Johannesburg –  Players in South Africa’s Davis Cup team must take responsibility for taking the country back to the highest level of world team tennis.

That was the essence of the talk by former World Cup-winning Springbok coach Jake White to the South African Davis Cup team on Thursday.
White, who is nowadays is in high demand as a motivational and after-dinner speaker, told the tennis players that they should be mindful of what the rugby and cricket players have done for this country’s image on the international stage.

“Without wanting to put pressure on you guys, I want to tell you that it is your task to get South Africa back in the World Group,” said White.
“You know that rugby is No 1 (in the world), cricket is No 1 and you are in a very privileged position because out of all the players in the country you are the ones that will take the country’s tennis to the highest level.

“You the guys that will take South Africa to the No 1 group of world tennis.
“You just need to know that in order to succeed you must know that you need to give your best in the match, one from point to point.
“I rugby I’ll tell my players to do their best from whistle to whistle, and that’s all that will be asked of you in order to win the match.
“It’s not about what you’ve done before, it’s about what you do during the match.”
South Africa’s non-playing captain John-Laffnie de Jager called on White to rally the troops ahead of their promotion/relegation tie against India at the Ellis Park Indoor Arena on Friday.

De Jager first heard White talking as a motivational speaker two years ago when the South African team was really battling in the lower divisions of Davis Cup tennis. De Jager recalled on Thursday that since that talk by White the SA Davis Cup team has been on a winning streak which has now stretched to 10 games.
“It’s not about how many games you’ve won the past, it’s about using the one chance this team has to get back into the World Cup – and you must accept that you only have one chance.

“You cannot even think about losing, or what the consequences of a defeat will be. Your mindset has to be where the country will b e going as a result of victory.
“Well done on the 10 (wins), but if you don’t win against India, the 10 becomes meaningless.

“Also you know that this chance has come up in the past few years, it has come up in your time, and if you don’t use it you never know when it will round again.”
Victory over India in three-day tie starting on Friday will see South Africa promoted to the World Group of Davis Cup and promotion will provide local tennis with a massive boost. It also means that the world’s foremost players such as Roger Federer (Switzerland), Rafael Nadal (Spain), Novak Djokovic (Serbia), Juan Martin Del Potro (Argentina), Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (France), Nikolay Davydenko (Russia) could also be playing in South Africa next year because all their countries play in the World Group.

While the Indian don’t have a motivational speaker addressing their Davis Cup team, the Indian cricketers are likely to watch the tennis on Saturday, when the doubles rubber is played out.

The Indian cricketers are in Johannesburg ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy tournament which starts on Tuesday.

One of the highlights in Super 14 rugby this past weekend was the welcome return to form of the big Springbok flank, Schalk Burger.

 Time and time again opposition players were hit back in defense during the Stormers vs Highlanders game and many of these tackles were made by Schalkie, without any help from his team mates.

It was Burger at his best defensively and it certainly contributed to the Stormers upset victory.  Andries Bekker made his presence felt and added the grunt to the Stormers pack, that has sadly been missing this Super 14 season.

So who is now in contention for a place in the Bok team?  Well since the days of Jake White, consistency has been part of the winning formula and Pieter De Villiers has wisely continued along that path.

Lets look at the last Springbok team that played. It was on 22 November 2008, in that crushing victory over England (something we shouldn’t let the British lions forget either).

Conrad Jantjes

JP Pietersen

AD Jacobs

Jean de Villiers

Brian Habana

Ruan Pienaar

Ricky Januarie

Beast Mtawarira

John Smit

Jannie du Plessis

Bakkies Botha

Victor Matfield

Schalk Burger

Danie Rossouw

Pierre Spies

Reserves:

Jacques Fourie

Francois Steyn

Brian Mujati

Chilliboy Ralapella

Heinrich Brussouw

Andries Bekker

Ryan Kankowski

Who will make the 2009 Sprinbok XV?

Fullback:

Conrad Jantjes has not been in great form this season; admittedly he is part of a losing Stormers set up that is more set on defense than attack.

However, it is time to settle Francois Steyn in the team and with the abundance of centers in South Africa; Steyn is moved to the number 15 jersey for evermore.

