St Luke slays Loftus louts
9 Mar 2009
Keo, in his Business Day newspaper weekly column, writes of a player’s triumph and defeat at Loftus.
The Stormers lost in Pretoria but Luke Watson definitely won against a Loftus crowd whose game plan lacked imagination and was devoid of all invention.
The crowd behaviour was as abysmal as the quality of rugby and indeed it was Watson who seemed to intimidate the near 50 000 voices by simply accepting their challenge of continued booing by asking if that was all they had to offer.
It reminded me of former All Blacks wing Jeff Wilson toying with the Newlands crowd a decade ago. Wilson, playing for the Highlanders in the Super 12, was jeered the first time he touched the ball, but midway through the match he was begging the crowd for a reaction as he scored his third try.
With both hands reaching for both ears he gestured for increased noise levels, as he could hear nothing coming from the crowd. It was hilarious and the vocal bullies had nowhere to turn but to further embarrassment. What did these morons do 10 years ago in response to Wilson’s third try? Predictably they booed.
It was the same in Pretoria. What else did the louts of Loftus have to give? Nothing, and when Watson calmly robbed Pierre Spies of the ball in contact and fashioned another clever turnover all the crowd could respond with was another boo as effective as South Africa’s cricket challenge in recent weeks against Australia.
The humiliation belonged to those attempting to ridicule.
Watson, like many of his fictional heroes in the Bible, thrives on confrontation and conflict. Adversity is another must in his working day, as is being condemned by those non-believers of freedom of speech.
In going to Loftus, all the above elements were script guarantees for the stereotype of the persecuted and defiant Christian and naturally, armed with self-belief and backed by God, Watson prospered.
The Loftus crowd, many of them believers of Christianity, misread the contest because effectively they were doing battle with one of their own, but whereas they lacked conviction in their application of resentment, Watson was committed to his stand of defiance.
Watson, disgusted at wearing a jersey with a Springbok emblem on it, is not popular for saying so. He is even less popular for calling South African rugby a game run by Afrikaners, even though there has never been a disciplinary to confirm if he ever did utter the supposedly wicked word ‘dutchmen’.
Watson, the public relations man, is a boring project because his rants and contradictions are as predictable as the Loftus crowd booing. His rugby, though, has more enterprise and is powerful.
He has never produced a Test performance of authority, but his international career has been brief and conditions and playing circumstances cannot compare to the environment of Super Rugby, which is a world made for the skills of Watson.
His Super Rugby pedigree cannot be disputed. Whether you despise his personality or revere him, he can play Super rugby and in Pretoria he did a damn better job of it than local hero Pierre Spies, who for all his athleticism still goes into mute mode when the Bulls tight five engine can’t get out of neutral.
Watson in the one-on-one match-up outplayed Spies, which does not mean I’d pick him ahead of Spies for the Springboks. I wouldn’t, but to dispute Watson’s superiority over Spies at the weekend would be a betrayal for anyone gifted a healthy set of eyes.
Watson is a clever player, whose athleticism is matched by an ability to read the game and by good skills. He may physically struggle in contact but his mind never battles to go forward.
These factors helped him beat the Loftus louts, but because of his persecution complex about being a privileged white Watson in a black South Africa these factors are meaningless in Watson’s fight to beat out of himself the need to be a South African rugby martyr; liable for the actions of those who lived in an era he has only ever read about.
Watson, the rugby player, won in Pretoria, but it is Watson the rugby player who never wins in Watson’s world – and that will always be the tragedy of a player whose world does not allow him to simply be a rugby player.
1,045 Comments
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9 Mar 2009, 23:21 pm
the chosen one could be the vrot watermelon man all over again, maybe not.
heres going for the 1000
probably a little too early
9 Mar 2009, 23:21 pm
I only saw the **** now.
9 Mar 2009, 23:21 pm
Free dops and 1000.
Who da man?
9 Mar 2009, 23:21 pm
missed !!
9 Mar 2009, 23:21 pm
#988 SodaJoe: NO, I will remain infront of you on superbru Soda, still have Robzim and Grant trailing behind!! (Thanks to GBS mostly) !!
9 Mar 2009, 23:22 pm
#992 SodaJoe:
only surprise kirschner at 15, white’s squad with PdVs offloading
1. Guthro (beast) 2. Bismarck (smit) 3. CJ
4. Bakkies 5. Matfield
6. Burger (Watson) 7. Juan 8. Spies (Kanko)
9. FdP 10. Butch (pienaar)
12. Steyn (JdV) 13. Fourie (adi)
11. Habana 14. JP 15. Kirshner.
better hit the sack
9 Mar 2009, 23:23 pm
#995 SodaJoe: I would trust Grant10 with my life!!
