We continue this feel-good period with a recent quote from Welsh international and Lions rugby player, Martyn Williams, on his blog/column (here), following the recent tour to South Africa.

Lions flanker, Martyn Williams

Saturday’s game was one of the toughest I have ever been involved in. We had altitude to contend with, it was a wide open game and it was quite niggly.

To be fair, I was involved in a lot of that because it’s part of your job as an open-side flanker.

I thought my opposite number, Heinrich Brussow, was outstanding and he’s been a real find for the Springboks in this series.

We had quite a tussle; there was one moment in the second half when he picked me up and threw me on the floor. The Boks had been awarded a penalty and I was lying on the floor with the ball between my legs. Brussow didn’t like that.

Then Pierre Spies got hold of me. He’s absolutely huge and if I’d fought back, there would have only been one winner!

It was a feisty end to a full-on Test series, which is what everyone wants to see.

After the game we had a really good function with the South African boys, which was the first time we’ve been able to get together with them.

After the first two Tests it was back to the hotel by six or seven o’clock. This time we had a formal dinner followed by a few beers with the South Africa team.

John Smit spoke brilliantly at the dinner, saying the series could have gone either way. What a class act.

John, Victor Matfield and Bryan Habana each made a point of coming round and talking to all of our lads. They are absolute gentlemen.

People said there was needle between the teams but I think that was overplayed. We were both desperate to win and there were no hard feelings at the end of the series.

You could say we were unlucky to lose the series – and there would be some truth in that – but credit to the Boks, because they came up with the goods at the crucial times. They are world champions for a reason.

This is my third Lions tour and it has been the most memorable of them all by far.”

[read more here]

“A class act” is what he called John Smit.

Obviously, he’s a 2oceansvibe Character.

Amazing what comes out of not being a dick.

Reminds me of a saying I made up quite some time ago. It goes like this, “Manners maketh a man.”

Use it, don’t use it (also mine).

Good work, boys.

More of that, please.

By the way, this is not Martyn’s first feature on 2oceansvibe. You’ll recall he was captured shopping up a storm in the Waterfront Puma store while they were in Cape town during the Lions Tour (here).

Are you starting to get your head around “the vibe” yet?

[thanks dennis]

* Whilst it pales in comparison to the day he met the TBG (here), we also take this moment to congratulate The Barndog on becoming the most capped rugby test captain ever. In the history of the world. Ever. More about that here.