A couple of grumbles...

'Rugby great'…it's an obvious description of someone who has made a significant impression on the game.

So why do so many media people refer to anyone from the past as a 'rugby great?'

Is it lazy journalism, or just clickbait prescribed by whoever is assigning stories to a website or newspaper?

It's as bad as calling a Super Rugby franchise a 'club', but more of that later.

The latest instance of the application of 'rugby great' has been seen as a result of Rod Kafer's outburst about the situation in Australian rugby at the moment.

Kafer was described in several news outlets as 'Australian rugby great'.

Excuse me.

He played 12 Tests, played 37 times for the Brumbies between 1996-2001 and 34 games for Leicester between 2001-03.

By any measure, that record does not make him a 'great'.

Yes, he has played Test rugby and yes he may be fondly remembered for his contribution to the Brumbies, but great?

The two blokes who played for the Brumbies inside him, halfback George Gregan and first five-eighths Stephen Larkham, they were greats. That's why a grandstand is named after them in Canberra.

And yes, because of his work as a sideline 'expert' Kafer does have a profile among younger viewers who are not aware of his playing career and who incorrectly believe, because of that sideline role, he has a stature greater in the game than in fact.

It is not only Kafer who falls into this category, but he is the most recent example.

All that aside, it is interesting that one who has played a role in the administration of the game, as a high- performance contributor to the Australian Rugby Union, should be taking such a pot shot at the administration in the stretched times the game all over the world is facing.

 And while I'm at it, since when have New Zealand's Super Rugby franchises been clubs?

This unfortunate usage, which is yet another example

of the 'rugby speak' that afflicts the game at different times, is the very antithesis of what clubs are all about.

Clubs are for the fellowship of people with a common interest, of involvement by communities which they represent, and as a focal point for much that happens in communities. They are the heart of the game in New Zealand.

Franchises are not clubs.

Franchises are a closed shop of artificial means. 

Any contact with the public is contrived through promotion work. That is fine and a good way to keep the professional players grounded in terms of the life they enjoy. But most often it is a requirement of their contract.

Information about the running of the franchises is drip-fed through the media at pre-arranged opportunities.

Clubs have an open, transparent structure. Members are invited to annual meetings to elect their officials and to discuss issues of concern to that club.

Franchises do not hold open meetings. They don't invite media to cover their meetings and they certainly don't allow their stakeholders (fans) to take part in voting.

So to call franchises 'clubs' strikes at the very heritage of the New Zealand game that the franchises are so quick to claim for their purposes.

New normal will be different - du Plessis

Former Springbok prop Dr Jannie du Plessis, who was part of the Lions team in Super Rugby this year, has predicted the consequence of the coronavirus pandemic meant 'normal will never be quite like we knew it.'

Du Plessis, a 70-Test veteran between 2007-15, spoke to Netwerk24 from his family farm near Bethlehem in the eastern Free State.

"My wife and I decided it would be better for us to come to the farm. There is more space for everyone here and from a health point of view and exposure to people, it's also better," he said.

Du Plessis was with the Lions in Australia when Super Rugby was abandoned under the weight of the virus shutdowns across the competition.

"I did some research on the coronavirus and for me, it has about the same effect as [the] 1918 'flu pandemic – the human immune system was not strong enough for that virus and it led to a large number of deaths.

"What gave me a fright of this current virus was how quickly it spread. We were still on tour in Australia just a few weeks ago, but it makes you sit up and take note how it spread worldwide in a short period," he said.

Du Plessis was confident the South African Government had acted correctly by putting measures, in spite of scepticism from some in the country about the lockdown.

Training to remain in shape for rugby was tough without the company of teammates and he was hopeful a solution could soon be found for players to get as close to normality as possible.

De Plessis had played for Montpellier from 2015-19 before returning to South Africa. His brother, former Springbok hooker Bismarck is still playing for Montpellier and is in France with his family for the duration.

Lambie not lost to Sharks rugby

It was one of the most disappointing facts of South African rugby in recent years that outstanding back Pat Lambie was never able to fulfil the immense potential he brought to the game.

Another victim of concussions, he was forced out at the age of 28.