Right Wing:

JP Pietersen has been a try magnet again this season and takes his rightful place in the team.

Left Wing:

Jongi Nokwe knows how to score tries.  The Free State flyer is no stranger to the try line and has scored some fine tries during the Super 14. 

The man wearing the number 11 jersey is Brian Habana who is also hitting form again and cannot be left out of the Bok XV.

Habana retains his place with Nokwe on standby.

Outside Center

Jacques Fourie has been devastating for the Lions but has been injury prone.  AD Jacobs was had a solid season but has not been helped by an indecisive Sharks backline with Francois Steyn at flyhalf.

It is always good to have a combination in midfield and with that in mind I am going for Fourie for the number 13 jersey.

Inside Center

Jean De Villiers made the number 12 jumber his last season but has also battled to strike form in 2009.  Wynand Olivier from the Bulls has been in great form and with the idea of hitting the Lions hard in midfield to open up the space for our wingers, a new combination will be given a chance.  Wyand Olivier and Jacques Fourie will be the new center pair.

Flyhalf

Ruan Pienaar is coming back from injury and is Pieter De Villiers’ first choice for the flyhalf position.  He will also be the goal kicker in the team.  Should he still be injured, Morne Steyn from the Bulls will start.

Scrumhalf

Fourie Du Preez remains world class and will regain his place in the starting line up.  Ricky Januarie has had an indifferent Super 14 and will lose his place, with Rory Kockett making the bench.

Loose Head Prop

The Beast is becoming a folk hero from the battlefields of Dunedin to the hard playing fields of Kimberly.  He has still not hit his peak yet and is still developing as a prop.  He will maintain his place. Guthro Steenkamp and Heinko Van Der Merwe have also played well this season.

Hooker

John Smit will start in the number 2 jersey and will captain the team.  Bismarck Du Plessis has been inaccurate in the line outs and needs to work on his discipline.  Chilliboy Ralapella is also in the mix and will make the bench should Du Plessis be injured.

Tight Head Prop

This position is a bit of a problem in SA rugby at present. Jannie Du Plessis will start and probably be replaced by John Smit at the 50 minute mark.

Locks

I don’t think there will be any arguments from the armchair critics about who should play lock for the Boks.  The old firm of Botha and Matfield will be critical to South Africa winning the series, with Botha adding the mongrel to the pack.

Andries Bekker will be the third choice lock.

Open Side Flank

Schalk Burger is starting to look like the Schalk of old and may do enough to make the starting line up.  Heinrich Brussouw has been in outstanding form for the Cheetahs and could even make the team ahead of Schalk on present form.

Blind Side Flank

Juan Smith has got guts and plenty of it too.  Playing in a losing team is not easy but the big Free State flank is always in the thick of things.  He will be pushed by Duane Vermeulen but regains his number 7 jersey.

Number 8

Who to leave out is the difficult question for the South African selectors.  Pierre Spies will retain the jersey, with Ryan Kankowski and Luke Watson breathing down his neck. 

The Springbok team to face the British Lions looks like this:

15: Francois Steyn

14: JP Pietersen

13: Jacques Fourie

12: Wynand Olivier

11: Brian Habana

10: Ruan Pienaar

9:  Fourie Du Preez

8:  Pierre Spies

7:  Juan Smith

6:  Schalk Burger

5:  Victor Matfield

4:  Bakkies Botha

3:  Jannie Du Plessis

2:  John Smit

1:  Beast Mtawarira

Reserves:

Rory Kockett

Jean De Villiers

Jongi Nokwe

Bismarck Du Plessis

Guthro Steenkamp

Andries Bekker

Heinrich Brussouw

Breakdown:

Bulls: 7

Sharks: 8

Lions: 1

Stormers: 3

Cheetahs: 3

Ashwin Willemse ’s retirement from rugby last week disgusts me: he had no right whatsoever to retire.  As probably the most costly player in South African rugby history, he owed this country a string of fine performances befitting of the unwavering faith shown in him.  The unions spent millions of Rands on his personal wellbeing and just when it seemed he might get through a season sans injury, he packed his bags.

