“Holy smoke, you have to read this crying c r a p to believe it was actually written. The “gathering” seeks an empty thread to bemoan their sorrows and hardships.It is only a game, fools.”

I’m not sure if you’re aware, but this site is full of stories about South African rugby teams and after each story, the respective supporters often chat about the article or the aforementioned team in general terms.

This often leads to continued and prolonged wailing, and the gnashing of many teeth, especially after said supporters teams lose.

I’m quite sure that this is a common situation around the internet and roughly speaking, for example, motor racing fans go to motor racing blogs to discuss/fight/be armchair experts and football fans go to football blogs for the same reason. I think you’ll get the idea, you appear to be a bright chap.

In conclusion, on a thread about a young front row forward being (allegedly) over extended and consequentially being unable to play for his franchise on Saturday in a key game, the supporters of the Stormers in this instance, are understandably bemused.

And so you don’t get a surprise the next time you read a story about say, the Bulls, expect to have a few Bulls fans discussing that story in the allocated space underneath said article.

If you need any other advice or help, for example on how to out on your shirt without poking yourself in the eye, please don’t hesitate to give me a shout.

HTH

I guess I will never know for I do not subscribe to the mentality of the “Cult”, ever.

So it is injuries,real or guessed(“carrying”),to all the locks(4),loosies(8,is that number enough for you?), fronties and much more and it is the scoreboard, the very well-disposed ref., the later rain, plus everything else but that the opposition being better prepared and executed their gameplan perfectly for your loss?

Is this the sick attitude that reflects “another gathering of the Cult of the Noble Loser”

To understand how demented and totally out of touch with reality you are read #634 as it placates you:

“There is plenty of evidence, both eyewitness and digital, attesting to the fact that season after season the Stormers do not win the Superugby Championship.
Yet to hear the yearly reviews and the next previews, a casual reader might be led to conclude that the runner-up, or worse, deserves at least as much credit, if not more, than the seasonal Champion.

Welcome, then, to another gathering of the Cult of the Noble Loser, whose members worship a select group of valiant competitors known for gallant efforts in a lost cause(many examples in sport,let alone life at large) and whose numbers are large, too large to the point of reflecting utter stupidity.

Admission to the Cult of the Noble Loser is not easy. A combination of qualifying factors must be in place. The candidate( Stormer’s team) must have a loyal and vocal following, especially in the national, and especially, local sporting media and public. He must be among the seasonal favorites in the big-time event, if not the outright choice. And there must be extenuating circumstances, as many as possible, that he did everything in his power to overcome to attain that victory in a contest. A razor-thin margin(penalty close to or after the siren that gives that 1 or 2 point win) also helps but is not absolutely required.

The Stormers earned cult status with their growing membership with perfomances that were deemed unique and particularly appealing to the testosterone-charged “all in” approach that pervades not only the culture of fun and games but the wider world as well, as in, “Yes, they are idiots, but at least they have the courage of their convictions.” Does the game-plan not reflect this? Defence alone does not win games.

If the Stormers gets to be part of the Cult of the Noble Loser because of historical performances and especially other factors, what about the Sharks, who came so close, closer than the Stormers ever did? Why do some become part of the Cult while others do not?
Where then does one draw the line?

Is it okay to be a little skeptical?
What can one really say in their favour?
They went very fast last season(5/5 and more) and this one(6/6, 10/11), then they got tired and injured(all teams suffer this) and they lost(and will lose again). They lost, by the way, last season to teams who left the starting blocks at the same time(time zones notwithstanding) as they do, every season.
But the raw data or stats tell the story differently and it drives you utterly crazy.

Still, one man’s Noble Loser is another’s dead-tired runner-up who had everything his own way for a while and couldn’t hang on. Here is hoping they do win a Superugby Cup sometime, even soon. Until then, cult or no cult, there’s another team out there who beat them fair and square between the white lines of a rugby field every season thus far.”

I’d kill for those three over ummm Jannie Dup and then who… WP Nell and then who Patric Cilliers… nope Boks are bare in this position no matter how much you jump up and down pissing yourself little man…

Before you piss yourself like a little lap-dog you should learn your TH from your LH…

Ben Alexander was arguably ranked as one of the best TH’s in the world last year by many pundits… then Ma’afu and Dan Palmer who is destroying all and sundry with the Brumbies at scrum time… and then the young Slipper…

Sit Ubu sit… rrruff… good little lap-dog.

What THREE world class Tightheads? Who Kepu,Alexander.Slipper???

Hahaha GTFOHWTBS!!! The same 3 tightheads who have been playing for Wallabies the last 18 months and still had a weak scrum?

Just like Oz has “all the tall timber” locks as you claimed start of the year? Yet NONE of them have really impressed barring Scott Fardy who is a retreaded 6. Pyle,Carter,Timani and co are just average period.

Your claims are laughable

the sharks are also losing paul jordaan to the baby boks.

AC is his manager, of course he’ll play him if he’s fit. You can’t blame him for that. Good he objected though, he’s done his bit. Because he can’t legislate for if’s and buts. That’s up to SARU now who must surely take all factors into account such as his age and position with a view to his development.

Win at all costs obviously takes precedence over a young guys welfare though.

Then why did Plumtree refuse to release Jordaan?

I see that Plumtree refuses to release Jordaan! Can he refuse?

Bad manager, bad coach.

But although this call up for Kitshoff is a huge blow to the Stormers, surely playing a 20 year old front ranker into the ground should be of far greater concern.

Did AC object?
Does Dawie Theron have a conscience?
Have SARU, as well as being inept, turned a blind eye?

Shocking decision to call him up. The lad needs a rest ffs.

It hasn’t happened. Players are only rested when it’s too late – when they’re injured. They clearly don’t trust their fringe players.