Lambie always had rugby in his genes. His grandfather Nic Labuschagne played five Tests for England between 1953-55 while he was also related to Scotland internationals Peter and Gordon Brown.

Lambie, who played 56 Tests for the Springboks between 2010-16, also played 71 times for the Sharks in Super Rugby between 2010 and 2017. His versatility saw him at first five-eighths, centre and fullback but his chances in his favoured position in the five-eighths were blocked by the Springboks adherence to Morne Steyn as their favoured starter.

He said 2019 had been a tough year not to be playing the game because it was a World Cup year and he had dreamt about being in Japan and playing in the tournament.

"The World Cup was always in your face and very hard to ignore. I also had to find my feet in the working world after moving back to South Africa from France," he told rugbyrocks.com.

Now back living in South Africa with his wife Kate and son Jackson, he is working in property development but also spending time as a kicking consultant with the Sharks.

He has been working closely with 2019 Super Rugby's top points scorer Curwin Bosch when the competition was suspended with 86 points having landed 15 conversions and 16 penalty goals at a success rate of 76 percent.

Bosch, playing consistently at first five-eighths, something Lambie was never given the chance to do both for the Sharks and Springboks, has been a key performer for the Sharks.

And Lambie likes what he has seen with Bosch's goal-kicking, especially after two vital penalty goals against the Stormers in the Sharks' 24-14 win.

"It all my playing days, I never saw anyone strike the ball as well as Curwin," Lambie said.

"I can't take any credit for how well he's kicked this season, though, because he has such a great work ethic. He loves kicking, he kicks beautifully and has a very sound technique.

"During training, you imagine kicking penalties like those he kicked against the Stormers. When you get the opportunity to do it in a game and you can execute and knock them through the posts, it's very rewarding as a player. It's also wonderful as a kicking consultant and supporter to do that," he said.

Lambie is not a full-time member of the coaching panel. He said he goes into training once or twice a week and talks with coach Sean Everitt about what the players need and whether they want some extra kicking sessions.

"I get the players to do some drills that I really enjoyed as a player. I'll chat to Sean about the team's kicking plans for that week and try to incorporate them into the training we do," he said.

White joins Bulls to rebuild winning culture

World Cup-winning coach in 2007 Jake White has been appointed director of rugby for the Bulls.

He will work with Bulls coach Pote Human in the role until the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France.

Sitting in 12^th position on the Super Rugby ladder, the Bulls had only one win in six games before the season was interrupted by the coronavirus.

But White intends hitting the ground running.

"We need to rebuild a winning culture at Loftus, and that will no doubt bring the fans back to their beloved Loftus Versfeld.

"This won't be easy, but we are up for it," White said.

"It's no secret that our franchise rugby needs to be strong for the Boks to be strong. I'm looking forward to doing whatever it takes to keep them at number one," he said.

White has been coaching in Japan recently but has had stints in France and Australia since his side won the World Cup in France in 2007.

"The Bulls brand has always been a powerhouse in rugby, and respected around the world. There's a great history and heritage here, and I'm looking forward to adding my contribution to the Bulls' legacy," he said.

He said there was a determination in the Bulls' organisation to re-invent and re-mould the face of rugby in South Africa.

Referees too often miss the point

Have referees in Super Rugby forgotten some of the basic tenets of the game?

After watching Round Six action over the weekend you can't help but wonder.

Take the Blues v Jaguares game at Albany's QBE Stadium.

Jaguares players were constantly in front of the kicker at re-starts and twice when penalty goals were landed by the visiting kicker players were in front of him before he struck the ball.

In one instance a player was two or three metres in front of the kicker. Under the laws of the game that is an infringement and the penalty goal should not be allowed

Given that referees constantly spend time at re-starts, both at halfway and the 22-m line, asking players to get behind the kicker to the point of being pedantic about it, you would think they would at least pay attention at penalty goal attempts.

They only seem to have eyes for the ball, as with much else in the game. 

What is going on?

In the same game, and no team is innocent here so the Jaguares are not being picked on, there was deliberate intent of diversionary runners to block players from attempting to line up tackles.

