Saffers Playing Abroad Thread

[FalseBayFC]

Jannes Kirsten wins Exeter Chiefs Men's player of the year.

[FalseBayFC]

Lood de Jager and Dan du Preez entertaining in the Gallagher Prem.

[FalseBayFC]

Trevor Nyakane doing well in the Racing 92 front row. Although in this instance I think the real destruction comes on Racing's loosehead side. I wrote off Nyakane a few seasons back. I thought he was pretty average, unfit and injury prone. I'm happy to have been proved wrong. He's turned into a great scrum technician and his fitness has improved immensely.

[OomStruisbaai]

Mielie pap diet in France?

[assfly]

This thread needs a revival.

Raymond Rhule

[OomStruisbaai]

Willie le Roux & PSdT coming home to the Stormers

[Chilli]

This thread needs a revival.

Raymond Rhule

No.
Some things are just unforgivable.

[Chilli]

Willie le Roux & PSdT coming home to the Stormers

Wazza to warm the bench?

[assfly]

Rob du Preez and Jasper Wiese nominated for English Premiership player of the year.

[Sards]

Rob du Preez and Jasper Wiese nominated for English Premiership player of the year.

Well deserved

[assfly]

So another European medal for Rhule and Lleyds. Neither were outstanding yesterday, but it's still incredible to think how both have improved since leaving SA. I wonder if either are on Rassie's radar.

Kolbe man of the match in the Challenge Cup final, playing 15 but also slotting into the 10 channel regularly.

[boere wors]

Has PSdT been playing lately? Haven't heard from him for quite some time

[OomStruisbaai]

Has PSdT been playing lately? Haven't heard from him for quite some time

He has been in camp with the Boks, plays in Japan, we never heard of any player from Japan.

Stormers is busy contracting JD Schickerlingh, Willie and Duanne. Nothing final but they will receive a massive financial injection. Consol, who sponsor Damian Willemse is close to sign a massive deal with with WP Rugby. Also the selling of Newlands is in its final stages. This two deals will put WP rugby in a good financial situation. Willemse isnt 5 bar anymore its Millions now.

[OomStruisbaai]

Other good news is that Saru increased the 4 URC franchises player budget from R67,2 million to R85 million from July 2023 and R95 Million from July 2024. From 2025 SARU will get the full financial benefit from playing in EPC and URC competitions. Until then Saru pay for the players transport up north.

[boere wors]

Marx is one of four Springboks to make the best XV of the season team, as he was joined by loose forwards Kwagga Smith (Blue Revs) and Pieter-Steph du Toit (Toyota Verblitz) and scrumhalf Faf de Klerk (Canon Eagles).

Good news, all fit and have been playing well it seems in Japan

[assfly]

I actually feel a bit short-changed with the Japanese-based players. At least players in Europe we get to see them play, but there is so little visibility on the form of these guys. Yes, I suppose I could watch the games if I really sought them out, but there's no denying it is a lower league to the URC and English Premiership.

[LoveOfTheGame]

I actually feel a bit short-changed with the Japanese-based players. At least players in Europe we get to see them play, but there is so little visibility on the form of these guys. Yes, I suppose I could watch the games if I really sought them out, but there's no denying it is a lower league to the URC and English Premiership.

More and more players heading that way, even more so after the RWC. The Premiership is going through a bit of a crisis, whilst League 1 is growing. Why are you so quick to pass comment on the inferiority of a league you don't even watch?

[assfly]

More and more players heading that way, even more so after the RWC. The Premiership is going through a bit of a crisis, whilst League 1 is growing. Why are you so quick to pass comment on the inferiority of a league you don't even watch?

It's a widely held opinion that is not very controversial, is it? Even the players say there is much less impact on their bodies. Am I wrong?

[LoveOfTheGame]

More and more players heading that way, even more so after the RWC. The Premiership is going through a bit of a crisis, whilst League 1 is growing. Why are you so quick to pass comment on the inferiority of a league you don't even watch?

