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Rob Houwing’s ‘Tops on the Telly’ column
SuperSport’s decision not to send over their reasonably staple “tour tag team” of Matt Pearce and Bob Skinstad for the Springboks’ Grand Slam venture may have surprised some SuperSport viewers.
Instead Skinstad was a Randburg studio guest – alongside Ashwin Willemse and recent Currie Cup-winning captain Stefan Terblanche – during transmission from Dublin of the opening match against Ireland.
It meant that for English-language option we got the Irish commentary feed during live play, and I must say that in terms of objectivity we could have had few complaints – they were generous in recognising Bok dominance despite the closeness of the final score-line.
But now comes a slightly more acid test, perhaps: the BBC “firm” of Eddie Butler and Brian Moore from the Millennium Stadium this weekend.
Butler is crisp and orthodox and tends not to let any Welsh partiality – he played for them as a loose forward in the early 1980s – get in the way of his microphone work.
It is Moore who worries me a bit more in his bombastic “No 2” role: the fiery former England hooker hardly lacks an opinion, but I’ve often found him a touch too anti-South African, somehow.
It is not even as if he baits us in a tongue-in-cheek way, which would be easier to stomach.
But the solicitor, who apparently reads Shakespeare a lot but might do well to read up a bit more on Bok rugby too before he spouts off about it at times, has tended in the past to be critical of the blunt-instrument style of Bok play.
Which is a bit rich when he is a product of England eras (he wore their white from 1987 to 1995) often based on pragmatic, no-nonsense forward play!
Incidentally, the “official” line you will get from SuperSport about not sending their own troops to the UK and Ireland is that viewers might enjoy a fresh perspective from the local commentators.
Me, I can’t help suspecting cost-cutting was not exactly absent from the equation.
How do readers feel about getting the overseas feed?
Rob’s awesome foursome:
1. Pakistan v South Africa, 1st cricket Test
Dubai, from Friday 08:00, SS2
Once again, a strong degree of chaos reigns supreme in the Pakistani camp. Yet they are used to this phenomenon, and it does not significantly affect their ability to look a million dollars (OK, maybe I shouldn’t have introduced a currency theme at this sensitive juncture) from time to time. But they are also masters at surrendering strong positions, even if they seem well on top. The Proteas must be fancied to win the series and complete a 3-0 sweep across the various formats in the UAE. I’m hoping South Africa field both Paul Harris and Johan Botha, giving us another opportunity to judge for ourselves who our No 1 Test spinner deserves to be at present ...
2. Orlando Pirates v Kaizer Chiefs, Absa Premiership soccer
Soweto, Saturday 15:30, SS4, SS HD
Soccer City ought to be heaving once more when the Soweto super-clubs meet in their first league derby of the season. Chiefs may be a little irked that the Buccaneers already have some meaningful silverware in the cupboard this season, and will want to reinforce their superior status on the Premiership table thus far – they lie second to Pirates’ sixth. The immediate build-up to the grudge game was not ideal for either side in midweek: Chiefs lost their unbeaten record to Santos at home while Pirates were held to a humdrum 0-0 at AmaZulu. Note that this fixture is available to “HD snobs”!
3. Wales v South Africa, rugby Test match
Cardiff, Saturday 16:30, M-Net, SS1
Having done arguably the hardest yards of the entire tour by beating Ireland more convincingly than the score suggests last weekend, it will be a massive anti-climax to long-suffering Springbok fans if they blow this one. I don’t believe they will, given both form and track record against these foes. Nor should the “roof” issue be too much of a factor ... if it is open to the elements then the Bok pack will seek to repeat their rumbling efficiency against the Irish, while a dry pitch – supposedly to aid the Welsh outside backs – also means some snaking runs from Gio Aplon and company rather pleasantly enter the match-day radar. A southern-hemisphere refereeing take, in the form of Steve Walsh, bodes quite well too.
4. F1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, motorsport
Abu Dhabi, Sunday 15:00, SS1
A dice to the death ... it’s been a compelling F1 season and it all comes down to the final race in the Middle East for the drivers’ championship. Yes, it is a four-way tussle mathematically but I still think points-leader Fernando Alonso’s knowledge that first or second on the podium guarantees him the title is a powerful motivator. Of course the Yas Marina circuit only has a one-year F1 “history”, so drivers are hardly able to call it either a lucky charm or hoodoo venue – that just adds to the intrigue ahead of a likely grand finale. SS1 crosses to the race at 14:30 for build-up.
