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, 22:19 pm
#899 Robzim: I think Rassie has one more season to perform.
I think Naka should go.
Loffie – if he can’t beat the Stompies, Reds, Force – he should also go.
This is SA – most cannibalistic fans in the world. Eat every coach alive, bar Kitch and Craven. Rest were all melktert.
9 Mar 2009, 22:19 pm
#894 SodaJoe:
yes, my personal view is that Schalk Burger is a better player, alot better, but the other okes are right, they are different players i suppose and if you want a clever link loosie, you wont do better than watson.
its all this boo boo stuff that i dont get, since everyone is so happy and well-adjusted, why do all want to boo boo or poo poo?
9 Mar 2009, 22:20 pm
#900 carol: hello Stepford wife!
9 Mar 2009, 22:22 pm
#896 cab:
It also took me a while when I was first introduced to his work. I used to like the Monkees, Cliff Richard and the Archies in those early days!
9 Mar 2009, 22:22 pm
Ahhh dinner’s ready. Later all.
9 Mar 2009, 22:22 pm
#903 spooner: Hi Spooner, are you free to discuss “goldfish or scatter cushions” with me. I think those are supposed to be two of my favourite topics!! As you know I thrive on “drivel”!!
9 Mar 2009, 22:23 pm
#904 Robzim:
lol, cliff richard.
9 Mar 2009, 22:24 pm
#896 cab: Listen from these albums in this order. You will change your mind.
Oh Mercy 1989
Under the Red Sky 1990
Good as I Been to You 1992
World Gone Wrong 1993
Time Out of Mind 1997
“Love and Theft” 2001
Modern Times 2006
In Season 2009
9 Mar 2009, 22:24 pm
#904 Robzim: I do admire a man that will admit to listening to Cliff Richard!! Hiya Rob, how are you doing?
9 Mar 2009, 22:24 pm
#904 Robzim: Sugar Sugar is still one of my favorite songs ever.
9 Mar 2009, 22:25 pm
#907 cab: Cracked me up too!!
9 Mar 2009, 22:26 pm
#910 SodaJoe: wotcha me old duck….you did some good peacemaking yesterday.
Fancy joining United Nations peacekeeping mission?
9 Mar 2009, 22:27 pm
#905 spooner: Missed him….
9 Mar 2009, 22:27 pm
#906 carol:
I saw a person on another site told Sarah to stick to what she knows namely nail polish and the “size of her man’s hands” (of all things). Quite a lot of male chauvinistics in this part of the world.
9 Mar 2009, 22:28 pm
#902 cab: Not this season so far.
Form Loose Trio:
6. Stegman
7. Vermulen
8. Spies
Bench: Kankowski, Watson.
9 Mar 2009, 22:28 pm
#908 SodaJoe:
yessus, what is it with you okes and bob dylan? everyone in SA is an expert on the oke. didn’t know he was so popular back home, think i downloaded all the almbums apart from those ones.
9 Mar 2009, 22:29 pm
Hi guys..just want to add that I am a fan of Watson’s play, not a racist and love rugby. Please deal with me on those terms and we will always get along. If you dont like Luke – I dont blame you, but as a player I really like him.
9 Mar 2009, 22:30 pm
#879 Brentie1: luke was repulsed by the treatment he got from so-called senior boks, that their seniority under this emblem – that was supposedly washed with omo by mandela – can be used to ostracise and segregate…that’s what jake had engineered and it worked perfectly, now luke being his father’s son, rightly or wrongly listened to his pops view of ”you being here is a victory in itself, don’t leave, a lot of people sacrificed for you to be in this team”…if people choose to contexualise it differently that is their business and the media itself doesn’t help instead it perpetuates, ag who am i kidding the ”media” themselves are people too…oh well
9 Mar 2009, 22:30 pm
#909 carol:
Hello,
Yes Cliff use to be my favourite in the old days. Him, Hank and the Shadows – I thought they were so cool!
And your first favourites?
9 Mar 2009, 22:30 pm
#912 carol: Hello Duck. Welcome to SA. In cyberspace. No holds barred.
Can be pretty brutal.
And somewhat childish.
But hey, I’ve been in bars where it’s like that too.
9 Mar 2009, 22:31 pm
#918 cab: Don’t appreciate you using the Lord’s name in vain Cab. No offence, but some taken by me..
9 Mar 2009, 22:31 pm
#911 carol:
lol, few guys really know their music on here jinxie, robzim, skoppie and soda.
9 Mar 2009, 22:32 pm
#916 cab: Big mistake. Those are the better ones. I was never a fan of folky Dylan, did like some songs, but this is teh real deal and the guy has a gift.
But I like lots of other music as you know. But Under The Red Sky, Modern Times and Time out of Mind are 3 of my favorite records.
9 Mar 2009, 22:33 pm
#921 pommie:
fair enough, bladdy hell, one cant say anything anymore for fear of offending.
9 Mar 2009, 22:33 pm
#917 pommie: Good one mate.
9 Mar 2009, 22:33 pm
#869 hater:
No intention to preach
but action becomes reaction, and then it just keeps on exacerbating itself all over again, acting and reacting till the fuel keeps flaming the fire forever and a day.
