Give our boys a fair crack
8 May 2008
South African teams always start four league points down in the Super 14.
Once again it is down to two rounds in the Super 14 and one league win that separates teams two and seven.
Once again those who devised the structure of the tournament are commending themselves because any tournament in which the play-offs only get determined in the last week has to be a good one. At least that’s the self indulgence you will hear.
But the Super 14 is not a fair tournament. It favours the New Zealand and Australian teams because of travel determined by geography and it also gives half the teams a more favourable draw each year, which in essence means it is not a fair tournament.
The Super 14, like the Super 12, is weighted against South African teams.
This is not a gripe but a fact and yet we wonder why we continue to fail more than succeed.
Let’s take the Lions as an example. They are fair game and All Blacks legend Sean Fitzpatrick gave them a bollocking for their shabby performance against the Hurricanes in Wellington last weekend.
What Fitzpatrick did not say was that the Lions had been on tour for five weeks, jetting between New Zealand and Australia.
At most, New Zealand teams play three games in South Africa. Australian teams get two. Occasionally a New Zealand team will get an Aussie team on the way over or one on the way back and when they do you never hear the end of how demanding the schedule is.
This brings us back to the South African teams, for whom a short tour is four weeks.
The South African players in time have improved and learned to enjoy Australia and New Zealand, but no matter how much you enjoy a place the difference between three and five matches is a fortnight away from home and in all probability eight league points lost on the road.
When you consider that four league points have historically separated teams four and eight, you get to appreciate the impact of the additional two weeks away from home.
Given the circumstances and the disadvantage of the draw (based on geographics) the fact that South Africa invariably has one team in the semi finals and on most occasions two in the top five is a credit to the boys.
The reality is South Africa does not have the depth for five teams and neither does New Zealand. Australia also does not have the depth for four teams. But outside of the depth issue, the best South African teams do bloody well.
I don’t think we give them enough credit and I have been as guilty as the next person. Our expectations are high and we demand success every weekend. But the reaction too often is over the top.
Because of this South African inferiority complex, which too many still have, it seems improper to object to the schedule because then South Africans are accused of being an extension of Pommy whingers.
The obvious solution is for South African teams to play in Europe, but that doesn’t ever seem likely. South Africa, by playing in the Super 12, have improved New Zealand and Australia’s development of players, to the detriment of their own.
If there is to be an expansion to the Super 14 then it has to ensure the teams all play the same amount of games overseas and spend equal time away from home.
Otherwise we will be wasting our time again and continue to be the whipping boys of New Zealand and to a lesser degree Australia.
The point is the Kiwis are not that good and we are not that bad. But when we continue to give them an eight point tournament head start we will never know how good we can be in this tournament or just how ordinary their teams can look.
280 Comments
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8 May 2008, 14:40 pm
Keo I believe there is an answer.
Make sure all teams play at least 4/5 games away in a row. Like SA teams do now. One year 4 the next 5.
NZ teams – Play 2 games in Aus and then 2/3 games in SA. (They could always come to SA first).
Aus teams – Play 2 games in NZ and then 2/3 games in SA. (They could always come to SA first).
This way all teams have the same touring scenario.
To give all teams a 5 weeks in a row away teams sould play a local derby away before or after the tour.
8 May 2008, 14:40 pm
And now I am watching those same Stormers whip the Brum. with some scintillating attacking play in the ist half in a replay on Setanta.
8 May 2008, 14:41 pm
# 96 Do you mean pantsies, pansies or panties?
8 May 2008, 14:45 pm
And De Villiers scores a brilliant try from a scything Bobo break.
The only real soloution is drop this competition and play in the same time zone with Europe and resume the tours to Aus. and NZ as of old.
8 May 2008, 14:46 pm
#92 ET:
ET.
Thanks for that info.
My interest is in the real effects on professional, conditioned athletes.
I see you mention Tim Noakes and the Stormers.
It would be interesting to hear his opinion on just how much of a disadvantage this really is, or are we just mentally not tough enough?
8 May 2008, 14:51 pm
I agree with the general gist of the article but how do you explain the Lions/Cats/Golden Lions/Cheetahs and Bulls (yes, the Bulls too just look at the tournament records since it started) getting regularly drubbed at home by NZ teams?
8 May 2008, 14:51 pm
#87 superba:
Absolutely correct as I say in post #92 when referring to travelling forward in time i.e. east.
8 May 2008, 14:53 pm
#104 tight head: It`s no secret that the boy`s crave ma se kos. Seriously though, I would think that travelling would affect the older players with families more. Most 20 somethings love travelling. I`m not sure i put much stock in physiological reasons for our general poor performances on the road, i reckon it`s a mental issue.
