Rugby verbatim: They said it!

“I met a couple of South Africans in the hotel lobby the other day and they asked me how I was involved with the Lions. When I told them I was the defence coach they just said, ‘best of luck mate’.”

Shaun Edwards, British & Irish Lions defence coach

“I have invited Australia and New Zealand to visit us during the Lions series and engage with our franchises to hear the kinds of problems our teams have to deal with. The process stays the same with regards to the 15th team. It will play in the Australian conference.”

Regan Hoskins, president of SA Rugby, following the Sanzar meeting in Dublin

“We can take great pride in the performance of the Royal XV in going down to a late defeat against the British and Irish Lions.”

Regan Hoskins, president of SA Rugby

“SA Rugby have handed SA’s crown jewels on a platter to its Sanzar partners and given up the sixth franchise because Australia has made it clear that they would not allow SA to have it. New Zealand and Australia are laughing all the way to the bank.”

Brian van Rooyen, former president of SA Rugby

“Gentlemen, you look stiff. Please have a drink.”

Johan Prinsloo, chief executive of the SA Rugby Union at the welcome reception for the British & Irish Lions

“SA Rugby was in favour of and agreed to the distribution in three equal parts of the revenues from any future sale of rights to the Sanzar properties of Super Rugby and Tri-Nations as part of the Dublin agreement.”

Andy Marinos, acting managing director of SA Rugby and national teams manager

“When we negotiated the last broadcast deal in 2004, the Australasian unions wanted us to move the Currie Cup and settle for less than the 38% of the revenue. But we refused and walked out of the meeting and immediately boarded a plane to Singapore. By the time we arrived there, they had sent a fax saying they accepted our proposal.”

Brian van Rooyen, former president of SA Rugby commenting on SA Rugby conceding 5% of revenue to the Australia and New Zealand rugby unions

“There is no coach in the world who can make players, it is players who make the coach. I will be there to give the players direction, but if we lose we lose. We will never prepare to lose, but we do not have control over winning and losing.”

Peter de Villiers, Springbok head coach

“The bucket stops with the coach.”

Frans Ludeke, Blue Bulls head coach after defeating the Crusaders

“I think it is really exciting that we have a lot of players making their debuts. For young men such as Earls and Roberts it will be a day to remember and they will be thrilled to get an early taste of match action.”

Ian McGeechan, head coach of the British & Irish Lions

“The players know their roles and the combinations have been playing together for some time now, but the first Test will show whether we’re underdone or not.”

John Smit, Springbok captain

“I think the biggest lesson we learnt this year was how to win.”

Paul Treu, Springbok Sevens head coach after winning the Sevens World Series

“The difference between 2008 and 2009 was that we never before had a clear vision of where we want to go, but then we had that meeting in Sydney and we re-adjusted our goals for the next few years. We wanted to be the best in the world.”

Mzwandile Stick, Springbok Sevens captain

Then from SA Rugby’s very own brand new website with images of the Springboks in the “OLD” jersey comes the link:

I mention this only because they have spent about R30 million trying to bury the Southern Spears and there … ABRACADABRA … pops up on SA Rugby’s rejuvenated website recognition of the Southern Spears. See provincial links, middle column, and team 5.

Now don’t fire the web designer, acknowledge they got it right.

OUCH!