Sadly, there is nothing new in this and it has been going on for years but these are clear and obvious obstructions that are being allowed to continue uninterrupted. The referee on the ground makes an arbitrary decision that a player was not impeded.

Where has one of the great sights of the game, the crash tackler, gone? He has no show of lining up a player from a distance out and delivering a bone-jarring tackle to dislodge the ball and sometimes change a game because someone is deliberately getting in his way to prevent that happening. Why not just call it gridiron, or American football, and be done with it?

The crash tackle, a legitimate tactical option, has gone the same way as the ruck and the four-point dropped goal - down the road, and not always for the better.

Another point. The notion that halfbacks would have to feed the ball straight into the scrum is now recognised for what it always was, a joke, but should that slackness in rulings be allowed to apply to lineout throwing.

In a key moment in the Waratahs v Rebels game in Sydney on Sunday, the Waratahs had a lineout throw which was clearly down their line, yet the referee standing behind the lineout with an unimpeded view did nothing. This was in spite of a roar from the Rebels' side of the lineout, 'Not straight'.

It is often said that the best referees are those who are inconspicuous and who have a feel for the game. Those qualities are not being exhibited consistently enough by referees who are more guilty of being a distraction in the playing of the game.

Sanzar cop more strife, from within their camp

South African rugby boss Oregan Hoskins has launched a broadside at inconsistencies in disciplinary rulings in Super Rugby.

Hoskins said South African players were being harder hit by the judiciary than New Zealand and Australian players. He had made his objections 'loud and clear' at an emergency meeting with key figures in judicial and disciplinary structures.

Hoskins said the decisions against Bismarck du Plessis (four weeks), Frans Steyn (five weeks) and Jean Deysel (seven weeks) were heavy compared to those against Australasian players.

He cited Reds lock James Horwill's second red card of the season and the one week he received for a swinging arm on a player's neck, Reds flanker Liam Gill's one match suspension for a tip tackle and Hurricanes lock James Broadhurst's one week for kneeing a player in the face.

Hoskins said he hadn't wanted to speak out but told South African rugby writer Dan Retief he had had enough.

"I feel we, as administrators, are fighting one fight and do not have the support of our judicial and refereeing panels.

"To be absolutely honest with you, I am at my wits-end, because I am seeing how we are being torn apart on the field of play and by judicial decisions, and we are not getting the support we should be getting from these people, who are part of our organisation [Sanzar]," he said.

Hoskins was at the Sharks-Crusaders match and claimed there were several incidents against Sharks players that had gone unpunished.

While Deysel had done a 'stupid thing' in kneeing Matt Todd in the head, it wasn't injurious, he said.

"But still, it's not allowed, and he got a red card and a heavy suspension, while the others were not even cited," he said.

Meanwhile, South Afric's referees' boss Andre Watson has appeared in front of a disciplinary hearing after a list of grievances, including verbal abuse, victimisation and his abrasive management style were made against him by 24 local officials.

Wallabies can still win World Cup in spite of turmoil

Former Wallabies and Crusaders, and All Blacks assistant coach Robbie Deans believes that despite all the turmoil surrounding his own dismissal last year and the resignation of Ewen McKenzie, Australia still have the ability to win next year's World Cup.

While feeling some enmity with McKenzie, who resigned after Saturday's 28-29 defeat by the All Blacks, Deans said international coaching was 'a tough gig' and what was happening in Australia following the Kurtley Beale textgate controversy was not good for the game.

He believed incoming coach Michael Cheika was good enough to get the best out of the side.

"His flame burns hot and he will get a lift out of them," he said.

"If Australia came through their pool well they are a team still capable of becoming the first side to win the World Cup three times. If they come through their pool all right they are very well positioned to go on and win. Australia have got serious X factor but the key area is up front," he said.

Deans said from a New Zealander's point of view it was vital that Australian rugby was strong.

But the game had to be viable.

"They are competing in the world's toughest tournament, [the Rugby Championship] which was a point of advantage so long as the side remained competitive and the game remained viable domestically and that's their biggest challenge.

"They are competing in the toughest sporting environment in the world in terms of other codes [AFL, NRL and the A-League]. And they're all village games, wherever you go people have an interest down the street and that's rugby's challenge in Australia," he said.

