Sports Minister Makhenkesi Stofile is “furious” about the comment by Springbok coach Peter de Villiers that the Springboks support Blue Bulls prop and murder suspect Bees Roux.
“Goodness man! Get yourself a spokesperson!” was the advice offered by Stofile to the Bok coach.
Anesca Smith
Stofile was approached by Die Burger for comment on the statement made by the coach.
“Even I don’t always understand what he says,” he added.
Stofile also believes it will be better for De Villiers to speak in his mother tongue, Afrikaans, if he does not feel comfortable in English.
According to Stofile, who attended a meeting of the parliamentary portfolio committee on sport on Tuesday, he was in China when De Villiers made the comment.
“It’s disgraceful to say that you support someone 100% when he possibly took another person’s life in such a brutal manner. If this was the old South Africa, he would have been charged as an accomplice for that kind of statement.”
Stofile now wants an explanation from SARU over whether they support the statement by De Villiers.
If not, he wants to know how they will act against the coach.
“The entire organisation’s name is being dragged through the mud. It’s unacceptable.”
Stofile said that he had advised De Villiers at the time of his appointment to get a spokesperson.
“I repeat that request today. With the kind of questions the media asks, I said that he would be sorry about something he said one day. You need special skills when talking to the media. And Peter is a man who loves to talk.
“Today we are embarrassed and angry about what he said. You can’t be delighted when someone is killed. Peter, please don’t expose yourself to the media like that.
“I agree totally that he should speak Afrikaans if he’s not comfortable in English. English is also not my first language and I also struggle with it at times. We think in our mother tongue and then have to verbalise the thought in English. And Peter talks very quickly.”
As for the public reaction to the Springboks’ losses, Stofile said that rugby is the sport that “stirs emotion” more than any other in South Africa.
“We don’t like losing and are hard and unforgiving when it comes to rugby.”
He believes one of the reasons for the team’s poor performances is that they play “too much rugby”.
“It’s not good for the body. We should not be tempted by money to the point that we are not prepared to rest our bodies.
“But every dark cloud has a silver lining. My advice to the coach is to give the youngsters a chance now before next year’s World Cup in New Zealand. We have nothing to lose. The older men won’t be getting any younger or stronger.”
I feel this is a positive reaction by the Minister. I hope he can force Peter to accept the need for a spokesperson.And yes we said it also , talk Afrikaans Peter.
30@ Winston:
Fanks…. not feeling queezy at all…. hehehe
14@ Rugby_Princess:
Very astute comment indeed.
Is there a reasonable answer to the problem?
GBS
Congrats on the birthday. Hope there are many more.
If you celebrate enough tonight you may be able to feel a bit queazy tomorrow.
33@ Scrumdown:
I’m feeling like seafood for tonight…. I want to see food and eat it….
Thanks for the wishes.
@ Scrumdown:
How about when playing “Tier One” nations one should front up with one’s best team & when below “Tier One” it is accetpable to send the 2nd XV ?
Speaking only for my country we send McCaw, Carter et al north each year & then in June we get a team of “WHO ?” sent down under – bit tired of the one sidedness of it all 🙁
35@ Rugby_Princess:
We’ve had similar incidents in SA, with particularly England sending 2nd or 3rd rate teams.
A couple of years ago Free State particularly felt the brunt of the problem when the Poms sent a very weak team and nobody wanted to watch.
In SA provinces have to bid to host tests with Tier one games starting at something like ZAR 5 million.
This money is paid up front to SARU a LONG time before the test, and so if the opposition send a bunch of club players that no one wants to watch the financial implications can be massive for a Union.
IMO the top five shouldn’t even play the Tier 2 teams with their full representative side. They should send an “A” side.
What good does it do for SA / NZ etc to beat Uruguay / Georgia by 50 – 100 points?
Of course the problem is when a “tired” bunch of pale Europeans (English / Scots / Welsh) send what is effectively an “A” side disguised as a full team, and they perform like a Tier 2 nation.
All part of professionalism I suppose.
@ Scrumdown:
Cept it is not very professional is it ?
About 2 years ag the Frogs sent a “A” side to NZ because their domestic comp had not finsihed – begs the question why they accepted the match in the first place dont you think ? Surely it is defrauding those who pay top tier prices when they deliver a below par team.
37@ Rugby_Princess:
I’m sure they accepted the game because there was a net financial gain for the French Rugby Federation.
I really think that the people who run this sport don’t really give a hoot for the players, especially here in SA.
happy GBS, allea wat goed is vir jou in die volgende jaar en hoop daar is nog baie daar na 🙂
@ Scrumdown:
Okay, now you are depressing me … I am going to take my flu germs & go home 😥
39@ Durban Bulle:
Thanks man…. wil nog so effe meer as dubbeld die jare reeds verby aanlas, as alles goed gaan….
Veels geluk, GBS! Laat dit ‘n jaar innie son vi jou wees.
Groente
HAPPY BIRTHDAY….HAPPY BIRTHDAY…. GBS. Enjoy your day and have a special dinner tonight and celebrat.
Eat as much seafood as you want tonight brother, you deserve it for doing such a great job on this blog.
42@ fender:
Dankie… die lewe is ‘n Lied!
Well Stofile finally gets PdV a spokesmperson, why the heck has it taken about 3 years to do this?
43@ Puma:
Thanks… appreciated.
Should have been on my way to clients already, but am a bit lazy today….
Jeepers my typos have started early…hehehe.
43 – celebrate
45 – spokesperson
@ grootblousmile:46 – Ag, just relax put em feet up. Your birthday and all.
@ grootblousmile:46 – That 50 is creeping up hey!!!! hehehe. Ag, life is what you make of it. The years go by so fast. Live every minute to the fullest. My motto.
I think PdV should speak in Afrikaans, but think he will still have his own way of saying things. Just get a interpreter for the overseas media……hahahaha. I am laughing maybe they will have to interpertate something that wont makes sense either………hahahahahahahahaha. Not sure how they will feel……….hahahahaha. He does say some really funny or silly stuff.
Okay just when I am able to blog everyone is off to lunch or somewhere. Been a hectic week for me so far.
Like Ash, busy, busy as a bee.
Catch up later.
Veels geluk gbs.
Seenwense.
52@ Blouste:
Thanks… gee jy om as ek dit effe wysig na “Speenwense”?
Hahaha
GBS, heppie bifday bruvva!!!!
Nog baie meer, en mag jy ou GBSMaximus se boots bly volstaan, welgedaan met RT ook ou maat!
Bugger old Stofpiele, he only awakes when PdeV supports some white player, not that I condone his support for Bees Roux, I also think PdeV was way out of line in this case.
I never thought that I would ever agree with Stofile but he’s right.
@ Pietman: Pietman, can you e-mail me your specific address, I want to try and meet up.
54@ Pietman:
Dankie ou Oorlogskammeraad… my maat van yster en plaat!
Het jy die Griekwas Artikel gesien… en jou mail wat ek gestuur het gelees?
@ Pokkel:
Of course he is right, my only question is why did he only come to the table now, now that Bees Rous has been mentioned?
But anyway…
@ 4man:
Jisja, sammajoor, still the same addie at wpstormer.
And I do get your mails still, just this ineternet connection in my village is so piss-poor I don’t always reply.
Hope you are keeping the trenches over there old comrade, keep well.
@ grootblousmile:
Gaan nou lees, sukkel met hotmail hier, besig met skype na Istanbul, praat netnou verder.
Tjorts.
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