It's a widely held opinion that is not very controversial, is it? Even the players say there is much less impact on their bodies. Am I wrong?

More attractive league yes. Also financially more powerful. Loads of international players and coaches. Sure, perhaps less physical than other leagues, but why does that make it a lessor league?

[assfly]

More attractive league yes. Also financially more powerful. Loads of international players and coaches. Sure, perhaps less physical than other leagues, but why does that make it a lessor league?

Yes, I believe it is a lessor league.

[average joe]

Losser league?

[Chilli]

More attractive league yes. Also financially more powerful. Loads of international players and coaches. Sure, perhaps less physical than other leagues, but why does that make it a lessor league?

Yes, I believe it is a lessor league.

Not as hard, but very entertaining.

[assfly]

Not as hard, but very entertaining.

Watching RG Snyman play there was very entertaining, I'll give you that

[LoveOfTheGame]

Not as hard, but very entertaining.

Watching RG Snyman play there was very entertaining, I'll give you that

Keep going.

[OomStruisbaai]

Ben Loader signed with the Stormers

[assfly]

Ben Loader signed with the Stormers

That's a middle finger to the convey belt of Western Cape talent.

[OomStruisbaai]

Ben Loader signed with the Stormers

That's a middle finger to the convey belt of Western Cape talent.

He want to play for a uitval dop & pap snoek. So why not?

[assfly]

He want to play for a uitval dop & pap snoek. So why not?

Fair enough, I'd do the same

[OomStruisbaai]

He want to play for a uitval dop & pap snoek. So why not?

Fair enough, I'd do the same

Nkosi don't.

[OomStruisbaai]

Willie is n Bul

[assfly]

New year and new world cup cycle, time to start paying attention to our lads abroad.

Watching Leicester vs Bath last night, it is crazy the amount of Saffas involved.

Leicester had Pollard and Wiese starting, and Van Wyk on the bench. Liebenberg must be resting.
Bath had Schreuder, Schoeman and an all-Saffa backrow of Van Velze, Cloete and Coetzee. They had Thomas du Toit off the bench as well as Johannes Jonker and Brendan Owen (never heard of him before, from St. Andrews College). And of course Bath have van Graan and JP Ferreira as coaches.

[OomStruisbaai]

Since joining the URC the NH have open up a new market for our local coaches and players. We get a lot of benefit from this and the other SH teams are left behind.

[assfly]

Since joining the URC the NH have open up a new market for our local coaches and players. We get a lot of benefit from this and the other SH teams are left behind.

I love it. Almost every team has at least 1 Saffa, making me watch teams I wouldn't normally.

It's also amazing to see how many are getting contracts abroad without even playing for a major union first.

[OomStruisbaai]

Since joining the URC the NH have open up a new market for our local coaches and players. We get a lot of benefit from this and the other SH teams are left behind.

I love it. Almost every team has at least 1 Saffa, making me watch teams I wouldn't normally.

It's also amazing to see how many are getting contracts abroad without even playing for a major union first.

I was looking for GPS games on Dstv, specially Sale Sharks but could not find any. Watched the Irish derbies yesterday. Was epic matches.

[Blake]

Since joining the URC the NH have open up a new market for our local coaches and players. We get a lot of benefit from this and the other SH teams are left behind.

It's great isn't it. We should enjoy it and milk it while it lasts, because it is really strengthening our player and coaching stocks. At some point the foreign rugby bodies are going to start putting in measures to try and block it I feel; caps on foreign players and the like. The are already rumblings from the French and English about the SA sides in the European competitions and how it's going to make the Boks even stronger at the World Cups.

Love it. Aligning our future with the north is the best thing we ever did . That is going to be Rassie's real legacy.

[OomStruisbaai]

Since joining the URC the NH have open up a new market for our local coaches and players. We get a lot of benefit from this and the other SH teams are left behind.

It's great isn't it. We should enjoy it and milk it while it lasts, because it is really strengthening our player and coaching stocks. At some point the foreign rugby bodies are going to start putting in measures to try and block it I feel; caps on foreign players and the like. The are already rumblings from the French and English about the SA sides in the European competitions and how it's going to make the Boks even stronger at the World Cups.

