only select players that they see on TV (Varsity cup). I am sure there are also very good players who play for other clubs in the differrent provinces who can be selected.
6 May 2012, 17:50 pm
@Robzim(Robzim)-9: New Zealand could put an outrageous side together as well…
Taylor
Jane
Nonu
Smith
Carter
Gear
SBW
And others…
6 May 2012, 18:03 pm
@Bagel(Bagel)-16:
True. Same for the Aussies. Imagine the chaos that players like Quade Cooper, Digby Ioane and James O’Conner will create if let loose at sevens.
6 May 2012, 18:03 pm
You forget that we are a rugby powerhouse, accepting defeats like this puts us on the slippery slop to Scottish standard rugby. Would the all blacks accept performances from their team like this? No way they would not and that is why they have always bean the team to beat. Our standards need to be set high and we need to meet them. I always support the boks but performances like this are unacceptable. Make excuses and accept mediocrity and that what we will get. All Blacks except to win and accept nothing less and loom how well they do. Treu should be livid!
6 May 2012, 18:06 pm
Farkin iPhone predictive text sorry boys on the spelling and grammar
6 May 2012, 18:07 pm
What kinda nic is that
6 May 2012, 18:08 pm
@Dawn(Dawn)-20:
Good point. Very dodgy.
6 May 2012, 18:27 pm
Gareth how about this headline taken from Supersport
Samoa too strong for injury-hit Blitzbokke
6 May 2012, 19:34 pm
I saw this farce live. A proper spanking.
6 May 2012, 19:40 pm
This is no surprise
Boks cannot match the size and power of the islanders
We have to stop loading the side with skinny small lightweights and add some biltong
6 May 2012, 19:42 pm
Treu is not a good coach. I honestly have no idea where the notion comes from that he is any good. We are the only sevens side that actually looks to make contact. It’s stupid, especially if we don’t have the personnel for it. We kept on running into the bigger English players and were subsequently blasted off the ball rather easily. Stupid stupid stupid.
Poorly coached side.
6 May 2012, 19:43 pm
You must have a better balance of bigger stronger hard fast players with outside speed
6 May 2012, 19:44 pm
If you look at our ruck stats in sevens you’ll notice we have by FAR the most rucks. We believe in the good ‘ol 15-man crash ball in sevens. It’s a joke the way we play… Treu even tried to employ a kick-chase tactic at one point last season. That was a disaster.
6 May 2012, 19:45 pm
@lepel(lepel)-25:
The game has changed Counter rucks are very important and the stronger teams wait to gang tackle and then win the ball.
Then on attack the bigger stronger players are breaking the tackles of the skinny players and its allover
6 May 2012, 19:46 pm
@lepel(lepel)-27:
Yup we agree
6 May 2012, 20:11 pm
Well done ABs A class team and very well coached
6 May 2012, 20:42 pm
ABs are still are and have always been a class act in 7s and 15s. They never ever have a good loss, a loss is a loss. Hopefully Meyer will bring that kind of mentality to our 15 side at least then Treu or Chester or whomever is incharge can follow with 7s
6 May 2012, 20:50 pm
@guangzhoupoes(guangzhoupoes)-31:
They have to pick bigger stronger and more physical players who have the speed and skills to match fiji samao and ABs
6 May 2012, 20:57 pm
Guangzhoupoes? Holy fck that must be the nic of the year….lmfao
6 May 2012, 20:57 pm
@willievz(willievz)-23: Willie we all saw the farce live
6 May 2012, 21:00 pm
okes like SBW,Masaga,Hougaard,Spies would be legendary in 7s.
6 May 2012, 21:06 pm
One has to feel for Paul Treu.Provinces are reluctant to let go of their promising talent and far to often the Sevens coach has to beg ,borrow or steal.He has done wonders for South Africa’s sevens game and surely deserves more credit
for what he has already achieved.
South Africa’s rugby is bedeviled by politics and provincialism and of course by
columnist who take great pleasure in belittling poor performances and very seldom offering any constructive solutions, hoping that a political driven organisation like SARU will offer some respite so that they don’t have to deal with the matter.
6 May 2012, 21:07 pm
@Rage(Rage)-35:
A lot of 15s stars would be
6 May 2012, 21:11 pm
The Keo Connection
05/06/2012
5 Comments
Highbury Safika Media (HSM) is a publishing house boasting a portfolio of over 30 magazine titles and numerous online publications, amongst these are SA Rugby Magazine and Keo.co.za – the website of Mark Keohane and other SA Rugby writers such as Ryan Vrede and Jon Cardinelli.
Keohane has been a public figure since his days as Springbok Communications Manager under the ill-fated reigns of both Harry Viljoen and Rudolph Streauli, until he resigned in protest over SARFU’s handling of the Geo Cronjé racism debacle involving Quinton Davids. Keohane went on to publish a book about the episode and the state of the Springboks in general, and was widely criticized by Springbok players (most notably Corné Krige) as deliberately attempting to sow division within their ranks and to undermine SA Rugby in general.
