but the main point is: the Lions have three classy front rowers
And that is exactly where this series will be decided ..Rest just marmalade.

I wouldn’t write off The Wallabies either ..however history not on their side against The Lions …9 series played , Aus won 2 , Lions 7 ..Lions 17 games won overall to Wallabies 6 ….And I’m afraid this is going to be one of the best Lions teams ever ….

I don’t think that’s been disclosed..Recreational drug is the repeated mantra , although I am beginning to wonder ..If it was just Marijuana it would have been better to just say so..Much less stigma attached ..By not revealing the drug in question just leads to speculation which almost always trends to the most negative ..Almost looks like they are hiding something, but that’s of course just ….well , speculation.

I have children living in Australia .Naturalized citizens ..My targeting of hypocrysis wasn’t at Geoff it was at the holier than thou comments of we know what’s best for you …And ..20k apparantly is good enough money to get smashed because if it’s peanuts then obviously they are doing it for fun ..Not sure what your anti South African attitude is about ..? Did someone reject you ? Just curious ..Simply because I chose to look at this with another lens gives you permission to attack me ..Who TF do you think gave you permission to do that .I attacked the premise not the person ..Grow up.

Look we’ve begun talking in circles here GC …But my final say is that the ICC are signatories to WADA ….ICC Anti-Doping Code. The ICC became a signatory of World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) in July 2006. The ICC Anti-Doping Code compliant with the WADA Code … The sanctions imposed are recommended by WADA ..If anyone has an issue with those sanctions then WADA should be challenged..I can counter argue , why be a signatory if you don’t support their codes ….Further more I can argue that Zimbabwe Cricket overreacted and overreached themselves ..Maybe trying to make a political statement ..This is not that unusual, ….The politicisation and media frenzy feeding it in Australia with Bancroft , Smith and Warner , when a young cricketer did what’s pretty much happening everywhere was frankly bizarre to watch …There ..said it ….

The suspension was recommended by the South African Institute of Drug Free Dport , a signatory to the Worldwide Institute of Drug Free Sport and in line with their recommendations..Previously athletes other sports caught using cocaine got longer suspensions …But in Rabadas case we don’t know what the substance was and the lighter sentence suggests , although I’m guessing is that ot was (THC) cannabis …That doesn’t make him a villain in South Africa, that makes him one of the boys where cannabis use is widespread and legal..Nothing to do with the ICC ..The recommendations of suspension were implemented by CSA ..They are not there as judge , jury and executioner , nor to please Rabadas opponents demanding blood …They do not have to issue a statement either beyond enforcing his ban …Long room faithfull have nothing to do with this ..

Just a question ..It’s universally acknowledged that the Aussie Cricketers involved in the sandpaper thingy were pretty much hung out to dry by Cricket Australia…Bancroft in particular imo..Were the roles reversed and it was South African Cricketers involved would they have been as harshly punished by SA Cricket ?
I don’t think they would have …They would have got the mandatory punishment recommended by The ICC and that would have been that …
Rabadas suspension as stated here is totally in line with recommendations of WADA …Not sure SA Cricket under any further obligation to expand on that ..

Um…That’s definitely not the same thing ..SA Cricket anyway have 2 options ..Hang him out to dry or provide him with support …Their first obligation are to SA Cricket players and fans …They have a duty to stand by their players ..Actually they stood firmly behind Hansie Cronje too until it became so obvious that they no longer could …In Rabadas case he suffered serious financial as well as reputational loss from his actions . Also technically had served time by not playing ..Surely punishment enough..

As I understand it Rabada was tested playing in the South African version of IPL..He then made his way over to India where the results were returned and as a result released from his IPL contract ..That surely cost him a huge amount of money ….Hopefully lesson learnt..Now please let’s get back to cricket..

I am not having a go at Australia ..I’m also not defending societal issues in Africa …I am however casting light on a certain level of hypocrysis ..I also for the record am not having a go at Geoff Parkes whose well known campaigning to reduce concussions in Rugby gets my nod of approval…..But what I am trying to do is see this from the point of view of those who choose to be part of this …To reduce their decisions to poor , impoverished Pacific Islanders being taken advantage of somehow comes across to me at least as a bit insulting ….Also for the record I can through family now living in Australia get automatic Aussie citizenship..I choose however to remain here even though it’s quite a dangerous place ..Why ?? Because I love it and mostly because its my decision ..

So I saw a clip of this on You Tube a short while back where a participant got totally KO’d …Didn’t think too much of it until this article appeared ..But let me look at this another way ..I’m not sure I share the outrage generally expressed here ..The participants hardly innocent victims and many repulsed by this may be fans of say boxing or UFC where the primary objective of the sport is to render your opponent unconscious.Yet its most accomplished stars are reverred and idolised….The argument we cannot expose children to this and must protect them also deserves scrutiny , or maybe it’s because I live in Africa where children are exposed to violence in Townships , on The Cape Flats etc a thousand times worse on a daily basis ..Luckily Australians live in an ordered , insulated even isolated world but your kids have TVs , internet , play video games etc where they are conditioned to violence every single day …So if these adults choose to participate in what is clearly a dangerous activity and get paid for it , let them make their own decisions around that ..Anyway it will only take one lawsuit from a partipant who has lasting damage to force some kind of regulations ..Rugby by the way is a violent sport too. Yes infinitely more safe today than in the past when I played but it remains a sport of violent collisions and that is a huge part of its attraction…If this sickens you don’t watch ..Unless these folk running into one another for cash are breaking the Law not sure taking moral high grounds is going to stop them…On the contrary it may make it even more popular .

