KEY POINTS:
The decision by South Africa to send an under-strength side for their remaining Tri-Nations tests has annoyed rugby officials on both sides of the Tasman.
Springboks coach Jake White has named a 28-man squad devoid of most big names for the matches against Australia in Sydney on July 7 and New Zealand in Christchurch on July 14.
Here is a selection of Your Views:
Bok supporter (Auckland)
I will support the Boks no matter what - at least their supporters do not gloat at opposition supporters when they win. It is very quiet in my office today - as if the sky had fallen in and yet somehow it is still raining and we are all still alive. Hey wake up AB supporters - the mighty have fallen and the 2nd, 3rd or 4th SA team may still cause an upset but give them a break you never know, it may be quiet in Australia next Monday.
Saffa
Come on guys! We all know the Aussies by now. Always busy with a psychological battle through their press. Probably scared of a full strength and rested Bok squad come RWC. We must remember that the Aussies have their own RWC aspirations and will do anything to achieve it, especially off the field, if one is to judge their team's recent performance.
To Frosty: You should rather not make assumptions - you may disclose your intellect. Have you ever been to SA? There are approximately 6 million euro-africans, 4 million coloured-africans, 30 million black South-Africans and 15 million illegal black-africans in SA. The primary sport for whites and coloureds is rugby. Blacks primarily play soccer. The average height and weight for black and coloured Saffas are around 1.70m and 70kg. We have huge development programmes for rugby in SA. Whenever a promising non-white rugby player emerges they are usually fast-tracked into top rugby, they are physically and mentally not yet ready for. How many of the non-white players have you seen come and go (quickly) over the years. Top rugby can be terminally dangerous if you are not ready. Having said that, there are great non-white players coming through without political interference. Habana is a hero in Pta and I believe the same goes for Pietersen and Murray in Dbn. The problem Saffa rugby supporters have is the selection of non-white players due to the colour of their skin, when they are not the best player in that position. Oops! Did I mention something about sub-strength teams? Did not hear the Aussies complain about that during the past decade.
Charli
To Frosty: You obviously know nothing about South Africa so dont go lecturing on about coloured players. SA is not like NZ - the general majority of SA play soccer - not rugby - however we are working damn hard to get transformation into our side - you cant force it or you break players confidence and spirit like Eddie Andrews. Talk about something you know about.
Andy (London)
Phil, what the f***? I suppose you also think MI5 killed Diana too? What is the story with Kiwis these days (am one myself btw)? Any story relating to rugby gets twisted into how the rest of the world is ganging up on NZ. FYI people, most of the rest of the world don't even know where NZ is, and of those that do far less actually care what we get up. Have a bit of perspective mate. I don't agree with JW's decision, but I also don't think this Bok team is all that bad. A bit inexperienced and that may show especially against the ABs, but they just might decide to use the ball they get and run it. Who knows, they may even create some tries out wide. Mauger's got too big a mouth on him also and should be dropped for that reason alone, if not his poor form. What goes on the pitch stays on the pitch fella. And as for the bloke saying GH should have been given the AB post because of his record with Auckland, wasn't there a chap by the name of John Hart that led Auckland to great success? What a fantastic AB coach he turned out to be!
Bakermidge
The majority of the players in the Springbok first team did not have a good Super 14. Jake White's 'B' team consists mainly of the form South African players of this years super 14. Ruan Pienaar- dangerous halfback, JP Pietersen- top try scorer in Super 14. The Sharks travel well and this team will have 10 of them in it. Boks have nothing to lose and games will be closer than people think.
Adam
To Fred from SAF, the irony of a South African moaning about Australian arrogance when the national side doesn't believe sending their best 22 is classic. Maybe another 49 point thrashing on Saturday will cool you down.
RIP South African RWC chances, worst decision ever.
Paul
Get off your high horse Chris. South Africa are perfectly entitled to rest some players for a couple of meaningless games. NZ has been doing this for years. The only reason Australia isn't resting players is because they don't have the depth and they have no-one to blame but themselves for not developing that depth.What should have happened this year is the Super 14 starting a month later instead of early, the Tri-nations being cancelled completely and a couple of internal trial matches before the world cup, like maybe a North Vs South "state of origin" type match.
Frosty
A lot of talk about being forced to play colored players. How does a team that represents the southern part of Africa have a sports team that represents that part of the world and hardly have any players that are colored and most of what they have are quite obviously mixed. It is clear to anyone outside the situation that something must be wrong in their secret little rugby world in South Africa. It's almost as if South Africa needs another team to represent the rest of the population - this one obviously is only focused on and thus primarily only represents one segment of the population!!
Daisy - Singapore
The Worldcup is less than 11 weeks away. Its well known that the Aussies and the Kiwis have rested their key players in the past. Other than the fact that a few key players of the Boks have injuries - why can't Jake White rest a fewy of his key players now - 11 weeks away from the Worldcup?? The Aussies called the second string Boks 'creampuffs'. Wouldn't it be totally fantastic if the Boks beat them again?
McCav (Auckland)
To Spears52,
Mate, you may have five players for every position as you say, but its a shame for you guys that the great majority of them are crap. If your team is as good as you say they are, why couldn't they beat the All Blacks when the All Blacks played so badly for the majority of the game? I mean, Carter had an average game by his standards and the whole team had the dropsies. Not to mention the ABs were playing on a six-day turn around against a South African team that in Jake White's words, were in a far better position that the All Blacks because they had carried their Super 14 form through and were playing at home. Also, if they are soooo good - why do they have such a rubbish away record?? (Won 4, Lost 7 since 2005). C'mon Saffas, your empty bravado is getting really tired now.
