Original Contributions
In my second edition, in the series of articles, looking at the contenders for the Toyota Cheetahs Super rugby Squad for 2012, I am going to look at the Happy Hookers. Enjoy people, and feel free to add value. Goooooo Cheeethas!
Hello all, I have been coerced into being a contributing author on Rugby-Talk, providing a Cheetah perspective on all things rugby! This is new territory for me, but in the interests of Cheetahs supporters, and the growth of Rugby-Talk, I will give it a good old whirl.
In today’s Article, I will look at the possible contenders for props in the Cheetahs 2012 Super Rugby group, and whether they could force their way into Bok contention. I encourage all to differ from me, as that is what we all blog for. However, let’s avoid the personal diatribes.
The afternoon of the same morning they arrived from South Africa the Springboks played in their first game against a combined team of Western Australia in PERTH.
Charles Blunt the President of Australian rugby formally welcomed every Springbok with a handshake before the first match (see Picture below).
This picture shows Charles Blunt president of Australia rugby being introduced to the players by Hannes Marais before the first match. Here he shakes hands with Dirk de Vos.
Winning! Tigerblood! You can’t process me with a normal brain!
With SA Ruby (SARU) in the throngs of considering the appointment of a new Rugby coach for the Springboks, when Peter de Villiers’ contract concludes in December 2011, it might be prudent to look at results in the last 4 years.
The first thing which emerges is that there has been a steady decline in winning percentages over the last 4 years.
During the first 2 years of the reign of Peter de Villiers the winning percentage was an average of 68 % but during the last 2 years of his reign it has dropped to an average of 56.5 % for those 2 years.
It has to be noted that Peter de Villiers inherited a World Cup winning squad, which has now slipped to No 4 in the IRB rankings, below France.
After some careful thought about the repercussions a team has to face, due to foul play by individuals in a team, who in most cases really aren’t dirty players and what it actually means for a team to play with 14 men for either 10 minutes and in some cases anything up to 80 minutes, it is clear in my opinion that it needs to be re-assessed.
Ian Jones made an interesting remark the other night on TV during pre-match run-up to the RWC final. The panel were debating Graham Henry’s tenure as All Black coach and what makes him so successful. Jake White over emphasized –for understandable reasons- the fact that NZRU stuck with Henry and gave him another change, which brought that experience of having been there and knowing what it’s all about into the team environment. Jake has a good point to which I’ll return a little later in my dialogue, but Ian Jones took a different angle.
Modern rugby with all its complexities and the number of people involved with the game today can be compared to modern society in many ways.
So the world cup is over, and what have we learnt?There were some controversial issues, some very close matches and some really angry fans.
The concept of the X-factor actually comes from racehorses, specifically from a horse called Eclipse. An extremely large heart is a trait that occasionally occurs in Thoroughbreds, linked to a genetic condition passed down via the dam line, known as the “x-factor”.
Eclipse, the horse, was necropsied after his death in 1789. Because Eclipse’s heart appeared to be much larger than other horses, it was weighed, and found to be 14 pounds (6.4 kg), almost twice the normal weight. Eclipse is believed to have passed the trait on via his daughters, and pedigree research verified that arguably the best racehorse ever, namely Secretariat can trace in his dam line to a daughter of Eclipse.
In the 20th century, the heart of Phar Lap was weighed and also documented to be 6.35 kilograms (14.0 lb), or essentially the same size as that of Eclipse.
Now you might ask what this has got to do with the All Blacks and the Rugby World Cup final.
I often hear the old cliché “we want to play heads up rugby”. What the hell, a meerkat does that, he sticks his head out to survey the threats of nature. Then he runs, away, not forward into the danger zone.
In the Off-season, it might be wise for us to look in detail at every Rugby Position on the field and find or discuss the requirements for each.
Today we kick off with a lighter and fun-look look at the positions.
Come on, you’ve got to read this.. unless you’re a forward, in which case you should ask someone to read it for you!
Short and sweet, this is what Divvie serves South Africans after yet another Tri-Nations loss….
Last night I watched the semi finals of the IRB Womens Rugby World Cup between France and New Zealand, and England and Australia. New Zealand totally outplayed France and England beat Australia in a typical low scoring Northern hemisphere type of match. Watching these games last night I was terribly disappointed in the lack of eye candy on display. I mean, one would expect a world class event to at least show some semblance of quality, but really, these Rugby games were so error ridden and clumsy, I could not enjoy it. It was frustrating to say the least!
I do not get why women want to play Rugby in any event. Rugby is a collision sport and women are not genetically designed for this type of game. Well, unless you are a Mamma Nonu with breast implants, with nipples harder than nails pointing through your breast pads! Either that girl was on a testosterone high or she was very pleased to be playing the game! Either way, the sheer physical nature of the game is not fitting for women, not to even speak about the type of embarrassing wardrobe malfunctions which may occur. White is just not a fitting colour for a women’s rugby jersey!