Australian rugby was poles apart from New Zealand, however.

"The distinction between Australia and New Zealand is essentially the background of the players – what they've come out of and what they go back to routinely and from that end they are poles apart."

New Zealand had a much more competitive structure right through the grades. There was a strong schools competition in New Zealand whereas Australia's top schools played about six games a year.

"Players are only as good as the competitions they come out of. It starts from age group because they whole way through there is competition and players become accustomed to competing and accustomed to the fact they need to keep growing and developing because they understand the moment they relent someone will go past them.

There were no guarantees either financially or in playing strength that Australia could remain at the top. Finance was always an issue while there was the prospect of a mass exodus of players after the World Cup.

New Zealand had been through the same situation and it was in 2001 when a high performance meeting was held to set priorities in place. It was something New Zealand had been able to do because the NZR control the revenue streams and control most of the appointments. Through that power they can make decisions in the best interests of the game.

They realised that if the All Blacks jersey suffered they might not have anything to run off.

Deans said he was still enjoying the game and was enjoying the change in Japan with the Panasonic club but he said he didn't know what was around the corner but he was up for whatever was.

"My grandfather stopped me playing basketball once. I suggested I was going to play basketball and he said, 'I don't think so' and closed it down very quickly. Imagine if I told him I was going to coach the Wallabies?"

He said he was much better equipped as a coach now as a result of his experiences for whatever comes.

Fekitoa and Tuipolotu bring exciting qualities to All Blacks

New All Blacks Malakai Fekitoa and Patrick Tuipolotu are determined theirs will not be a short-term stay in the side after being named in the squad to prepare for the three-Test series against England starting on Saturday at Eden Park.

Both are Auckland developed players but Fekitoa has made his mark with the Highlanders in Super Rugby while Tuipolotu has become the first member of the 2013 New Zealand Junior World Championship team to make the Test stage.

Fekitoa said missing out on the Blues had been a significant motivation for him when he was picked up by the Highlanders and he went into the Super Rugby campaign determined to prove what he was capable of.

He didn't expect to move as far quite so quickly but was delighted to have the chance to experience the All Blacks environment.

Fekitoa said he had been able to show his capabilities so emphatically as a result of the belief of the Highlanders' coaching group.

"They never told me not to do anything. They just want to make sure I develop and that I am happy and they have given me every opportunity to make sure I perform," he said.

Fekitoa has set his sights high and said he had always wanted to be the best no matter what team he was in.

"Whether I was playing Sevens in Sri Lanka or Sevens in Tonga, I always wanted to beat people and I just want to get into this team and learn as much as I can from the senior guys.

"I just want to learn, develop my game and test myself at this level to see if I am good enough," he said.

His first taste of the All Blacks environment was during the two pre-season training camps in May and he noticed an immediate benefit.

"It got my timing up and when I got back to the Highlanders I could see things clearer and I could see things a bit easier and I felt a little bit better than where I was before the camps," he said.

He also felt his exposure to the requirements of top level player had shown that he was not too far away from reaching that standard and it had been a good start for him.

Tuipolotu was still getting used to how quickly events had moved for him in the game.

"It's way ahead of where I thought I would be. I didn't think I would get game time for the Blues at the start of the year, but I am happy to be where I am now and I'll take my opportunities as they come," he said.

In the Blues environment he felt coach Sir John Kirwan had helped him express himself.

"I like to run with the ball, I like to be in open space. JK [Kirwan] has pretty much let me do that in terms of our game plans back at the Blues and that has allowed the coaches to see what I can do," he said.

And being named in Sunday's squad had shown the benefits of that policy for him.

Getting into the camp environment in May with the All Blacks had shown him that talent wasn't enough to allow you to progress. It was all about hard work.

"Coming into the camp you see how the Richie McCaws and Keven Mealamus, and all those guys, do stuff and I sort of try to take a page out of their book to try and improve yourself to be like them," he said.

Now that he has made the step to international level he wanted game time to show that he could stay in the team. He didn't want to be a one-time All Black he wants to go far but with the realisation that he still has a long way to go.