Tightheads & Loose Balls: 23 September

Community eager to club the Blue Bulls

IT DIDN'T take long for rugby fans to have a dig at the Blue Bulls after Saru announced the details of the exciting new national club competition called the Saru Community Cup. "Thank you, Saru," wrote one fan on a blog. "Now the Blue Bulls can compete in a league where they belong." Ouch!

THE Community Cup has opened the door for lots of banter. @coachdivvy, a parody Peter de Villiers Twitter account, noted: "I can't wait to see Earl Rose and Morne Steyn against each other in the Four Nations ." After Dunedin last week, it's a sentiment others might echo.

IT WAS good to see the Lions reviving some of the old amateur team spirit on their way to play the Cheetahs last week. Instead of flying from Joburg to Bloem, the Lions made the 800km journey in the team bus. Considering they won and moved to the top of the standings, it was no wonder skipper JC Janse van Rensburg said they might enjoy "a few beers" on the way back.

IN KEEPING with the ribbing of Morne Steyn, apparently there's a new brand of Mampoer from New Zealand called "The Morne". Its claim to fame is: drink as you might, it just doesn't kick.

WE WERE surprised to hear Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer take credit for the rejuvenated Bryan Habana's form. If that's the case, why persist with a game plan that means he'll be lucky to touch the ball a handful of times during Meyer's tenure?

WHAT with all this talk about Meyer persisting with Steyn and not picking Elton Jantjies, has anyone considered that maybe Meyer doesn't like Elton's hairstyle - like most of us?