ROSEMARY ABBOTT | Sport
PUB FURY
Bernard “Bernie” Douglas, 72, has had a complete gutsful of the All Blacks coaching situation over the past week.
After Scott Robertson was sensationally sacked by NZ Rugby due to player feedback at the end of season review, Douglas has explained that if the AB’s actually just stopped being drama queens and focussed on tackling and winning test matches, then we wouldn’t have this situation.
“You don’t fire Razor, you fire half the support staff, give the players a ball, and tell ‘em to sort themselves out. If they can’t tackle a bloke who’s running at them like a charging bull, maybe rugby’s not the sport for them.” Bernie said, chugging back his third pint in a New Plymouth bar.
Bernie blamed the current situation on what he calls “over-sophisticated soft-football syndrome,” a crippling mix of excessive strategy meetings and too much “Bloody Tik-toking or whatever it’s called.” he said with his blood pressure rising.
“Back in my day, you didn’t need a sports psychologist, you needed a bloke beside you who could actually hold his own face steady while he made a tackle!”
As Bernie angrily ordered another drink he had one final word for our reporters.
“The All Blacks will keep spinning in circles until someone remembers that rugby is a game you play with your body, not your feelings. Stop whining about the coaching staff. Tackle properly. Win games. It’s not complicated.”
“And don’t get me started on what I think of the goons at NZ Rugby!”
More to come.
