Lions 2009 - Boks sorry for gouge comments

Eurosport - Tue, 30 Jun 17:21:00 2009

South African rugby officials apologised for comments after the Springboks win over the British and Irish Lions that gave the impression that they condoned eye gouging.

Schalk Burger - South Africa 2009 - 0

Springbok enforcer Schalk Burger (pictured) was earlier in the day banned for eight weeks for gouging Lions winger Luke Fitzgerald in his country's dramatic second Test 28-25 victory on Saturday that sealed a series win.

Burger was yellow carded after just 32 seconds of the game by French referee Christophe Berdos but Bok coach Peter de Villiers refused to condemn his player's actions, saying that the flanker should not even have been sin binned.

"I don't believe it was a card at all," said De Villiers at the time. "In the first minute already there had been a lot of needle and if you watch the whole game you will see how many yellow cards they were let off.

"This is sport, this is what it's about. If things were clear-cut then we shouldn't even bother preparing for a game. Everyone is entitled to their opinion."

South African Rugby Union president Oregan Hoskins and De Villiers issued a joint statement condemning all acts of foul play and sending out a clear message that such acts would not be tolerated in South African rugby.

"We would like to apologise to the rugby community for the erroneous impression that acts of foul play are in any way condoned by South African rugby," said Hoskins.

"That has never been the case and is not now, and we support strong action by rugby authorities when such acts occur.

"Rugby is a physical game and a hard game but it is a game that rightly prides itself on good sportsmanship and we as SARU categorically condemn any such action. SARU fully supports any action that the IRB feels appropriate to stamp out eye gouging in the game."

De Villiers added that as Springbok coach he was against play that was not in the spirit of the game.

"Eye-gouging is something that we as a team will never be part of," he said. "The same applies to biting, head-butting, spear tackling or any other foul play that doesn't belong in the game.

"My comments on Saturday were based on what I know of Schalk Burger as a player and not on what occurred. It was never my intention to suggest that I condone foul play - that is the last thing I would ever do and I apologise for creating any other impression."

The statement was released after a press conference earlier Monday when De Villiers gave a mixed response when asked whether he condoned eye gouging.

"You must understand very clearly that rugby is a contact sport," said the coach, who also described himself as a "God-given talent".

"If you really know the game and dissect it, you'll see all sorts of malicious and off-the-ball incidents. In this game, people sometimes get away with it.

"If you're not up to the contact why not go to a ballet shop and buy a tutu?

"In this game there will be collisions. There are no collisions in ballet.

"And the guy who wins the collisions hardest is the guy we always will select."

The eye-gouging statements are the latest in a long string of gaffes committed by De Villiers.

He got in hot water after the first Test when asked about the form of Ricky Januarie, who did not impress after coming on as part of a raft of replacements that almost handed the game to the Lions.

De Villiers, who is of mixed race himself, told a bizzare story laden with racist overtones about white and black garage owners to say that Januarie should be given another chance. He then promptly dropped him from the second Test squad.

AFP

Comment 40 - 59 of 59

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  1. As a bok supporter I was disgusted at Schalk for­ gouging Luke F's eyes. I could not believe that a­ player of his stature would commit such an act, and on­ the day of his 50th test as a bok. He will remember the­ day with regret. As for the comments by our illustrious­ coach, well we would never have heard such rubbish­ coming out of our world champion coach, Jake­ White's mouth. The talent in the team makes PDV­ look good, nothing more. The lions could have won both­ games, but they took their feet off the gas. In the­ bush once a lion has fed he will go and lie under a­ tree and sleep. A springbok is ever vigilant for any­ signs of danger, and does not rest. I watch rugby with­ my welsh mate here in the UK and I can asure you we­ have a lot of banter while the game is on, but when­ it's finished we light the fire and have a good­ 'ol bbq and qwench our thirst. Roll on number 3!!

    From gary1303uk2003, on Wed 1 Jul 10:15AM

  2. Hardly an 'erroneous impression' from Mr De­ Villiers!!!!

    From John L, on Wed 1 Jul 8:23AM

  3. Eye gouging has been a feature in far too many Rugby­ Games every S.A. fans like me can't fathom why­ Schalk would do this, but stamping on opponents has­ been a practice of many teams too, and should be­ considered as unsporting and cowardly to. Cynical play­ also bad see Vickery & Co. forcing a penalty.

    From Mark Julian, on Wed 1 Jul 6:33AM

  4. I'm more inclined to believe that the thuggish­ attitude he displayed at the time reflects his true­ opinions, than a press release that he has had days to­ concoct (or have concocted for him). There are still­ too many people in rugby who like a bit of thuggery,­ and when one of them reveals himself, he should be­ kicked out of the sport.

    From Oliver C, on Tue 30 Jun 10:53PM

  5. I have played Rugby for 12 yrs at senior 1st team­ level,,,,,,,,,,although a fews yrs ago­ now..............i hurt people and injured­ them.......thats part and parcel ,,,,,,,its a mans game­ and u get hurt!!!..........the botha incident to me­ appearred to be a dirty but in reality a cheap­ shot........with unfortunate and unluckily serious­ consequences...........take the punishment and move­ on!......The burger incident.........obscene and oober­ violent conduct to a prone player.........should be­ more harshly punished.........anyone can kick the pooh­ out of u when u cant defend yourself...thats not in the­ spirit laws or ethos of the game............no matter­ how malicious you are........there are boundaries even­ in rugby and burger spanned it by a country­ mile..........hope he gets his balls ripped offf in the­ next maul.........hehehe like to see 3 balls come out­ the back of that one!!!...cheatin boks!!

