2021 Guinness PRO14 Rainbow Cup

[assfly]

Jake is just following a decades-old Pretoria template.

I assume by template, you mean buying?

None of Vermulen, Louw, Coetzee and van Staden are originally from Pretoria.

[OomStruisbaai]

Jake is just following a decades-old Pretoria template.

I assume by template, you mean buying?

None of Vermulen, Louw, Coetzee and van Staden are originally from Pretoria.

You are wrong about van Staden

[OomStruisbaai]

With the Boks back for Saturdays showdown the Sharks are the favorates for this match. Sharks by 30.


Hope the Stormers don't play their Bokke. They must use this last match to prepare for the upcoming CC , starts next weekend.

[assfly]

You are wrong about van Staden

Born in Krugersdorp and schooled in Magaliesburg.

[OomStruisbaai]

You are wrong about van Staden

Born in Krugersdorp and schooled in Magaliesburg.

Thats very close to the Bulls.

Thougth he was at Affies.

(stupid OomSB bot)

[Chilli]

Jake is just following a decades-old Pretoria template.

I assume by template, you mean buying?

None of Vermulen, Louw, Coetzee and van Staden are originally from Pretoria.

from a $harks supporter.

[assfly]

Thats very close to the Bulls.

Thougth he was at Affies.

(stupid OomSB bot)

thank goodness Wikipedia backed up my argument

from a $harks supporter.

Didn't say there was anything wrong with it, if anything I applaud the Bulls for their acquisitions. But let's call a spade a spade. Bulls aren't doing very much for transformation either.

[Sards]

Its official. Bongi coming to Sharks

[sorCrer]

Its official. Bongi coming to Sharks

Why though? I mean I understand why he wants to get away from Stomps but Sharks have a decent front row.

[Sards]

Its official. Bongi coming to Sharks

Why though? I mean I understand why he wants to get away from Stomps but Sharks have a decent front row.

Because they can

[assfly]

It's an interesting signing. Sharks lineout has been a problem, but we do have some talent youngsters coming through. I assume he's going to balance out some of the young talent with some of his world-cup winning experience. He's 30, so still some good years left in him.

[Sards]

I was waiting for a response from ouboet...seems he is unavailable...last seen changing the nappies of up and coming Springboks/Stormers at Paarl Gym

[OomStruisbaai]

I was waiting for a response from ouboet...seems he is unavailable...last seen changing the nappies of up and coming Springboks/Stormers at Paarl Gym

Nah, more old wood, he can go to the Sharks. Another overrated Kolisi type. Was hoping Scarra can follow him to the Sharks. This open up youngsters like Andre Venters laaitie and JJ Kotze from Maties.

As long as we keep our locks and fatties. We got depth in our pack. Big test against the Lions pack this weekend. Time for our youngsters to learn and get experience.

[OomStruisbaai]

It's an interesting signing. Sharks lineout has been a problem, but we do have some talent youngsters coming through. I assume he's going to balance out some of the young talent with some of his world-cup winning experience. He's 30, so still some good years left in him.

His lineout throwing is kak. Will make your lineouts worse. But face it, he wont play for the Sharks again this season. Great publicy like Kolisi for the Sharks.

[Sards]

suddenly Bongi is kak .................

[OomStruisbaai]

suddenly Bongi is kak .................

He is great for the Springboks, kak for the Stormers.

[Sards]

suddenly Bongi is kak .................

He is great for the Springboks, kak for the Stormers.

He will flourish at the Sharks

[handyman]

suddenly Bongi is kak .................

He is great for the Springboks, kak for the Stormers.

He will flourish at the Sharks

I think he is going to struggle. Bongi is a good lad, down to earth sort, the ego's at the saarks won't sit well with him. When you broken him, we will take him back and make him a legend once again.

[Sards]

He is great for the Springboks, kak for the Stormers.

He will flourish at the Sharks

I think he is going to struggle. Bongi is a good lad, down to earth sort, the ego's at the saarks won't sit well with him. When you broken him, we will take him back and make him a legend once again.

[OomStruisbaai]

So it will be his last game for the Stormers on saturday.

[Blake]

Didn't say there was anything wrong with it, if anything I applaud the Bulls for their acquisitions. But let's call a spade a spade. Bulls aren't doing very much for transformation either.

The Bulls' problem is that they do not have the feeder systems in place to produce black players. They only really pull players from a handful of highschools and black kids in Pretoria and surrounds play cricket and soccer almost exclusively. They've widened their catchment area further north into Limpopo, but those schools are so under resourced and those areas also don't really have a rugby culture (yet). Any talent will get pulled into Affies, Pretoria Boys High, Garsfontein or Waterkloof and each will only be able to take a couple of players.

The Cheetahs (Grey College) and Lions (Monument, Jeppe) are in a similar predicament; drawing the majority of their homegrown talent from 2-3 schools; which will give a very shallow pool of black players.

