Eales adds his voice to Bok race row 'World Cup needs South Africa'

rugbyrugby.com ^ | 12/09/03 | Not Given

[.cnI redruM]

Former World Cup-winning skipper John Eales has added his voice to the chorus of reaction that has gone up in the last few weeks as the racism row in Springbok rugby refuses to die down.

At the centre of it all is allegations of 'racism and prejudice' in South African rugby, following the much publicised fall-out between Blue Bulls lock Geo Cronjé and his Western Province counterpart Quinton Davids at a pre-World Cup Springbok training camp last month.

This led to an independent investigation by retired Judge Edwin King into the subsequent allegations of 'racism and prejudice'. However, this week it was announced that the King Commission into these allegations had been postponed till January next year.

[.cnI redruM]

Again, no part of life can go forward without a racial cat fight. I hope our country never again gets as badly fractured as S. Africa has.

[Peace will be here soon]

I just can`t believe they would exclude the S.Africans for this matter. The team qualified, they are in. Two guys causing a stir shouldn`t even be considered as a reason to throw out the whole team. What a joke. As I recall, neither one of these guys even made the cut on the final roster ! So whats the problem ? By the way, I am a big Rugby fan myself. Looking forward to watching the USA Eagles in the RWC. They have been playing pretty well lately. They definitely got a favorable pool. I just hope they beat the Frenchies.

[cyborg]

The inside story is that Cronje wanted to room with his friend and not with Quinton Davis who he wasn't familiar with. Cronje being from Pretoria and Davis from the Cape...sounds to me more like a regional conflict. Besides they are friends. The latest news out of SA is that Mandela got on his bat phone to complain about the racim and I said, hmmmmmmm. Why? Mandela is the one that orchestrated getting rid of whites and coloured (Quinton Davis) and installing all his own ANC cronies so please. WHATEVER. Anyway, this stinks for team morale. Aside from my Afrikaan spies, I get much rugby news from fox sports world, and sarugby.net

[.cnI redruM]

Oh my GAWD!!! I would not be totally sober for a week if we beat the French....

[Peace will be here soon]

Yes, It is not good for team morale. I had read that the whole racism issue with these two was pretty much dismissed, but it appears someone ( like you mentioned ) just wants to stir the pot.

[cyborg]

B France vs. USA 11/3/2003 5 p.m. ET

from the fox sports world website

[cyborg]

If anything it's more regional, and if the two are friends now why didn't they reinstate them? Cronje is going to another local team last I read. I think it's just another Mandela engineered thing against Afrikaners since he's like a rugby god to many. Well whatever. I just am glad they decided to postpone everything till later.

[Peace will be here soon]

USA vs France : NOV. 3rd , on Fox Sports World at 5:00 pm ET. It will be aired on a 72 hour delay. Actually , all 48 RWC matches will be on a 72 hour delay. It kind of sucks they will not be live but at least they will be aired. The entire 2003 RWC TV schedule is available at foxsportsworld.com . GO USA Eagles !! And GO Wallabies !!

[.cnI redruM]

Thanks Bro!!

[Peace will be here soon]

Yes, that is what I had read. It was a non-issue : racially. But to call for the team to be withdrawn from RWC play is way over the top. Something I very , very much doubt would ever happen though. The Bok`s looked pretty good in Tri-nations play, I hope they do well. But I think England is the team to beat. Man, they looked very good in their matches with New Zealand and Australia earlier in the year.

[cyborg]

Just checked the Currie Cup scoreboard and OH THE HUMANITY!!!!!

http://www.planet-rugby.com/TOURNAMENTS/Currie_Cup/index.shtml

I'll not be sleeping in October (most rugby matches are shown overnight... very overnight)

[Peace will be here soon]

If a Rugby match is on TV, I am watching it. It is almost an illness with me. Since it isn`t a real popular sport here in the US , the matches that are aired I just have to stay up and watch. Even if they are on in the wee hours. I am so pumped for the RWC , I absolutely cannot wait ! To bad they are not live braodcasts. I was a little dissappointed when I found that out. But for someone like me, even having the chance to watch the matches is a treat. To bad Foxsportsworld isn`t covering the Currie Cup matches. They did last year. Oh well, the NPC is just fine with me.

[cyborg]

I like football and cricket, cricket moreso. To many Trinidadians, cricket is a fanatical religion. I got into rugby because I wanted to play but I find girls' rugby to be boring. My friend has satellite TV and gets live games from SA. He got quite 'animated' on Yahoo messenger over an All Blacks game awhile back. I'd not like to witness the aftermath if the Boks lose in the World Cup. The commentary will surely be colorful.

[Peace will be here soon]

Cricket. That is a sport I just can`t get into. It is to much like baseball. Slow ( or should I say long ) and boring. No offense implied, I just don`t care for the sport. But I would take in a women`s Rugby match if they ever had one on T.V. About all I can get is the highlights on FSW. The U.S. womens team is actually pretty good. I would love to find a satellite program that carried Rugby matches ( live or replays ), at least more than what FSW offers. But the Bok`s should do okay , I doubt they will win it all though. England is definitely the team to beat. The All-Blacks are number two in my book. I am very interested in how the USA Eagles will do. They have played well of late, winning six out of their last nine matches. They are in the weakest pool by far, but they are probably at the bottom in the pool. I just want them to beat France, that will make it all worth while.

[cyborg]

Cricket. That is a sport I just can`t get into. It is to much like baseball. Slow ( or should I say long ) and boring. No offense implied, I just don`t care for the sport.

** Do not say that aloud in the West Indies. They will bury you in dirt up to your head and feed you to the fire ants. It is okay with me. I just appreciate it because it's part of the old English colonial influence and quite a civilized thing to watch. Not like baseball with all the nasty words and beer guzzling.

Satellite TV is the best way to go. I will know if the Boks are doing well if I don't get any emails or phonecalls. If I know they are losing, I will get some frustrated IMs with foreign cusses interspersed. You are right about All Blacks BTW. Watching USA beat France would be almost as good as when USA beat Mexico in world cup football.

[Peace will be here soon]

I just started getting back into football. I have Arsenal v Portsmouth on TV right now ( on FSW replay ). I have a brother in Jersey that got to attend the Manchester United game at Giants Stadium a short while back. I would have loved to have been there, sounded like he had a great time. I have also found Australian Rules Football to be quite entertaining as well. We actually have a team here in St. Louis ! The St.Louis Blues, named after the Carlton Blues ( AFL team). There is a U.S. national league with quite a few teams. Check out USfooty.com . I have gotten to know some of the guys on the team here and they , well one of them , is trying to get me to join. But I have a few back , knee , and ankle problems from playing sports earlier in life. I`m 37 going on 80 , at least it feels that way. I don`t see how alot of pro athletes can do it. I stopped in my late 20`s and am feeling the effects, no doubt. Anyway, it is late and I have church in the morning. It was nice to chat with a Rugby fan. I don`t get to do that very often.

[cyborg]

Anyway, it is late and I have church in the morning.
*lol... I must confess I pass up church for scooter riding and football and cricket watching...

It was nice to chat with a Rugby fan. I don`t get to do that very often

* Same here! Enjoy church. You have instilled guilt in me. Now I will have to attend.