2013 S15 Lions Player exodus

[PaarlBok]

http://www.bdlive.co.za/s/rugby/2012/09/12/strauss-leads-exodus-from-golden-lions

THE expected exodus of top players from the Golden Lions Rugby Union for the Super Rugby season — and some for good — following the team’s temporary exit from Super Rugby started yesterday with influential looseforward and former skipper Josh Strauss signing a contract with the Glasgow Warriors.
Strauss, whose contract with the Scottish club extends until May 2015, will join his new team-mates in the next two weeks.
While a handful of Lions players’ contracts end at the conclusion of the Currie Cup series, other players have clauses in their contracts allowing them to play elsewhere during the Super Rugby season on the condition that they return to the Lions during the Currie Cup.
Star flyhalf Elton Jantjies is one of the players who fall into the latter category. However, the player has yet to announce whether he will change allegiances for the southern hemisphere tournament.
Lions acting CEO Ruben Moggee said yesterday he had come to terms with the fact that the union would lose some of its star players after the South African Rugby Union’s general council voted in favour of the Southern Kings playing Super Rugby next season.
He said did not harbour bitterness towards the players and understood they had to make decisions that were in the best interest of their careers.
"We will definitely lose four or five players to other franchises during next season’s Super Rugby series and three or four players contracts will come to an end," said Moggee.
"But it would have been a pipe dream to think we could keep all our players (after dropping out of Super Rugby). There were always going to be casualties. But we have to focus on the players who will be available to us and to ensure that we have a strong base of players."
Moggee said it was not all doom and gloom for the union, though, as it is expected to retain a core of its current players.
"There is a group of seven or eight key players that we should be able to keep and we are in the process of finalising contracts with a few players as we speak.
"The contracts being negotiated now are until the end of the 2014 season, and that is important because we have to look beyond next year. If we win the promotion-relegation game against the last-placed Super Rugby team next season and we are back in the series in 2014, we need to be able to field a competitive team," said Moggee.
Looking ahead at next season, Moggee said the union’s top brass was working hard behind the scenes to arrange matches against quality teams as a substitute for Super Rugby, and he was confident the matches would satisfy the players and fans.
But he said the union would be able to reveal these plans only once it had finalised all the details.

 

[PaarlBok]

Jankies
http://www.supersport.com/rugby/sa-rugby/news/120912/Sharks_WP_in_race_for_Jantjies_signature

The Sharks and Western Province lead the race for the signature of Elton Jantjies to join them for next year’s Vodacom Super Rugby series.
Jantjies has been spotted in Durban and Cape Town in the last few weeks and will make a decision as to his future in the next few weeks after the Lions were ejected from next year’s tournament.
The talented flyhalf has a clause in his contract that allows him to play his rugby elsewhere in Super Rugby while keeping his contract with the Lions, returning for the playoff matches and Currie Cup tournament in 2013.
But for now, the hunt for his services is possibly the most eagerly anticipated player chase in the country at the moment and Jantjies is dead set on playing Super Rugby -- the question remaining being where?
While WP have made a lucrative offer for him to move to Cape Town, the Sharks officials meet with their Lions counterparts today (Wednesday) to ensure that if Jantjies does make the move, the Lions can bring him back for their anticipated playoff game against the lowest ranked South African franchise at the end of the tournament next year.
Jantjies was called up to the Springboks this year, but despite being on the bench in the third test in Port Elizabeth, never got onto the field, and was subsequently dropped afterwards when the team was selected for the Castle Rugby Championship, with fellow young gun Johan Goosen being preferred by coach Heyneke Meyer.
Since then he has shone in the Currie Cup, and was instrumental in his side’s victories over Western Province and the Blue Bulls, reminding all and sundry of his exceptional attacking abilities.
Jantjies's agent, Jason Adams, confirmed to supersport.com that no decision on his future had been made yet.
“We have a number of options on the table and we will sit down in the next week or so and take a decision as to his future,” Adams told supersport.com.

