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, 16:43 pm
#118 grunk: In the good old days, there would be one major tour per year and home and away tours would be alternated yearly.
8 May 2008, 16:44 pm
#148 Dr Hoendergatveer: The common term for said occurence is Moobies….
8 May 2008, 16:46 pm
keo
we DO have the advantage of playing the last games (for those still in the running), knowing EXACTLY what we need to go through!
8 May 2008, 16:46 pm
#150 sglazer: Your rright about the Good old days. S14 and Trinations will never be able to hold a candle to proper tours.
Unless of course my Stormers win the S14, in which case I reserve the right to change opinion.
8 May 2008, 16:48 pm
#151 Tony Moneo: Necessitating the use of a supportive undergarment called a bro.
8 May 2008, 16:48 pm
#30 cane: Cane, they had two years to recover before the next overseas tour.
8 May 2008, 16:48 pm
i’ve come to the conclusion (with this being debated every year) that the only way to play it fair is for one country at a time to host the whole tournament, which doesnt work financially. The only alternate is to get Argentina into the mix, then the spread is fairer. I think the latter will happen when the Sanzar tv contracts are up in another year or two.
8 May 2008, 16:48 pm
#152 asha1: Excellent point Asha but does it make up for the rest, not sure.
8 May 2008, 16:50 pm
#154 katman: He he, then you have a bro holding your moobies…. Doesn`t sound right, unless your Jaco Engels.
8 May 2008, 16:51 pm
Dr Hoendergatvreter I mean veer. Hell you gotta love some of the names on this site !!
8 May 2008, 16:53 pm
#149 sglazer:
We we must just hope the Crusaders do not also join the league in Europe. Seeing that they are beating our teams regularly in SA and New Zeeland they will surely also beat them in England or anywhere else.
And then we must find another excuse!
8 May 2008, 16:53 pm
#159 4man:
Pssst, 4man.
I weel say zees only wunce…I am WPTID, incognito naturellement!
8 May 2008, 16:54 pm
#159 4man: Ja nee 4man, I always laugh when I see “Snake want to bite me.. no, no….” Classic….
8 May 2008, 16:59 pm
#81 Harlequin: I agree with your coaching point. Wouldn’t it be great if SARU sorted itself out and we could have Heyneke, Jake and Nick coaching, with assistance where needed to augment our weaknesses (a-la Eddy Jones)?!
The highveldt point is not relevant though. The SA teams play on the South Island, for example. These things even out. Playing in different conditions is part of the challenge.
It makes no sense to burden one country in a competition with a greater travel. This goes against the basic principle of having level playing fields, to establish which are the best team at the end, and to create positive competition, where each team is raising the bar so that all get stronger.
An accurate reflection of reality is not an excuse.
8 May 2008, 17:01 pm
Good evening, all.
8 May 2008, 17:01 pm
#160 Robzim: Funny! An accurate reflection of reality is not an excuse though. It’s delusional and counter-productive to ignore the reality.
8 May 2008, 17:02 pm
#164 Mustapha ****: Good evening Mr ****
8 May 2008, 17:06 pm
#161 Dr Hoendergatveer:
got you.
watch out for noms de plume marlinspike and carcharodon carcharias
8 May 2008, 17:07 pm
#81 Harlequin: I agree with your coaching point. Wouldn’t it be great if SARU sorted itself out and we could have Heyneke, Jake and Nick coaching, with assistance where needed to augment our weaknesses (a-la Eddy Jones)?!
The highveldt point is not relevant though. The SA teams play on the South Island, for example. These things even out. Playing in different conditions is part of the challenge.
It makes no sense to burden one country in a competition with a greater travel itinerary. This goes against the basic principle of having level playing fields, to establish which are the best teams at the end, and to create positive competition, where each team is raising the bar so that all get stronger.
An accurate reflection of reality is not an excuse.
8 May 2008, 17:08 pm
#164 Mustapha ****:
I like one now and then myself…….the names the names
8 May 2008, 17:10 pm
i wanne be a rugby player to and complain about touring…
sheit i ahte going to bells beach and magaret river and the likes, but i try cope…
8 May 2008, 17:11 pm
musthaveahapakunt me self… siesa…
8 May 2008, 17:14 pm
#170 crikey_mate_did you see that shark:
remember its just the journo complaining…not the players. But it is a bit like work, you go toexotic places and dont get to see much, because you’re too busy. Thats why personally I have never been one for bosberaads, when its time to work do it in an office in the middle of the city, when you go to the bush go for leisure.
8 May 2008, 17:16 pm
PIETMAN
Are you out there?