Folks, here’s the fabulous 360º Photo of FNB Stadium last Saturday during the Springbok vs All Blacks Tri-Nations Test.
Find yourself in the Stadium, Zoom in, Tag yourself on Twitter or Facebook.
Go onnnnnn, you can do it!
Click on this LINK below or Right Click and choose “Open in New Tab” or “Open in New Window”, not to go away from this page
Friends,
Birthday celebrations are in order for Rugby-Talk today, we’re a year old, TODAY!!
Happy, happy… and a big thank you!
The Gauteng Lions Rugby Union is seriously reaching out to a new breed of possible supporters to change their fortunes around and entice a new brand of supporter to counter dwindling supporter numbers.
What would the world be without the lighter side of life?
4man, fellow blogger sent me the following mail, an Article picked up from the hillarious site, haibo.com.
It’s tongue in cheek and totally meant for mirth only, so please don’t take offense!
The Authors of this Article, haibo.com are reknowned for their satirical view on various matters in SA.
We stress the fact that this Article in no way reflects the viewpoint of the Author of this Article on Rugby-Talk and in no way reflects the Official stance of Rugby-Talk on the matter.
From an early read of the comments to the Article, it appears that the Article is still offensive to some readers of Rugby-Talk, notwithstanding the fact that the Article is clearly listed under the Category of “THE FUNNY SIDE” and notwithstanding the fact that we have clearly warned that this Article does not represent the truth and accordingly that no offense should be taken.
Why is it funny when someone like Zapiro regularly draws caricatures of very prominent people, some with showerheads above their heads… and understood to be satirical in nature, but this Article is deemed to be offensive and slanderous!
I say, grow up, laugh at yourself and the wonderful country we inhabit!
A warning to those who choose to spam this Article with senseless comments and needless duplication… stop your actions, we will take action!
OK, the Naffs and Tik-adicts from the Cape, the Half-cocked Rooinek-poachers from Natal, the Gatgrawers and Damduikers from Sodom & Gemorrah, the Riemrukkers from the Flat Earth Society in the armsalige Freestate as well as those wonderful Dutchmen with the Artificial Balls and hefty wives up North…. here is the opportunity to let off some steam again, with impunity.
The rules are simple and meant for those who can bloody read… here they are:
My fellow Rugby Talkers, today I made a huge mistake and must now beg for for forgiveness.! Continue reading
Oops…with all the exitement of the Super 14…we seem to have forgotten that there is another trophy to be won this year as well. I thought I might try my hand at some team talk…
Please don’t be offended…but if you are…whatever…
Dudes and dudesses, muppits, moepels & mopkoppe… the frustration of waiting for proper Southern Hemisphere rugby to start has quite a few of us panting with frustration! So, here’s what we do.. we have a Thread where it is the goal to insult each other…. but there are rules…
For as long as rugby existed, there has been arguments about who is good, and who is better. However, we never argue about who is absolutely rubbish, we all know that, well most of us anyway. So, instead of writing about how good some players are, I have decided to concentrate on the more forgetful guys, the guys that history will NOT remember, and history has some very good reasons not to.
Loftus Versfeld, home to the Currie Cup and Super 14 champions, home to Wynie Strydom and last but not least, home to probably the greatest mass of copyright infringement agents in South Africa, also doubling as ‘the fans’, and please, if you own a cap that says BULL’S and you don’t know what I am talking about, and you don’t understand what is wrong with a cap saying BULL’S, stop reading now (because you probably already missed the thread of the story), and hand yourself over to the nearest police officer.
England and Europe, in fact the whole Northern hemisphere gripped in the coldest Winter for years left most people indoors.
Carol said Perhaps its just the snow making me restless!!
I am getting cabin fever…………
I WISH IT WAS SUMMER….
Beep-beep, beep-beep… as an SMS Text message comes through. That’s normal, right? That should have been a warning to me and sent the alarm bells ringing!
Die polisie vang Gatiep een aand met 4 krewe.
Scary!!!!!
Waarom dit beter is om 'n man te wees
How to shower like a Woman/Man
Care of Manly who thought the funny side was not very funny…being empty and all!
Check die foto…lekker lag ek nou!
” I am a ‘small-brain’ person. A small-brain person doesn’t need to go sit down and study over what he’s going to say to people; it (words) comes naturally. People who study and get A’s and B’s are clever people. But people who don’t go and study and have all that wisdom are wise” –De Villiers philosophy on clever people.
“If you look at those people who say all those things about me you will ask: How did God manage to create those people?” – De Villiers asks a fundamental question.