What an absolute cheek from a player so often portrayed as the most righteous of them all.  One day he’s happy to milk the moolah and plaudits that come with being a pro sportsman, and the next he’s prepared to impulsively call it quits.

Jake White often described Willemse as having the biggest heart in the team.  That may be true, but now it seems he has the biggest cheek too.

A classic piece written before the IRB Rugby World Cup in France 2007.

 * * *

When the Springbok 2007 RWC squad was announced, professionally and punctually, on Saturday evening, it underlined the astonishing progress that Jake White and his team has made during its tenure.  One merely has to cast their mind back four years to recall the complete antithesis of Saturday night’s proceedings: Rudolf Streuli’s clouded, ill-fated and, not to mention, two hour late announcement.

White’s work, or better resolve, cannot be understated.  In 2004 he inherited a ship, so quickly sinking, that its IRB world ranking was just above rugby powerhouse Georgia’s.  He came up trumps against a big-talking Irish side before going on to win the Tri-Nations a few months later.  A falsely billed “grand slam tour” identified John Smit as a magnanimous leader, but also highlighted an alarming lack of depth.

A first away win in the Tri-Nations came in 2005 as the Boks met Australia four times; while a tenacious win against the All Blacks at Newlands will go down as one of White’s finest hours.  Progress was evident as the Boks won more Tri-Nations games than they had in 2004 and surged to No 2 on the IRB world rankings.

An undefeated home record was spoiled in 2006 as the Boks crashed against France.  For the first time since White took over there were serious doubts about his team’s attacking prowess.  What started off as early season murmurs would soon become full blown calls for the coach’s head.  After the Springboks seemingly forgot that the Tri-Nations had started only two late home wins were enough to save the coach’s job.  The November tour wasn’t much better and White’s job was saved again with the avenging of the Twickenham hoodoo.

A second South African SuperRugby triumph gave White’s men an unbridled confidence in 2007 and while the Luke Watson saga hogged the headlines, it was business as usual behind the scenes.  When the thirty-man RWC squad was unanimously selected it was a great testament to White’s meticulous planning and determination.

Never before has a South African squad literally picked itself like this one has.  There is no questioning any single player’s selection: every one deserves to be there.  The process commenced four years ago against Ireland and will culminate (hopefully) in October in Paris.  All the while White has valiantly battled administrators, politicians and his numerous detractors, yet regardless of where the Boks finish in the tournament, he leaves a worthy legacy of consistency and transparency for so long absent in South African Rugby.

McCaw and Burger finally get to play on the same team

Tonight we are in for a treat! Jake White former Springbok and RWC winning coach has selected a Barbarian team to take on the Wallabies. The Barbarians have a line up that would make the Rugby Gods druel, with 4 of the last 5 IRB player of the year in their squad of 22 players. 

Jake White selected his old skipper from the Rugby World Cup to lead the Baba’s into battel against the Wallabies. George Gregan makes an apperance on the bench and will hopefully get a run against his old team mates. 

Here are the line ups for tonights Australia vs Barbarians game. 

Barbarians team: 
Percy Montgomery (SA); 
Joe Rokocoko (NZ), 
Rico Gear (NZ), 
Jean de Villiers (SA), 
Bryan Habana (SA); 
Francois Steyn (SA), 
Fourie du Preez (SA); 
Federico Pucciariello (Ita), 
John Smit (SA, capt), 
Census Johnson (Samoa), 
Bakkies Botha (SA), 
Johann Muller (SA), 
Jerry Collins (NZ), 
Richie McCaw (NZ), 
Schalk Burger (SA). 

Replacements: Mark Regan (Eng), Rodney Blake (Aus), Chris Jack (NZ), Nick Koster (SA, uncapped), George Gregan (Aus), Ollie Smith (Eng), Shane Williams (Wal). 

Australia team: 
James O’Connor; 
Lote Tuqiri, Ryan Cross, 
Adam Ashley-Cooper, 
Digby Ioane; 
Quade Cooper, 
Brett Sheehan; 
Sekope Kepu, 
Tatafu Polota-Nau, 
Matt Dunning, 
Mark Chisholm, 
Hugh McMeniman, 
Dean Mumm, 
George Smith (capt), 
Richard Brown. 

