BokAvenger says...

@5Lock4ward - What on earth are you smoking? I am talking abour refereeing bias and skullduggery. I think the one thing we can agree on here is that South African referees are hands down the best in the game simply because they referee according to what they see infront of them. Kiwis on the other hand are the absolute worst, followed closely by their Australian cohorts. The reason: they referee by whim. You can almost sense that when the crowd starts booing and making a fuss because of a call they don't like that the Aussie or Kiwi ref will begin to buckle. They are also very guilty of this: if they make a string of calls against one team (even when that team derseves them) they will suddenly start to try and "balance out" their refereeing and start nailing the opposite team. That's conmpletely absurd...just ref what you see. I think the French refs (except for Joel Jutge) are the next best and some of the UK refs aren't too bad either (except for the ones that behave like they're public school headmasters reffing a clash of the local kindergartens)

Posted 15:31 02nd May 2012

fiwiboy says...

jehosophat, I've been keeping an eye on Haskell with the Highlanders.

In general, the team has been a good fit for him. Last few weeks, he has been starting games at openside (it's almost as if the Highlanders adopted the SA trick of having openside at 6 and blindside at 7).

His ball handling skills could use some work, his work rate is up there (although not the greatest), he relishes the tough stuff (although looks a little slow around the field) and his temper needs restraining -- but he has been a very useful addition to the team. He's just one of the boys and when the halfback tells him to stand somewhere particular, he does it no fuss!!

Reading what he says about life off the field, he has settled down nicely although it's only for several months (Dunedin's big enough to have everything you want without being too big is how he put it).

Posted 14:31 02nd May 2012

5Lock4ward says...

@BokAvenger, Did you really just attempt to separate Springbok rugby from politics? I'd love then to hear your thoughts on the race issue which kept your obviously unqualified coach in place for 4 years, the entire Luke Watson saga and the race quota system of player selection which supposedly didn't exist.

Posted 13:40 02nd May 2012

Trinats2 says...

kahui:

You are spot on. Wish we just had rugby here in Aus.

I would even move to NZ only it's full of kiwis !!

Posted 12:46 02nd May 2012

Ramage says...

@BokAvenger so you sort matters out on the field while NZ has to stoop to sending an official to take over the IRB so he can weave his evil magic over all the countries of the IRB. This wicked corrupt official having wormed his way into a top job at the IRB then starts all those corrupt moves aimed against South Africa and every country meekly clicks their heels and slips into line. How evil can you get. Yes we all know NZ and NZers are the most corrupt country and people that ever walked this earth. By the way they have even hoodwinked all the experts who run the test of who is corrupt or not in this world. Hey Bok want some results ?According to the Corruption Index 2011 Transparency Internationa,l the LEAST corrupt country in the world is, wait for it, NEW ZEALAND. Now this organisation did not realise that the RWC which was full of corruption was going on at the time in NZ and the mastermind from NZ was a former Police Officer from Invercargill. So I scrolled through some of the rankings. North Korea was considered the MOST corrupt country. So how do others compare 2,3,and 4 are Scandinavian Countries So lets get to our Rugby playing countries 8th equal are Australia and Switzerland. Canada 10th, Japan 14th equal with Germany. 16th equal were Barbados and UK. Ireland and Belgium 19th Hmm BokAvenger where are we so far? USA 24th, France 25th, Botswana a neighbour of yours 32nd. Rwanda 49th, back to Rugby Countries Namibia 57th and finally I found South Africa at 64th. Now reading how corrupt NZ was according to this self styled apologist and then seeing these figures it makes a mockery of everything he is saying. However I am well aware that the sane Saffas on this site just have to wring their hands in horror with each pathetic post he makes.Sorry if this makes me sound like I hate South Africa,as I dont. I just believe Idiots like this need to be challenged.

Posted 11:05 02nd May 2012

BokAvenger says...

@Sandal: yes, in SA we sort matters out on the field. We don't use politics to get one of our agents in control of the IRB's refereeing panel and then rig an entire tournament so that we can finally win it for a change

@Ripzy007: The "Samoans" weren't even Samoan. All 15 of them were from NZ and we all know that Paddy had everything rigged to go in NZ's favour. And for the record, us Saffas have absolutely no problem with anyone dishing anything out on the field. We just want to be allowed to give it back. Everyone knows that the IRB has instructed refs to target SA players so our hands are effectively tied. Nothing would give us more pleasure than to invite the "Samoans" over here for a little reunion.

Posted 08:35 02nd May 2012

Trinats2 says...

hayj05 & jonesy2:

It wouldn't be any fun if they were all as smart as you !

Posted 03:21 02nd May 2012

Ripzy007 says...

The Cheetahs player was also committing 'foul' or 'cheating' play holding him back...so it goes both ways...I hope he goes to SA with the England team...the Samoans show in the WC what whingers the boks are when they are on the receiving end of the medicine they dish out 'most' of the time

Posted 22:07 01st May 2012

5Lock4ward says...

I respect Haskell for taking the criticism from the previous England administration and his not making the last Lions tour (which he was rumored to captain) to heart and heading abroad to make his game more complete. He'll have played in France, Japan and NZ by the time he gets home. If he returns to England and can't make their national team...well, you'd have to think he nailed the selector's wife at that point.

Posted 17:54 01st May 2012

chris33910 says...

BokAvenger...? Is that the one with long hair, a helmet and tights ? Great film anyway.

Posted 16:34 01st May 2012