Western Province and the Sharks are the only 2 unions with significant player bases of non-white players, and both still draw from the Eastern Cape.
The Lions have done a lot of work to develop some club structures within Soweto, but have not had much luck at school level converting township schools from soccer to rugby. Similar to the Bulls, they also draw on a handful of traditional rugby powerhouse schools and hope that those schools manage to pull in some talent from townships and give them scholarships, or hope black middleclass families move into formerly white suburbs and the kids take up rugby at old Model C schools...like Wandisile Simelane

A possible explanation as to Simelane’s nonchalance about where he plays may well come from the fact that he could easily have played football instead of rugby. Growing up, he was a massive Kaizer Chiefs supporter whose role models were Collins Mbesuma and the late Emmanuel “Scara” Ngobese.

As an attacking midfielder and striker who went for trials at Chiefs and played for Moroka Swallows at the Nike Under-15 games, he was convinced he was destined to be a professional footballer: “I used to watch those guys and tell myself ‘I’m going to play soccer my whole life’.

“But then my dad took me to an Afrikaans school where there was no soccer. But you were forced to do a sport, so I did athletics and rugby. As I started playing rugby, I found out I was actually good at it and went to Under-12 trials for the Lions and made that team.

“The following year, I made the Craven Week Under-13 team and I got a scholarship to Jeppe. That’s when my dad said I had to take the opportunity, because I wasn’t going to study for free with soccer.”

[Blake]

Its official. Bongi coming to Sharks

Why though? I mean I understand why he wants to get away from Stomps but Sharks have a decent front row.

I heard / read somewhere that Bongi has the same agent / manager / brand guru that Syia has and that that person is also affiliated with the fund that now owns a major stake in the $harks. Something like that.
Lots of marketing jargon.

But it's a good move for Bongi I think. We'll miss him, because now we are dependent on Scarra (god help us), and with all the Stormers' financial and boardroom issues it's wise to grab any lifeline offered.

The only players that stay in the Western Cape willingly are those who have deep family roots here. Guys like Schalk Burger and PSdT grow up worshiping the blue and white hoops. There's family and legacy involved.They can't imagine playing for another SA team and are often independently wealthy so don't need to play for money only. But players like Vermeulen or Bongi that aren't from here know what they are worth and go where they can advance their careers. Smart.

[OomStruisbaai]

Vermeulens family is still in the Cape. Obvious he wanted to play for the Stormers but we couldn't afford him with Kolisi and PSdT on our books at that time.

Ja Kitshoff, Malherbe, Jantjes and Willemse are WP born and bred.

Stormers will play Bongi and PSdT on Saturday. Jantjies probably on the bench.

[Chilli]

Its official. Bongi coming to Sharks

Why though? I mean I understand why he wants to get away from Stomps but Sharks have a decent front row.

I heard / read somewhere that Bongi has the same agent / manager / brand guru that Syia has and that that person is also affiliated with the fund that now owns a major stake in the $harks. Something like that.
Lots of marketing jargon.

But it's a good move for Bongi I think. We'll miss him, because now we are dependent on Scarra (god help us), and with all the Stormers' financial and boardroom issues it's wise to grab any lifeline offered.

The only players that stay in the Western Cape willingly are those who have deep family roots here. Guys like Schalk Burger and PSdT grow up worshiping the blue and white hoops. There's family and legacy involved.They can't imagine playing for another SA team and are often independently wealthy so don't need to play for money only. But players like Vermeulen or Bongi that aren't from here know what they are worth and go where they can advance their careers. Smart.

While I agree with most of what you say, ex $harks player PSDT doesn't exactly agree with your comment about worshipping the blue & white hoops

[Chilli]

I read that Bismark has been cut from the Montpellier squad.
The Bulls or Lions should snap him up on a short term contract.

Oom and Sards keep telling us that the $harks & Stormers will only contract young players from now on.

[assfly]

Cheers Blake, good explanation.

Regarding Bismarck, I think the Sharks should snap him up for a short-term contract until Bongi arrives. But considering Jannie is with the Lions, I wouldn't be surprised if they make the move first as they also need some additional experience in their ranks.

[sturginho]

The Ospreys - Treviso match is in doubt due to covid, which means that Treivso could make the final by default

https://www.the42.ie/benetton-rainbow-c ... 3-Jun2021/

[assfly]

The Ospreys - Treviso match is in doubt due to covid, which means that Treivso could make the final by default

https://www.the42.ie/benetton-rainbow-c ... 3-Jun2021/

Petrol bombs, Covid outbreaks, what's next. I'm starting to wonder what competition we've let ourselves into.

[sturginho]

The Ospreys - Treviso match is in doubt due to covid, which means that Treivso could make the final by default

https://www.the42.ie/benetton-rainbow-c ... 3-Jun2021/

Petrol bombs, Covid outbreaks, what's next. I'm starting to wonder what competition we've let ourselves into.

https://www.onrugby.it/2021/06/09/rainb ... finalista/

It's now official

Default, the two sweetest words in the english language

[Blake]

While I agree with most of what you say, ex $harks player PSDT doesn't exactly agree with your comment about worshipping the blue & white hoops

He only went to the Sharks because WP didn't pull him in because he didn't attend one of the top Cape Town / Stellenbosch / Paarl rugby schools. He got scooped up by Boland as a consolation and then the Sharks gave him a lifeline. But now that he's got the blue and white hoops, I doubt he'll go anywhere else in SA. Japan or France sure, but can't see him laving Cape Town for a local team any time soon.

