Major Fan

It absolutely amazes me that 233 days before the 2010 World Cup, SAFA fires the coach!! Now my question is, is this problem really the coach, or must we be looking at more than the coach?

Why is it that no matter who we have as our coach we lose games? Lets look at rugby and compare the 2, when the boks are losing and losing we fire the coach and get another coach in. Then what happens is things start to change and we start to look more positive. Then why when we put a new coach in with Bafana the same results come through? Maybe we should start getting players that have more passion for the sport? Or players that won’t go on strike the day before a big competition for better salaries?

Then my next problem is that every one is calling to bring Benni back… what a really bad idea!! The guy only plays for Bafana when it suits him and he feels that he is bigger than bafana and rocking up at training camps when he feels he should. This is not the type of player we need!!

Now the next thing I am a little concerned about is, when Santana came in as coach we started playing a different, better brand of football, we looked like a more of an international team using our midfield and not just trying to Shibobo everyone on the field. Santana made SA play a better game and his strategies were good, but the players on the field could not finish with the amount of possession we had… is this the coaches fault? Or should we be looking at the players again?

I rate 233 days to go and now we can really forget about getting anywhere in the world cup! If we win a game I will be very very suprised! With that said though, I will still stand behind Bafana because they wear the colour of my country. I still wish them well and stand with blind hope!

Later,

Major

Hey all,

What a weekend, the Free State B side beat the Free State A side in Durban this weekend, and the bulls pull a lucky one off to deny my favourite player the opportunity to lift the coveted cup. Sorry province, you played well, but were just defeated by the boot of Morné… another Free Stater! I am not going to try and give a run down of the matches because I am sure the Sharks supporters, those who watched and never dismissed, would not like to relive their disaster and I am sure the Province boys will feel the same way.

One thing can be said though, I live in the Western Cape, and I know plenty of Province supporters. Each one of them agreed witht the fact that this semi final was going to be a difficult one to win and they were not at all relaxed about it. Given the Bulls side is laden with boks and they are the S14 champs and all the rest, but Province sat up and still said that they really want the win but it will be a hard fight to the death to beat these guys. I now have full respect for this young, up and coming side and look forward to their performances in the future. Lets just hope that their buying power doesn’t break up a good side!

As for the Sharks supporters? Like so many have already said on this site, you were way too confident and forgot that you were actually playing against a side to rival any… I am sure you have learnt your lesson, too late though.

I now look forward to the Battle of Loftus 31 October, I will unfortunately not be watching the game, but I will be there in full spirit. I wish both teams the best of luck and may the best team win… so VRYYYYYSTAAAT.

Cheers,
Major

Hey All,

As you have gathered I am an Old Grey and I do believe that this school is the breeding ground of rugga in SA. Now not to boast too much, but the following was written by Hannes Nienaber of the Volksblad, and it really does show that Grey College is the breeding ground for Rugby in SA.

SA’s rugby power lies in Bloem, Pretoria and Paarl

Grey College of Bloemfontein was without a doubt the best school team this year. The oldest school north of the Orange River also boasts the most representatives in this year’s ABSA Currie Cup semi finals. Grey College has no less than 13 players who will be in action in the knockout matches in Durban and Cape Town this Saturday.

The Cheetahs has six old Grey College players Frans Viljoen, Heinrich Brüssow, Richardt Strauss, Wian du Preez, Tewis de Bruyn and Coenie Oosthuizen who will travel to Durban to face the defending champions the Sharks. The Sharks has the second most players from Grey with Bismarck du Plessis, Ruan Pienaar, Jannie du Plessis and Andries Strauss being named in their 22 for Saturday.

Western Province has two players from South Africa’s premier rugby school Joe Pietersen and Tiaan Liebenberg in their squad for the matchup against the Blue Bulls at Newlands in Cape Town. The Bulls has a solitary old-Grey, Deon Stegmann, in their team.

Affies of Pretoria has the second most representatives with six players Pierre Spies, Fourie du Preez, Wynand Olivier, Gerhard van den Heever, Derick Kuün (all Blue Bulls) and Jacques-Louis Potgieter (Cheetahs) playing in the semi-finals of the competition. Grey College and Paarl Boys’ High contributes five of the 12 props that are named in the four teams squads for Saturday.

Boishaai have four players that will take part in the semi-finals. Gurthrö Steenkamp, De Kock Steenkamp, JD Moller and Pieter Louw are all in Western Province’s squad. To add to Bloemfontein’s supreme rule another two players Lionel Mapoe (Fichardtpark) and Morné Steyn (Sand du Plessis) also matriculated in the City of Roses.

Schools Representation in the ABSA Currie Cup semi-finals:

13 – Grey College (Frans Viljoen, Heinrich Brüssow, Richardt Strauss, Wian du Preez, Tewis de Bruyn, Coenie Oosthuizen, Bismarck du Plessis, Ruan Pienaar, Jannie du Plessis, Andries Strauss, Joe Pietersen, Tiaan Liebenberg and Deon Stegmann)

6 – Affies (Pierre Spies, Fourie du Preez, Wynand Olivier, Gerhard van den Heever, Derick Kuün and Jacques-Louis Potgieter)

5 – Paarl Gimnasium (Schalk Burger, Hennie Daniller, Dewaldt Duvenage, Ashley Johnson, Rossouw de Klerk)

4 – Paarl Boys’ High (Gurthrö Steenkamp, De Kock Steenkamp, JD Moller and Pieter Louw)

3 – Oakdale Landbou (Johan Muller, Meyer Bosman, Pedrie Wannenburg)

2 – Paul Roos Gimnasium (Francois Hougaard, Andries Bekker); Maritzburg College (Peter Grant, Craig Burden); Pietersburg HS (Victor Matfield, Deon Fourie); Dale College (Keegan Daniel, Bandise Maku).

Anyone who would like to dispute that Grey College is the best is more than welcome to give me their reasons.

But on another note, I agree with GreenMan, Cheetahs by 8 and Bulls by 12.

Have a rugga weekend
Major