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Rob Houwing’s TV sport column
I try to make a point of watching the New Zealand rugby chat show Re:Union on Thursday nights.
It tends to be flighted on SS1 not long after Boots & All, making for a decent double-header in the lead-up to weekend hostilities in the Super 14, especially.
I’ve progressively come around to the view that Tony “TJ” Johnson, the affable, entertaining and highly articulate anchor, is about the best beacon you could wish for in terms of neutrality as well.
Of course he calls matches, too, and I can think of a few commentators from the other SANZAR regions – but most notably Australia! – who could learn a lesson or two from his non-parochial approach.
His method appears to have rubbed off quite well on a few colleagues in New Zealand, some of whom tended to be a bit one-eyed a few years ago but have softened substantially.
Johnson is certainly a big – and key – “presence” as host of Re:Union and quality humour is seldom far away from his game-plan, even when he is steering conversation on pretty serious flashpoints.
New Zealanders, generally, have been doffing their hats quite generously of late to the pace-setting South African franchises in the Super 14, the Bulls and Stormers.
I feared, for instance, a massive bout of fury from the Land of the Long White Cloud after the Crusaders got some bouts of rough justice (certainly my view) from referee Marius Jonker in their 40-35 defeat to the Bulls at Loftus, but it was rather more muted than I’d expected.
For those who watch Re:Union, one of the highlights is Johnson’s closing summary on a burning issue of the day – he rattles it off so crisply and with such conviction that you’d fancy him to be Prime Minister within six weeks if he ever pursued a career in politics!
It’s a shame that, in terms of taking a worldly stance on things, Aussie commentary counterpart Phil Kearns doesn’t take a leaf from TJ’s book.
I quite like ex-Wallaby No 2 “Kearnsey’s” tongue-in-cheek style and staunch advocacy of those singular beasts they call hookers, but he is one of the most biased men behind the mike for almost unashamedly pro-Australian sentiment – especially when teams from that country are up against South African opponents.
You can bank on every borderline forward pass in a South African attacking move not escaping his critique, while a more glaring one the other way around invariably goes by without a peep.
Greg “Marto” Martin is another “the Aussie way must be the right way” culprit, but as an ex-Reds player at least he sometimes gets so wrapped up in how the Brisbane-based outfit are faring that he might crucify the Waratahs, Force or Brumbies with similar fervour to the Cheetahs or Sharks!
I would pitch several of South Africa’s leading commentators about halfway between the table-topping Kiwis and wooden-spoon Aussies on the impartiality barometer, but single out Matthew Pearce (English) and John van Rensburg (Afrikaans) as standout examples of those locally who tend to call it straight, fair and true.
What do readers reckon?
Rob’s awesome foursome:
1. Stormers v Bulls, Vodacom Super 14 rugby
Cape Town, Saturday 17:05, SS1, SS HD & M-Net
I know there are those ruing the fact that we’re missing out on the keenly-awaited full-strength clash between these sides … but with a bit of luck that remains no more than a fortnight away, in the final! The Bulls fielding mostly a “B-team” doesn’t take too much of the testosterone away: when is a game featuring Bakkies Botha ever less than spicy? And it ought to be fascinating to weigh up just how much depth the champions actually have. Personally, I suspect the Stormers will return to their own A-game and tee up a home semi-final reasonably comfortably after a tough first half-hour or so …
2. Chelsea v Portsmouth, FA Cup soccer final
London, Saturday 16:00, SS3 & M-Net HD
If you’re a neutral like me for this year’s showpiece (up at Newcastle we already have our silverware for the season, thanks) I’m pretty sure your heart is with relegated Pompey – heavy underdogs and featuring Bafana captain Aaron Mokoena. Your head, of course, will be saying “Chelsea”, with Messrs Drogba and company hungrily targeting the domestic double and possibly even set to achieve it with an avalanche of goals, when you consider that 8-0 whuppin’ of Wigan last Sunday. But Portsmouth don’t lack on-field bottle despite the club crisis, and can certainly resist a cricket score.
3. ICC World Twenty20 cricket final
Bridgetown, Sunday 17:30, SS2, CSN & SABC3
This was written before the England v Sri Lanka and Australia v Pakistan semis, so I can’t make a prediction on the outcome of the showpiece encounter. I suspect some miffed Proteas fans will switch the telly off to avoid reminders of “what might have been” … but maybe we should monitor the respective finalists for hints on the correct way ahead for South African T20 strategy and team make-up. A reminder that the Proteas open their full West Indies tour with … you guessed it, a T20I against Chris Gayle and company in Antigua on Wednesday!
4. F1 Monaco Grand Prix motorsport
Monte Carlo, Sunday 14:00, SS1 & SS Maximo
My mostly ho-hum thoughts on F1 won’t be repeated here, suffice to say that this is one GP I do keep a healthy half-eye on. As much as anything else it is a great television spectacle, snaking as it does tightly and twistily through the seaside streets of the rich and famous of “Monte”. I could melt into the Med lifestyle, if I had the means. Jenson Button, the defending F1 champion driver, sports a narrow, three-point lead over Fernando Alonso and would relish a repeat of his triumph here last year.