[Blake]

Vermeulens family is still in the Cape. Obvious he wanted to play for the Stormers but we couldn't afford him with Kolisi and PSdT on our books at that time.

His family or his wife's family? He's originally from Nelspruit and got to Cape Town via Bloemfontein. He has no loyalty to WP or WP legacy to live up to like many other WP players who have fathers, uncles and grandfathers who all played at Newlands.

[OomStruisbaai]

Vermeulens family is still in the Cape. Obvious he wanted to play for the Stormers but we couldn't afford him with Kolisi and PSdT on our books at that time.

His family or his wife's family? He's originally from Nelspruit and got to Cape Town via Bloemfontein. He has no loyalty to WP or WP legacy to live up to like many other WP players who have fathers, uncles and grandfathers who all played at Newlands.

No his wife and kids is living in Cape Town.

If you have a wife and kids, you obviously want to live with them? He stay in a hotel in Pretoria when he play rugby. Ask me its kak to stay away from your family for work.

[assfly]

If you have a wife and kids, you obviously want to live with them? He stay in a hotel in Pretoria when he play rugby. Ask me its kak to stay away from your family for work.

Well. The occasional night away wouldn't hurt.

[OomStruisbaai]

If you have a wife and kids, you obviously want to live with them? He stay in a hotel in Pretoria when he play rugby. Ask me its kak to stay away from your family for work.

Well. The occasional night away wouldn't hurt.

If its your work, then you have to. But its not ideal. I hate it, want to sleep agter die wit boude.

[Blake]

Vermeulens family is still in the Cape. Obvious he wanted to play for the Stormers but we couldn't afford him with Kolisi and PSdT on our books at that time.

His family or his wife's family? He's originally from Nelspruit and got to Cape Town via Bloemfontein. He has no loyalty to WP or WP legacy to live up to like many other WP players who have fathers, uncles and grandfathers who all played at Newlands.

No his wife and kids is living in Cape Town.

If you have a wife and kids, you obviously want to live with them? He stay in a hotel in Pretoria when he play rugby. Ask me its kak to stay away from your family for work.

I thought that his wife and kids joined him in Pretoria. I knew they were down here when he initially returned to SA and signed with the Bulls, but thought they would eventually move up there. If I recall his wife also stayed in South Africa while he played in Japan for 2 years. She seems very close to her family and reluctant to leave Cape Town. Not sure if she has an established career here, or maybe ailing parents that need support, or just very close to her family, but it's a shitty situation for him to be in as a professional sportsman.

I still believe my point stands. He has no real loyalty to WP like some of the other local players, but would like to play here due to the convenience.

[assfly]

Loyalty has really been diluted in recent years. Watching last week's games I was thinking to myself that there is more movement between provinces than I've ever seen. A shame really, but such is the professional game.

[OomStruisbaai]

Loyalty has really been diluted in recent years. Watching last week's games I was thinking to myself that there is more movement between provinces than I've ever seen. A shame really, but such is the professional game.

Except WP.

[assfly]

Except WP.

You recently lost the Springbok captain, as well as Coetzee to Bath and Augustus to Saints.
You're losing Bongi, PSdT, Edwill van der Merwe.
That's literally from the last few weeks.

Tim Swiel is from the Sharks and Harlequins. Marvin Orie from the Lions. Speckman from the Cheetahs.

[Chilli]

Except WP.

You recently lost the Springbok captain, as well as Coetzee to Bath and Augustus to Saints.
You're losing Bongi, PSdT, Edwill van der Merwe.
That's literally from the last few weeks.

Tim Swiel is from the Sharks and Harlequins. Marvin Orie from the Lions. Speckman from the Cheetahs.

Yes, but Paarl Gym and Boishaai.........

<OomSB >

[Blake]

Loyalty has really been diluted in recent years. Watching last week's games I was thinking to myself that there is more movement between provinces than I've ever seen. A shame really, but such is the professional game.

I don't mind it at all personally. It's part of professional sport. The risk is that some teams become too stacked with players and dominate for extended periods of time, but that also ends up working itself out eventually when they collapse under a massive salary bill and start bleeding their successor players to other teams as they start getting impatient being unable to unseat incumbent superstar players.

In the mid-2000's the Bulls had depth 3-players deep in pretty much every position, and a decade later they were in a massive rebuilding phase.

What I would love to see at some point is a NFL-style draft system, where promising youth players are allocated to struggling unions to shore up their player stocks and keep everything competitive. These smaller unions can then sell/trade these players to richer unions if they are low on cash, or keep them in the hope to attract fans and sponsors and be proper title contenders. The unions should then also be compensated based on how the junior players are ranked in the draft to incentivise youth development in their catchment area.

Unfortunately, with so many offers from Europe for SA players I don't think it would work. It only really works in the NFL because it is:
a. The premier American Football league
b. A monopoly so there isn't really anywhere else for players to go

But I still think it is great way to ensure that "lesser teams" get some decent injections of talent and/or cash.