In recent times Keohane has been busying himself in the extensive business interests of HSM, as well as media relations of other entities, such as Jake White’s Winning Ways – a business partnership which ended in a heated law suit, kept hushed away out of the public sphere. Even more recently, however, HSM -and Mark Keohane in particular – were awarded the contract to manage the media, marketing and public relations of the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC). The awarding of this contract was never put up for tender, as is standard government procedure, but was rather awarded directly to HSM (although Keohane states that normal application took place, the fact remains it should have gone to tender).
And this is where the Keo connection begins to reveal itself.
During his time at SA Rugby, Mark Keohane worked alongside the likes of Rian Oberholzer (Managing Director of SA Rugby), Songezo Nayo (Managing Director), Gary Grant (Marketing Director) and the current president of SASCOC – Gideon Sam (Springbok Team Manager).
All four names mentioned above are currently directors of sports marketing company Accelerate Sports, with Gideon Sam being appointed as Chairman. Gideon Sam also serves on the Lotto Distribution Board, but excused himself when dealing with the funding grant to SA Cycling, a grant from which Accelerate Sport received commission to the tune of R 26 million – a blatant conflict of interest.
Accelerate Sport, through their subsidiary Access Facilities and Leisure Management (AFLM), were also awarded the contract as operations manager of the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium. It is reported that this contract brings in a whopping R 600 000 a month to the coffers of Accelerate. It is the duty of AFLM to source events to be staged at the stadium to generate revenue and keep the stadium sustainable.
And here the connection between rugby and Accelerate begins to become clear.
The contract between AFLM and the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro states that, above the R 600 000 a month, AFLM are to be awarded performance bonuses based on the revenue they generate, providing this amount exceeds R 12,5 million a year. The structure of this bonus is as follows:
The Operator will be paid 10% of any amount above R12.5 million but less than R15 million, and then:
· 12.5% of any amount in excess of R15 million but less than R20 million;
· 15% of any amount in excess of R20 million but less than R25 million; and
· 20% of any amount in excess of R25 million.
It is thus blatantly clear that it is in the best interests of Accelerate to find events which will draw spectators, such as concerts etc.
But what better way to ensure constant revenue, week after week, than playing host to a top tier sports team. If only the Eastern Cape had one.
But wait, Accelerate have strong ties to SARU, they do after all boast an ex-MD in their ranks. Would it at this point seem ludicrous to suggest that Oberholzer, Sam, Grant and Nayo used their previous connections to SARU to, excuse the pun, accelerate the Kings’ inclusion in Super Rugby so as to ensure that their business interest was being looked after, leading to SARU’s shock announcement at the Heyneke Meyer press conference about the Kings’ guaranteed inclusion in Super Rugby for 2013? Surely not.
So where does Mark Keohane fit into all this?
Keohane has recently stepped up his anti – Lions rhetoric in his articles, and while not directly naming the Kings in his most recent one, it is clear where his views emanate from. The vested interest he has in servicing his ex-colleagues at SARU (SASCOC contracts etc.) has clearly skewed the views of an already overly opinionated man.
But wait, there’s more.
After the establishment of the Kings, the son of Cheeky Watson – president of the Eastern Province Rugby Union (under which the Kings operate) – Luke, was brought back from Bath to play for the Kings. In May 2011 HSM (with Mark Keohane again at the forefront) announced that it had decided to enter into the field of player management, a first for the publishing company. Furthermore it was announced that their first client would be none other than Luke Watson. Cue the Mark Keohane propaganda machine.
The cover of the very next SA Rugby magazine was adorned by – yes, you guessed it – Luke Watson, with the rather flattering caption “Return of the King”. This was to be only the start of the Keohane marketing hype surrounding Watson and the Kings.
At the same press conference where SARU dropped the Kings bombshell on an unsuspecting audience, Ryan Vrede, a HSM journalist, asked Heyneke Meyer if Luke Watson – a player languishing in the second tier of SA Rugby and who hasn’t been in Bok contention since mid-2008 – was a contender for the position of Springbok captain. These blatant attempts by Keohane to force the name of Luke Watson into mainstream media while he has done nothing to get it there serves to illustrate the hidden agenda and inherent corrupt nature of a man who has lived off the rise and fall of others for far too long.
Not only has the media machine being rolling for Luke Watson, but others being managed under yet another Accelerate Sport company – In-Site Athlete Management – have been enjoying a rise in publicity in SA Rugby magazine as well. Willem Alberts received some ego stroking in May 2011, as did another In-Site managed player -Joe van Niekerk – in March 2012, with the article stating that he is playing the best rugby of his career at Toulon. Buttering him up for a big money move back to SA perhaps?
It is clear that Keo’s connection into Accelerate stretches deep, with an “I’ll scratch your back you scratch mine” policy which benefits both sides. Gideon Sam made sure he looked after Mark with the awarding of the SASCOC account, Mark in turn ensures that the business interests of Accelerate Sport and its stakeholders remains in the mainstream media, and they all walk away happy.
The reason why Keo has gone on a Lions bashing campaign of late should come as no surprise when taking the above into account. Mark Keohane is no longer a journalist; he hasn’t been for quite a while. He is a businessman with a platform to promote his interests and those of others close to him, a platform which he uses selflessly and without shame.