    From Glenn, on Tue 30 Jun 10:52PM

  6. Nice spelling 37. Have you thought that maybe South­ Africans don't support what Burger did, or de­ Villiers comments? I can't wait for the 3rd Test so­ we can all move on from the b...ing and moaning.

    From craigcarolan, on Tue 30 Jun 10:08PM

  7. If a player is caught gouging and referee is told by­ his linesman what they have seen why was it only­ yellow??With 14 players would Boks have won...who­ knows!But i'm sure it would'nt have felt right­ winning second test against 14 men.Our boys needed to­ win that first test to have had a chance of winning­ series..just feel scratch teams can't compete with­ test teams anymore(except Baa-Baas against England!)So­ proud of all the players from our aisles, and also­ being English,want to say how brilliant Roberts and BOD­ in midfield were!

    From danpugh, on Tue 30 Jun 8:48PM

  8. doesnt make him any less scummy though

    From rugbymad666, on Tue 30 Jun 7:45PM

  9. I think we all agree PDV is a goon, political appointee­ and is only successful due to the great squad he has.­ Burger messed up and did gouge and should have been red­ carded, he did not get it so we have to accept that.­ Botha is obviously an enforcer, honestly I did not­ think his actions merit a ban - legal clear out but it­ resulted in a nasty injury. At the end of the­ day/series the Lions have not taken the half chances­ needed to win a test match/series. Call it the rub of­ the green, luck or what ever else but you have to take­ those chances to win test matches at this level. Second­ test that last minute penalty was STUPID, O'Gara­ why did you not put that ball into touch??? that will­ haunt him for a long time. The lions have done great­ and shown that the Boks are not invincible - should be­ a classic TriNations. Having said that it hurts to lose­ to the Boks big time. Roll on RWC 2011

    From Jonathan, on Tue 30 Jun 6:38PM

  10. Donnay man....yer mad

    From armcor, on Tue 30 Jun 5:50PM

  11. A JAST WANT TAY MAK ME FEELANGS CLEER AN THA SUIBJACT A­ DINNAE CONDANE EYE GOUGING.

    From Donney, on Tue 30 Jun 5:42PM

  12. AT AS UNGENTLEMONLAY BEHOVIAR TAY GOUGE A BYES EYES ­ OOT.

    From Donney, on Tue 30 Jun 5:41PM

  13. #45 foeyp, Stop making a fool o yersel laddie. Ya must­ be a sassonach. Yer beheevin like en.

    From Maurice, on Tue 30 Jun 4:59PM

  14. what a prat in front of the cameras. intentional I­ would say deserve to be kicked out of rugby , Maybe a­ ourt investigation would be more appropriate. Win at­ all costs even if it could destroy someones life­ ..........Is that the spirit of the game in SA

    From hants uk, on Tue 30 Jun 4:09PM

  15. anyone who has followed de villiers career as coach­ will be well aware of his bush like speeches.most make­ no sense. his rugby knowledge is questionable.­ defending schalk just backs up his lack of ability to­ be coaching at this level and his lack of­ intellince.the lions came to ellis park to get in the­ boks faces.they did this and i have no doubt the engine­ room on saterday was not for the fainthearted of either­ side. there are no angels in rugby.schalk was a total­ tit and 8 weeks means he misses an entire winter test­ program for behaving like an animal.for lions­ supporters to feel that sa is a team of dirty players­ is to wear large pik specs.lets enjoy the last test.you­ do not hear your players or coach having a go at the­ boks.why? because they know what goes on in a game both­ ways.

    From tony c, on Tue 30 Jun 3:52PM

  16. comment 44...what an idiot

    From armcor, on Tue 30 Jun 3:41PM
  17. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    ha ha , carry on with your vile and stupid comments, it­ again shows the level that the English can stoop to,­ the quality of certain comments made here are a guide­ to this country third world??? it takes one to know one

    From REALIST, on Tue 30 Jun 3:19PM
  18. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    What a bunch of Knobbers...clearly most of these­ comments come from @#$% that dont play rugby and sit on­ the fence until it suits them, grow up will you, this­ is rugby here ...do you honestly believe the Brit Lions­ would'nt and have'nt done the same, what games­ have you been watching, well done to Schalk for­ "not gouging " for those who cared to look­ close enough and well done to De Villiers who has­ riightly stood by his man when innocent,get off yer­ broomsticks and just admit you were given a royal­ thrashing...smug gits.

    From Shaun, on Tue 30 Jun 2:15PM

  19. Stuart Dickenson of Australia to referee the final­ test, big mistake, can this be changed, this guy is so­ up himself he don't give a @#$% what decisions he­ makes, he is not strong enough for this grade of rugby,­ the man is nowhere near as good as the top south­ african, welsh, english or irish referees, Paddy­ O'brien must be laughing his socks off to give that­ man any aurthority in rugby is completely wrong, please­ change the ref, send him to do do some Junior rugby and­ pity the teams he does referee.

    From Nigel J, on Tue 30 Jun 12:47PM

  20. de Villiers should stand down!!
    SA are know for their­ passion for sport and this could do so much harm to how­ their country is seen.
    But credit to the SA supporters­ who do not want to be associated with the gouging­ incident and are honest enough to say the truth.
    My son­ plays junior rugby and could not understand how he­ stayed on the pitch.....good sportmanship is drummed­ into the kids and this doesnt help - the player or the­ coach!!

    But 2 excellent tests lets hope the lions can­ wn te 3rd!!

    From gruff39, on Tue 30 Jun 12:36PM
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