9 Mar 2009, 23:24 pm
#992 SodaJoe:
15 Jantjes
14. JPP
13 Adi
12. Jean
11. Habanna
10 Pienaar
9 The cocky short *** from the sharks.
1. Beast
2. Bismark
3. CJ
4. Bakkies
5. Victor
6. Watson
7. Vermeulen
8. Spies/Kanko
9 Mar 2009, 23:24 pm
Yup you deserved it Sodapop
gotta keep that aim sharp shoot
9 Mar 2009, 23:24 pm
#1001 yliad: I forgot about that…..blow!!
Congratulations btw!
9 Mar 2009, 23:24 pm
#1006 cab: An abundance of riches. Bye bud.
9 Mar 2009, 23:25 pm
#1006 cab: See you CAB. That must be a work in progress, sleep on it!
9 Mar 2009, 23:26 pm
howzit
this weeks picks are tough!
blues 12+
brumbies 1-12
force 1-12
chiefs 1-12
sharks 1-12
stormers 1-12
am not 100% on the brumbies, force, sharks results. sharks looked really tired at end of the blues game.
9 Mar 2009, 23:26 pm
Just where is GBS tonight?
9 Mar 2009, 23:27 pm
#997 carol:
yeah agree, faux punkette, what are your tastes then, cant believe sid vicous? sisters of mercy? the clash, the jam, the ramones, blondie? quite like alot of punk, but never got blondie much.
9 Mar 2009, 23:29 pm
Nothing much happening here
guess all the fireworks have all blown cold
perhaps better be off too
so long
9 Mar 2009, 23:35 pm
#1013 Tomsta: I have to go, but Lions are going to beat the Stompies.
See you all through the window.
9 Mar 2009, 23:37 pm
#1017 SodaJoe:
See u Joe, enjoy the drinks
9 Mar 2009, 23:40 pm
#1015 cab: Pretty good list there….Blondie very “soft” punk!!
The Undertones, Stranglers that sort of stuff!
9 Mar 2009, 23:40 pm
#1017 SodaJoe: chers SJ
i had to think long and hard about the lions game. stormers will somehow take some positives from only losing by 4 points to bulls away.
think they will feel better about playing at home. also expect grant to take the reins for rest of season and that will bring confidence to team and JDv will be unleashed.
close game tho
9 Mar 2009, 23:44 pm
Puke is a permanent skidmark in the world of underpants……..I just rewatched the incident with Puke and the young winger……..all instigated by Puke. The doos gets what he deserves IMO
9 Mar 2009, 23:47 pm
#1008 Robzim:
Hahahahah…………jeez you can’t be serious. You would actualy pick Puke ahead of Brussouw? Shake ya head dude!
9 Mar 2009, 23:51 pm
#1021 Watermelon King is vrot:
Yeah, whatever you believe. The fact is he is beginning to win many people over again . The tide turns quickly around here – many letters in the local newspapers of people admiring his guts etc.
9 Mar 2009, 23:56 pm
#890 hater:
Doos of note! Biggest hypocrite on these pages. Classic museum material.
9 Mar 2009, 23:56 pm
#1022 Watermelon King is vrot:
Check the teams that are picked by the other bloggers tonight (Cab, Soda Joe etc.) and then you can do more headshaking dude
9 Mar 2009, 23:58 pm
#1023 Robzim:
To be fair Robzim, I was once a big fan of Puke, when he played rugby only. Once he started becomming his fathers spokesperson, he lost my vote.
10 Mar 2009, 00:00 am
#1025 Robzim:
Everyone entitled to their opinions……. I just honestly feel there are better all round players. Judging him purely on footie he is a good player, but not run on material in a BOK side IMO
10 Mar 2009, 00:02 am
#1026 Watermelon King is vrot:
I admit he made some mistakes, I am not sure how his father fits in. I just wish people will get on with it and judge him as a player only.
Anyway, it is after 12 already. We can argue later again.
Cheers.
10 Mar 2009, 00:02 am
#1023 Robzim:
hehe…..guts or stupidity………sometimes different sides of the same coin!
10 Mar 2009, 00:03 am
#1028 Robzim:
Cheers dude
10 Mar 2009, 00:07 am
#846 Cuito Carnivale:
He sure as *** does not want to dine with you
10 Mar 2009, 00:33 am
i am shocked and feel like vommiting myself keo
the fact u call them loftus louts
sowhat are you are allowed an opion’watson
got wat was coming tohim
for his statments towards sa rugby he bit the hands that feed him
if he hates sa rugyb so much go and play anotehr spot
he doesnt mind taking the money but doesnt like who pays it to him
and besides he is a traitor to his own people
10 Mar 2009, 00:34 am
watson deserved what he got
10 Mar 2009, 00:36 am
he is the reason our bok is being taken off the jersey and u supprt him keo? strange that.
he is a white gevaar
10 Mar 2009, 00:47 am
so what if sa rugby is run by afrikaaners
it doesnt spoil thegame no one seems botherd by that
10 Mar 2009, 01:21 am
#1001 UBU:
Nope always behind the eight ball pal…
“More predictable than a chief of the blinkered mobs rant…”
Spot on Keo… there is an old saying…
“Never let a doos turn you into one…”
And that doos Watson certainly achieved that with the Loftus crowd and those refusing to shake Captain Doos’ hand…
All round embarrassment…
10 Mar 2009, 07:18 am
crazy stufff
stil can over this articlee by keo. Senseless
Luke is blaame here.
