Fitzpatrick slams 'poor old Earl Rose'
Tue, 06 May 2008 09:15
Legendary All Black hooker Sean Fitzpatrick has blasted the Lions, and specifically Earl Rose, after their dismal Super 14 showing against the Hurricanes last weekend.
Fitzpatrick watched the Hurricanes hammer the Lions in Wellington at the weekend and launched a savage attack on the South African players.
"It's pretty disappointing to see the Lions perform like this," Fitzpatrick told Independent Newspaper's Peter Bills.
"Those guys should be handing back their pay cheques after that performance.
"We always used to fear the old Transvaal when we went there and played them - more so than any other province. So it's pretty disappointing to see them like this. It was a poor performance," he said bluntly.
Fitzpatrick reserved special criticism for Lions fullback Earl Rose, who had a shocking game.
His suicidal run from behind his own try-line and subsequent hospital pass to Joe van Niekerk which was stolen from the No.8 by Hurricanes hooker Andrew Hore for a try, summed up Rose's day.
Fitzpatrick's summary of the hapless Rose was less than complementary.
"Poor old Earl Rose. He looked like he got his pay cheque from the Hurricanes," joked Fitzpatrick.
But the Lions weren't the only team experience the wrath of Fitzpatrick.
The Highlanders, who won only their second game of the competition against the Cheetahs last Friday, had not impressed the former All Black skipper in the least.
"It doesn't look as though they're good enough," he said.
"It doesn't seem as though the players are there for a fifth New Zealand provincial team," he concluded.