8 May 2008, 17:17 pm
Cheers guys, have a great evening.
8 May 2008, 17:17 pm
mate, the sharks and stormers have just had plent fun over there… read their tour diaries, they surf more than me, and play tenpin bowling, golf and all that tuff stuff…
agree it is not the players complaining… i was at a party with bismark jannie henno johan and ruan b4 they left and they were all amped and happy to go touring and have a jol… maybe they forgot there was a bit of ruggas to be played as well ha ha…
8 May 2008, 17:19 pm
#175 crikey_mate_did you see that shark:
Ja you could be right, that could be the real problem. Nevertheless it always seems you are better at your job at home.
have you ever surfed in Oz?
Lots of good beach breaks, particularly up the Brisbane area.
8 May 2008, 17:20 pm
They should run a rugby team like the Royal Navy ran its ships.
Rum, sodomy and the lash.
8 May 2008, 17:21 pm
Oops, my comment is awaiting moderation.
8 May 2008, 17:32 pm
#165 sglazer:
Hi Glazer,
You say: “An accurate reflection of reality is not an excuse though. It’s delusional and counter-productive to ignore the reality”.
It sounds fair but you must also remember the following as said by Paul Watzlawick:
“The belief that one’s own view of reality is the only reality is the most dangerous of all delusions”
8 May 2008, 17:34 pm
4man… yip, love Magaret River!
Bells and a little spot called Byron Bay is also awesome…
you from ozzie?
8 May 2008, 17:35 pm
deep stuff mr mugabe #178…
what about inflation?
8 May 2008, 17:40 pm
#178 Robzim: I agree. That is dangerous, very lonely too.
8 May 2008, 17:44 pm
#180 crikey_mate_did you see that shark: ,
Now that is a difficult one. I will first have to consult an economist!
8 May 2008, 17:45 pm
#179 crikey_mate_did you see that shark:
No, I’m a Durban boy, born and bred. Had lots of Aussie mates when a number of lifeguards worked in SA in the 70′s, the Rand was very strong then. Those friendships have endured and even though I stopped doing lifeguard comps after the world champs in 1996, I still maintain the contacts. Lots of the guys want me to come over for a protracted period, but its all about work and time, also when it comes to holidays we pretty much enjoy certain places. if I want good surf, theres enough of it in Natal, but I have done spots in the USA and Oz. I spend most my leisure time shooting in SA or kicking back in Croatia in the Adriatic where there is some interesting diving.
I assumed you’re a Durban boy as you appear to like the Sharks?
8 May 2008, 17:52 pm
4man…out
8 May 2008, 17:57 pm
i am a durban boytjie thru and thru…
love westbrook, nort beach, snake park whent its cooking, even surfed Richard’s Bay when the storms came thru… i love natal, but i must admit those aussie spots wasnt that bad, for aussie that is offcourse… no dungeons or jbay or natal coast, but oooookay… he he
did lifesaving myself, as long as it was in the ocean he he…
ciao 4-man
8 May 2008, 18:57 pm
I have a simple solution. All the teams play in one country every year on a rotating basis. Basically, turn it into a ‘World Cup’ for clubs.
There should be 1 team made up of all the Pacific island teams that is run as clubs.
Argentina should have 2 teams or it will be like playing Argentina in a different jersey, which doesn’t seem right. They should be playing in an expanded Tri Nations.
The 2 best Japanese clubs.
Also, 2 teams from America.
The existing S14 countries can keep their franchises. The weaker ones will provide a level of competition for the new teams.
I would even like to see the Northern Hemisphere clubs dumping some of their smaller competitions and making time available to send their top teams.
If such a tournmanent didn’t create interest in rugby all over the world, I don’t know what will.
8 May 2008, 19:52 pm
No, the old “travel disadvantage” is NOT a fact and it IS a gripe.
8 May 2008, 19:57 pm
Could New Zealand’s success in the S14 and TriNations tournaments that favor them from a travel perspective be the cause of their overconfident approach to the rugby worldcup with the usual disastrous result?
8 May 2008, 20:07 pm
#87 superba: And when ANY team is finished with their tour, they fly home in the opposite direction. So if you have “good” jetlag flying outward, you’ll have the “bad” jetlag flying homeward, and vice versa. Besides, you’re fully over the jetlag in one week, and the bad hidings don’t come in Week 1; they come equally spread across the period on tour. After Week 1 of the tour, it’s not jetlag to blame — it’s homesickness. And these pro footballers just need to harden up mentally and quit being the little mommy’s-boys and crybabies you’re breeding in SA. And to stop bleating about their — boo hooo — “travel disadvantage” (aided and abetted by Keo).
