Heyneke Meyer certainly hasn’t changed the Boks much for the better since taking over from Peter de Villiers after last year’s World Cup – that much can be seen pretty clearly in a string of results that’s delivered some uninspiring play at home and nothing resembling an away win yet either.
As a stickler for discipline, though, one had hoped that under his leadership the Boks may, at least, manage to shake off one of their less-favourable tags, that of the sport’s bad boys when it comes to maintaining discipline and playing a clean game. Much though we may not want to admit it, the tale of Bok rugby, since readmission, has been littered with incidents of indiscipline and foul play, with Johan le Roux’s ear-biting antics in New Zealand, James Small’s dissent in Australia and Jannes Labuschagne’s coat-hanger tackle on Jonny Wilkinson at Twickenham some of the more (or less) memorable ones. That’s not even to bring up the “victimised” Bakkies Botha, who collected so many yellow cards during his international career that he could probably paper his bedroom walls with them…
Botha’s successor, Eben Etzebeth, set the tone for yet another controversial tour against Australia two weeks ago, with a stupid headbutt (whether mock or otherwise) in full view of the cameras, which earned him a two-week ban. The madness continued in Dunedin on Saturday, with Bulls prop Dean Greyling yellow carded and later cited for a reckless forearm charge at a ruck; further increasing the sense of outrage was the way that Greyling – nicknamed “MacGuyver”, although appearing far less clever than his namesake – appeared to specifically target All Black captain Richie McCaw.
Greyling has now also received a two-week ban – a rather lenient one of the “court of public opinion” is to be believed – and without necessarily endorsing this view personally, the general consensus “out there” seems to be that this is just another case of a Bulls player who probably didn’t really deserve to be there in the first place who has gone on to let the team down. Let’s not forget that the Bok forwards were well in control of this game and had Morne Steyn been able to actually kick something, or Greyling not disrupted the effort with his silly ejection, we may have been talking about a very different mood this week.
Heyneke Meyer needs to get a grip of this situation – and fast – and he can at least start do so by implementing a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to foul play. The Boks always seem to be just a little bit short of respect when we face other sides away from home and I feel that it’s time to turn our collective backs on this unfortunate history of dirty play that tends to follow us around whenever we’re on tour. Stop the rot, Heyneke. Chuck Greyling and Etzebeth out of your squad and lay down the law.
It’s long overdue in Bok rugby.
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Greyling must never appear in a Bok jersey again
I was hoping for a longer suspension
I’m also hoping for longer suspensions than this for Sinclair and Holmes. Foul play like this has no place in rugby.
Really Rob? Etzebeth?
And replace him with who exactly?
Also, its not as if Bismarck or Jannie has never earned a stupid yellow card and in the process let their team down
Yuss, Rob when you have it in for someone you REALLY have it in for someone.
I agree chuck them out but not for ever. Everyone can be replaced. Maybe not with the same quality but i would rather have a clean player than an arrogant dirty one. And watching etzbeth that is the first time i have seen him do something dirty.
Only a 2 week ban of Greyling. This guy should get a lifetime ban from ever appearing for the Boks! That was the worst and most shamful display from a Springbok I have ever seen! An example needs to be set, if not for the team then for the youngsters in this country. SARU get him a contract in Japan…or preferably Nothern Russia!
Etzebeth was unlucky to get two weeks. To me it looked like he was feigning a headbutt and misjudged it a little. If he had really wanted to headbutt him, Sharpe would have been complaining to the ref from a horizontal position on the turf.
How Greyling’s scum-sucking coward job on McCaw supposedly compares to what Etzebeth “did” is incomprehensible.
chuck etzebeth out, for what? he didn’t even touch sharpey!
Etzebeth surely not,Dean Greyling is probably the 2nd best loosehead we have,but I agree,pathetic performance in the Bok jersey. I personally miss Guthro,what a player
@Ludz (Comment 9) : Really? Greyling the second best loosehead we have?He did have a loose head doing what he did!Inexcusable.If he is the second best, what about Cilliers,Herbst,Harris,Adriaanse,BJ Botha,JCJ van Rensburg?
Guthro even.Coenie (when he is fit)or even CJ are better. 
@markm (Comment 10) :
I’m quite sure you have your props mixed up!
All those players you mention are tight heads!!
so it’s fine to ban Greyling (some say “for life”) for what he did, but somehow Etzebeth is a protected species? Explain that one, please?
Let’s make this very clear
the best loosehead is guthro he is far superior in the scrums to even the beast ok but he’s not going to play for us again not for atleast this year !! Next to the beast our best is probebley coenie but he’s looked at as a tighthead greyling is not bad he’s like all his bulls players have no disipline ! I would call up jc janse van rensburg reasoning for that is he’s captain of lions and go watch the lions scrum they push every pack pack!!! When coenie is fit he would be my back up plus cj they both utilty props!!!!! I’m sure sum1 like bj botha or heinke would come olay but that should be last resort
@wpw (Comment 11) : I know, but they are all quite capable of playing & have played at loosehead
Just used it as an example of the amount of players ahead of Greyling?
@robdylan (Comment 12) : Rob,I agree.When players are banned for spear tackles(for instance) for a period of time,very few people say they need to be banned for life. Why is this different? An offence was committed a punishment (very lenient IMO)was imposed by judicial council. Further sanctions can be imposed by team management if they deem necessary.Why is one player a better “person” than the other that committed an offence?Having a momentary lapse of reason (in layman’s terms – brain-fart!)is no excuse.
@robdylan (Comment 12) : Greyling is a Bull and Etzebeth is only a Stormer and/or Greyling is a bully whereas Etzebeth had a brainfart
But seriously, both should get the same treatment.
