South Africa

Ramage says...

@jay starr get off the grass (in more ways than one). Ive said on many occasions that the move by South Africa was fine before any move by NZ. Your defence of the way SA has handled this matter is weak simply because SA have not been up front about having the players together. If at the time they said they would have gathered these injured players together so they could see they got the right treatment and be monitored. However the move was stupidly hushed up and whether you like it or not when questioned about it PDV openly lied. The matter only came to light because of the work of SA journalists.Ok its water under the bridge now and I hope SA learns from this situation. What now needs to be done is to look at the whole organisation of rugby in SANZAR as this situation must never rise again. Sanzar need to look at what happens in RWC now they are stuck with this lengthened Super 15 to appease Australia who can't mount their own National championship and are swinginging off the coat tails of Super Rugby . Either one of the OZ franchises need to be dropped and the competition return to 14 teams so the season is not so long and the injury toll so great. This won't happen . So the management of test players needs to be guarded in the lead up to the June tests and in RWC year should we suspend the Sanzar tests if the RWC is played in that September October window. Lets face it, all this argument has developed over injury and the crammed programme we have this year.

Posted 03:39 30th July 2011

JayStarr says...

@ everyone now doing the "LIES" argument (so BillyMutt, Ramage, StunTheMullet, sandal, dylster & Cutriss360):

Who lied - PdV? SARU? When?

Their stories regarding the injured players were consistent since the beginning: After intensive medical testing with experts, the prognosis was that those 21 players were either:

a) still seriously injured (like Smith, Brussouw, Steenkamp, etc.);

b) not yet fully recovered from previous injury (like J du Plessis, Du Preez, Habana, B du Plessis, Botha, etc.);

c) newly injured (like Burger, Vermeulen, etc.);

d) overplayed (like Matfield, F Steyn, Spies, etc.); or

e) suffering minor injuries with which they were playing SR, but which would get worse if they don't allow them to heal (like what ended up happening to Andries Bekker).

I am sure that with players like F Steyn, Matfield, etc. it was very much a case of niggles due to being over-played... but since it is now "illegal" for SARU to "rest" players, I don't blame them for also including them as "injured" (which they technically are), instead of using the word "rest" - which caused such an uproar last time they did it. Now they use the word "injured" and there is still an uproar... while NZ "rest" their players and everyone goes "ok"!

As for PdV denying that those players are in Rustenburg at a training camp - he was right. Since he is not involved in the rehabilitation of the players and is in fact on tour in Australasia, it is very possible that he is not aware which town those players are in at the moment. What he does know is that they are not at a training camp!

The fact is, the only "lies" and "scandals" were those created by the media!

@ StunTheMullet: The above answers your question... Now please tell me what you have to say about NZ "resting" their players.

@ Cutriss360: What are they up to? Planning to win the WC? Those bastards!

Posted 17:00 29th July 2011

bloemboy says...

so what? why exactly is this news?

Posted 09:46 29th July 2011

kpe12 says...

Rest players, put em in rehab, do what you like as a coach, but what I want to know is what happens with the contracts, players match fees, TV contracts, sports betting etc. Rugby is a business and winning is part of it, TV networks are paying big money for quality games and by potentially degrading these games with 3rd rate players these coaches could possibly be killing one of the highest regarded rugby fixtures in the calander year.

I wonder how many players are being paid extra to be injured at the moment...

Posted 05:00 29th July 2011

sandal says...

Maybe the No 1 Springboks coach is in Rustenburg as well.

Either PdV was lying when he denied the players were in Rustenburg, or the SA rugby union is keeping information of the utmost importance from him.

Which is it, JayStarr and the other Saffers here?

Posted 03:58 29th July 2011

aucknz13 says...

The average Kiwi couldn't care less what the Boks are doing. The Kiwi press on the other hand think they have uncovered something important! Basically it is a big yawn.

Time they concentrated on reporting news rather than trying to make it.

Posted 01:11 29th July 2011

StunTheMullet says...

@ JayStarr - Please tell us what we should say when there is the medical miracle of the century in 2 weeks time and suddenly all 22 players (except Andreas Bekker) are available?

Oh and the issue is about adhering to the signed SANZAR agreement to not rest players after the 2007 3N Springbok debacle. That and of course not blatantly lying and duping the paying spectator.

But who cares about integrity, honesty and cheapening test jerseys these days anyhow?

Posted 00:15 29th July 2011

5Lock4ward says...

First of all, it only makes sense to have all these players in one place; it's easier to monitor and treat their injuries and it also has the boys together building camaraderie. Secondly, if this was a 'training camp' for 'rested players' wouldn't John Smit be there with the coaching staff trying to burn off some kg's?

Posted 22:21 28th July 2011

Ramage says...

Oh dear, Oh dear, oh dear. Well it is RWC year. Dont be surprised that there is a feeling that there is a conspiracy. A little bit of honesty is all that was needed but De Villiers was obviously told to lie or was stupid enough to lie By doing this surely SA realised that the .... would hit the fan. SA could have just told the world what they were doing. I am one who actually believes they have got their injured players together to monitor them and see the programme of rehabilitation is carried out correctly. I dont see anything wrong about that. What I do see though is a very amateur attempt to cover it up and then when discovered to actually lie about it. SARFU has made a big miistake and brought the problems on themselves. Dont blame the journalists that smelt a story and went out to get it. Why did SARFU try to keep it quiet and then go out and lie about it. Very very amateur and a total misreading of the situation. If there are that many players injured then something must be done about it so call a press conference tell the world you have a rehab programme to be monitored and be open about it. Im sure we would all agree it makes sense except those who smell a conspiracy who now number many more because of the way SA have handled this issue.

@APV1 Lol im still grinning thinking of how a cartoonist would relay your scene.

@herbman simple they lied or tried to play word games until they could no longer keep it under raps. Just be honest and then no probs but dont lie.

@jaystar I say again SARFU are obviously doing the best for their players and so they should but please tell them not to lie as this is a mistake, be honest and we will accept they are doing their best to get their best players back on the field. The SARFU have handled this matter poorly.

Posted 16:30 28th July 2011

olepete says...

The real problem it seems to me was that it was clear from the start that few of these players were injured - a bit of candour would have helped. And it raises the old issue of diddling the paying public by sending second-rate teams on tour.

Posted 15:26 28th July 2011