Love it. Aligning our future with the north is the best thing we ever did . That is going to be Rassie's real legacy.

its a win win situation. We are playing in the NH competitions. SA players (Springboks included)and coaches playing/coaching for other countries creating opportunities for SA players and taking away opportunities from those countries.

[Blake]

its a win win situation. We are playing in the NH competitions. SA players (Springboks included)and coaches playing/coaching for other countries creating opportunities for SA players and taking away opportunities from those countries.

And still getting some exposure to SH developments via TRC participation which is great and one of the reasons I'm not sure keen on joining the 6N...even if the opportunity did present itself in future.

We are uniquely placed in getting more regular global exposure to NH and SH teams, players and stadiums than anybody with the current reigeme. Win-win-win really.

The only thing that is massive challenge is player management. It's a difficult puzzle to solve for sure, unless we can align on a global season of some kind and play TRC in the SH at the same time that the NH teams play 6N...or something like that.

[OomStruisbaai]

The only thing that is massive challenge is player management. It's a difficult puzzle to solve for sure, unless we can align on a global season of some kind and play TRC in the SH at the same time that the NH teams play 6N...or something like that.

They want an eight week rest for all players. Its going to be a real challenge specially now that the CC moved to July-Sep. We will get to a global season maybe quicker if we go to the 6 Nations. TRC wont survive without the Springboks, Soup is already on its last legs.

[OomStruisbaai]

as we speak

https://www.iol.co.za/sport/rugby/rugby ... 8afa441009

How All Blacks’ Scott Robertson wants to copy Springboks

New All Blacks coach Scott Robertson said Tuesday he was pressing New Zealand Rugby to change its sacrosanct rule banning overseas-based players from Test selection, saying he wanted to pick from the best available.

The governing body has refused to budge on the issue, believing selecting players enticed overseas on big-money contracts would weaken the domestic game at Super Rugby and provincial level.

As recently as last month, chief executive Mark Robinson said they were "really happy" with demands that All Blacks selection be restricted to players based in New Zealand.

But Robertson said he had asked the board to "keep an open mind" at his first press conference since taking over as All Blacks coach.

Robertson wants to copy the Springboks’ model, where the the top players are plying their trade in places such as England, France, Ireland and Japan.

The Springboks have won two Rugby World Cups since changing their stance on overseas-based players in 2018.

"That's what I've asked for ... keep an open mind where the game is at the moment, it's moving quite quickly, as we know," Robertson said, insisting he wanted to "be a step ahead" of the competition.

When asked about fly-half Richie Mo'unga, a standout performer for the All Blacks at the World Cup last year but now on a three-year contract with Japanese club Toshiba, Robertson preferred to give a general answer.

"I have got to get in front of a few people, have a few conversations, catch a few eyes, have some chats, I think it's important we do that, respect for all options," he said.

"I just want to keep an open mind, so I can select the best players available for the All Blacks."

Opinion on the issue is divided among players and coaches.

Ian Foster, who coached the All Blacks to last year's World Cup final, where they were beaten 12-11 by South Africa, has said Robertson's idea made "some academic sense" but would be a "disaster" for the game in New Zealand.

Sam Cane, who captained the All Blacks in recent years, has called for the eligibility rule to be reviewed, while his predecessor Kieran Read has doubted that the All Blacks "could survive if we end up going down that route".

From last year's World Cup squad, veterans such as Cane, Ardie Savea and Beauden Barrett are on short-term contracts overseas and will return to New Zealand before the 2024 Test season.

However, Mo'unga, Leicester Fainga'anuku and Shannon Frizell are on longer deals with overseas clubs and are currently ineligible.

[assfly]

Both England and New Zealand are going to have to buckle on the rule.

I wasn't a fan at first, but it makes perfect sense.

In fact, I wonder if now is the perfect time for Rassie to try that NH/SH squad rotation properly.