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.

Boks pin financial hopes on Lions tour

Sports administrators around the world are contemplating a future they have no control over and which may drastically alter the landscape when normalcy returns.

From a rugby perspective, South African administrators are looking to next year's British & Irish Lions tour to their country as a potential game saver for them.

A member of the professional board of Western Province Rugby, Raymond van Niekerk told Netwerk 24, "If the Lions tour generates a lot of income then it could save the game in South Africa."

With the world game on hold, and the prospect that rugby could remain that way until the new year, especially as a result of countries deciding to retain closed borders possibly until a vaccine has been discovered and distributed, even that remains a long shot.

"Everyone in the game around the world is under pressure. If you get a big financial incentive, it will offer a golden opportunity to save the industry – which takes to heart the interests of the franchise teams, players, supporters and interested parties," van Niekerk said.

However, he said there were major financial implications ahead for rugby unions who were already struggling. He felt South Africa was in a better position than European clubs, especially those in England, to cope with the situation.

"We're not close to cutting players' salaries," he said.

"We have a good relationship with our players. The issue is nothing that they could have controlled.

"There's a big difference compared to overseas clubs who are privately owned. They move quickly and ruthlessly. 

"We are more people-oriented because the provincial unions are involved. We want to limit the negative impact on players and personnel as much as possible," he said.

However, there are two organisations involved in the tour.

Springbok interests will have to hope that if the Lions are to be the financial lifeline for South Africa then British and Irish rugby recover sufficiently to not only retain players but to put in place effective competitions from which a Lions team could be selected.

Bennie Osler runs into Mark Nicholls on muddy Newlands

Part Two: In which outstanding Springboks five-eighths Bennie Osler completes his description of the 1928 tour of South Africa by the All Blacks.

 When the All Blacks were in the final stages of their 1928 tour of South Africa they faced Western Province in their third last game, in Cape Town. Heavy rain overnight had the ground awash at 1pm on the day of the game.

Bennie Osler recalled the game on a tape recording that was transcribed and published in The South African Sportsman in January 1967.

"Newlands was a sea of mud and the correct tactics were obvious – the forwards must control the proceedings. We knew that we could out-scrum the All Blacks, who were still persisting with their 2-3-2 formation with one forward having a roving commission.

"Our captain Phil Mostert, decided that he would choose scrums to lineouts whenever he could and that I would use the boot to keep the All Blacks on their heels."

Osler recalled that the tactics 'worked like a charm'. However, while the All Blacks three-quarters were knocked over when they got any ball it wasn't the fault of any problems inside them.

"Bill Dalley, the All Black scrum-half, was a shining exception. He was simply great and I doubt if I ever saw a finer exhibition of scrum-half play behind a beaten pack," Osler said.

"It was mainly due to him – and a bad blunder by Jock van Niekerk – that the All Blacks had a 3-nil lead at half-time. Jock tried to stop Robilliard with a high tackle which the All Black wing shook off with ease and the next moment Dalley was up to take the pass and score."

In the second half the All Blacks lost centre Syd Carleton to injury which reduced the effectiveness of Ron Stewart who had to move to the three-quarters.

The All Blacks defence was stout however. Osler was able to level the scores with a penalty goal and then when wing P.K. Morkel unleashed a sidestep to score a try.

Several times Osler looked for a dropped goal only to find the All Blacks keen to deny him.

"We were seeing so much of the ball though that my chance had to come, and it did. I was going to try the blindside of the scrum when I noticed the entire defence swinging across to cut me off. I turned quickly on my left instead and ran a few yards infield.

"The posts were right in my sights and I even had time to aim deliberately before letting fly with my right boot. The sodden ball did not lift too easily but it somehow spun over the crossbar for four points," he said.

Soon after the final whistle blew on the All Blacks' fifth tour loss 3-10.

Hopes were high that the Springboks would do likewise in the deciding fourth Test.

But as Osler recounted the Springboks went into the Test 'just a little too confident and too complacently sure of ourselves'.

"Our mental attitude to the last test certainly played a big part in our defeat, but it was certainly not the only reason for the hiding we got. Oh no, that would be very unfair to the All Blacks' great performance that day.

"They staged one of the most glorious fight-backs in the history of rugby in that final test and deserved every bit of credit for winning," he said.

