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Referee Jaco Peyper felt he had to reprimand two Springboks during last night’s United Rugby Championship (URC) derby between the Bulls and the Sharks in Durban.
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The C Cell Sharks fought their way to a 30-16 victory over the Bulls as the URC belatedly made its debut on South African soil on Friday.
Tension boiled over at times, with the current and former Springbok No.2s getting stuck into each other.
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Peyper eventually lost patience with both Bulls’ hooker Bismarck du Plessis and current Springboks and C Cell Sharks hooker Bongi Mbonambi at the Jonsson Kings Park Stadium.
During a pause in play he called the players over for a brief dressing down.
“I need both hookers,” said Peyper. “Cheers lads, I know you’re captain now [he said to Du Plessis]. The both of you, you speak to the officials at the moment, like you have no respect for us.
“It’s both of you. I know you’re big characters and good players, both Springboks, so please, come back to your values.”
Laying down the law 😤
Things are getting heated between Bongi and Bismarck and Jaco Peyper asks both hookers to 'come back to the values".
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— SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) December 3, 2021
“It was always going to be a ding-dong battle, and it’s always going to be a little spicy as well – you’re talking about two teams who have played each other many times in big games,” Bulls head coach Jake White said after the game. “So, it was going to be no different this week.”
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Meanwhile, the SA Rugby match official panels for 2022 were confirmed on Friday, with 22 referees named on the National Panel following a virtual selection and grading meeting by the SA Rugby Referees Department and the South African Rugby Referees Association Executive.
National Panel: Christopher Allison, Aimee Barrett-Theron, Johre Botha, Griffin Colby, Morne Ferreira, Stephan Geldenhuys, AJ Jacobs, Cwengile Jadezweni, Jaco Kotze, Mpho Matsaung, Pumzile Mbewu, Ruhan Meiring, Paul Mente, Vusi Msibi, Sean Muller, Bulelani Naka, Dylen November, Jaco Peyper, Rasta Rasivhenge, Archie Sehlako, Divan Uys, Marius van der Westhuizen.
Women’s Panel: Angelic Bezuidenhout, Cameron Dyers, Yohane Halgryn, Maria Mabote, Siyanda Pikoli, Akhona Mncolomba, Ashleigh Murray-Pretorius, Tshepi Moropa, Zoe Naude, Bulela Qwane, Giana Viljoen.
Sevens Squad: Morne Ferreira, AJ Jacobs, Ashleigh Murray-Pretorius.
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TMO Panel: Stuart Berry, Ben Crouse, Christie du Preez, Quinton Immelman, Marius Jonker, Egon Seconds.
– additional reporting PA
Both Springboks, both Captains. And with the national coach leading the way in driving rugby to the degenerate state that is the round ball game, this is just a case of Captains following the General. Rassie Erasmus should be stepped down for his breaking of the code, and then doubling down on his outburst. Between himself and Eddie Jones, they have, and are, ushering in the change in how all players are behaving, whether it is sniping targeting of opposition players in the media or just plain calling the Ref a cheat. I think it is disgusting, and I can't wait for the pair of them to move on from the game. So long as whoever comes after them realise this shit needs to stop.