PdV: I’m nobody’s fool
16 Nov 2009
Peter de Villiers sneered at suggestions that Saracens aren’t taking Tuesday’s encounter seriously.
Keo.co.za spotted Saracens director of rugby Brendan Venter at the Springboks’ training session on Monday, and it took no less than 20 minutes for the Boks to tell him to clear off.
Venter seemed visibly upset when he was asked to leave a field his own team use for preparation, and also confessed that Saracens consider Sunday’s clash against Wasps more important than the ‘exhibition’ game against the Springboks.
De Villiers dismissed Venter’s talk of priorities, as he feels Saracens have invested plenty of energy into this fixture.
‘You can’t take this talk seriously. You can’t be fooled by people who talk these kinds of matches down. Why would they go through all that expense and secure the best stadium [Wembley] in England if they didn’t care?
‘Sometimes people should think before they talk.’
Venter’s office is on the Old Albanians Club grounds, but De Villiers believes it’s just not the done thing for opposition coaches to attend each others’ practices.
‘It’s unethical,’ the Bok coach confirmed. ‘Across all levels, if you know you are playing them, you don’t pitch up. Saracens are our hosts and we don’t want to be rude, but there are certain things you just don’t do.’
Late on Monday, Venter hit back at the accusations of ‘unethical behaviour’.
‘The Springboks accepted an invitation to train at our club training ground, and I was watching their Test team going through a skills session, he said. ‘It was not even the team we were playing at Wembley on Tuesday.
‘For Peter de Villiers to suggest that this was in any way “unethical” is unnecessary and unwarranted.’
Assistant coach Dick Muir, who has assumed control of the midweek side, believes Saracens will be difficult to beat.
‘With all those South Africans playing they are certainly going to be a force,’ he told this website. ‘They’re seasoned campaigners, some with Test experience. They’re going to pose a big problem.
‘I do believe we are better prepared than we were last time,’ Muir added.
De Villiers goaded the South African Saracens contingent by reminding them that the World Cup is right around the corner. It’s no secret that if they want to be picked, they need to return to South Africa.
‘They saw what happened when we picked CJ van der Linde last week, so they will know there’s still an opportunity. It’s going to be war out there on Tuesday, those Saracens players know we will be watching and so will want to put a marker down.
‘The World Cup is just two years away and a few of their contracts will be ending next year. They won’t hold back.’
By Jon Cardinelli, in London
85 Comments
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16 Nov 2009, 16:23 pm
no foolish dragons!
16 Nov 2009, 16:26 pm
JC should be arrested for prowling about where he’s not wanted.
16 Nov 2009, 16:30 pm
‘Sometimes people should think before they talk.’
Now of all his pearls, this one must be right up there.
16 Nov 2009, 16:33 pm
JC, what happened to Keo’s article today. This feels like a Sunday without jelly and custard.
16 Nov 2009, 16:34 pm
#3 nama1: Another PVD gem.
16 Nov 2009, 16:36 pm
#4 nama1: Keo is still struggling with the article, trying to find all the right words to put PVD down as usual about the lost against France.
16 Nov 2009, 16:37 pm
IF ANYONE should think before they talk they we all sure as hell know that it is PvD. lol, hypocrite.
16 Nov 2009, 16:37 pm
It should be PDV. It’s Monday.
16 Nov 2009, 16:42 pm
PDV’s my favourite coach in rugby at the moment. There’s no one as charismatic as him. All Blacks have a monotomous man who never smiles as coach, the Aussies have a coach who has beef with his players (read the Twitter posts between Deans and Phil Waugh! lol), England’s coach is bound for depression, and Ireland’s coach is just… well… dull! The Boks are lucky to have such a coach! Just what international rugby needed.
16 Nov 2009, 16:45 pm
#5 Amerifikaner:
He never disappoints. Apart from losing some (very few) test matches.
16 Nov 2009, 16:51 pm
pdv doesn’t suffer fools very well, it takes him all of 20 minutes to suss them out & to tell them to f…. off, even in their own offices!
16 Nov 2009, 17:06 pm
Ha ha! PDV is classic! But he’s right. Why was Venter watching the practice anyway? I would have also sent him away.
16 Nov 2009, 17:12 pm
No idiot, you’re just a fool. You’re fool-ness belongs to the world
16 Nov 2009, 17:21 pm
‘The World Cup is just two years away and a few of their contracts will be ending next year. They won’t hold back.’