Osler noted it was the only Test in which Mark Nicholls, the vice-captain and veteran five-eighths, played.

"Why this player was so consistently overlooked throughout the tour I will never know, but we Springboks were certainly grateful that Mark did not get more opportunities against us.

"He gave such a masterful display that wet and miserable day at Newlands that I must rate him the finest fly-half I ever played against – on that one solitary performance.

"It was virtually a repeat performance of the first test of the series with the one important difference that this time the All Blacks wielded the whip. Their forwards came to light with a glorious performance and Nicholls dominated the match with his boot."

While the Springboks scored a first half try to J.C. van der Westhuizen, converted by Osler, Nicholls kicked two penalty goals to give New Zealand the half-time lead 6-5.

"In the second half the Springboks were hammered into the ground. The All Blacks held us even in the scrums and controlled the lineouts and the loose with some of the most fiery determined play I ever saw from any pack of forwards.

"Their dribbling rushes were difficult to stop and from one of them Swain got a try and then, to really rub it in, Mark Nicholls put over a beautiful drop goal to make the final score 13-5 – and we were very fortunate that the margin was not bigger."

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.

Savea's class highlights the skills differences between sides

All Blacks wing Julian Savea's wondrous pick-up of a bouncing ball in scoring his second try in Saturday's 36-13 win over England demonstrated the difference in skills levels between the sides during the first half of the game.

 

That was England coach Stuart Lancaster's summation.

"I thought the All Blacks' demonstrated why they have won 36 out of 37 games and that's why they're the No.1 team in the world at the moment," he said.

The record was outstanding not only in a rugby sense but in international sport. Their wins were not just against teams ranked sixth, seventh or eighth, they were against the teams ranked, two, three and four.

"They have a great blend at the moment of athletic talent and ability, skill set , experience, continuity and consistency," he said.

Lancaster said the All Blacks thoroughly deserved the win on Saturday, especially on the back of their first half effort to lead 29-6 at the break.

He said he was disappointed with England's first half where they lacked the intensity they had demonstrated in the first two Tests. But he was proud of their effort in holding the All Blacks in the second half.

Lancaster said it was disappointing to concede the injury time try to the All Blacks when their second half effort had been much improved.

Assistant coach Andy Farrell said the side's defence had started poorly and got worse.

"From the start of the game to the short kick-off and a couple of errors and they are back in our 22 and they get such a quick lineout we are not even set and ready to go. So we are behind the eight ball all of a sudden and we are being reactive instead of going getting them which is what our defence has always been about.

"We certainly weren't near 80 percent and we needed all hands on deck," he said.

"The minute that you are behind the gain line it becomes a snowball and we didn't stop it for 25 minutes. The first half wasn't good enough and we have something in black and white now about what intensity looks like and what intensity definitely doesn't look like," he said.

Lancaster said while the tour was disappointing, a lot had been learned about the players during what was a period of transition for the side.

Grass roots initiative to honour Eric Kohlhase's memory

Influential player and administrator in softball and rugby Eric Kohlhase is to have his memory perpetuated with a trust in his name to continue the type of work he was synonymous with.

Kohlhase, a former New Zealand softball representative, and an Auckland Marist rugby player, died in 2011 but not before his work in sport had been recognised by the presentation of a Halberg Lifetime Achievement Award.

 

Launched in Auckland at the Marist Softball Club, a location in keeping with the Kohlhase name, the Trust aims to provide opportunities for youth to take part in sport, diamond sports especially but not just those games.

The Trust will be headed by Auckland media identity and one-time New Zealand softball team manager Doug Golightly (left), and has on its board the coach of the world championship-winning Black Sox team of 2013 Eddie Kohlhase (right), his sister Ruth and the captain of the team and the Trust's ambassador Rhys Casley.

Among its aims the Trust wants to teach the value of team work while also boosting the need to have fun in sport in both schools and club contests.

They also hope to see sport used as a means of improving academic performance and behaviour.

It is not only players who are to be targeted but also coaches and volunteer administrators.

Mentors will also be sought to help pass on the message of the need for balance between life and sport.

The Trust also wants to be a conduit for schools and clubs in seeking funding applications while promoting the work of schools and clubs in seeking sponsorship partners.

In speaking at the official launch of the Trust, Golightly said it intended to be 'a hands up, not a hands out' type of operation.