RA have an impressive recent past resume’ of self destruction ..Think it’s wise even just darned sensible to be skeptical….

No they don’t Ken ..

An aside ..Leinster have a World Cup winning coach in Jacques Nienaber as an assistant …Arguably the best defensive coach in the game today ( also functioned as Bok attack coach) . So where to from here after this season ..Back to the Boks ? But the posts are all filled and Rassie historically does not discard …Or…..Maybe Leinster head coach next ? If Cullen doesn’t deliver at least one major trophy ( URC) then who knows …Interesting times for Leinster and methinks pressure is on ..

Harry didn’t say Kiss will fail because of age ..He merely questioned it ..In fact he put forward a whole bunch of other reasons why he was skeptical…Almost all went to Les Kiss’ track record . But everyone has picked up on the age thingy which was not the main thrust of Harry’s argument …at least how I read it.

I am 64 and still working with no intention of retiring soon ..My sister 65 and Sales Director of a Japanese corporate based here in SA ..They have a policy of mandatory retirement of 60 and the local SA Branch had to fight tooth and nail to get the Japanese head office to make an exception to retain her …Simply put she was irreplaceable…So I get your sentiments, but still think age cannot simply be discounted…Not everyone is able to maintain intensity as we get older..Exceptions ? yes …of course ..Like Trump or not he has impressive energy for a man almost 80 years old ..But as we saw with his predecessor that’s not always the case ….I’m not defending Harry per se ..Can do that himself if he chooses..But I do get his concerns even if I’m not in full agreement..

Yeah ..Again referring to that Bulls game , it was in December and pretty darned hot…Decent crowd in good spirits ( literally and figuritively 😁 ) …Fortress Loftus …What could go wrong ….Bulls threw the kitchen sink at them but seriously struggled to breach Saints defence….Three other things stood out …Saints set piece immaculate and hit the breakdown with numbers…Game management intelligent too in dealing with the heat and altitude. They clearly had self belief and not in the least overawed …These are qualities that make for winning tournaments….And were on full display this weekend ….Surprisingly they only lie 7th in the Premiership…Could it be possible they have long since decided to focus on the European Cup this year …It’s incredibly difficult to target both your domestic comp and the EC simultaneously…As Leinster have just been reminded of ..Coach Leo Cullen is suddenly copping it from Leinster fans on social media ..All his fault …..But actually Saints took it away it wasn’t given easily..

I took Harry to task on the age thingy ..But still think it’s a fair question to ask..It’s extremely unusual to debut at Test level at that age ….Many corporations globally have a mandatory retirement age of 60 as policy ..But I personally have no gripe with his age …What I do think is problematical is the very short time he will have with the team before the World Cup kicks off ….I get the uniqueness of the challenges with Schmidt exiting, but that doesn’t change the reality that the clock is ticking..

I was at the game Northampton vs Bulls at Loftus a few months ago MZ…Nobody expected Northampton to match up at the Highveldt ..Not only did they but cold light of day outplayed The Bulls in what was also viewed as a big upset ..I left the stadium thinking that they are a very good team but most of the post match attention focused on the Bulls poor performance rather than on Northamptons superiority most facets of the game…So after Leinsters loss previous week in the URC I may be one of the few not surprised to see Saints prevail..

He was tested by South African Agencies while playing “IPL” in South Africaa .Went to India , real IPL and sent home..Think it’s cost him a massive amount of money..

This is a setback for The Proteas but think it’s too early to sit and pass judgement on him..We don’t know what he tested positive for …If it’s Marijuana well that’s quite a legal thing in South Africa and most South Africans would probably look on with bemusement and wonder what the fuss is all about….If it’s something a lot more insidious then the first question needs to be ..Does KG have a problem and does he need help and support ? ..The upcoming WTC is neither here nor there in the broader discussion..SAfrica not expected to win it anyway and the team is not dependant on one player ….The Proteas have fast bowling depth ….Also for sure ranks will be closed around him …Still one of our sons ..

Who cares ? Honest question..

Agree ..2023 was actually the easiest of them all. Maybe a tough draw might be the answer .. 😊

Nah…It’s very good ..Disagree completely with your take ..

Nobody expects anyone but the Boks or ABs to win it anyway ..Irish fans would be smiling just getting past the quarter finals for the first time ..But there is one factor that does not appear in the stats ..Luck….Yes even as a Bok fan I have to admit to a fair degree of luck in every WCup win they have bagged ….In fact 1995 and 2019 even most avid Bok fans had low expectations…Aus definitely in with a shout but it’s very long odds ..