What a disgusting way to try to put off and unsettle players at saracens, totally unecessary from someone in his position.
Maybe he could stop good South African players leaving SA by picking them instead of his favourites and quota players
16 Nov 2009, 17:25 pm
#13 SpringbokSarah:
“You’re fool-ness”
more time doing schoolwork and less time on a blog for you young lady.
16 Nov 2009, 17:28 pm
#14 Slai: are you serious?
**** me south african supporters are a fickle bunch.
maybe PdV should just pick everyone, justin melk for starters as he is definately going places at saracens. wouldnt want to lose him to england now would we?
16 Nov 2009, 17:30 pm
oh, Well done France!
a thoroughly deserved victory. passion and pride aplenty!
16 Nov 2009, 17:32 pm
oops…hte maestro is starting to lose his cool, all **** is going to hit the fan at the next presser, he’s already got his hackles up followin the france defeat and seeting at the anthem bloke, now this, someone will pay soon.
16 Nov 2009, 17:57 pm
More soap opera from PDV. He should stop trying to play the game in the newspapers and concentrate on the field. The incessant bleating is tiresome
16 Nov 2009, 18:13 pm
#16 rangerman:
I am english, and i live in England, and even there it is obvious that the best players are not picked. Of course i am not referring to Melck. I am referring to guys like Wikus and Brits, and guys who must be considering to leave such as Liebenberg.
16 Nov 2009, 18:14 pm
#19 Drexel: He was just responding to Mr venter’s remarks…..and i agree with him
16 Nov 2009, 18:19 pm
#20 Slai: don’t you think you english have bigger worries than to concern yourselves with issues concerning south african rugby?
16 Nov 2009, 18:23 pm
welcome to the professional world of rugby dr.venter.if not invited then you stay away,whether it’s the first team practising or not.
16 Nov 2009, 18:33 pm
#20 Slai: brits?
ag please man. he is a lightweight, flash in the pan, dancing hooker-***-center.
he is not even in the top 10 of sa hookers and thats why he is at saracens.
wikus? lionheart and a great player but where would he fit in now?
at blindside ahead of guys like deysel, potgieter, vermeulen, schalk, juan smith?
at openside ahead of potgieter, schalk, brussow?
no my friend, keep quotas out of it please. we have had a successful season and anyone who tries to put the knife into the boks at this point, after a loss to an incredibly motivated and passionate french side at home, is either churlish, blind, unrealistic or filled with the schadenfreude that only an unfulfilling life, filled with the dissapointment of realising your own inadequacies, can bring.
not that that is you mate. but there are many about i assure you.
16 Nov 2009, 18:33 pm
#9 Mbhubesi:
Those “Phil Waugh” tweets are satire.
The clue is in the name of the Twitter account: Fake Phil Waugh.
16 Nov 2009, 18:37 pm
#24 rangerman: rangerman going in!!!!!!!!!
16 Nov 2009, 18:43 pm
Sometimes people should think before they talk. That comming from pdv, lol
16 Nov 2009, 18:53 pm
#24 rangerman: i’m actually writing exams now… And thats called a creative writing licence
16 Nov 2009, 18:57 pm
Brits is no more light weight flash in the pan overrated hooker than Kankolowitzky is a light weight flash in the pan overrated 8th man. Just that some light weight flash in the pan wannabee bokkie boytjies somehow sell their light weight ramp model style better than others.
16 Nov 2009, 19:03 pm
#26 Transformation:
i am being a little too harsh arent i?
i am still stinging from the boks loss man.
16 Nov 2009, 19:04 pm
Habana just cited for kicking Vincent Clerk in his face in the 38th minute…
16 Nov 2009, 19:04 pm
an unemployed jester is nobody’s fool
16 Nov 2009, 19:08 pm
#28 SpringbokSarah: no, that is called a poor grasp of the english language sarah.
in case you are wondering what i am on about, the “fool-ness” is incidental to my argument sarah.
it is the “you’re” instead of “your” that got my goat.
dont let it trouble you too much sarah, just stop being so emotional about luke and guage PdV’s coaching performance objectively if you can.
16 Nov 2009, 19:08 pm
#29 skopskiet: ha ha ha ha ha you’re absolutely right…if they play kanko against the italians he will be haunted by the memories of the concussion-inducing tackle he received from the italian lock!