8 May 2008, 14:56 pm
#104 tight head:
And another brilliant break by Jean leads to a penalty try. Oh if this were only coming Saturday already.
Th., years ago Noakes spoke on this matter hence all the questions. Why not just google it for answers as I am watching the replay of the Stormers victory now.
8 May 2008, 15:00 pm
Still think its mostly “Ma se koeksisters”
8 May 2008, 15:02 pm
#107 sondebok:
If I just travel 2 hrs. by car north -west my physiology is thrown out of sync. and thus my and anyone’s routine. Some of us , not understanding the physiology do not have the capacity to brealise this. Psychological effects as I said earlier, come more into effect towards the end.
8 May 2008, 15:04 pm
Stormers will win the cup this year.
8 May 2008, 15:05 pm
#26 Keyser Soze: Didn`t know the Stormers are in trouble….
8 May 2008, 15:08 pm
Net solank hulle met “fair crack” nie bedoel “blonde holhare” nie…
8 May 2008, 15:08 pm
#110 ET: These are highly conditioned athletes. I`m sure team management is aware of recovery times etc from jetlag. They don`t play immediately after getting off the plane, they have a few days to acclimatise. If the travel itinerary is properly organised I can`t see why travelling should have any physical effect on a teams performance.
8 May 2008, 15:08 pm
#109 tight head:
Not as simple as that. There is something called the physiological diurnal clock( daytime/light and night/dark). During the dark when we are far less busy(relaxing/sleeping) we replace many molecules such as hormones, enzymes, and organelles and even cells that we used and lost during the day/light hours.
8 May 2008, 15:10 pm
Tony the Stormers are facing a do a die situation…. they cant afford yo lose a single game….. thats troubled waters!
8 May 2008, 15:15 pm
#113 Dr Hoendergatveer: Ha ha. Nee, ek dink hulle bedoel rookbare kokaïen teen ‘n billike prys.
8 May 2008, 15:16 pm
Excuses, excuses. In the (good) old days, touring teams (on a couple of months tours – not just one month) used the time positively to weld individuals into teams both for that particular tour and for the future. A little different to the “teams” today but surely our sides could devote at least some of the time to honing the deficient individual skills that abound in our teams – and surely with that amount of time on their hands there should be no such thing as a lineout ball not going in straight or not going to the right jumper or a ball going straight into touch from the kick-off etc etc etc etc etc etc? These tours should present an opportunity to learn to win – not an excuse to play poorly and lose.
8 May 2008, 15:16 pm
#116 Keyser Soze: I hear what your saying but at the moment we have our destiny in our own hands which is a nice position to be in.
8 May 2008, 15:17 pm
#92 Steph: Thanks. Do pop in regulalrly – I’ll try to keep them coming
8 May 2008, 15:17 pm
#115 ET:
ET.
I can see that you know what you are talking about.
However with all of this scientific knowledge at the disposal of teams, I would think that the planning for these trips needs to also be done scientifically, in order to get the best solution for the player performance.
So if this is being done by professional teams, perhaps the disadvantages can be minimized.
My understanding is this is exactly what is happening.
8 May 2008, 15:18 pm
#114 sondebok:
They are still just humans who simply have more muscle cells (sometimes less fat) and other structures that makes them cope with there demands for playing rugby. They take days to return to a their physiological clock and within them some take longer than others. And then they have to train and play real tough demanding games of rugby. For example if you leave CT to stay in Jhb. it will take anyone months to acquire the same concentration of red blood cells as a player who has been there permanently. Far more complex than you think.
8 May 2008, 15:19 pm
Guys, from personal experience jetlag is much worse going to NZ than it is coming back home. It literally takes a week for your body to get back into sync. I`m sure the teams have medication that assists but there is no way you can negate the effects completely.
8 May 2008, 15:20 pm
#89 CRAZY-Shark: I like that! I would like to cross-post it on my site, or at least link to it.
8 May 2008, 15:21 pm
#117 katman:
Of miskien rocks wat net 50% gecut is.
8 May 2008, 15:22 pm
wot the *** has just happened to the site?
8 May 2008, 15:27 pm
#123 Tony Moneo: There is a way, but it`s more expensive and will take longer. Simply fly around the other way so you are always flying with the time ie east to west.
8 May 2008, 15:28 pm
#88 CRAZY-Shark:
I can’t fault you predictions in terms of win\lose (for crucial games) but I can’t see the tahs not getting at least 1 bonus point from their two remaining games. The sharks on the udder hand have struggled with bonus points (2 from 11 games). They’ll get 9 points at most from their remaining games.
I’d love to see two SA sides in the semis but this is how I think it will pan out.