Replacements: Adam Freier, Ben Alexander, Peter Kimlin, David Pocock, Luke Burgess, Lachie Turner, Drew Mitchell.

by: http://www.rugbyworldcupblog.com

Jake White spent four years building a World Cup winning team. His success was methodical and calculated. He claims there were five main components to winning. Planning, Loyalty/Experience, Leadership, Innovation and Luck. In the above talk (split into six parts) he discusses innovation, how he invited in outsiders like Sheryl Calder, the co-ordination expert, Eddie Jones the former Australian coach and a sports psychologist to build up the confidence and trust of the players.

Its a great talk, honest and insightful. He has some good stories too, the funniest probably being how he allowed his back-row to set up Ireland’s Peter Stringer for a “mullying”!

Check out the rest of the talk on Jake White TV.

Boston Globe

A far cry from democracy in the Bay State

October 2, 2008

I APPLAUD the editorial page for its concerns regarding South African democracy (“After Mbeki,” Sept. 23). I only wish you held those concerns for our dear Massachusetts.

In South Africa the African National Congress controls 70 percent of the National Assembly and the presidency, while in Massachusetts the Democrats hold 87 percent of the General Court and the governorship. You note that in South Africa, “a virtual one-party state has allowed ANC leaders in power to become less and less accountable to the populace.”

But so too in Massachusetts. Disgraced state Senator James Marzilli is still receiving a paycheck. Middlesex Register of Probate John Buonomo took the primary despite having already resigned under corruption charges.

You are outraged by the lack of accountability in far-off Africa while too comfortable with the entrenched Democratic power structure here in Massachusetts. Where is the editorial outrage for Massachusetts? Or will you never bite the hand that feeds you?

JAKE WHITE
Watertown

[Source]

South Africa have slipped to third place in the International Rugby Board (IRB) rankings after their fourth defeat in five Tri-Nations matches on Saturday when they lost 15-27 to Australia, which eliminated the World Cup champions from Tri-Nations title contention.

This is the Springboks’ lowest position since they took the No.1 slot after the World Cup.

The slide follows the Springboks’ third successive loss and their second on home soil for the first time in a Tri-Nations season.

Former Springboks assistant and Wallabies boss Eddie Jones has turned up the heat on beleaguered South African coach Peter de Villiers, describing his much-maligned new gameplan as “nonsense”.

Jones was a member of former Springbok coach Jake White’s staff when South Africa won the World Cup in France last year. His comments come amidst rumours of disunity and confusion among the South African players, and after De Villiers, the first black man to coach the Springboks, was booed loudly by Durban fans after Saturday’s 15-27 loss to Australia.

“The Springboks will get worse if they continue in this way,” Jones told English newspaper the Independent. “Mate, no one in world rugby is playing the way their coach is talking about, not successfully anyway.

“Everyone has discipline, policies and a procedure in their game. The way he is talking is nonsense. You can’t just play an expansive, wide game.

“This is still a very good squad of players. Most are even at their peak or approaching it. So there is plenty of talent but what they need is the organisation and discipline.

“The hard thing for Peter is that he has never coached professionally and this is one of the most difficult teams to coach.”

South Africa clash with Australia at Ellis Park in the second Test on Saturday and a loss there to the Wallabies for the first time in 45 years, would have De Villiers under enormous pressure.

The Bok coach have also threatened to “axe” senior members of the team in they don’t come to the party and it has become obvious they are not buying into his “expansive at whatever cost” game plan.

The Springboks were booed in Durban after the full-time whistle from the Absa Park crowd, who had no qualms in showing their displeasure at the quality of the Springbok performance.

The Springboks suffered from the same weakness at the breakdown as they did last week in Cape Town against the All Blacks, losing countless turnovers and failing to protect their own possession at the tackle.

Wallabies centre Timana Tahu has declared it ‘open season’ on the Springboks, as South Africa and Australia prepare for their Tri-Nations encounter in Johannesburg on Saturday & could fancy their chances against a Springboks outfit in disarray.