@robdylan (Comment 12) : etzebeth was cited and punished for handbags gone wrong, greyling went in there to moer mccaw, no ambiguity about it…
Not saying it was right or anything, but I found some personal enjoyment in that moment when Dean’s arm connected Richy’s face. He has been asking for it for a while now
Etzebeth’s offence is hardly comparable.
Greying was channelling Corne Krige.
This idiot should not have been close to a Bok call up in the first place.
Greyling has proven in Super rugby and CC that he does not command the mental strength to keep it clean. He is still a rookie in Springbok colors and is already showing similar dirty playing styles as he was shown by him in SR and CC – don’t expect him to get better.
Beside this, he gave away three penalties and missed a try scoring tackle and knocked the ball in a lineout on the 5m line after it was thrown straight at him – for this alone he should be dropped from Springbok duty.
Etzebeth though should not/ and did not escape disciplinary action, but this was the first time that he fell into the dirty play trap, and we all know that Sharpe is a master at getting under the skin of the opposition.
@Megatron (Comment 16) : so it’s fine to pretend to headbutt, but not to actually do it?
Crazy logic.
@robdylan (Comment 21) :
Very harsh on Eben. What Greyling did was much worse. Flew in with leading elbow and actually connected.
Cant believe the 2 incidents recieved the same punishment.
More importantly, when is JP coming back from injury?
@robdylan (Comment 21) : When a punch doesn´t land it isn´t punished. Why should it be different for a mock headbutt? It´s normal rugby logic.
@robdylan (Comment 21) : hey man, it was handbags, you’re blowing it out of proportion
get a grip.
Eben really doesn’t deserve to be dropped,not at all
@Megatron (Comment 24) : so the judicial officer was wrong to assess it “as meeting the red card threshold for foul play”?
@robdylan (Comment 26) : yes Rob, because everything is always so black and white with the citing process. If it really was so damn offensive, how come he got a 1 game ban when head-butts usually receive at minimum 4-week one?
Really now, off your high horse. We’ve seen plenty worse from established players with plenty experience, Eben has a clean record and for me that was just a misplaced attempt at intimidation.
@robdylan (Comment 26) : moving on, as molly said, alight off the steed…you’re being officious and it’s unbefitting.
I think the discipline issues are a direct result of lack of leadership in the pack which is likely linked with the lack of experience. It may be due to the misfortune of losing Bizmark, Schalk and Spies but I do believe HM needs to bring in more experienced forwards.
What happened to Johann Muller? I was under the impression he was being considered for selection for the England tests after an excellent season overseas. Has he just dropped off the radar completely?
Greyling came on after Brain’s try.(50 mins) 8 – 5 to Boks. He was yellow carded — 10 mins — then gave away numerous offside penalties 2 which were converted. Disgraceful.
@Big Fish (Comment 18) :
You are exactly right Rob. I think the Bok coach should simply double the suspension of any cited player. The judiciary gives you two weeks, you’re out for four, regardless of who or how important you are.
I don’t expect it to happen though, foul and dirty play are too deeply embedded in SA rugby culture. You may see it for yourself up here in the comments, the fans only gets mad at a player if he gets caught and costs us the game.
@fyndraai (Comment 32) : No no, not SA rugby cultuture, Bulls and Streamers/Proooblem rugby – it’s no surprise that the cited players are from these two sides
FireTheLooser
Jitte maar jy kan darem stront praat.
@FireTheLooser (Comment 33) :
Crap.
How many cards and penalties has Jannie alone given away? S.A. rugby needs to clean this up.
@FireTheLooser (Comment 33) : interestingly from your comment I actually went and did research (from SR this year) for interest sake and it does seem SA is the worst at dirty play (with the Stormers being the cleanest I might add
):
Sharks 7 yellows:
Sykes x2, Bismark x1, Burden x1, Frans x1, Botes x1, Skeate x1
Bulls 1xred, 5 yellows:
Hougaard 1red, Greyling x2, Flip x2, Potgieter x1
Cheetahs 5 yellows:
Andries x2, Le Roux x2, Goosen x1
Lions 5 yellows:
Butch x1, Deon v Rensburg x1, Minnie x1, Franco x1, Mapoe x1
Stormers 4 yellows:
Elstadt x2, Malherbe x1, Liebenberg x1
Highlanders: 5 yellows
Hurricanes: 4 yellows
Crusaders: 4 yellows
Blues: 3 yellows
Chiefs: 2 yellows
Waratahs: 6 yellows
Rebels: 4 yellows
Force: 3 yellows
Reds: 2 yellows
Brumbies: 1 yellow
@molly (Comment 36) : Now see how the Sharks dealt with their players…
….posting Sykes to the Kings, breaking Bismark’s knee cap with a baseball bat, sending Burden to the Boks to carry tackle bags, allowing Steyn to look like the worst inside centre by forcing him to play for the Boks next to Morné, and Skeate got a one way ticket to France….
Now that’s how a union should lead by example.
@Big Fish (Comment 35) : Ja but Jannie was programmed by the tjietas, it’s hardcoded into his dna to implode every now and again.
Not unlike Uli, Jannie at least he makes up for his short comings by repaying his debts to mankind through being a doctor
@molly (Comment 36) : Here’s one that nobody has obviously seen
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zS5e9CL8aGg&feature=related
Is that Etsebeth there in the background fighting? Can’t be
@fyndraai (Comment 32) : you’re spot on… and this “playing the victim” crap just further reinforces the impression that we honestly don’t think we’re doing anything wrong.
Never rated him, good thing he wont be able to play for 2 weeks, hope Coenie would be back for next week