Poen de Villiers

Hopefully Ruan Pienaar has now silenced all his critics and detractors. He came through what some have called his “baptism of fire” as starting fly half with flying colours for the Springboks against Wales at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff last week. Now he must be allowed to settle down and get on with the […]

The doom prophets, including several well known, so-called “experts”, are at it again. In fact, they’ve been at it for almost two weeks – predicting disaster for the Springboks’ tour of the United Kingdom, which starts on Saturday. And much of it is because of the inclusion of Ruan Pienaar as the first-choice flyhalf. There’s […]

After the Springboks’ overwhelming 53-8 victory over the Wallabies, the question must be asked: Why did it take so long? Why did they wait till their last match in the Tri-Nations competition to dish up such outstanding rugby and inflict the biggest losing margin to date on the Wallabies? And how was such a sudden […]

Is Victor Matfield the right man to captain the Springboks? It was clear in the Tri-Nations Test against the All Blacks at Newlands last week that he did not have the cool head required to lead his men in tight situations. He failed to control his temper on several occasions when disputing Australian referee Matt […]

What is the purpose of the parliamentary sports portfolio committee of Butana Komphela and company? What does it achieve — other than controversy from statements that regularly stir up a furore, normally with a racist flavour? It never refers to anything meritorious about what is being done. The committee’s statements seem intended to remind us […]

If watching the Olympics means enjoying events that blow you away because of the sheer athleticism, immense control, strength and amazing agility exhibited by the participants, then don’t miss the synchronised swimming, particularly the team competition. I’ve heard the arguments that synchro shouldn’t be at the Olympics because it isn’t a true “sport”. I counter […]

It looks like the entire controversy about that “catch” – or catch that never was – by AB de Villiers off Andrew Strauss in the second England-Proteas cricket Test at Headingley has now been swept under the carpet. A week has passed since the ball went into his right hand and he dropped it to […]

“Fair is foul and foul is fair!” So wrote Shakespeare in Macbeth four centuries ago, but frankly those words could very easily apply to the ongoing accusations and counter-accusations, whinging and bickering that has characterised the Tri-Nations to date. Everyone has an opinion, everyone has a view about this or that incident or other – […]

Unless Peter de Villiers and the Springboks stop their whinging after losing against the All Blacks last Saturday and focus on playing rugby, they will experience more suffering at the House of Pain in Dunedin this weekend. I have been a staunch Springbok supporter since I saw my very first Test as a primary school […]

Springbok coach Peter de Villiers was quite right when he said his charges should first beat the All Blacks before they could truly feel like the rugby world champions. But he has been accused by some blinkered South African supporters of undermining the Springboks’ status as winners of the Rugby World Cup in France last […]

With their 26-0 win over Six Nations bottom-enders Italy at Newlands on Saturday, the Springboks have now achieved their third consecutive victory under new coach Peter de Villiers — but we still are none the wiser about the much vaunted “revolutionary” or “new philosophy of play” he apparently has in mind for the world champions. […]

Two recent newspaper headlines “Grant turns down R10 million” and “Springbok captain John Smit released for club duty”, provide plenty food for thought. They once again raise questions about the expediency or necessity of allowing foreign-based rugby players to be eligible for Springbok selection. It could give a perception , probably false, that the honour […]