SA look at Watson's 'vomit' remark

Eurosport - Sun, 12 Oct 17:20:00 2008

The South African Rugby Union will meet on Monday to discuss comments supposedly made by flanker Luke Watson that only the 'bigger picture' prevents him from 'vomiting' on the Springbok jersey.

Luke Watson - South Africa - 0

"If the reports are accurate this is a very serious matter indeed," Andy Marinos, SA Rugby's manager of national teams and acting managing director, said.

"But we can't pre-judge the matter on the strength of media reports and we can make no definitive statement until we have in our hands what evidence there may be."

Watson has been quoted as saying that "the problem with SA Rugby is that it is controlled by Dutchmen (Afrikaans-speaking white South Africans)".

He said the "bigger picture" kept him from vomiting on the Springbok jersey and that "the men who sit on my left and right of me in the change room despise me for who I am".

"We need to see the bigger picture and realise that the here and now is not just the here and now, but the here and now only exists because of those who went before us and because of those who are still to come," he was quoted as saying during a rugby festival at the University of Cape Town earlier this month.

"Me having to wear the Springbok jersey, to keep myself from vomiting on it, because there is a bigger picture, because men and women have bled for me to get there."

Watson's father Cheeky was an outspoken anti-racism activist during the apartheid era who declined the opportunity to participate in Springbok trials as a promising player because of his convictions and has made no secret of his displeasure with the game's current administration.

Reuters

Comment 1 - 6 of 6

Sort comments by: Most recent

  1. Good on you Watson! Only those that have lived under­ the oppression of the facist dutchmen during the­ apartheid era can appreciate where his comment came­ from. Unless you were there, don't criticise the­ brave man!

    From Expro, on Mon 13 Oct 10:58AM

  2. South African Rugby has been ruled by the
    Boer­ descendent[Afrikaans]since the turn of the century.In­ Apartheid days touring sides were of Boer/English­ speaking white players and what Watson said is true to­ a greater or lesser extent but not all Bok players feel­ the same about the team or the shirt/

    From ALAN, on Mon 13 Oct 9:41AM

  3. Its sad that the media has made a big deal once again­ out of a comment that has probably been taken­ completely out of context as is usually the case. A­ recent article in last months Sports illustrated SA mag­ highlights the issues facing SA Rugby and its choice of­ coaching staff, something which has probably not sat­ well with most Rugby fans in SA, that and the fact that­ even though they are world champs they still managed to­ finish last in this years tri-nations would probably­ make any springbok player want to vommit on his­ jersey....

    From MichelaR, on Sun 12 Oct 8:24PM

  4. No-one is forcing him to play for them

    From bowesey17, on Sun 12 Oct 7:05PM

  5. Sad really. Trapped inside the ill-formed rhetoric­ there's probably a decent and reasonable criticism­ of the ruling body struggling to get out. Instead,­ he's called a spade an impliment with which a­ horticulturalist may, if so minded, redistribute­ topsoil.

    Then again, Watson is trying to take on a­ totally unaccountable body (see also: FIA, IOC, FIFA­ etc). On the one hand, these institutions should­ probably be free from political or other interference;­ on the other, it has bred a plague of incompetent­ beaurocrats who nail any criticism, however­ constructive, with the charge of 'bringing the game­ into disrepute'.

    Not easy. What's the solution­ then? Elect these bodies (making them somehow­ accountable)? Limiting tenure to say 2 years (not the­ presidencies for life you tend to see)? Whaddya think,­ peeps?

    From Alex W, on Sun 12 Oct 6:57PM

  6. only the bigger picture and the fact his team mates­ would beat the @#$% out of him!

    From Bromley Blue, on Sun 12 Oct 6:18PM
Sort comments by: Most recent

Not already a Yahoo! user ? to get a free Yahoo! Account