I try to make a point of watching the New Zealand rugby chat show Re:Union on Thursday nights.
It tends to be flighted on SS1 not long after Boots & All, making for a decent double-header in the lead-up to weekend hostilities in the Super 14, especially.
I’ve progressively come around to the view that Tony “TJ” Johnson, the affable, entertaining and highly articulate anchor, is about the best beacon you could wish for in terms of neutrality as well.
Of course he calls matches, too, and I can think of a few commentators from the other SANZAR regions – but most notably Australia! – who could learn a lesson or two from his non-parochial approach.
His method appears to have rubbed off quite well on a few colleagues in New Zealand, some of whom tended to be a bit one-eyed a few years ago but have softened substantially.
Johnson is certainly a big – and key – “presence” as host of Re:Union and quality humour is seldom far away from his game-plan, even when he is steering conversation on pretty serious flashpoints.
New Zealanders, generally, have been doffing their hats quite generously of late to the pace-setting South African franchises in the Super 14, the Bulls and Stormers.
I feared, for instance, a massive bout of fury from the Land of the Long White Cloud after the Crusaders got some bouts of rough justice (certainly my view) from referee Marius Jonker in their 40-35 defeat to the Bulls at Loftus, but it was rather more muted than I’d expected.
For those who watch Re:Union, one of the highlights is Johnson’s closing summary on a burning issue of the day – he rattles it off so crisply and with such conviction that you’d fancy him to be Prime Minister within six weeks if he ever pursued a career in politics!
It’s a shame that, in terms of taking a worldly stance on things, Aussie commentary counterpart Phil Kearns doesn’t take a leaf from TJ’s book.
I quite like ex-Wallaby No 2 “Kearnsey’s” tongue-in-cheek style and staunch advocacy of those singular beasts they call hookers, but he is one of the most biased men behind the mike for almost unashamedly pro-Australian sentiment – especially when teams from that country are up against South African opponents.
You can bank on every borderline forward pass in a South African attacking move not escaping his critique, while a more glaring one the other way around invariably goes by without a peep.
Greg “Marto” Martin is another “the Aussie way must be the right way” culprit, but as an ex-Reds player at least he sometimes gets so wrapped up in how the Brisbane-based outfit are faring that he might crucify the Waratahs, Force or Brumbies with similar fervour to the Cheetahs or Sharks!
I would pitch several of South Africa’s leading commentators about halfway between the table-topping Kiwis and wooden-spoon Aussies on the impartiality barometer, but single out Matthew Pearce (English) and John van Rensburg (Afrikaans) as standout examples of those locally who tend to call it straight, fair and true.
What do readers reckon?
Rob’s awesome foursome:
1. Stormers v Bulls, Vodacom Super 14 rugby
Cape Town, Saturday 17:05, SS1, SS HD & M-Net
I know there are those ruing the fact that we’re missing out on the keenly-awaited full-strength clash between these sides … but with a bit of luck that remains no more than a fortnight away, in the final! The Bulls fielding mostly a “B-team” doesn’t take too much of the testosterone away: when is a game featuring Bakkies Botha ever less than spicy? And it ought to be fascinating to weigh up just how much depth the champions actually have. Personally, I suspect the Stormers will return to their own A-game and tee up a home semi-final reasonably comfortably after a tough first half-hour or so …
2. Chelsea v Portsmouth, FA Cup soccer final
London, Saturday 16:00, SS3 & M-Net HD
If you’re a neutral like me for this year’s showpiece (up at Newcastle we already have our silverware for the season, thanks) I’m pretty sure your heart is with relegated Pompey – heavy underdogs and featuring Bafana captain Aaron Mokoena. Your head, of course, will be saying “Chelsea”, with Messrs Drogba and company hungrily targeting the domestic double and possibly even set to achieve it with an avalanche of goals, when you consider that 8-0 whuppin’ of Wigan last Sunday. But Portsmouth don’t lack on-field bottle despite the club crisis, and can certainly resist a cricket score.
3. ICC World Twenty20 cricket final
Bridgetown, Sunday 17:30, SS2, CSN & SABC3
This was written before the England v Sri Lanka and Australia v Pakistan semis, so I can’t make a prediction on the outcome of the showpiece encounter. I suspect some miffed Proteas fans will switch the telly off to avoid reminders of “what might have been” … but maybe we should monitor the respective finalists for hints on the correct way ahead for South African T20 strategy and team make-up. A reminder that the Proteas open their full West Indies tour with … you guessed it, a T20I against Chris Gayle and company in Antigua on Wednesday!
4. F1 Monaco Grand Prix motorsport
Monte Carlo, Sunday 14:00, SS1 & SS Maximo
My mostly ho-hum thoughts on F1 won’t be repeated here, suffice to say that this is one GP I do keep a healthy half-eye on. As much as anything else it is a great television spectacle, snaking as it does tightly and twistily through the seaside streets of the rich and famous of “Monte”. I could melt into the Med lifestyle, if I had the means. Jenson Button, the defending F1 champion driver, sports a narrow, three-point lead over Fernando Alonso and would relish a repeat of his triumph here last year.