The criticism of Bok coach Peter de Villiers is showing no signs of abating

De Villiers has lost the plot. Maybe he should listen more to rugby chat shows, his assistant coaches and the players before he tries to change a gameplan the “bokke” played for the last 4 years. The ELV’s might have made the game a bit quicker, but you choose what you want to do when a short arm penalty is given to you. Our phase play is terrible; no cohesion, the ball is not protected, body positions are terrible. We had over 14 turnovers last week. We make twice as many tackles than our counterparts, no wonder our “legs are tired”

The following coaches believed in structured game plans and discipline:
kitch christie-  success rate over 90% including world cup title
nick mallet – success rate over 70% including tri-nations title
jake white -  success rate over 65% including world cup and tri-nations title
The following believed in free-styling self expression:
carel du plessis – success rate of 37%
harry viljoen – success rate of 53%, majority of games against “second tier” rugby playing nations
de villiers – current success rate of 55%
Do the math, Div, do the math.

De Villiers should by now realise that being an affirmative action appointment and being in an international environment were merit counts…..that he is just up to the task.  He should resign as the Springboks have become the laughing stock of world rugby!!

First of all,I find it to be a waste of time for very obvious reasons. Our rugby team has one problem and one problem only – Lack of confidence brought about by the following:
1. A coach with no top level experience at all.
2. A coach with a game plan that does not work
3. A coach who changes world cup champions into chimpions within a few short months.
4. A coach with more excuses than the Oxford dictionary.
5. A coach that cannot stand up to the political rugby guru.
6. A coach that replaces Schalk Burger with Political Watson every game.
7. A coach that believes there is a very small difference between winning and losing.
8. A coach who will not take advice from those who know.
9. A coach so stubborn, even when the scoreboard speaks will not entertain change.
10.A coach who says we (The rugby paying public) are too impatient.
11.A coach who managed to get the Rugby world not to fear the Springbok ever again.

White took us from the depths of despair to the pinnacle.   At the end of the first game under his coaching in which the Boks played against New Zealand, in New Zealand, as the game ended ex-All Black commentator, Murray Mexted enthusiastically exclaimed, “The Boks are back!” Yes, and under White they certainly were. 

But I fear the issue revolving sport in SA is far greater than a poor coaching structure from PDV.  The Proteas have lost their final test and first ODI, we’ve won a big fat zero gold medals at the olympics,  despite a few youngsters coming through we’ve also had a fairly disappointing year in the golfing world too, no tennis stars, no nothing?  Two main reasons for this, I think, is firstly (the excuse):  We’ve seen it all before, the Boks after their ‘95 success and the Poms after the ‘03 World Cup success, I’m sure there’s many more examples, but the time after a World Cup is one of new plans, new ideas and conventionally a period of transition. 

We are lightyears behind Australia, England and the States on sports development.  What we achieved last year in the World Cup took four years of hard work and planning, we can’t just pitch up and be the best there is, no one can, not even the All Blacks.

The South African public’s patience with Springbok coach Peter de Villiers is wearing thin.

In the words of the legendary Formula One commentator Murray Walker, it was “disaster, disaster, disaster”

It is clear that the Bok squad is not a happy camp. How could they be? The so-called ‘expansive game plan’ that Peter de Villiers has in mind is non-existent – to run the ball you need to secure possession – something the Boks have forgotten to do. The beleaguered coach seems adamant that the Boks can succeed under his approach. But how long will the public, and more importantly, the South African Rugby Union (SARU) tolerate such performances? The Durban faithful gave their answer in no uncertain terms.

Am I being to harsh? Maybe I am, but the performances of the Boks over the last three Tri-Nations games has been nothing short of diabolical. The question is can they motivate themselves enough to beat the Wallabies on Saturday? They will need more than motivation to beat a well drilled Australian outfit at Ellis Park, sorry Coca-Cola Park – a venue that the Boks have done well at. Another loss and Peter de Villiers will be fighting to keep his head above water.

I will be wearing my bok jersey, but in my heart I will be hoping Australia win by record margins. 
I feel like never support the Springboks again, I love the players and they are surely some of the very best in the world, but I cannot support SARugby as an organisation any longer.  I have had enough of them sabotaging my favorite past time and toying with loyal supporters.  SARUGBY you are a joke.