16 Nov 2009, 19:12 pm
hmm….i see brits is still much loved in some quarters.
thats fine by me.
everyone is welcome to their views.
mine is that he is a dancing dandy whose dance gets worked out pretty quickly.
16 Nov 2009, 19:14 pm
#30 rangerman: not at all, it’s the truth actually…but i just love it when you do it.
16 Nov 2009, 19:22 pm
#36 Transformation: ah well, when the mood strikes me…..
i just saw the ras on etv.
poor bugger. he is taking too much flak imo. sure, he sounds like a rhino cow getting the pole from a territorial bull but luckily it didnt last that long (45mins) and he reminded me a bit of borat at a rodeo,but he is irie mon.
16 Nov 2009, 19:25 pm
anyways, dinner time.
cheers transie and skop.
have a good evening.
16 Nov 2009, 19:40 pm
PdV has just redefined irony. No doubt people have been harsh on our controversial coach and they do tend to go over-the-top, but surely you guys do realise that he’s not been great in all aspects. Acknowledgement of this will go a long way to give substance to your arguments regarding the man.
16 Nov 2009, 19:45 pm
#39 Die_Valk: pdv has nothing on wakanathan in terms re-defining irony!
16 Nov 2009, 19:49 pm
Transie, ain’t that the truth. I guess people don’t give him credit for his contributions either, so it goes both ways.
16 Nov 2009, 19:49 pm
Transie, ain’t that the truth. I guess people don’t give PdV credit for his contributions either, so it goes both ways.
16 Nov 2009, 20:11 pm
#23 Valkyrie: It is his own training pitch. His office is there, they train there. Why should he not be allowed there? It is hardly as if he is spying, sarries are playing the b side, not the a side which he was watching, and he would hardly reveal his own countrymens secrets.
#22 Valkyrie: Yes, of course there are bigger worries for english rugby but it is obvious that players such as Adams, Maku and Raubenheimer do not belong there. What must players like Liebenberg, Louw and Sarel Pretorious think? They have played amazingly and still not got picked, with clearly worse players picked ahead of them. If i were any of those three players, i would leave and look for rugby in Europe.
#24 rangerman: At the moment Brits is one of the best players in the premiership. I agree he is not the best hooker in SA but he would be great as an impact player off the bench to come on in the closing parts of a game. I am sure any Super 14 side would be happy to sign Wikus up, he is certainly not over the hill.
16 Nov 2009, 20:33 pm
#43 Slai:
You spent a lot of time watching SA rugby or are your opinions formed by what you read on the blogs.
#39 Die_Valk: If you mean the media when you talk about “he’s not been great in all aspects.”, it goes without saying. Not even his greatest supporter will dispute that, especially when he has to use his second language.
I take it you have read what John Smit said about him (John) having to do media briefings in Afrikaans?
16 Nov 2009, 20:40 pm
The part about the media goes without saying. I was, however, referring to his tendency to play players out of position. Selections are disputable, but when are they not so you can’t point any fingers. I have to communicate in my second language too, my friend.
16 Nov 2009, 20:47 pm
#45 Die_Valk:
You’re not facing a barrage of questions from a bunch of people trying to lead you into making mistakes so that they can have something to write about. Sorry, you can’t compare.
16 Nov 2009, 20:47 pm
I think it’s a blessing he’s not really been speaking afrikaans, he’d really be ‘tuning’ people then.
16 Nov 2009, 20:57 pm
Perhaps, but I dare say it would not be very hard to come across as a little more respectful. And that ‘pressure’ does not suddenly rob you of your vocabulary. I see your of his die-hards so debate is pointless as far as I’m concerned. I did congratulate him on his achievements this year, and have not been unreasonable in my criticism. I will always feel as if we can do better with Heyneke. That’s just my opinion. One amongst millions to put it in perspective.
16 Nov 2009, 21:11 pm
#44 nama1: I lived in South Africa until a month ago, so i have watched a lot of SA rugby
16 Nov 2009, 21:15 pm
#48 Die_Valk:
If I’m a “die-hard” re my opinion on PdV, what do you call yourself then regarding your opinion of him: “I will always feel as if we can do better with Heyneke. That’s just my opinion.”
You keep on making these youthful mistakes when you try to be clever.
A site like this is hardly the place to try and change someone’s opinion on anything.
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