SuperSport’s decision not to send over their reasonably staple “tour tag team” of Matt Pearce and Bob Skinstad for the Springboks’ Grand Slam venture may have surprised some SuperSport viewers.
Instead Skinstad was a Randburg studio guest – alongside Ashwin Willemse and recent Currie Cup-winning captain Stefan Terblanche – during transmission from Dublin of the opening match against Ireland.
It meant that for English-language option we got the Irish commentary feed during live play, and I must say that in terms of objectivity we could have had few complaints – they were generous in recognising Bok dominance despite the closeness of the final score-line.
But now comes a slightly more acid test, perhaps: the BBC “firm” of Eddie Butler and Brian Moore from the Millennium Stadium this weekend.
Butler is crisp and orthodox and tends not to let any Welsh partiality – he played for them as a loose forward in the early 1980s – get in the way of his microphone work.
It is Moore who worries me a bit more in his bombastic “No 2” role: the fiery former England hooker hardly lacks an opinion, but I’ve often found him a touch too anti-South African, somehow.
It is not even as if he baits us in a tongue-in-cheek way, which would be easier to stomach.
But the solicitor, who apparently reads Shakespeare a lot but might do well to read up a bit more on Bok rugby too before he spouts off about it at times, has tended in the past to be critical of the blunt-instrument style of Bok play.
Which is a bit rich when he is a product of England eras (he wore their white from 1987 to 1995) often based on pragmatic, no-nonsense forward play!
Incidentally, the “official” line you will get from SuperSport about not sending their own troops to the UK and Ireland is that viewers might enjoy a fresh perspective from the local commentators.
Me, I can’t help suspecting cost-cutting was not exactly absent from the equation.
How do readers feel about getting the overseas feed?
Rob’s awesome foursome:
1. Pakistan v South Africa, 1st cricket Test
Dubai, from Friday 08:00, SS2
Once again, a strong degree of chaos reigns supreme in the Pakistani camp. Yet they are used to this phenomenon, and it does not significantly affect their ability to look a million dollars (OK, maybe I shouldn’t have introduced a currency theme at this sensitive juncture) from time to time. But they are also masters at surrendering strong positions, even if they seem well on top. The Proteas must be fancied to win the series and complete a 3-0 sweep across the various formats in the UAE. I’m hoping South Africa field both Paul Harris and Johan Botha, giving us another opportunity to judge for ourselves who our No 1 Test spinner deserves to be at present ...
2. Orlando Pirates v Kaizer Chiefs, Absa Premiership soccer
Soweto, Saturday 15:30, SS4, SS HD
Soccer City ought to be heaving once more when the Soweto super-clubs meet in their first league derby of the season. Chiefs may be a little irked that the Buccaneers already have some meaningful silverware in the cupboard this season, and will want to reinforce their superior status on the Premiership table thus far – they lie second to Pirates’ sixth. The immediate build-up to the grudge game was not ideal for either side in midweek: Chiefs lost their unbeaten record to Santos at home while Pirates were held to a humdrum 0-0 at AmaZulu. Note that this fixture is available to “HD snobs”!
3. Wales v South Africa, rugby Test match
Cardiff, Saturday 16:30, M-Net, SS1
Having done arguably the hardest yards of the entire tour by beating Ireland more convincingly than the score suggests last weekend, it will be a massive anti-climax to long-suffering Springbok fans if they blow this one. I don’t believe they will, given both form and track record against these foes. Nor should the “roof” issue be too much of a factor ... if it is open to the elements then the Bok pack will seek to repeat their rumbling efficiency against the Irish, while a dry pitch – supposedly to aid the Welsh outside backs – also means some snaking runs from Gio Aplon and company rather pleasantly enter the match-day radar. A southern-hemisphere refereeing take, in the form of Steve Walsh, bodes quite well too.
4. F1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, motorsport
Abu Dhabi, Sunday 15:00, SS1
A dice to the death ... it’s been a compelling F1 season and it all comes down to the final race in the Middle East for the drivers’ championship. Yes, it is a four-way tussle mathematically but I still think points-leader Fernando Alonso’s knowledge that first or second on the podium guarantees him the title is a powerful motivator. Of course the Yas Marina circuit only has a one-year F1 “history”, so drivers are hardly able to call it either a lucky charm or hoodoo venue – that just adds to the intrigue ahead of a likely grand finale. SS1 crosses to the race at 14:30 for build-up.
