Springboks vs All Blacks . . .

There seems to be a lot more spite and needle than usual in the build-up to the test match at Ellis Park between the Springboks and the All Blacks.

I know a lot of Springbok supporters are understandably still aggrieved at the red card Bismarck du Plessis received which I think we all agree was wrong and which unfortunately did spoil the test match at Eden Park to some extent, but it's silly to blame the All Blacks or the New Zealand people in general for a mistake that a French ref made and for me its sad to see Springbok and All Black supporters resorting to posting pictures of isolated thuggery and accusing the others of cheating in the build up to a test match between these two great rugby rivals.

I think there's another reason why the stakes seem higher than usual and that's because for the first time in ages, the Springboks pose a serious threat to the All Blacks #1 ranking in world rugby. It might be a tall order for Heyneke Meyer's team to beat the All Blacks with a bonus point while denying the All Blacks a bonus point of their own on Saturday . . . so I have to grudgingly admit that it's highly unlikely the Springboks are going to take the RC title off the All Blacks this year . . . but there's a renewed long-term optimism in SA rugby of late and a real belief that we can start beating our great rivals on a more regular basis again.

Let's not minimize or cheapen this wonderful rivalry between our two great rugby nations by calling each other cheats, food-poisoners or thugs and let's rather support our teams in a positive manner while showing the other team the necessary respect. The likes of Boy Louw, Maurice Brownlie, Danie Craven and Bob Scott would be turning in their graves if they knew that the great legacy they left behind had turned into a squealing, finger-pointing, blaming, ref-bashing war being fought in TV studios, on message boards and in social media. Let's rather see the battle fought on the rugby field with the honour and respect that generations of Springboks and All Blacks have earned.  

Bring it on! Come on Bokke!

When have fans in major rivalries not had a dig? Imagine walking into an AB bar or a Springbok bar and saying: " I've just come to wish you chaps every bit of luck, and may the game be played at a level which is consistent with the fine sportsmanship shown in this historical series". You'd get hooted out the room.

The premise is total nonsense as well.....don't blame the fans? Hell when Bismarck made his fantastic tackle and throughout the review process, the fans were howling for him to be sent off.

I'm thinking this pompous piece comes from the Rooinek blog that he once mentioned. Ever since then, apart from a few catty comments, he has tried to play this hypocritical senior statesman role. It's hard to imagine anybody would actually navigate somewhere to read such twaddle.

Geez I hope the Boks don't get infected by any of this love thy neighbour stuff before the game. This is a hard rivalry.....the rivalry that spawned the Skinner, Tiny White, Dalton, Fergie McCormack, Thorne, Greyling, Nonu, Bismarck incidents. It's passionate as all great rivalries are. When you have passion you have dirty play, accusations, ref tampering, player tampering and out right cheating. That's all part of the history....but it's what makes the Bok/AB rivalry so much better than the bloodless  rivalries with Oz.

It's great having everybody on one site to debate these fine points. Let's not spoil it all by hugging each other!

" Until then, note that . . . in my eyes anyway . . . you are not much more than just another liar" says RIProoi to Cloudy. I wouldn't bother answering if I was her....after all you never apologized for all the months when you falsely claimed  Jala peno wasn't really Rooinek.

I wonder what part of your psychosis allows you to live with those contradictions.

 Cloudy, two things..You are to stupid to debate with. If you think your response to Rooinek via Mozart was clever or remotely putting Rooinek in his place then you are thicker than the average kiwi..

Second...The chick on your avatar is fucken average at best. Her breasts dont feature in the photo, probably resting on her lap and her face is nothing to write home about..If thats what NZL men get excited about, they should never go to SA because they would jizz their pants in a supermarket. I wont even take them near the beach..

 I have no problem with women have an opinion on rugby when they know the game. I have seen no sign of this from you.

I would not argue about Saffa girls being prettier on the whole than kiwi's..That is not up for argument or debate. It is fact. The rest of the world will tell you as much.

Cloudy, I dont wana fight. I think we can learn from each other..How long does it take to make a lamb stew from scratch? Would you chop or slice the onions? ;-)

 JW i think the South Africans are getting their much needed beauty sleep.

South Africa please send another replacement ambassador to NZ as Boklogic is proving too much of an embarrassment to your great country. 

He's hopelessly rude with zero social skills, foul mouthed, obnoxious , arrogant, ascerbic and a mysoginist.

Well said bambeano, bravo amigo but your countryman is a wacko, drongo, psycho, weirdo. 

Sharkbok

Thanks for that doggie pic.   The American dog owner must really have a sense of humour.   "I did not have sex with that Women" Clinton (after she gave him BJ's) being shit on by the doggie - is really a classic.  

Rooinek

I am all for peace in the valley - but hope for a really good debate on the match on Saturday - hoping that fans stick to facts not imagination.

Something emotional is also in order.   Many years ago a friend of mine and myself went to Loftus Versveld to watch a game between Northern Transvaal (those days) and WP.   He had the audacity to wear a Stellenbosch University Blazer and I a University Cap.  As we were going up the pavilion to take our seats - we were met by a cloud of naartjies (for the English speakers it is a variant of oranges - but soft skin and contents).  

However, it was a memorable match - mainly because Uli Schmidt of Northern Transvaal  made an absolute asshole of himself.   After Engelbrecht was tackled he came from nowhere and fell on Jannie Engelbrecht and broke his left collar bone.   Jannie stayed on the field and scored two runaway tries starting in the WP 22.   After the first try the Schmidt episode was repeated and the injury aggravated - but Engelbrecht still stayed on the field and scored the second try.   As the game went on the crowd got quieter and quieter - and as WP won we forgave the lot around us for the naartjie reception.   That is the spirit that should prevail under the present circumstances.

Men of steel they had those days - not like at present, when Carter whimped out after a hard tackle.  LOL

Now back to the game on Saturday - my heart wants the Springboks to win - my brain says that with Meyer's defective selections they will not win - agree in the main here with Saffex.   What a quandary to be in.