On a more positive note, the final showdown between Australia and the All Blacks in Brisbane on September 13 is set to be a winner takes all. Regardless of what happens on Saturday in Johannesburg, the winner of that game in Brisbane will be crowned Tri-Nations champions. If Australia lose they will be a single point behind the All Blacks as they head home. A bonus point victory will put them four points clear of Richie McCaw’s chargers. As the points table stands at present, the All Blacks have a points difference of 42 , whilst the Aussies are on five. If the Aussies bag five points on Saturday, and the All Blacks get four in Brisbane and deny the Wallabies a point, the two teams will be level on 18 points. But the All Blacks will more than likely have the superior points difference and claim the title. Either way you look at it, it’s a Final and something to look forward to.

On Saturday the Springboks, South Africa’s national rugby team, beat the All Blacks for the first time in ten years on New Zealand soil. South Africa played hard for the victory and was rewarded through a piece of individual brilliance by the scrumhalf, Rico Januarie, with a try in the last 10 minutes to win the game. At the end of the game you can see the delight on the players’ faces in the Youtube video below. The best moment in the highlight package comes at 4min59sec of the video (that’s 4:59). That’s when you can see the emotion — including pounding the table — and relief of Springbok coach, Peter de Villiers, when he realized his team had won the game. With the captain Victor Matfield sent off, South Africa had 14 men on the field at the time. The New Zealand commentator can only offer: “I think he [De Villiers] is really happy.” De Villiers had been publicly vilified as not good enough (the slur inside South Africa, is that he was an “affirmative action appointment”), including by a former All Black in the lead up to the game, but pulled off a remarkable coaching feat not managed by either of his illustrious predecessors: Jake White or Nic Mallet. Okay enough with the amateur punditry (and to discourage the hate-mail), let’s just enjoy the moment.

See it here. [via Youtube]

Hierdie week wys ek Da Mario se gepraat aan as my blog van die week. Huidiglik op 92,484 hits. Daar is baie lekker gedigte en insiggewende inskrywings. Da Mario blog al vanaf October 2006.

 http://dmario.wordpress.com/

Hanlie het reg geraai, die boek is “In Black and White – The Jake White Story.

What do you dream about?

What if it would come true?

What if opportunity presented itself…and you don’t know what to do with it?

It surprises us when it happens, when suddenly we meet someone…that might just help us take the first steps to realizing our dreams.

Take Jake White’s story, for example. I’m not finished with his book yet, I’m at chapter 15 now, but so far I’ve leaned very important things:

* Don’t let anybody tell you that you can not do it
* Be very patient
* Don’t be discouraged by setbacks
*Never, ever give up on your dreams (because if you do, it OBVIOUSLY would never realize…)

Almost 14 years after the end of apartheid, South African rugby (a sport I left behind a long time ago) makes a bold decision: The national rugby union appointed its first black coach (in South African parlance he is a coloured; more on that politics, inherited from its racial state past, another time).

Peter de Villiers, the new coach, is as qualified as his predecessor Jakes White was when the latter was first appointed (White would later coach the 2007 World Cup winning side although he did have two sub-par seasons along the way and was given time to develop his coaching skills and the squad), but that has not stopped the premature criticism of De Villiers. For some it will always be too early to have black coaches in top flight rugby in South Africa. If black coaches do eventually get appointed it must be reverse racism and politics: As if rugby was always just about sport in South Africa; not about race (white racism) or politics (its links to a police state and an exclusive ideology).

Of the Western press, the British media have followed the story the most intensely, including sensationalizing the appointment. (For all its claim to be a ‘world sport,’ rugby is very much limited to the UK, the former British settler colonies, some Pacific islands, France and Argentina.) The best example is an ominous sounding ‘expose’ in the UK Observer this past Sunday claiming De Villiers’ appointment is part of a ’secret plan’ to storm the ‘last bastion of white power.’ Someone forgot to tell the reporter that one swallow does not necessarily make a summer.

