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, 22:48 pm
#944 SodaJoe:
I assume you are going to pick the Lions for Saturday?
9 Mar 2009, 22:49 pm
#948 carol: Oh Mammy (Blue) & Crimson in Clover. My 2 first Seven Singles. David Bowie Pin-Ups my first LP.
No one outside of Holland has ever heard of Oh Mammy (Blue).
9 Mar 2009, 22:50 pm
#951 Robzim: Robbie I am. I assume your level head is going with the Stompies?
9 Mar 2009, 22:50 pm
good night guys and lekker slaap julle almal. I hope the Proteas pull it off tomorrow!!!
9 Mar 2009, 22:50 pm
#920 SodaJoe: They sure do let it all hang out here!! lol
9 Mar 2009, 22:50 pm
#947 cab: Been at a new job for 5 months now – very demanding and my days fly by. At night it’s an hour with the little man, then bath, bottle and bed after which I must feed the dogs and cats and start thinking about supper. The wife and I practically pass out on the couch at 9. And then he wakes us at 5 or earlier.
9 Mar 2009, 22:51 pm
#950 katman: It’s how it all comes together.
And you forget he always has an incredible backing band. Always, always, always.
9 Mar 2009, 22:51 pm
#954 pommie: Bye boet.
9 Mar 2009, 22:52 pm
#948 carol:
That was not a bad way too start.
I think the first two seven singles I ever bought was Daughter of Darkness by Tom Jones and Suzie Q by CreedenceCR.
I bought it at a second hand shop.
9 Mar 2009, 22:52 pm
#955 carol: I know. Best to go and seduce the WRS and let it alone.
9 Mar 2009, 22:53 pm
#922 cab: They have all given me some tips on different things to listen too…actually not had any tips from Jinxie yet? Still time!
Your listening tonight is?
9 Mar 2009, 22:53 pm
#959 Robzim: Now those are both classics.
9 Mar 2009, 22:53 pm
#956 katman: It does end, don’t panic.
9 Mar 2009, 22:53 pm
#949 SodaJoe:
lol, ou doos is a mine of information actually.
TH big problem, need to bring back one of veterans, CJ or BJ, for BL tour.
pack needs to be considered as a whole, you have to win collisions and contact points at breakdown, if one of tight 5 is a looser player, you have to compensate.
9 Mar 2009, 22:54 pm
#953 SodaJoe:
Sure,I will pick them.
Last week I picked for the first time against them and collected 1.5 points. Felt a bit sh#t about it I must say.
9 Mar 2009, 22:55 pm
#952 SodaJoe: I know Mammy Blue. Not proud of it, but I know it.
My first two singles were Dance with me by Alphaville and I Engineer by Animotion. What can I say – a product of the 80s
9 Mar 2009, 22:55 pm
#952 SodaJoe: You have lost WRS and that one!
However Bowie, another Pom!!
9 Mar 2009, 22:56 pm
#935 SodaJoe:
I’d have it like this
Dunno about 1. probably Smit because thats where PdV will put him
2. Bismark
3. Beast/Heinke
4. Bakkies
5. Matfield/Bekker
6. Watson/Brussouw
7. Burger
8. Spies/Vermeulen
thats already 4 reserves
9. FdP/Adams
10. Grant/Pienar
11. Nokwe (unless Haban shows some vast uptempo improvement soon)
12. JdV/Steyn
13. Jacobs/Fourie
14. JPP
15. Kirchner
thats one too many bench reserves so either Adams or Grant would have to sit out, probably Adams which means Pienaar covers 9 and 10.
9 Mar 2009, 22:56 pm
#959 Robzim: I won’t tell you what my first purchase at the age of 9 was!!
I was not a cool 9 year old!
9 Mar 2009, 22:57 pm
#964 cab: I agree. IMO we did the business in the Tr-Nations with CJ, Biz and Beast. No question.
I know that you are keep the proven, where I am more form and build for 2011, but right now Biz would get in to the bok team before John. And I would make him throw a ball in to a line-out until he cried.
And I would take Steyn over JdV (and I love Jean) but the Sharks backline are Magellin’ now big time.
9 Mar 2009, 22:58 pm
#965 Robzim: Now that’s the funniest thing on this whole thread. I hope you’re blushing.
9 Mar 2009, 23:00 pm
#954 pommie:
night mate
#956 katman:
ah, new job and little bugger, deadly combination. your wit is sorely missed. the legendary description of the bull breeding experiment went down in history.
#961 carol:
jinxie listed a few Blues okes i aint even heard of, so that his thing. listening to new order tonight, but that CCR suggestion sounded pretty good.
9 Mar 2009, 23:01 pm
#965 Robzim: Rob I have told you that you must pick with your head not your heart!!
9 Mar 2009, 23:03 pm
Okay, that’s me. Chat again some time. I’ll let one of you take the 1000 glory because that’s the kind of guy I am.