He is a wolf in sheep’s clothing. He is the worm in the apple, and the rot starts with him.
6 May 2012, 21:14 pm
@coachpete
yeah..in December we’ll see how they go (tournament in George).I think SBW,QC & Shane W are in the same team.
6 May 2012, 21:22 pm
@ 38 JL1
wow great story!! Who’s work is that?
6 May 2012, 21:35 pm
good thing I didn’t watch this massacre would have been mightily embarrassed
the last time SA had a world rated 7′s team was when Aplon, Stick, Mbiyozo, Dazel, Ebersohn, Delport, Benjamin, etc put their hearts into capturing the series title in 2009 under Paul Treu.. that was a blitzbok team who could take on Fiji , NZ, Eng, Samoa and whip their @sses.. not like this crowd we got now.
6 May 2012, 21:37 pm
@Rage(Rage)-40: rugbybanter.com
I actually always knew that Keo does not care about rugby,
6 May 2012, 21:41 pm
47-0 The blitzedboks were lucky to get nil. Pacific Islanders scare them all quite pale.
6 May 2012, 21:43 pm
Very interesting Mate. Keo is a bladdy agent!
6 May 2012, 21:49 pm
@Sasuke(Sasuke)-44: Old news, but he has been getting worse
All articles are written to influence his cash pocket
I for one do not pay for any SA Rugby mag since I found out, you could argue that the website is just as good as paying for a mag
6 May 2012, 21:50 pm
@TheTackler(TheTackler)-43: Yes, those SA School boys were quite scared
6 May 2012, 22:03 pm
Interesting
6 May 2012, 22:46 pm
They are a good team. A poor performance for their standards. They have been getting worse as the year has gone on. Maybe they were a bit low on confidence. better luck next year.
6 May 2012, 22:48 pm
Nz sevens successes throughout the years have one consistent theme…Coach Gordon Tietjens……his name should be recorded on NZRFU balance sheet…….then we will show a profit every year.
6 May 2012, 23:45 pm
Lovely stuff JL1….but the Lions are still kak..
7 May 2012, 00:36 am
@Tacitus(Deucalion)-7:
May I say again: Who cares what you think?
7 May 2012, 04:27 am
Too many Orks no surprise here… Treu has had his time… Olympics around the corner… fresh coaching team in that can utilise the veritable smorgasbord of bigger, talented, loose-forwards RSA has…
Or else simply be content with making the plate finals more often than not… as Treu is with his Orks…
7 May 2012, 06:27 am
I have to question thsi hogwash about True having a brilliant sevens brain. Yes he won the title a couple of years ago. So what.
If he had a brilliant rugby brain he would have been able to work out system that work and can be easily understood and followed by rookies too., or would have the backup squad well versed in his systems.
The more I see the BB’s playing, the more convinced I am that the series win was a flash in the pan, and down to him having a very special group of talented ball players that made stuff happen for themsleves. If SA doesn’t have enough flanks with speed AND ball playing ability to be able compete CONSISTENTLY at sevens, then NOBODY does. The fact that we dont dominate consistently is a failure. The only reason that I can see for this failure is the coach.
7 May 2012, 06:47 am
Those arrogant Samoans must think they own the game. They deserved the victory at RWC too until the ridiculous RC let the PrickBoks off the numpty hook.
7 May 2012, 06:58 am
@PrickBoks going South(PrickBoks going South)-54:
Yawn
Go f u k a pig or something………
7 May 2012, 07:57 am
@JL1(JL1)-45: Yes I have also stopped buying the mag.
7 May 2012, 09:00 am
I see Keo is being their own self again, very predictable. Why is it that when the aussies or kiwis are hit by injury its the first thing keo points out because lets face it, if it was any of those two teams the headline would look somthing like this “Injury hit aus/nz beaten by samoa” but because its the Boks they are pethetic, which makes me wonder why are there so many South Africans on a site that clearly does not support the Boks? Yes the Bok 7′s were well beaten but compare this article to one that would have been about aus or nz should it happen to them and you will find the articlle will be in stark contrast.
7 May 2012, 09:02 am
Does this 47 – 0 of True rank with the 49 – 0 of White?
Mmmm………..
7 May 2012, 12:47 pm
@whatever(whatever)-55:
lol
Tell boks going south your address and he will
7 May 2012, 19:35 pm
I agree with Oranjebliksemblou. Sometimes these ‘ hacks ‘ that report need to choose there words more carefully. The Blitzbokke had been plagued with injuries and agreed faired poorly but to use words like pathetic isnt called for. I wonder if youd use the same rhetoric to their faces ??? In fact I wonder what level of rugby Mr Gareth Duncan has ever played. If youre going to be critical make it constructive. Instead of just bagging national players who Im sure do their best when wearing a national jersey. Something you would not know about
7 May 2012, 21:16 pm
I also can not imagine why a player would play vodacom cup rugby rather than national sevens. Maybe he was promised a place in the super rugby squad. Come to think of it, why is there even such athing as vodacom cup? Methinks it would be much better for SA rugby to scratch that competition and invest the money in club rugby. Clubs are dying all over the country and dragging down SA rugby with it.
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