Crusaders (57)
Stormers (44)
Tahs(42)
Hurricanes(41) (better PD than sharks)
8 May 2008, 15:28 pm
#121 tight head:
Agree, but there are still many limitations to our knowledge as we are limited by the tools we have or do not have available to us. We do not have all the answers yet and when we do get some there will be even more questions. Our knowledge of the brain and thus psychology leaves a lot to be desired and we may most times be guessing.
Then, consider this, a new can of worms can be opened when more of genetics is unravelled and abused by reseachers also in search of that human weakness called money. It will make sprinter Marion’s cheating look like childsplay.
8 May 2008, 15:31 pm
#125 Dr Hoendergatveer: Dit klink vir my fair.
8 May 2008, 15:33 pm
#129 ET: They should have 2 seperate olympics. 1 for normal, drug free athletes and the other one, underwritten by the drug companies as a demonstration of what the human body can achieve through the wonderful drugs they create. Although PETA, or People for the Ethical Treatment of Athletes would never allow it.
8 May 2008, 15:35 pm
#129 ET:
Great food for thought.
Thanks for your interesting input.
As you say, Money! Money! Money!
Off for a beer.
Catch up later.
8 May 2008, 15:38 pm
We have the Talent we need the right administration and look after the Players and coaches…
WHAT COUNTRY SACKS THE COACH FOR WINNING THE WORLD CUP??
I rest my case…
If Rassie and **** leaves … then what… ?????
8 May 2008, 15:44 pm
Site has been farked since Monday.
8 May 2008, 15:53 pm
The expanded super series should level it out, if it’s split into 2 divisions with top 2 in each going into the finals. Americas one year and Australasia the next. Without being able to cherry pick from the islands the kiwis will really struggle to field 4 teams let alone 5
8 May 2008, 15:58 pm
#130 katman:
Hang af van die prys.
Maar uncut crack is skaarser as hoendergatvere.
8 May 2008, 15:59 pm
Hey, where`s ruck?
8 May 2008, 16:06 pm
(WP Till I Die (TM))
Tony, I think she is still busy with field research in Blue Bull country.
8 May 2008, 16:09 pm
I agree wholeheartedly, Keo.
The Super 14 is not good for South African rugby. We are stronger with Europe, than stretching ourselves to play provincial rugby in Australasia. Europe and South Africa are the geographic center of the rugby world. The rugby focal lenses are being warped by the Super 14. Let New Zealand and Australia stretch to reach us.
We need to exit the Super 14 and join an expanded English/European provincial competition. This way we will be able to watch our overseas based players weekly, the unbalanced travel schedules of our teams in the Super 14 relative to the Australasian teams will be eliminated, and SARU will be paid in pounds or euros for its share of the television rights. Argentina will come into into greater focus and benefit as well.
This is the single most important rugby issue facing SARU.
8 May 2008, 16:16 pm
#42 superbok: I am so with you, Superbok.
8 May 2008, 16:17 pm
#138 Dr Hoendergatveer: hey, is that chickenarsewiper or chickenarsefeather or chickenarsespring
8 May 2008, 16:20 pm
#138 Dr Hoendergatveer: Thx Doc WPTID, that kind of research may take a while. Is she researching the mating habits of the bull tannies? They only get “some” when the bulls win. Hence there has been a baby boom during the last 2 years which is to be followed by a few very barren years. They will be called “Generation Y” (as they don`t have both chromosomes)…
8 May 2008, 16:28 pm
#142 Tony Moneo:
XX male syndrome (also called de la Chapelle syndrome) is a rare *** chromosomal disorder in men. Usually it is caused by unequal crossing over between X and Y chromosomes during meiosis. Symptoms include small testes, gynecomastia and sterility. Many males with this condition also have effeminate characteristics.
Men typically have one X chromosome and one Y chromosome in each diploid cell of their bodies. Women typically have two X chromosomes. XX males have two X chromosomes, but otherwise appear to be male.
8 May 2008, 16:31 pm
#139 sglazer:
What an Eurocentric view.
8 May 2008, 16:33 pm
#143 Dr Hoendergatveer: My point exactly… LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!
8 May 2008, 16:34 pm
#144 Dr Hoendergatveer:
Fark dokter, jy ken jou ‘dromes’ and ‘osomes’…en hier dink ek heeltyd jy is n tandarts!
8 May 2008, 16:36 pm
#146 Pietman: A man of many talents!
8 May 2008, 16:38 pm
And in case anyone’s wondering – “gynecomastia” is the polite term for man boobies.
8 May 2008, 16:40 pm
#144 Dr Hoendergatveer: No, it’s honoring our geographic location. The fact is we are in the same time zone as Europe and together form the geographic center of the rugby world. We warp this reality by shifting the focal lenses to Australasia, to our own disadvantage.
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