When the boot is on the other foot

It did not take Harry Viljoen long did it? In fact less than two weeks. or there he was on Boots and All claiming that he did not recall saying something that had been attributed to him in a Press article.

Viljoen said he did not remember having told members of the media that the Boks were not professional enough and that he had been somewhat horrified by their general lack of skills and focus on the game that is their livelihood.

Now either Harry forgot what he said, or it was taken out of context or at least two different reporters on the beat in Buenos Aires are hallucinating.

Certainly, we had two different stories by two different reporters, one in English and one in Afrikaans, right here on Superrugby that put forward the coach's view that he had not been all that impressed by what he had seen from the Springboks in his first few days in charge of them.

It is lesson he will have to learn. Think what you say and remember what you say. You're dealing with people with people with trained memories who make notes of what you are saying and, because "I was misquoted" has become such a favourite cop-out of sports officials when their words come back to haunt them, carry around little tape recorders.

Revelations that certain of the black players were unhappy with the Springbok team's initiation rites must have brought a cynical smile to the countenance Nick Mallett - especially against the backdrop of a new coach doing and saying a lot of the things for he which he was crucified. things like too many Western Province players in the team; South Africa's standards have fallen behind those of the Aussies and that the Springboks are going to start playing a new brand of rugby.

Mallett must also have heaved a sigh of relief that he is no longer involved as a seemingly innocuous and innocent issue - the tradition of initiating new players - spiralled out of control. Certainly, Mallett would have experienced it often enough as an unguarded remark took on proportions and gave him problems he could never have envisaged.

At least Mallett is out of it. As sad as his demise might have been his few seasons as the coach followed by his subsequent joust with Sarfu have left him a wealthy man and put him in line for other lucrative positions.

Not so one of his lieutenants Alex Broun. The former media liaison man who was effectively fired for having tried to be loyal to Mallett got not big pay-out, has no suitors offering him lots of money for his services and has had to return to journalism.

In this capacity it seems Broun is going to be a considerable thorn in the side of Harry Viljoen, Sarfu and the man he described as a dictator, Rian Oberholzer.

Broun it was who lifted the lid on the Springboks' initiation ceremony and who drew attention to it again in Buenos Aires.

Having been privy to the innermost secrets of the workings of the Springbok team the Australian has plenty of behind the scenes insight and he seems intent on getting his own back on Sarfu and Oberholzer by using his laptop to put some of these items "on" the record.

The man who first became known to South Africa's rugby writing media at the post-World Cup Final press conference in 1995 when he questioned whether the constant playing of Leon Schuster's "Hier kom die Bokke," he pronounced it, "Here come dee Bockey," had given Francois Pienaar's men an unfair advantage, had a fraught relationship with the Cape Press and often clashed with Harry Viljoen's advisor Mark Keohane.

On that score he could well be of a mind to give Keohane some of his own medicine when it comes to sniping at the team and, given his treatment, who can blame him?

Already Broun has filed a significant story (to Rugby365) revealing that Gaffie du Toit is an orphan who was adopted by his parents before he was one year old - in it he fantastically speculates that Du Toit's father may have been a French rugby player - and one wonders what other little gems may be thrust into the spotlight from behind the green-and-gold curtain?

It might even get to the stage that Sarfu insist that Broun's media accreditation be revoked. Now wouldn't that be a turn-up for the books?