Just a tip: try reading from the reference section instead of the fantasy fiction.
Arron
I find it funny that people are talking about a second-rate Springbok side. The so-called first-rate one last Saturday was so devoid of imagination and flair that they made the England side of 2003 look like the Fijian sevens team.
Slitty the Pomme (Stratford upon Avon, UK)
If the Boks do not want to take on the obvious world cup winners now, they won't want to take to the park in France. They have to measure them selves before the world cup starts, why not now.
Big Joe (Johannesburg)
Hi there Guys, We in South Africa respect the AB, so I am just going to say this. Write off this, "so-called B rate team" at your peril. Yes many are up and coming, but its one dam good team. Wait till they play the Aussies and we'll chat again.
Aussie Ex-fan
Jeez, it feels bad to be an Aussie fan, what a bunch of Sheila's. I get the feeling we are going to lose against this so called 2nd stringers from SA. There's no such thing as a SA b team. We must still beat them. Will we? Nooooooooooo.
Fred (South Africa)
It's disappointing to note the attitude of AB supporters about the Boks. In apartheid days many South Africans did not support the Boks for obvious reasons and their team was always the ABs. We all know that the Aussies are whingers & arrogant when they win, but here in SA everybody respects the ABs. If Jake White has his tactics for the WC so be it. I personally hope that the so called Boks B thrash the Aussies and have a good game against the ABs, win or lose
Phil
This is all just pitiful politicking. There has been no great change in the quality of NZRU administrators. They may have law and or business degrees nowadays but are still incapable of running a brothel on a troopship. NZRU gets walked over cause they are too scared of losing the world cup hosting gig. This is suicidal. NZRU money comes from test matches organised between other national unions. Now test matches are devalued the Rugby World Cup will make the NZRU and other national bodies IRB serfs. NZRU will be one voice amongst many others but every other voice looks at ways to sabotage the century old dominance of international rugby by NZ. Everything from the fixture calendar to the rules of the game will be weighted against the ABs until they are just another average rugby team. We know this because we have seen the results of this ambush against the ABs at successive world cups. Instead of touching their forelocks and bowing to the IRB, NZ should pull out of the world cup altogether, thereby robbing it of any validity and returning power to the national unions.
Renzo (Brisbane)
Why are the NZRFU moaning about? Did they not hold back 22 All Blacks, not just any tom dick and harry rugby player, but All Blacks from the Super 14 for 'reconditioning' reasons and they didn't care about the Pay TV subscribers, they didn't care about the ratings of the game or the season ticket holders or anyone. Darn, they were ready to defend their case for the 'reconditioning' programme against the broadcaster itself. Now the Boks do the same, for only two games, and NZ especially have no right to bitch and moan. Australia I understand can complain. But my NZRFU shouldn't. For them to make the statement that the international game was in jeopardy because of the Boks selection for the Tri-Nations was harming the game, mate, a Rugby game is a rugby game, whether it's NPC, Super 14 or Test level, either level of the game, when disrupted like as the beginning of the Super 14 rounds were to the ABs reconditioning programme, it affected the game as a whole because collectively, one can't live without the other. So NZRFU, my question to you is, would it have made a difference if the Boks said they were placing their 20 odd players away for 'reconditioning'? Coz right now, do not talk about your tickets sold coz mate, there were more tickets struggling to be sold for 7 Games of 7 weeks of the Super 14 which affected 5 NZ franchises which is like almost 30 odd games, like 5 NZ teams playing weekly as opposed to the Boks two games. Please remember, you set the example of resting players, now watch you influence unfold.
Gene Raharaha
Not too surprised with Joke Whites decision. After all, New Zealand and other countries have, at some stage, rested their top line players so why not they. Our 22 All Blacks were protected in the first half of S14 and are still being protected. Even us ex-pat Kiwi's over here can't get within 6 kilometres of the All Blacks. All will be forgotten come World Cup time.
Graeme
It's really quite simple. If the Boks had beaten the ABs then a full strength side would have been sent. The Bok lost so Jake White has thrown in the towel for the Tri-Nations comp to preserve his players as he knows to beat the ABs in NZ is a big ask. It's all part of the game.
Taupe Hatu
Okay, this will be my last script on this issue, as I have sent in a number of scripts (harden up, where did all the boks go, don't worry be happy, passion, diamonds and drillers off-siders required). Graham Henry is a very on to it chap. I think he will be made a sir if he gets this world cup. He should have been given the job before he went to Wales, but as I have said, there's just so much depth in this country from players to coaches it's not funny. He was the man in the NPC competition coaching Auckland to some glorious victories and titles. The local competition (called the NPC) is a very tough comp and has been for decades and now Australia are wanting to join, which I think can be only good for rugby, but from 1st,2nd and 3rd divisions played in New Zealand are all hard competitions, especially when you see the amount of passion the in the 2nd and 3rd divisions finals they show on TV. Well that's got to be depth at its best. We as New Zealanders are very passionate about our rugby, we aren't good at being losers, but we have produced hundreds of marvellous athletes for this game past and present. Back to Henry: well he deserves this world cup trophy and I'm sure Richie and the boys will do there best to get it for him. He's made two teams for this All Black side that any player on the side line can come in and without being nervous or jittery because he has mentally prepared them for it. Go All Blacks.
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