Either we yearn for the flames of the passionate war and won’t put it down till one or the other gets burned and obliterated, but that is never the end of the cycle, it continues, unabated, sowing, reaping, burning, growing
Who is it we hate so much, I too am victim of the passions of love and hate
Your idealism is actually admirable, and some of the foo foo funky goody two shoes upright moralists around here wouldn’t know the beginnings of love, and so they shun like the half baked halfwit half humans that they are.
Keep on loving even if it means you got to keep on hating to turn the coin around, they just opposite sides of each other, love and hate, and when hate turns to love, there is no amount of hatred that would ever derail it from its quest for fulfillment.
Sorry about the sermon once again.
9 Mar 2009, 22:34 pm
Hey, I see we’re praising Sir Bob again. Threads that reach 1000 posts always mention the best 5 or 10 Dylan albums. Why is that?
9 Mar 2009, 22:35 pm
#924 cab: Like a jar of scorpions.
What do you think about Saturday – I know you told me but I forgot.
9 Mar 2009, 22:36 pm
#915 SodaJoe:
very good, all, but Burger will always be first name down if fit.
its just we all so used to him, but he’s all over the park.
9 Mar 2009, 22:36 pm
#927 katman: AAH BOET! Got a week brak from nappies and burping.
Howzit.
Bud, if we can’t beat the Stompies on saturday Loffie must go.
9 Mar 2009, 22:36 pm
wee break that is.
9 Mar 2009, 22:37 pm
For me it’s Desire.
“Hot chili peppers in the blistering sun…”
9 Mar 2009, 22:38 pm
#927 katman:
lol, now that is a very good sight!
how are you Katman?
9 Mar 2009, 22:38 pm
#926 cab: cool cool – it’s just something I think we can all do without. Anyway – let’s hope Jacques and AB can last tomorrow – I reckom Kallis will be going for his maiden double test ton – its the only thing that eludes him!
9 Mar 2009, 22:39 pm
#929 cab: We have so many really good loosies. As the ou doos says – we need to get balance right.
Schalk at 7 – lethal still. Watson at 6. Spies at 8. Kanko off bench. That would be my Bok trio.
But hell – Vermulen, Steggman, Baywatch, Brussouw (still in form in kak team), alberts, …Desyel (injured),Juan (out of form in kak team)
9 Mar 2009, 22:40 pm
#932 katman: Sarah, Mozambique both killers.
9 Mar 2009, 22:40 pm
#930 SodaJoe: Hey SodaJoe, where you goin’ with that gun in your hand?
Ben’s fast asleep. Bliss for both of us.
True, my patience with Eloff is wearing thin. I might just go to the game and tell him so. Problem is, I have the in-laws here for the weekend.
9 Mar 2009, 22:41 pm
#932 katman: And I haven’t even mentioned Blood On The Tracks. Cab – I will totally give up on you if you don’t like “If you see her say hello”. The bed next to Skops in Sterkies will be made up.
9 Mar 2009, 22:42 pm
#927 katman:
whatever activity or response is prevalent in society or in most mens minds, Sir Bob has covered it pretty amiably somewhere or other, he just has or had the knack of nailing a concept on its head, and so he was and is the spokesman for the current turn of the times,
yet they keep on a changing
time after time, they keep on a changing
9 Mar 2009, 22:42 pm
#934 pommie:
yeah apologies for that, uncalled for.
lets hope u right about cricket be bladdy amazing if so.
9 Mar 2009, 22:42 pm
#933 cab: I’m good thanks, cab. Need to hit the sack, but thought I’d check in for old-time’s sake.
9 Mar 2009, 22:42 pm
#933 cab:
You must try this one on Youtube:
“Bob Dylan and the Band – Forever young/Baby let me follow you down”
You must listen to the whole clip right till the end. It is a classic live performance that must do something for you.
9 Mar 2009, 22:42 pm
#937 katman: Send your Mom-In-Law, she’ll sort him out.
Bud, get the next one over with – then you might get to sleep till 7 am on a Saturday morning in 5 years time, make that 6.
9 Mar 2009, 22:43 pm
#941 katman: Don’t be so scarce. The Yak-Skiing squad is very thin these days.
Ciao boet.
9 Mar 2009, 22:44 pm
#935 SodaJoe:
yes but the ou doos thinks too much at times and u need the pack dominance, i’d agree with you and ou doos if matfield was not there, but he is, so you need burger or anotehr more physical openside, but that is my opinion.
9 Mar 2009, 22:44 pm
#936 SodaJoe: Now you’re talking. Not to mention Hurricane.
9 Mar 2009, 22:45 pm
#941 katman:
well its a pity u not around more, not the same without you.
9 Mar 2009, 22:47 pm
#919 Robzim: First single bought (that I will own up to) “American Pie” Don McClean or something like that!
9 Mar 2009, 22:47 pm
#945 cab: If the Ou Doos thought any harder his left eye would pop out of his right ear.
The only way to get pack dominance is a mean front row, with a dominant TH.
The loosies have a different role. But I do like a scary wrecking ball Schalk, but he can do that at 7.
9 Mar 2009, 22:48 pm
#939 yliad: I agree with you there. Poor vocalist, barely competent guitarist, but what a way with prose.
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