9 Mar 2009, 23:05 pm
#968 yliad:
This would be my team, on S14 & the desperate need for a scary form:
1. Heinke/Beast
2. Bismark/Smit
3. CJ
4. Bakkies
5. Matfield/Bekker
6. Watson/Brussouw
7. Burger
8. Spies/Vermeulen
9. FdP/Rocket
10.Pienaar/Grant
11. Zane
12. Steyn/JdV
13. Jacobs/Fourie
14. JPP
15. Terblanche
9 Mar 2009, 23:05 pm
#972 cab: I sent Robzim a whole load of newer stuff, don’t know what you get in S.A besides the mainstream stuff.
Had a laugh when another blogger said he “enjoyed” James Blunt, Soda, Robzim and I gave him hell!! lol I have not used his name to spare him blushes!
9 Mar 2009, 23:05 pm
#973 carol:
I have made that mind shift now and will do it in future as my “heart picks” have been fairly disasterous so far. Luckily the Stormers have an easy match this weekend!
9 Mar 2009, 23:08 pm
#972 cab: I watched the Joy Division movie a little while ago – directed by Anton Corbijn (along with Bleddyn Butcher my favorite rock photographers) – really very, very good. Depressing.
New Order are naff dude. But Bernie Sumner can play geet and Peter Hook was a killer on bass.
Katman/WPTID Yak-Skiing story might well be made in to a short movie.
9 Mar 2009, 23:08 pm
How on this earth given to us by God can this idiot compare Puke Twatson, and how he played on Saterday with Jeff Wilson and his three tries. They didnt even win, in fact they were never in front, how on eart can he show “ek kan julle nie **** tekens” to the people? How stupid can one man be?
9 Mar 2009, 23:08 pm
#976 carol: Which he listens to in his Mark Spitz speedo.
9 Mar 2009, 23:09 pm
#976 carol:
james blunt, f’ck me carol, thats a no-no.
9 Mar 2009, 23:09 pm
#979 the chosen one: Bud I think everyone’s moved on.
9 Mar 2009, 23:10 pm
#975 SodaJoe: scar front row that is.
9 Mar 2009, 23:11 pm
#981 cab: LOL. You missed it. We were cruel.
9 Mar 2009, 23:12 pm
#978 SodaJoe:
yip, joy division good, but can get a bit morose, like the killers and the strokes out of your parts.
seem to have developed an unusual penchant for my old man’s taste in chris rea of all things, bladdy embaressing, but have a listen to ‘steel river’, great voice.
9 Mar 2009, 23:12 pm
#977 Robzim: I think this weekend may be the first where I put the Stormers to win too!!
9 Mar 2009, 23:13 pm
#977 Robzim: Bogger Off.
Counting your meager little chickens before they hatch.
Lions by 4.
9 Mar 2009, 23:13 pm
#986 carol: HUGE HUGE mistake. This is where I overtake you Ms Cheltenham.
9 Mar 2009, 23:14 pm
#985 cab: Road to Hell is a good song, but he is too patchy for me. Best of material will do fine.
9 Mar 2009, 23:14 pm
#975 SodaJoe:
close enough, would definitely do the business, but they won’t start without Smit so he’s going to start at 1.
#950 katman:
you be surprised what an accomplished musician and lyricist and vocalist the man is and was, just most couldn’t get the hang of the sound of it because it was more a troubadour style based on the lilting lyrical southern hillbilly drawl of Woody Guthrie type madrigals
But if one listens to the sweet sound of his solo guitar and the accompaniment of his voice and harmonica on his early stuff as in Freewheelin’, that kid was a downright genius at the age of 21.
9 Mar 2009, 23:14 pm
#980 SodaJoe: I will not discuss his choice of swimwear!! lol
He assures me speedos are not his thing! I believe him!
9 Mar 2009, 23:15 pm
Cab & Zimbo your Bok teams quickly. I have to go.
9 Mar 2009, 23:15 pm
#981 cab: James Blunt, quite shocking…..
We put him right though!
9 Mar 2009, 23:16 pm
#984 SodaJoe: It was very funny though!
9 Mar 2009, 23:16 pm
#991 carol: But can you trust what a James Blunt fan says? Hmmmmm? Tuff call methinks.
9 Mar 2009, 23:17 pm
#987 SodaJoe:
I wont give try and convince you that you are wrong. I need to close the gap on Superbru so go for it
9 Mar 2009, 23:20 pm
#985 cab: Besides “Love will Tear Us Apart” Joy Division are not memorable for me.
I too like some “faintly iffy” stuff too….Chris Rea I can cope with in small doses.
Soda reminds me I am actually a Fauxe Punkette….I like “soft punk” lol
9 Mar 2009, 23:20 pm
#996 Robzim: Don’t cry after the game. I am happy you’re are going with your heart and not your head. Now hurry up with that Bok team.
My friend Kieran owns a bar that is the #1 Jameson Whsiskey Bar in the WORLD, and he is getting an award, so free dops for me.
9 Mar 2009, 23:20 pm
1000
9 Mar 2009, 23:21 pm
Bugger
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