Sailor's Snort Cuts Career Short

The biggest news today doesn't really surprise anyone, and nor does it relate to tomorrow night's game (I wonder if perhaps everyone has written off the Boks and is looking for something else to maintain our interest in the game?). Wendell Sailor has been sacked by the ARU and has seven days to decide whether or not he will appeal the decision and the consequent two year ban. For a full breakdown of events, including an interesting summary of Sailor's previous indiscretions, click here.

The decision, and the secret nature of the hearing conducted into the matter have generated a lot of comment and given the issue a lot of publicity. However, at the end of the day we are talking about a sportsman who took a drug that while illegal, isn't a performance enhancing drug as far as rugby is concerned (as far as I know). At 32 years of age, a two year ban will end his career in all probability, and he wasn't even cheating or harming anyone else (this time). Essentially he is paying the cost of being a role model, something that he isn't paid for and as far as I know never agreed to become. In any event, it is likely that we've seen the last of him on the football field, and while recently he hasn't been at his best, and arguably gave his best to NRL, it is a shame to lose a star in this way.

Elsewhere the Tri-Nations is still getting some attention. As anticipated the "Beware the Wounded Bok" call has come out, along with some interesting reports about 'old school' Springbok training sessions this week where the players have been "smashing" each other. Let's hope it helps as the last thing we want is another thrashing of the 3rd team in the Tri Nations. Maybe they will be able to smash the All Blacks, fairly of course, and get some intensity going that was sorely missing from the game in Brisbane. If not, the Africans will struggle for the rest of the competition. For the report on the training, click here.

Sam Tuitupou is getting his share of media attention in the lead up to the game. He is stepping into some big shoes, replacing Mauger in the second five position for the weekend match. At least he is paired up with his Chiefs Team mate Mils Muliaina, the centre getting his second start in the position, something of a rarity in these days of rotation policies for positions in the build up to World Cup 2007. For more on that, basically a rehash of comments made earlier this week, click here.

The hair pulling continues in the Republic, although this time it is their own hair (for a change). The loss continues to dominate coverage of the game this weekend, and doubtless the pressure will be affecting the players. It remains to be seen if they can turn this into proper motivation. For an analysis of the game, click here. I would question the comments made by White in this article about blooding new players as it seems to have been a relatively recent theme in the comments he has been making. If he was interested in blooding new players, surely the number 8 who played against Aussie would have stayed in the side? For a real hair puller, and surely a beat up if ever read one, click here.

Right now I just can't wait for the game to start. I think that just about every angle of the match in anticipation must have been covered and really it comes down to this: Can the Boks pull finger and play like they used to? Hard, tough, fighting men who weren't afraid to put a bit of stick about. The Wallabies made them look old, fat, tired, and punch drunk like an ageing prize fighter who has gone a few too many fights, hoping against hope that the old one two combination that set up his title shot and ultimately won him the belt will work for him just one last time... White's insistence that the rush defence just needs to be executed properly after failing so badly last week smacks of a failure to appreciate the evolution of the game and the All Blacks are deserved favourites...let's hope the wheels don't fall off! Click here for more on White's comments concerning the rush defence.

Enjoy the match!