The Springbok coach, Peter de Villiers, is one of those and he has upset a few people (again) by claiming that there was nothing in Hamilton which could cause hotel fatigue (is that a recognised phenomenon?) which would in turn result in a less than ideal preparation for the test match against the All Blacks.
What a great, elaborate way of saying that the players, and I suspect management, wanted to stay on the Gold Coast where the scenery is more appealing and fleshy than what you'd expect in a landlocked city.
It's not the first time that the Waikato city has been criticised.
Two years ago, Australian Chris Latham, fullback for the Reds, blamed the fact that Hamilton was boring on their lack of success whenever they played there.
Having lived in Hamilton for a year, it's not that bad and I would think that an elite sports team is there to focus on winning test matches rather than planning their backpacking itinerary to take in the sights and sounds of the area.
And if the team dynamics are healthy, a team can makes its own fun no matter where it stays.
The Black Ferns have stayed in some pretty isolated places such as Winnipeg in Canada, a hotel an hour out of Amsterdam in the Netherlands (a godsend considering the night life of Amsterdam), and the Sport and Rugby Institute in Palmerston North.
In fact, Hamilton people can't be too sensitive as theirs is not the only city to be criticised by high-profile overseas visitors.
People in Palmerston North are still smarting from John Cleese branding their beloved city as the most boring place on the planet.
As revenge, a refuse station has been named after the opinionated actor.
We should stop caring so much about what other people say about our country and the many cities and towns within it.
You can't please everyone.
Sport, however, has been shown to contribute to civic pride if it is in association with a nationally and internationally recognised event or team.
Hamilton is creating a new image by encouraging sports events such as the V8 Supercar series and the Tua-Cameron fight to head south of the Bombay Hills.
Thank goodness Hamiltonians don't take themselves so seriously, either.
Check out slogans for Hamiltron on the Uncyclopedia.wikia.com website such as Hamiltron - Auckland's biggest carpark, or Hamiltron - even the river passes through it, and my favourite, Hamiltron - only an hour and a-half from somewhere decent.
Like Palmerston North, perhaps that is its best asset.
Both cities are isolated and boring enough to focus on what you're there to do (for example, win an event or test, attend Field Days or the parachute gathering at Mystery Creek) and close enough to other touristy spots to offer some distraction.
Lord of the Rings fans among the Springboks could visit Matamata, 50 minutes away, to check out hobbit villages; surfers and beach lovers could head to Raglan, 40 minutes away; and those who are not claustrophobic or afraid of the dark could go black water rafting at the Waitomo Caves, an hour away.
One slogan for Hamilton was suggested by Australian author and sports personality Peter Fitzsimons WAI not the KATO?
Considering the experiences the Springboks have had in Hamilton it is no wonder they aren't too keen on the city.
In 1956, Waikato beat the Springboks 14-10 and in 1981 the Springbok game was called off because of a stolen plane hovering above the stadium and 350 protesters invading the pitch.
It is ironic that de Villiers is not keen on a city that placed some political pressure on South Africa to change its race-related policies in a way that has inevitably benefited him.
Because of our inferiority complex as a nation, criticising one of our cities may backfire on the Springboks and inspire the Waikato-based rugby fans to be more vocal and supportive of the All Blacks.
Adam Thomson and the rest of the All Black squad had better step up to the mark, in order to defend the honour of Hamilton and, by default, New Zealand.
