Despite the Springboks clinching the series against the British and Irish Lions last weekend, all the focus has been on the banter off the field. But let’s be honest, it’s pretty much been about Peter de Villiers and his, erm, colourful comments…

Div has been keeping the comment pages busy and the rugby world is certainly sitting up and taking notice, albeit for the wrong reasons, while the media is lapping it up. From his ‘God-given’ talent, to ‘not giving a damn’, the Bok coach continues to put his foot in it…

Take a look at a string of Div’s latest pearlers!

The second Test was a brutal affair with big hits and plenty of off-the-ball shenanigans as well. But the worst of it came when Schalk Burger got binned for eye-gouging… Div, bless him, attempted to defend the honour of his player, but got himself into more hot water for his troubles.

"Do we really respect the game? If not, why don't we all go to the nearest ballet shop and get some nice tutus, get a great dancing show going on, no eye-gouging, no tackling, no nothing and then we will all enjoy it."

"In this game there will be collisions and the guy who wins the collision, who goes in hardest, that's the guy we will select. I've looked at the TV footage, I'm still convinced there was nothing [Burger] did on purpose. He's an honourable man."

"I'm honoured to be part of this lovely game and I'm part of the system. I don't appoint disciplinary officers, I don't always agree with them, but if you don't want to be part of this system, create your own world."

"We have brilliant players in this country. We do not prepare them to do things you would see in the bush veld. If you want to eye-gouge a Lion, that is where you go." "I know Schalk Burger very well. He is a very physical rugby player and he likes to show who is the boss on a rugby field. I do not think he did it."

"Rugby is a contact sport - so is dancing. If you are clued up on this game, you will have seen ... there were so many incidents and he could have carded one of them for maliciously charging into a guy. We could have brought that to the attention of the citing commissioner but we did not because this game is a game to us and sometimes you get away with things."

Div is not known for his love of the media – local or foreign – and he clearly doesn’t care what they think either. The Bok coach has been labeled – among other things - the team’s weakest link, but you have to give him one thing: he knows how to take it on the chin…

"I am not disappointed in our media. Everyone in life has an opinion. I react to fact, not opinion. If I am the weakest link, then we are bloody strong.

"I have a God-given talent... I do not give a damn what the media think. People say we were lucky to win last Saturday. I describe luck as someone trying to hit you and missing. A game lasts 80 minutes and if you are ahead on the scoreboard at the end, it is down to character more than luck."

"I do not know how I am perceived and I do not care. When you close your eyes at night and know you have been honest with yourself and those around you, that is all you can ask for. I thank you for being interested in my job but I am not interested in yours."

"I'm a God-given talent, I'm the best thing I can be, so what you [the media] think doesn't bother me. I know what I am and don't care a damn."

Ah yes, the Bok coach continues to get himself into trouble at media gatherings, which makes it hard to understand why nobody is shielding, or coaching, him for such events. Needless to say we will be hearing plenty more from Div in the upcoming months with the Tri-Nations just around the corner…


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