So the Boks are back at the provinces and it seems that every coach has decided to put all their Springboks back in the provincial team. What a long year it has been. Imagine you were Beast. He has played every single weekend since February.
I believe the right term is “Gatvol” No matter how much you love something… eventually you will get tired of it… Imagine that you have put your body on the line for your province for 14 or so grueling games, then you change the jersey, play another 6 and then have to come back and play probably another 3…. I would be VERY agitated and tired… and then… you have to fly to Europe and play another couple of games… Come on SARU…. give the boys a gap.
I really dislike the quotes by a few readers who post “It’s their job and they must not complain.” To them I say bugger off. Walk a mile in a mans shoes first. It’s a tough game and player management has become shocking. The human body simply CANNOT take all the knocks and bruising, somewhere something is going to give up. It the corporate world we talk about “Staff Turnover”. Currently all the provinces are dipping deeply into their reserves. It’s not a good business practice and really should be addressed.
The sad thing is, it won’t. Nothing will change. Nothing EVER changes. We write week after week about changes that should happen, but they never do… And it’s a damn sad day today…
“Now, we must all fear evil men. But there is another kind of evil which we must fear most, and that is the indifference of good men.” Boondock Saints….
There are good men and coaches out there who CAN change the current state of affairs… but sadly they probably won’t…
Well atleast the Sharks sort of rested most of their Boks. Beast not in 22 and Jannie only on bench.
Others like Lambie and co actually needs game time.
As for WP well JdV and Habana could really do with a break but AC is afraid after losing 2 games on the trot that he might face a pro/releg match against Kings.
So he choose his best side. (might be the wrong option but what would you have done?)
Beast was actually out for about half of the Super Rugby tournament due to injury.He started playing late into the tournament only.
I do agree though, our players are being played into the ground. It makes me angry that SARU agreed to this extended Super Rugby tournament because it is all about financial greed with no regard for the players wellbeing. Just look at all the injuries and it will definitely shorten their playing careers and worst of all is that the national team suffers. How could we properly prepare for the international season in one week before we played England,back to Super Rugby after that and then straight into the RC?