Monday Morning Tighthead (07/17/2006)

July 17, 2006

1. Punch-drunk Boks blame referee

Greg Crowden, Sydney Morning Herald:

There are times when a coach can, with justification, whinge about a referee.

But never after that coach's team has been belted by a record-breaking 49 points and failed to score one in reply.

That's why the churlish behaviour of South African coach Jake White during Saturday night's press conference was so embarrassing. After presiding over his nation's biggest Test loss to Australia he virtually blamed it all on New Zealand referee Paul Honiss.

2. Hangover Boks blame themselves

Via Keo:

Jake White has told the New Zealand media the 49-0 loss to the Wallabies was the worst Bok performance he could ever remember. [...]

“To be fair I think as a guy who’s been watching the Springboks since I was a boy that’s probably the worst I’ve seen it happen. I take responsibility for that. You take the bad times with the good times."

Earlier:

Former Springbok scrumhalf Divan Serfontein told Rapport, "That was the worst ever performance by a Springbok team.

"It was shocking, the faster White resigns the better. He has no clue what's going on -- he must do the honourable thing and pack his bags. [...]

Springbok player of the century Frik du Preez told Rapport: "It's a scandal. It's never nice to lose, but to lose like that was pathetic."

3. Desperate Boks call in a world class shoulder barge.

Via Rugby Planet:

Springbok coach Jake White has sent an SOS to Sharks fly-half Butch James in an effort to solve his problems in the No.10 channel. James Will fly out to New Zealand as the Boks prepare to face the All Blacks in Saturday's Tri-Nations encounter in Wellington.