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[2018 Rugby Championship] Round 6: South Africa v New Zealand (06/10/2018)

Is reason not a reliable source? I thought stuff.co.nz was a reliable source?
Stuff can be (and should be) a reliable source, but as it is with modern media they all hire at least one troll.

Stuff is Fairfax NZ, who own roughly 50% of NZ newspapers. So it has historic credibility .... but you all know the economics facing modern print media.

Mark Reason is not a reliable source. Although he may slip in 2 out of 10 serious articles to keep readers on their toes and maintain a veneer of credibility.

There are two main trolls in NZ sporting media; Chris Rattue and Mark Reason.

Chris Rattue's career path into trolling was quite interesting; he was a serious sports journalist, and worked his way up to chief sports editor at the herald. His original background was a rugby league writer rather than rugby union. He formed a serious dislike of Graham Henry over the years and totally lost his mind when Henry was re-appointed after the 2007 debacle. Some of his un-hinged Henry articles over the next few years obviously generated some serious online traffic and an accidental career as a troll was born. Controversy generates clicks.

Mark Reason is the son of The Times former chief rugby writer John Reason and he also worked in UK press for a few years before emigrating to NZ. He works from home in rural Wairarapa, far away from any movers or shakers or inside knowledge in NZ sports. He is basically a blogger who watches his sport via TV but with a national platform for his writing based on his father's reputation (John Reason was seen as an unpopular figure in NZ, but that was before my time).

So none of them are fanboys of NZ rugby, which is fair enough. But if you have to generate 1 contrarian article per week, you're going to eventually run out of genuine material.
 
You find this statement disgustingly belittling to Mandela?

Imagine what it would do for black rugby in the country if the Springboks won the World Cup under the leadership of Siya Kolisi. It would be a transformative moment akin to Nelson Mandela wearing the Springboks shirt

And I don't find where he belittles the system of apartheid?

Are you trying to virtue signal or do you just have an intense dislike of the author and you're not reading what he is actually saying?
Worst phrase since 'toxic'.
 
good write up immense, i remember reading his artices about Henry back in the day. he had an alright point about Henry, Henry was only 2 points away from becoming the biggest dick in rugby history in that 2011 final and especially after the shitshow of 2007. between drinks Henry had the team in steam rolling form which was good after John Mitchells reign, but he never seem to mentally prepare the guys right at the RWC, i felt only Hansen has managed to do that

but there's no doubt today he is trolling and doesnt mind the bad publicity, how **** ur lfe must be to enjoy getting ppl to hate u...
 
If I'm honest I tend to stay away from South African politics because I just know enough about it to claim my opinion is worth anything

Saying that, I don't know if a black captain winning the World Cup rivals Mandela but I think we need to realise that celebrities and sports people have a huge amount of influence and it may make a difference to some people, every step counts doesn't it?

But that's coming from the less than informed so take it for what it is
 

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