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Message: <blockquote data-quote="BokMagic" data-source="post: 144948">****-Moan ****-Moan, do you want some cheese with that wine mate? I find it funny that some saffas find it absolutely fine to give their respective 'opinions' on other national teams, criticising faults that the Boks so obviously illustrate themselves. Criticising Australian dirty play when you have Bakkies 'I like giving Canon lovebites' Botha still in your team, and one of your players suspended for four weeks for doing what he does best. It makes me regret often sticking up for the Boks and how they play rugby. I thought it was rubbish Schalk got handed such a big suspension, and unlike a lot of aussies, I often gun for the Boks when I'm a neutral. So, when saffas go off on unfounded rants for no apparent reason, it leaves a sour taste in the mouth, to say the least. Also, as for the Vickerman 'Australianness' along with all the other foreign players we have, that criticism is somewhat valid. It's really simple, Australia has an increasing immigration rate, people actually want to live here. On the other hand, South Africa's population is declining (also due to high pervalence of AIDS) with a -immigration rate (don't know why, I hear durban is a really nice place to live) and surprise surprise, you field a purely national team. [/b]</blockquote>Well, that was kind of my attitude too- usually supporting the Aussies ahead of everyone but SA, NZ (with the great traditions going back to the 1937 tour) and the Argies- due to our close rugby ties with them during the isolation years.But after the Bok away leg of the tri-nations this year, that attitude has changed for me completely. I could well accept the fact that your management wanted to have their little rant about our second string team. I could quite easily accept the fact that the Aussie press showed zero respect for the boys who ended up touring. I could even accept the fact that a great majority of Aus fans were going off about the Boks devaluing test rugby and calling for our axing from the tri-nations- fat chance of that anyway, seeing as we bring in the most revenue both from bums on seats and from television rights. But what finally, completely and utterly turned me off being good-natured towards Australian rugby, ever, was the way your captain himself, Stirling Mortlock, conducted himself on that day. Refusing to accept the Mandela Cup, in effect disrespecting one of the greatest, if not THE greatest, statesmen of all time, turning his back on the SA team during the post-match functions. Look, I`m a great admirer of Mortlock`s skill as a player, but for his total lack of respect, well I`ve lost all respect for him and the team he represents as a consequence. And that is the one reason why I will always back any team facing up to the Wallabies. Ever.[/QUOTE]

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