Tightheads & Loose Balls
● Some less-informed forces this week questioned why Rassie Erasmus selected Elton Jantjies for a test in conditions which wouldn’t suit the flyhalf. Some even publicly suggested the player was set up to fail. If precipitation tends to rain on his parade, by that rationale Jantjies wouldn’t get any game time away from the Highveld. That would rule out end-of-year tours and trips to the Land of the Long White Cloud. The odd typhoon apparently breezes through Japan, which would mean no World Cup for Jantjies by Cosatu’s interesting logic.
● The labour federation, notwithstanding all manner of labour upheaval, also found time to question why Bok captain Siya Kolisi was substituted “for no good reason, when he was doing well”. Had Kolisi played the full 80 minutes, the trade union federation may well have objected to Sikhumbuzo Notshe not getting any game time.
● Former Springbok flank Andre Venter and erstwhile lock Bakkies Botha were tasked with handing over the Springbok team’s jerseys before the second test against England in Bloemfontein. Venter, who is now wheelchair-bound, made quite an impassioned speech in which he underlined the importance of downing the old foe. “When you play New Zealand, you are playing England. When you play against Australia, you are playing England. Every team you play it’s England. I hate England.” Venter’s forefathers apparently had it tough in the Anglo Boer War. The Boks went on to win a feisty second test and maybe SA Rugby should have flown him in for the third test as well.
● A journo asked Blitzbokke star Rosko Specman what he knew about San Francisco where the Sevens World Cup will be played next month. “The last movie I watched was with the Rock, Dwayne Johnson. Something happened in San Francisco. I think it was a storm or something. I saw it on TV and (thought) maybe one day I will be there. It will be nice if the whole team brings the storm.”
● Fellow Blitzbok Chris Dry has copped abuse from his teammates. They accuse him of being a cradle snatcher. Good thing he doesn’t play for the Baby Boks.
● The Blues gave long-serving All Blacks flank Jerome Kaino a fitting Eden Park send-off on Friday. They beat the Reds 39-16, to record their first home win of the season. Kaino represented the franchise on 137 occasions but Keven Mealamu still holds the record with 164.