Post-game talk out of Africa catches the eye
The South Africa rugby coach produced that rarity last weekend, the interesting post-game press conference after the Springboks had beaten the Lions in the second test, when he suggested that trying to flip someone’s eyes out of their sockets was in fact part of the game of rugby.
Predictably, the remarks caused some annoyance, with Lions coaching staff and players quick to condemn the comments; presumably Luke Fitzgerald, the Lion who had enjoyed Schalk Burger’s attempts to get a pesky speck of grime off his eyeball, didn’t appreciate them much either. (Lest you think we’re making light of Fitzgerald’s experiences, take this as a side order of perspective: Schalk Burger is about six foot four, and as a professional rugby player has spent many years lifting weights as a matter of course. As a matter of specifics, he has probably pursued a specialised exercise regime to increase the power of his grip and finger strength for tackling purposes. That speck never stood a chance.)
