@DaGrubster said in Bokke vs Wales:

@Dan54 said in Bokke vs Wales:

@DaGrubster said in Bokke vs Wales:

@Dan54 said in Bokke vs Wales:

@DaGrubster said in Bokke vs Wales:

@Dan54 said in Bokke vs Wales:

@DaGrubster said in Bokke vs Wales:

@sparky said in Bokke vs Wales:

Apparently the All Blacks' self-styled spiritual leader provided a "character testimony" for Etzebeth.

So because they share an agent and pray together, one of them can commit assault against a third person with reduced consequences. Utter, utter bollocks.

Shameful.

Seriously? Why would that even come into consideration?

First BB helps out someone who smacks him in the head and now Savea doing this.

Stop fluffing the boks. Stop being the nice guys of a gladiatoral sport.

Stop acting like pussies and get angry that everyone now thinks we are pussies

Always been done Grubs. hell I have even given a character reference at a rugby judiciary hearing in Brisbane and at Levin only at club level of course. I recall Sam T (Nua ,you know him)doing exactly same for an Auckland player after Nua -Auckland shield match, well that wasn't a character one. more just bullshitted that what happened never really happened.
Like in normal court, I not sure it makes a difference, and I have supplied one there too, you not actually defending the actions, just how you find the person from your dealings with him.
It's not unusual, hell it has happened when Abs etc go up for too. Whether it actually makes a difference, I not sure.
I always used to laugh, Brad Thorn always publicly spoke up for Bakkies Botha, a lot of players did, reckoned that off field he was great joker etc, hell I even heard Phil Kearns among others say same about Richard Loe, who let's face it if we honest made Botha, Estebeth etc look angels!

Yeah, i know but why would Savea do it, why fucking bother?

Savea should be distancing himself from this henious act, not give a glowing reference.

Nice guys in rugby finish last. Or get whooped by record scores and know they will still be in the team the next week.

Im angry! No wonder we fall apart on the field when put under a bit of pressure

You ever stop to think Grubs, just maybe off the field they mates? What was in the glowing reference that has got you so upset? (I admit I haven't faintest idea what was written).If you genuinely believe we fall apart because they mates off field, you must of hated the likes of Jerry Collins, Tana Umaga, Brad Thorn, Buck Shelford etc who were real proud to be mates with opposition off field. I just don't get the Ardie hate, although I note it's trendy on here last few months.

Mate. I very rarely stop to think!

I just dont see why a senior All Black provides a character reference to a senior springbok.

In isolation it may seem an over the top reaction but it seems the AB culture is too nice these days and not ruthless enough (i know it isn't conclusive proof but its just a feeling and may come across as irrational).

We look to be very un-All Black like on the field and wilt under pressure badly at times. And we appear very un all black like off the field. I know times change and there is a much larger PI influence in the squad (and that brings a different element - not a criticism at all, just an observation) to but it just feels we have lost that connection to the AB legacy, culture and an absolute ruthless approach to becoming the best side again.

Last time Savea played the boks he was part of a record AB loss. Now he is rushing to their aid to help them.

Fuck them. Dont give them anything. Whats bad for them is good for us. It should burn inside that we lost to them like we did in Wellington and Savea should be setting that tone as a senior AB and probable captain next year.

I know i am old school but when we tour there next year, the boks will see this as a chance to humiliate the All Blacks. And they will be laser focussed on doing just that. We have lost that attitude.

Ramblings over.

There in perhaps lies the difference mate. When we play the Boks (or any team) I want them to have every player they can available. I want us to beat the best, not what's left over. I want no excuses when we win or lose.
I old fashioned like that, have never found it as enjoyable when we beat teams shorn of players through injury or suspension etc. Also old school enough to love the fact that after the game has finshed players are great mates. And I don't judge how hard we are as players off the field, only on it.
See stories like Umaga and George Gregan deciding they were going to play rugby together at a club while having a beer in a pub after a test there. And as I said Jerry Collins was real stoked to be mates with many he played against, always said he often caught up with opposition player in super at airports as they crossed paths, and they always had beer s etc.
Mind you I never agree with them mixing with opposition before a game under any circumstances (that is at any level), but after and off the field I really like they are mates.

And to top it off, as I said, I would of been happy if he got a year or so, but think 12 weeks is probably fair anyway. Shit act, but no injury, and it still twice as long as that prick Swain got for putting out Quinn Tupaea for best part of a year! Remember Hore smacking Bradley Davies from behind laying him out and putting him in hospital?
He got a few weeks, Welsh coach (Gatland) was in press saying he thought it was accidental.

You’re are missing the point. I dont think Etzebeth was in danger of being banned for AB matches and the ban was what i was expecting.

Its about a deeper maliase that is coming into the ABs.

Nice guys off the field. Now seemingly nice to play against on the field.

You talk about the late great jerry Collins.

After losing a test match, i beat he would be have been horrible to train against and with. Just cant see that with Ardie

Yep you get my point Grubs ,I want Estebeth playing against us next year , if he is still their best player. I don't want us to play anything but the best team they can field. And genuinely if you really think he was going to be stood down until August next year, (if Ardie hadn't given a character reference) I am surprised.
And on Jerry Collins, or Buck Shelford etc, I bet none of them would prefer to play a team without their best players because they were stood down etc.

The Silver Fern

Dan54