No Bees comments from Smit
Fri, 03 Sep 2010 14:11
John Smit fronting up to the media. (c) Gallo
Springbok captain John Smit on Friday skillfully sidestepped any references to murder accused Bees Roux.
Unlike his outspoken coach, Peter de Villiers, Smit would not entertain any questions relating to the Blue Bulls prop - who stands accused of having killed Pretoria Metro police officer Ntshimane Mogale last Friday.
De Villiers will be 'called in' by his employers for another talking to about his unprovoked statement earlier this week - with renewed rumours surfacing that he will indeed be fired, or at least hauled before a disciplinary hearing, for claiming that the Boks are "100 percent behind Roux".
However, Smit showed far more tact than De Villiers, when asked at his weekly captain's conference whether the Boks had discussed the matter and whether they were indeed 100 percent behind Roux.
"Stick to rugby," Smit told the media gathering in Bloemfontein, adding: "I know it's hard for you guys, but stick to rugby."
De Villiers's outrageous statement on Monday has angered a lot of people.
South African Rugby Union President Oregan Hoskins earlier this week told rugby365.com that there would be no disciplinary hearing for De Villiers, but that he would have another heart-to-heart with the Bok mentor.
However, on Friday persistent rumours suggested other members of the SARU Executive would not be as lenient and that De Villiers could be fired as early as Sunday... or at the very least face a disciplinary hearing.
According to a report on News24, at a memorial service for Mogale on Friday, the metro police regional director Moloko Racheku said he shuddered when De Villiers said that the Boks were 100 percent behind Roux.
Racheku said that one could conclude from the statement that the Springboks know something about the incident that the rest of the public doesn't.
He wanted to know what it was.
"The Springboks are a national team," said Racheku.
"My son and I are Springbok supporters. So were Mogale and his son. Mogale is also entitled to the Springboks supporting him."
Executive Director of policing Ndumiso Jaca said that he condemned the statement by De Villiers in the strongest terms.
He said that former president Nelson Mandela had used the Rugby World Cup in 1995 to unite people.
"We as black people told the white people to join us, but statements like that [the one by De Villiers] divides the nation," said Jaca.
Related articles:
* Bok coach hauled in for Bees comment
* Blue Bulls send Roux on leave
* Bulls prop Roux granted bail