Pricked by the Flower of Scotland
Oh the horror! It has taken me two days to get around to recording this, but the Springboks' year-end tour of Europe spirals downwards, and the hot breath of national disgrace must be blowing down the necks of Messrs Straeuli and Krige - nice guys both, but their followers don't take defeat too easily, especially such apparent capitulation. It seems, after much euphoria at the time of the win over Australia in the final Tri-Nations match, that Rudolph's young team are a little too callow and inexperienced for wet and muddy European conditions. One would think that the coach knows those conditions well, after his experience in UK rugby, but it doesn't look like it on the field.
Perhaps Rudolph could have used the services of guys like Joost, Mark Andrews, Andre Venter, Rassie, Cobus Visagie: all fighting fit, but cooling their heels back home. What about all those discarded Boks playing in the UK: Monty, Slappies, Braam, Andre Vos. Discarding hardened, experienced guys seems unwise.
And now, Twickenham is looming, ominously ugly, with a rampant English team and supporters, having beaten both the All Blacks and Wallabies in the last two weeks. The commentators will be even more insufferable than usual. At least Rudolph is talking tough.
Mind you, World champs Australia have also lost two matches on the trot, and none of the Southern Hemisphere teams have been able to register a win in Europe, the All Blacks 20-20 draw in Paris the closest any of them have come, so the Northern Hemisphere sides seem to be on top, at least at home.
Finally, an unnamed Supersport columnist puts it all into perspective, and says "This tour has negligible relevance to World Cup". Let's hope he is right.
10:56:19 PM 
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