He is the least fit looking....

During the Round 9 game between the NSW Waratahs and the SA provincial team the Cheetahs, one of the commentators described a Cheetahs prop as being the 'least fit looking....' etc etc.  This was after a mention of the fact that he has missed no games this year or similar.

Comments about how someone 'looks fit' do not help the cause of physical and athletic preparation. At one time i am sure the commentator (an ex-player) knew better than this, but unforunately he along with the majmority get caught up in the mainstream misconception that you can judge a persons 'fitness' to succeed in sport by their looks.

This only results in mis-guided focus on low body fat and bulging biceps, neither which are in my opinion correlated with success on the scoreboard.

Reminds me of the before and after photos used by the Wallabies conditioner in the lead up to the 1999 world cup.  I thought such dumb and misguided interpretations of preparedness for sport were limited to bodybuilding magazines....

Reds dream draw continues

If you wanted to win against SA teams from ANZ would you play their strongest teams in SA and their weakest team in Aust? No - you would play their weakest teams in SA and their strongest team in Aust, where SA teams winning is as rare as a LNP winning the state election in Queensland during the last 10 or more years.

The Reds played the Cheetahs first (11th placed out of 14 teams), then the Sharks next (12th placed out of 14 teams), and then the Lions (13th placed out of 14 teams. And the Lions will have just come back from their ANZ road trip, so they will be totally smashed. And possibly winless on the road.

The Super 14 committee could not have given the Reds a better draw to lose that losing feeling and join the middle ranks of the competition from the cellar where they have dwelled for almost a decade.

Hope for the Cheetahs

The achilles heel of South African rugby the Cheetahs are looking like they may win a few more games this year, with a 1-2 win loss start.