10 Mar 2009, 07:42 am
The parallel with Wilson is wrong, Firstly the Stormers lost. Watson didnt score a hatrick either. An 8th man’s job is to carry the ball up. Watson is Rubbish at this. When was the last time Watson scored a try? Spies scores week in week out. What has Watson done at international level when he was given a chance? Nothing. What has Spies done, plenty, decimate England and Australia. The only reason Keo and other websites keep on saying Watson is a good player is to fuel the debates Thus creating more hits on their websites. Every Watson fan has to be honest with themselves and admit that they cannot imagine him ever performing on the international stage. What kind of a player tries to G up the opposition crowd? how can that be viewed as noble? Would any of the most respected players in Sa rugby have ever done that? Piennar, Teichman, Smit, Vos, Krige, De Villiers, Percy. James Small probably wouldnt even have done it. Imature, he would have come off looking much better if he had just ignored it.
10 Mar 2009, 07:48 am
#1038 rova:
hit number 1038
10 Mar 2009, 08:29 am
People I am learning and see that a new history is written
on this blog making us believe that the Blacks dismantled
the White Nukes.I am happy to report that they did not and
subsequently we are all still around to write about it.
Now don’t come back and label me racist there maybe Blacks
around today capable to do it but certainly not at the
time they came to power because their communist masters
kept their nuke capabilities close to their heart and were
not about to share it with any freedom fighting movement.
So here is the real story ,copied and pasted.
‘
However, by 1988 the diminishing threat of the Soviet Union and the resolution of regional conflicts during the latter half 1988 led to an increased feeling of security by the South African government. A cease-fire between South Africa, Cuba, and Angola in August and the withdrawal of South African troops from Angola eventually lead to a tripartite agreement between these nations. The UN agreement was signed on 22 December and provided for the independence of Namibia and the withdrawal of 50,000 Cuban troops from Angola. The improvement of South Africa’s security situation proved to be a pivotal factor in the future decision to dismantle its nuclear weapons program.
Around this time, South Africa also gave its clearest public statement alluding to its nuclear weapons capacity. In August 1988, Pik Botha, the South African foreign minister, publicly announced “We have the capability to make one [a nuclear weapon]. We have the capability to do so should we want to.” When asked by reporters if South Africa already possessed such a device, Botha stated “I’m not going to enlarge on that statement.”
But only one month later, in September 1988, South Africa sent a letter to then-IAEA Director General Hans Blix expressing willingness to accede to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) if certain conditions were met, primarily that South Africa be allowed to market its uranium subject to IAEA safeguards. Less than two years later, the de Klerk government implemented its decision to terminate South Africa’s nuclear weapons program. All nuclear devices were dismantled and destroyed. The nuclear materials in Armscor’s possession were recast and returned to the AEC, where they were stored according to internationally accepted procedures. Armscor’s facilities were decontaminated and dedicated to non-nuclear commercial purposes. A date was set for South Africa to accede to the NPT and to submit all of its nuclear materials and facilities to international safeguards. According to Waldo Stumpf, by June 1991, the dismantling of South Africa’s nuclear weapons program was “essentially complete.”
So you see one has got to give credit where credit is due.
10 Mar 2009, 08:48 am
#1024 Watermelon King is vrot: COWARD!!! You waited for Skoppie, Cuito and me to leave before talking your nonsense. BIG FAT COWARD!!!
10 Mar 2009, 17:07 pm
#499 hjk: marlboro lights.. want one?
ecstatic, yes.. alot are still in your face aggro, even way after a gaim.. just an observation since I interact with a few good bulls supporters everyday day
10 Mar 2009, 17:12 pm
#1038 rova: bulls supporters were eager for the showdown and so what if he reacted? not many a player would just keep quiet whens its public knowledge that the crowd were out for him.. so I dont see a reason to complain about the reaction. But really the Luke topic is getting rather old. Btw james small had done a similar gesture to a crowd
10 Mar 2009, 20:24 pm
You got it wrong keo … Puke is the lout! The 50,000 Dutchmen at Loftus just laugh at this idiot. I lost ALL my respect for him. He’s a vain, arrogant piece of puke. There must be 10 better loose forwards in South Africa at the moment, anyway. And daddy being proud of his son’s behaviour … I just shake my head in disbelief. And you defend this idiot, as if he were a hero – shame!
11 Mar 2009, 01:01 am
#1041 hater:
Pathetic mamma arn’t you?? I do not wait for anyone to log on or log off before I have a read and post my comments. I have certainly never shyed away from your hate filled racist drivell, but fronted you head. Live in the real world doos, not in the past.
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