Luke Watson & the Big Kahunas of SA Rugby

For the entire 2006 season Luke Watson(LW) was, in the eyes of the rugby public, the most wronged player in SA. Week after week he was either Player of the Match, or simply outstanding in his role as loose-forward and captain of his team. For his superlative efforts he received the award of Player of the Super 14, normally reserved for the likes of a McCaw, a Larkham, or a Carter. He was loved and admired from the Limpopo to the Cape, from Richards Bay to Bloemfontein. Not once did Jake White consider him good enough for inclusion into even the larger Springbok Training Squad of 40-odd players, to the dismay and disbelief of rugby fans and commentators both here and in Aus/NZ.

Various rumours did the rounds: Jake doesn't like Luke for personal reasons; Jake doesn't like Luke's father; Jake's teacher-buddy who taught/coached Luke way back is behind everything.
(Take note: rugby ability never surfaced anywhere) However, the most plausible explanation, it seems, is the one that goes: John Smit, the fourth best hooker in the country but Bok captain, cannot stand the sight of Luke and refuses to play with him. Which might also explain Luke's departure from Natal after being one of the young stars in their Super 12 and Currie Cup teams. (Which begs the question howcome the Jake & John Show has developed into this almost omnipotent force in SA Rugby?)

This year LW again had a good season but not the fire-works of last year. Quite understandably, I would think. If one played like he did, and got treated like he was, one's performance is bound to suffer somewhere along the line. But then the Big Kahunas of SA Rugby stepped forward and did exactly what we've come to expect from them...they put their foot in it, stuffed it up, lost the plot entirely. You cannot do what they did re LW and not make a total breast of yourself. If, as SA Rugby, you are not happy with any aspect of the coach's work you do one of two things. If the source of your concerns/unhappiness is of a serious enough nature you go ahead and fire the coach. If not, you shut your stupid mouth up and let the coach get on with it. It's that simple, really. You certainly do not embarrass your coach, your team, and your country in the sloppy , unprofessional, and bumbling manner in which they did. I'm certainly no fan of Jake's; even if he and the fourth best hooker, through some fluke, manage to win the RWC it still won't swing my sentiments in their favour. But for the first time in a very long time the rugby public actually took Jake's side! The only positive thing that could possibly have come out of this was Jake's resignation, and not even that happened!

So, we are left with a situation where poor Luke makes his first appearance in a Bok jersey through farcical selection, (whereas post-White he would no doubt get plenty of chances), and where he might now have to carry a life-long stigma as not quite deserving of his Bok colours, which is a great shame and a disservice to him. Also, Jake White keeps gaining ill-gotten public sympathy, first via SA Rugby's selection meddling, and now this week through his bosses' petty intervention to stop tea with Thabo. Considering the whole array of clowns who, from coaching right through to management, are collectively responsible for the game in this country, it's quite a momentous miracle everytime the Boks win any Test whatsoever!