8 May 2008, 20:51 pm
#189 TheTackler: Guess what – the mommy’s-boys and crybabies are the world champions!!
For you it is 4 more years boet!
8 May 2008, 22:14 pm
#24 Ed_the_Lion: Say what, in your numbnuts
8 May 2008, 22:30 pm
What your saying Keo, is that South Africa hasnt had a say for the last 13 years in the Super 12-14 and the results are the reason, what a bunch of ****. You have 200,000 registered senior men rugby players and NZ has 30,000 and Aussies I think have 40,000 to pick from if you cannot create depth then there is something wrong with your rugby system, mate its a tournament that South Africans are not very good at its just like for NZ and the Rugby World Cup is not good for them and we come up with excuses that are fact as well just like you have for the South Africans do your numbers mate South Africa has bigger depth then both countries put together and your concerned by a couple of weeks no this is just rubbish.
8 May 2008, 22:31 pm
#189 TheTackler: What nonsense!
8 May 2008, 22:51 pm
this is an old issue, and at the end of the day saru must take the blame for not having the balls to insist that NZ and Aus teams play consecutive away games to compensate. i raised this issue in an email to saru as far back as 2001. the response then was that the scheduling guys had suggested iot, and NZ and Aus had stood together and refused, saying it was unnecessary, and the aussies especially sited the fact that if their teams played 4 or 5 consecutive away games then by the time the teams got home again the local fans would have lost interest in the competition and they would battle to fill their stadiums.
saru apparently has not fought hard enough – because there is no reason why the shedules cannot be evened out.
it would be easy enough to ensure that NZ teams played an aussie team on the way to SA, and another one on the way back. likewise for the aussies. a quick trip to NZ, followed by a flight to SA, and back home via NZ again would remove that issue. of course the fact there is an even number of teams in the tournament instead of an odd number means that half the teams will play one more game away than the other half. the sharks 5 matches away is what has almost killed their semi aspirations – and yet it may well take only 2 weeks in SA for the waratahs to fall out of contention.
the thing is this issue has been discussed to death. it is time someone took the lead and sorted it out.
8 May 2008, 22:57 pm
#192 marvinb:
Correct its all hogwash smokescreen excuses, and those wanting to pack up their toys and go play with the petty pommies and franky frogs should seriously think again, like giving up your heritage and sell it short to the nearest bidder, just to cut off your nose and spite your face in the process.
We are a SH rugby nation, have been since inception and if we too damn afraid or overawed or burdened to mix it with the hard nations of rugby union, (only found in the SH – Argentina, NZ, Aus, Pacific Islands), then we are not worth the heritage we so damn proud to uphold, just sell ourselves short because of couple extra weeks endeavors that most real rugby players would or should relish.
Go to the NH and lose it all, all the hard won, hard earned, hard edged, hard fought bravery, just give it all up due to some lily livered inadequacy to come to terms with some stretching the bounds of the envelope just a little.
8 May 2008, 22:59 pm
and this stupid fixation with europe is just silly. how on earth will we benefit from playing teams, who despite being in the same time zone are in a completely different hemisphere, enjoying completely different seasons? it is totally unworkable.
every time an SA team in a Euro/SA league plays an away game they will need to fly 12+ hours to europe, yet the euro teams will only travel that distance when playing an away game in SA. Add to the fact our home games would be played in summer, and we’d have to pop over and compete in the cold for away games. it makes no sense at all, and is in my opinion the stupidest idea ever. i’d rather my team suffer the travel burden and play in a southern hemisphere comp.
SA, NZ and Aus have dominated world rugby in professional times, with england enjoying a brief period of excellence and france always able to surpirse on the day, whilst wales has looked good only when both those teams have been poor.
we’d much rather be testing ourselves against southern hemisphere opponents than the **** dished up by those that compete in the 6N.
8 May 2008, 23:06 pm
Give up the whinging, get some programs in place to take this sport to the hungry masses, give them some entry into the heritage and realms of magnitude and stop shirking the call to bravery.
Franchises like Lions and Cheetahs and Bulls too for now better get off their soft soap satin cushions and learn about hard edged warrior factors again, if they spread too thin then amalgamate or call in reserves from the nurseries or the amassing cavalries, but get the game mobilized and forget about this chicken run attitude of turning tail and hightailing it to the NH, thats one direction to absolute oblivion, one way ticket to Nowheresville.
8 May 2008, 23:13 pm
Thats why we need to chuck in a couplel of Argie teams- let the sheepshaggers and shackledraggers do a couple more weeks of touring themselves…
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