The odd thing is that the story is really about a conflict between a group of whites rugby administrators and enthusiasts, including rugby writers (the latter who are incidentally, not a very progressive bunch).

One of the disputes involves one of the country’s top white players, Luke Watson, who was included in the Springbok side as a ‘… “black player” under a quota system designed to allow the disadvantaged a place in the team.‘ This only happened because members of the white rugby establishment (including presumably Jake White) held the fact that the player’s father (Cheeky Watson) opposed apartheid, against the son.

I know. You figure that out.

The full story here.

Die SARU hat am Mittwoch die Ernennung von Peter de Villiers bestätigt. Der ehemalige Boland and Griquas Scrummhalf war bisher Coach der U19, U21 und Emerging Boks und besitzt auch auf nationaler Ebene einiges an Erfahrung. Jedoch hat er bis jetzt noch keine Team auf Super 14-Niveau gecoached.

Jedoch könnten seine guten Kenntnisse über die Nachwuchs-Spieler von großer Bedutung sein. Gerade in Zeiten, in den von oben eine Transformation der National-Mannschaft gefordert wird.

Mit der Entscheidung hat die SARU einer monatlelangen Debatte ein Ende gemacht. So war der von vielen Beobachtern favorisierte Heyneke Meyer (wahrscheinlich auf Grund der bereits angesprochenen Umstrukturierungs-Maßnamen) bei der Abstimmung nur knapp unterlegen (9 zu 10 Stimmen).

Der ehemalige National-Coach Jake White hingegen hat sich komplett aus dem Geschäft verabschiedet. Er ist nun Head of Marketing für Richmark Holdings, einem Telekommunikations-Unternehmen in Johannesburg.

SARU finally announced Jake White’s successor today – Pieter De Villiers edged out favourite Heyneke Meyer. Apparently he was chosen at least in part to show South African Rugby’s commitment to “transformation”; De Villiers is coloured, which qualifies him as “previously disadvantaged” in South Africa’s political lingua franca.

It’s tough on Meyer who has a Super 14 and a couple of Currie Cup Final wins under his belt. Then again De Villiers’s coaching background bears some resemblance to that of Jake White so perhaps it will prove to be a good appointment. I fear for De Villiers though as he has such a hard act to follow. If the Springboks are unable to maintain the high standards that they set for themselves in the World Cup fingers will be pointed at the new coach, who will be seen as little more than a token.

Hierdie week benoem ek http://lxding.wordpress.com/

as my blog van die week. Ding het ‘n baie interesante en unieke skryfwyse.  Gaan kuier gerus op sy stoep.

Opgedateerde lys vir Boegie toekennings. Nominasies sluit Vrydag.  As jy iemand nomineer wat alreeds genomineer is, tel dit as ‘n stem. (Sien getal in hakkies.) Dankie vir die lekker reaksie. Ek het besluit om nie by politiek betrokke te raak nie en derhalwe behou die reg voor om sekere nominerings nie te aanvaar nie.

Man van die jaar: 

Steve Hofmeyr (7) (dankie Annette, Mollie, Jeven, Jonathan en Saar)

Jake White

John Smit

 Vrou van die jaar: 

Natasha Sutherland

Platterfuss (dankie Mollie)

Oprah Winfrey (dankie Jonathan)

 Sportman van die jaar: 

Brian Habana (4) (dankie Mollie, Jonathan en Jeven)

Floyd Mayweather

Pierre Spies

Ryk Neethling (dankie Saar)

 Gebeurtenis van die jaar: 

SA wen die wereldbeker (5)

Onthulling van monument vir gestorwe soldate aan die grens voor Vryheidspark deur Steve Hofmeyr

 Musiek blyspel van die jaar: 

Dis Hoe Dit Was (3)

Lion King (3)

Hairspray

Billy Elliot

Wicus van der Merwe…..”Hoit manne Hoit” (dankie Jonathan)

 Fliek van die jaar: 

Transformers (5)

Die Hard 4

Rattoutille (dankie Saar)

Harry Potter (dankie Mollie)

 Mees berugte persoon van die jaar: 

Deon Maas (3)

Yolanda Barnard

Robert McBride (dankie Saar)

Louis van Wyk