Any idiot can see that Jake White is pure class whe it comes to students of the game. As for morons..well you tell me what you consider a good coach.

Think carefully you might be talking about your own achievements here.

Naah, changed my mind. I’ll rather go with Never.

He was seen as a power broker behind the Cavaliers tour that caused so much division in the NZ game, and after rising to the top of South African Rugby, and playing such a role in making the 1995 RWC tournament such a historic success, Louis put noses out of joint with some less than diplomatic comments at the post-tournament dinner following South Africa’s epic win over the All Blacks.

Roll forward to Cape Town 2001 when I made two significant purchases. One was a bracelet for my new girlfriend…now my wife, the other was a copy of the “unauthorised” Max du Preez biography of Louis Luyt, which I found so utterly fascinating that I read it cover to cover on the flight home.

I discussed the book on my sports spot on the Newstalk radio show with the country’s leading broadcaster, Paul Holmes, who had met and was also fascinated by Louis. Our conversations sparked such interest in the book that a shipment of copies had to be imported into New Zealand.

Armed with information from the book, I set up an interview with Dr Luyt two years later in Durban. I told Holmes (who co-incidentally also died last week) I was going to ask all the tough questions he had failed to ask when he’d interviewed him, on account of him being “seduced” by the charms of his host!

Easier said than done. We arrived at the Luyt home near Durban and were met with such effusive hospitality that I found it nigh impossible to take a hard-line approach. I tried, but he was a master of talking around a curly question without really answering it, and seemed genuinely aggrieved by the suggestion that he was, as so many had claimed, a bully.

Our crew eventually left, having done our interview, cleaned up the platter of delicious sandwiches, drunk fine coffee, politely declined the offer of a beer, chatted to Louis and his lovely wife Adri, and admired his beautiful home. It was a very enjoyable experience and while the hour-long interview was well received back home, I knew that I had been denied the really hard-hitting feature I had gone looking for because I too had found it hard to get past the charming side of Louis Luyt.

Dr Luyt was not perfect. He made plenty of enemies, often with people he’d been close to, and he brought a lot of criticism on himself, but there is also something to admire about what he was able to achieve, especially from such humble beginnings. His role in seeing off the rebel World Rugby Corporation (WRC) should never be understated….it was he who made the most significant move when he made the Springboks an offer they couldn’t refuse, breaking the back of the player-led revolution.

I am just glad that I was able to meet with him, and see the “other” side of him, to be able to put some balance into my perceptions of the man when much of what we had read and heard about him from afar was the controversial stuff.

Pointless replying to it though as the damage has already been done.

Startibartfast was also a good oke.

Like you I’ll miss ufo; he is gentleman with a keen sense of fairness.
Like you I’d be very happy if he would return.
He has departed on a matter of principle, & he is a grown man, fully aware of the consequences of that decision – we must respect and abide that decision.
Circumstances may change, and he may or may not return, who knows?
At least he did not leave in a fit of egotistical pique (as some do), but out of concern for decency & fairness. Respect & accept that.
There is an open door policy here – anyone can come & go, & virtually say what they please.
That’s why this site is so popular.

At least if ufo were to return, he’ll likely do so proudly under his own nick, “ufo”, not surreptitiously like some others.

{life goes on}