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Fri 18 Dec 2015 | 04:36
Friday Funnies: Awkward RWC 2015 press conference proves Scotland's South African born prop does not play the bagpipes!

5
Comments

We've all been there: a desperately awkward situation where one can only sit and smile until the torment is over and done with. For prop WP Nel, his time was during a press conference ahead of Scotland's World Cup match with Japan back in September.

South African born Nel made his international debut for the Scots just a few months prior to the 2015 tournament, having played with Edinburgh for the statutory three years.

As seen in an interview that hasn't been widely shared until now, he was awkwardly quizzed by a French journalist, who didn't quite seem to be aware of Nel's origins.

It wasn't the only awkward interview at the World Cup, as Eben Etzebeth also found himself having to answer a 'stupid question', although that one was clearly a wind up.

Catch the cringeworthy interview with the forward above, thanks to STUMEDIA

Posted By: Stephen Brunsdon

5 Comments

  • drg
    7:40 AM 23/12/2015

    I think it must be a contentious topic for any player in that position. Scotland has had many, England a few, France has had some also and I suppose it will always continue. I guess any player in that position doesn't want to say "well I'm South African" because the follow up question would obviously be "well why aren't you playing for South Africa?"... Open flood gates of personal views, positional strength, financial gain, etc etc... I suppose by gritting teeth you can keep all the private stuff private...

  • gonzoman
    5:08 PM 22/12/2015

    Heh. I think the French journalist was trying to wind him up...teasing him a little about the fact that he is playing for Scotland, despite having grown up in South Africa (judging by his accent!).

    Does anyone else get the feeling that WP Nel didn't want or was told not to say outright that he was a South African playing for Scotland? The whole "awkwardness" could have been avoided if he had said something like "well I grew up in South Africa, and we never had bagpipes in the stands when I played for school but I can see how the fans in my adopted country might find it upsetting that they can't continue their traditions of playing bagpipes in the stands". Next question.

  • drg
    5:11 PM 21/12/2015

    Agreed. I don't have an issue with the transferring of players from one nation to another if it's due to parental connections, or connections through grandparents etc, but it doesn't make them from that Nation...

  • reality
    1:51 PM 21/12/2015

    Generally the suffix 'born' is used when someone grew up in a certain place but was born elsewhere. If WP Nel was born in South Africa, raised in South Africa, and moved to Scotland as an adult, he's not South African-born - he's South African full stop.

  • drg
    3:00 AM 20/12/2015

    Haha, not one of the worst interviews I've seen...

    Not sure if the reporter was trying to push buttons, hadn't done their research, and/or couldn't distinguish the different accents..

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