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'The fire just ran up into the canister, the canister fell and the petrol fell over their legs'
Springboks head coach Jacques Nienaber has defended fire put duo Damian de Allende and RG Snyman, claiming that he understands from his own experience of living in Ireland the accident that occurred last when the pair were socialising with Munster’s CJ Stander and Mike Haley.
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All four were taken to hospital after suffering burns and rather than attach any blame to anyone for the incident, Nienaber reasoned what took place was an unfortunate accident and nothing else. The new Springboks boss worked in Munster some years ago as defence coach when Rassie Erasmus was director of rugby at the Irish province and he explained the dynamics of what had unfortunately unfolded in Limerick for de Allende and co.
“It’s not ideal,” he said when quizzed about the issue during a virtual midweek Springboks media briefing from Bloemfontein. “But it’s not something we can control and that is why people call it an accident. For me being in Ireland, I understand what happened.
“To put it in context, it rains a little bit more in Ireland than in South Africa and even in Ireland when I was there if you wanted to use wood fire on a brai or sit in front a wood fire like we do in South Africa if you miss home a little bit, I did the same. I took a little bit of petrol and threw it on top of the wood to light it because otherwise the wood is wet and you can’t get it burning.
“I did it the same way everybody does it over there and accidents happen. They explained it to me and it makes perfect sense. The fire just ran up into the canister and the canister fell and the petrol fell over their legs, but it’s superficial burns and thanks goodness for that.
SuperSport have been speaking to the South African midfielder about what frighteningly happened in Munster last Saturday #Springboks #LionsRugby https://t.co/XBOczFLQKe
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) June 8, 2021
“I have worked in a burns unit as a physio for three years so I understand the pain and I said to them I understand the road you guys are going to walk now and good luck with that, but luckily it’s superficial. It’s very unfortunate and I feel for them. It could have been way worse – there could have been kids that caught fire.
“Accidents happen like that. I’m just thankful they are fine and it’s not going to be a lasting or a deep scaring thing and they are going to get through it. Is it ideal for me as the head coach? No, I would have loved them to be fine and to train and all that but unfortunately it is an accident and it happened and we just have to try now to make plans to get them into the mix as quickly as possible while looking after their welfare and well-being.”
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Haley and the soon-to-retire Stander were said to be potentially returning to Munster training this week ahead of their match away to Zebre despite burns to their hands, but de Allende and Snyman would not be training any time soon after suffering more substantial burns to their legs, hands and face. The Springboks pair were due to visit their burns specialist again on Friday, after which Nienaber should learn when exactly de Allende and Snyman will be travelling to the southern hemisphere to link up with the South African squad.
“I spoke to both of them and they are fine, which is the most important thing, and their families are fine. They are seeing the specialist that looks after their burns and whenever he clears them to fly they will be on a plane coming back to us, bearing in mind that just gives them a couple of days to get the logistics sorted out in terms of booking the flight.
“Will they be able to play against Georgia? Currently, as I am sitting here if everything goes according to plan, I think they will. The challenge is if they get an infection or if for some medical reason they can’t fly to us as soon as possible which makes it a little more challenging. In terms of that, we will have to be adaptable and it’s something we can’t unfortunately control.
“It is going to be determined by how quick their wounds heal and when they can get on a plane, come over here and start training again. That can be anything between two and four weeks. We just have to wait and see but currently sitting here I’m a very optimistic guy and they will be good to go from a burns perspective.
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“For RG from his knee perspective, there is a lot of things we will have to assess when he gets here, our selection protocol and then physical readiness. There are a few boxes that need to get ticks those then we look at his rugby.”
Wednesday is D-Day for Vermeulen and his Lions tour chances #Springboks #LionsRugbyhttps://t.co/f6GTTei9Dp
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) June 9, 2021
Comments on RugbyPass
To me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
30 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
2 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
30 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
30 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
30 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
30 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
30 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
1 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to commentsChances of Blackadder being injured seem too high to give him serious consideration. ABs loosie combination finally looked good with 2 committed to tackling and clearing rucks in the centre and Ardie roaming. Hoskins/Ardie together would force one of them into where they don’t excel and don’t get to use their talent, or require a change in tactics. If we continue to evolve last years systems I would take Papali’i and Finau at 6 and 7 (conceding that Blackadder will be injured) and Ardie at 8.
30 Go to commentsArdie’s preferred position 7? Where do they get these writers from? I've no idea where he's playing in Japan, but the previous two seasons he wore the 7 jersey exactly twice.
17 Go to commentsNot good to hear Ulster described as “financially troubled”. Did not think it was getting to that level. I would hope the Irish system of spreading players of talent away from Leinster would kick in now. Better to have a Leinster fringe player with Ulster or Connacht, then getting only a few games a season in Dublin. 10, for example, would seem to be a case for spreading the talent. I would not be at all adverse to a SA man coming in as head coach/DR. Ludeke is worth trying. Certainly got a long and impressive coaching career at this level…..149 games in SR, then Japan, 30 years experience. And Ulster’s ledger of successful SA coaches and players is on the positive side. Is talk of Ruan Pienaar interested in coming back as a coach…..could be a good combination with Ludeke. And Pienaar and family would have no settling in to do, one would judge. He loved life in Ulster when there, by all reports.
1 Go to commentsSome thoughts to consider here, Sam. Thanks
2 Go to commentsI think he is right, SBW is respected in RSA. The guy who never stood up is a worm. Sseems lots of NZ SBW hate, you do the crime do the time.
17 Go to comments