They are strong, generally popular characters of the international rugby landscape and that is never a bad thing … but do brothers Bismarck and Jannie du Plessis take interaction with referees a bit too far?
The voices of the two Sharks front-rankers have been among the most consistently audible to mass audiences this season as far as spirited dialogue with Super Rugby officials is concerned.
Shrinks (and may I cheekily add, at the risk of generalisation, wives and girlfriends?) will tell you that communication is healthy.
Sport24
But in rugby, with 30 players on the field almost all the time and sophisticated television-geared technology picking up much of what is said at close quarters, it is unrealistic to permit limitless chatter between participants and the various match officials.
The captain has a greater licence, of course, to make his feelings on decisions – or non-decisions – known, so the younger of the Du Plessis Springboks, Bismarck, can be excused for the odd bout of constructive dissent, if you like.
But he is also in his first season as a leader, and there have arguably been instances where even he has come desperately close to crossing the line for just being too strident or enduringly “lippy” in his objections as he tests the good humour of referees.
Against the Lions at Ellis Park on Saturday, however, tighthead prop Jannie was particularly animated (not for the first time in his lengthy career) in his interpretation of sanction against him.
He made his feelings of disbelief clear to particularly seasoned and respected ref Craig Joubert after he was yellow-carded for a late shoulder barge on Lionel Mapoe.
The TV evidence looked damning enough … but then even after the final whistle, the opinionated doctor and stalwart of the No 3 jersey was clearly heard on the microphone protesting to Joubert as everyone shook hands: “But I didn’t change my line.”
Try selling us another rusty Ford Cortina, Jannie!
Let’s not forget that a few short weeks ago, when the Sharks beat the Reds in Durban, the big fellow made headlines for his (again very publicly audible) exchange with another local referee, Lourens van der Merwe, over binding issues at scrum-time.
“Don’t come and lecture me,” Du Plessis told the official, to the incredulity of many listening (and perhaps even Van der Merwe himself, who might otherwise have taken immediate, penalising action?).
To his credit, he did apologise on the post-match Monday to the official for his outburst.
But a potentially dangerous pattern is developing, I believe, of the Du Plessis duo pushing the boundaries of reasonable discussion with referees.
Hardly helping is that both have “previous”, as they say in legal jargon, for personal ill-discipline, which could just aggravate matters.
One of the SuperSport commentators – I cannot recall whether it was former Bok captain Bob Skinstad or lead voice Matthew Pearce – was spot-on at one point in saying words to the effect of: “We need to remember there are laws of rugby not necessarily compiled by the brothers Du Plessis.”
Yes, the Sharks continue to fly high but they have yet to undertake the trickiest part of the campaign – the overseas leg – where home-town crowd pressure and the likelihood of many of those games being policed by Australasian officials may see a less tolerant attitude to their protests.
I would not be at all surprised if Jake White has a quiet word about the hazards attached to the pair becoming too routinely back-chatty with refs.
He may have done so already?
@ nortierd:
Nou het jy die vrouens ook de moer in, hehehehe!
Ek sou wegbly by die Wimpy in Deben as ek jy is bru, skoen teen die kop is jou voorland!
Pietman wrote:
Lol, Pietman, ek sal maar my vakansie na Margate moet kanseleer die jaar. Ek glo my paspoort foto is opgeplak by al die tolhekke van hier tot in Durban.
Wanted, this man does not like the Sharks and is being nasty to our beloved Du Plessis brothers, deny entry and shoot on sight.
Bullscot wrote:
Not sure how one can be overplayed if you hardly manage 50 minutes a match and don’t partake in defense.
There are also many instances of various coaches seeing something in players that many fans can’t understand, Ruaan Pienaar comes to mind. Doing well at Ulster, but has never really cut it at International level or set the world alight in the SH.
Jannie’s continuous selection is more straightforward, he is a package deal with his brother. If the coach wants Bismarck, Jannie must also be contracted.
We even saw that with Bissie’s previous threat of going to France. It’s not a case of I’m going, it’s we are going.
Jannie talks too much and works too little… Fact… 😉
Sitting in the stands, I obviously could not hear, but Bissie was in Joubert’s ear all the time, and Jannie was also always giving him lip.
Liang ge rou tou
Gumboots wrote:
Replace the word “Jannie” in your sentence with the word “nortierd” and your statements is still a fact.
Biz went went missing at Ellis, so much hype failed to deliver.
He was going to take the world champs apart at Ellis on his own, he went missing.
Pietman wrote:
Pietman, the major difference here is that I commented on a thread that was started about the Du Plessis brothers incessant moaning at the refs.
Every other rugby site had similar threads and comments. My comments were aimed at them and my dislike towards their attitude.
The post made by Pam Anderson in 29 was aimed at me.
That’s fine by me, I realize that some Shark supporters are overly sensitive and very protective towards their players and honestly, I don’t know this blogger from a bar of soap, so I won’t be making any personal attacks against the bloggers.
The players are fair game though, and if this blogger doesn’t want to read negative comments about her players, then it makes sense not to read a thread highlighting just that.
@ nortierd:
Yes, I was also surprised to see Pamela’s reaction. She attacked you with so much venom and scratching nails one would have thought you were having a go at David Hasselhoff himself and not only at 2 rugby playing boeties from Deben.
Some women 🙂
:
@ robzim:
Bwahaha!
41 @ robzim:
Hey chaps… before you guys think too much about Pam Anderson’s puppies… this Pam Anderson is a bloke, mielie and all!
Oh gosh, I forgot, that STILL appeals to you chaps who support the Brokies!
@ nortierd:
Zactly, your comment was directly related to and in line with the thread topic…Pam’s reaction is besides the point, really.
As my grandfather used to tell my argumentative grandma ever so often (she was a feisty old girl from Malmesbury farmstock), ” Suze, argue the point man!”
@ grootblousmile:
@43 O flok! Dit ook nog….
Never had one of those on here before, what is this place coming to? Soon we might have Bulls with tits instead of knaters…
@RobZim
@GBS 43
Ha ha
Passop, those following the head Shark cheerleader the last few years on Voldy, will know that it’s not just Brokies who enjoy mielies.
Thailand is n bliksem
45 @ Pietman:
Ja jong, kyk bietjie hier. Weet nie wat word van hierdie wêreld nie
http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/union-news/clyde-rathbone-im-in-love-with-a-gay-man-20140411-zqthl.html
So Saterdag is dit weer die Three Tenors Show op Kingspark …. die 2 Du Plessis broers en Peyper met sy skrillende fluitjie.
@Ben 48
Beteken dit nou dat Clyde vir die Stormers gaan kom speel?
Ons kan doen met ten minste een goeie speler
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