 

[PaarlBok]

Player Contract issues
http://blogs.sport24.co.za/thepride/2012/09/11/lions-player-contracts-loans-releases-other-issues/

It has already been made known that some players are leaving (Josh being the latest), that others have contracts until October 2013 and yet others have contracts that allow them to play for another team in Super Rugby so it all seems signed, settled and hunky dory in Lions country, at least as far as player issues go.
Many Lions supporters try to be optimistic about the future and seem to feel that even if we lose our top senior players “at least we still have the school boys and juniors coming through to rebuild”.
But all is not always as it seems, unfortunately, and many Lions supporters live in Cloud Cuckoo Land.
Legal Contracts:
The reality that faces the Lions is that most big unions and franchises will not want to sign a player for one Super Rugby season and then release him back to the Lions. If we learned anything from what happened at the SARU General Council vote most unions are not interested in the Lions future and they will do whatever they can to renege on any loan agreement. And if they really want the player they will, at best, offer to buy out his contract with the Lions and, at worst, just keep him and force the Lions into a legal battle they can ill afford.
And with the Lions unable to ensure competitive game time and exposure for their top players, and therefore unable to provide him with meaningful employment, they stand a good chance of losing in court irrespective of what the contracts say.
The country is fill of journeymen playing for the lesser unions, of which the GLRU is now one, but there is limited opportunity for top players to showcase their skills and the fact is that not a single player from the lesser unions make it into the Springbok side. It will, therefore, be very difficult for the GLRU to make a case for keeping a player who has a chance of making it at national level.

Moral Contracts:
Apart from the legal issue there is also the moral issue of a union being responsible for looking after a player’s career and advancement opportunities, something that will be virtually impossible to do when not competing at the top level.
What is Kevin de Klerk going to do is one of the players come to him with a two-year or three-year contract offer and asks: “Please release me and let me go”? Refuse him? (We just saw Josh released to sign a three year contract with Glasgow Warriors)

Junior Players:
So, the Lions will have to look at building and rebuilding from their junior ranks?
Once a again this is a bit of a pipe dream as the best juniors and schoolboys will look to further their careers and the Lions will have very little to offer these youngsters. Players like Paul Willemse, Ruan Botha, Caylib Oosthuizen, Rudy Paige and others will look to move to unions where the playing opportunities are better.
And it is not merely a case that they might have the opportunity to play Super Rugby one day. The fact is that during the Super Rugby competition opportunities to play senior rugby open up as the franchises use their top players for Super Rugby and draw on the junior players to play Vodacom Cup, something lesser unions are not able to do. In non-Super Rugby unions their top players play Vodacom Cup leaving little for the junior players except play club and varsity rugby.
Unfortunately we have yet to see the ripple effect of the decision to kick the Lions out of Super Rugby but I dread the day comes for us to play a knock out match to get back into Super Rugby, even against the Kings, with all our top players gone.
I would love it if Kevin de Klerk and the Lions management can counter the impact of the SARU decision will have on player migration but unfortunately I do not see how they are going to do it.

 

[The Red Baron]

I think that Janties should go to the Stormers. The Stormers have a great defensive structure, but lack someone to spark their attack. Janties, if given license to, would add that extra dimension the Stormers have been missing.

Although it would be interesting to see how he worked with players like Lambie and JP Peterson at the Sharks, I think they are already well served in the flyhalf category.

 

[PaarlBok]

I think that Janties should go to the Stormers. The Stormers have a great defensive structure, but lack someone to spark their attack. Janties, if given license to, would add that extra dimension the Stormers have been missing.

Although it would be interesting to see how he worked with players like Lambie and JP Peterson at the Sharks, I think they are already well served in the flyhalf category.

Heard it through my Paarl grapevine and praying for this to happen that Taute will come to WP. He'd be our perfect nr10. Jankies can bugger off to the Sharks, we dont need him.

 

[PaarlBok]

Just to show how deep this relegation from S15 rugby will cut in the Lions structure. Lost both their brilliant SA winning U20 locks, Willemse to the Brutes, Botha to the Stormers, both with S15 experiense. Not only them, they lost their brilliant u19 lock to the Brumbies. Jake White signed Ettiene Oosthuizen for 2 years.
Die Burger

Jake lok jong Leeus-slot na Brumbies met kontrak

2012-09-14 00:00

Etienne Oosthuizen vroeër vanjaar in aksie tydens ’n oefening van die Jong Bokkies. Foto: CARL FOURIE | GALLO IMAGES

Hendrik Cronjé

BLOEMFONTEIN. – Enkele dae nadat Josh Strauss en Jacobie Adriaanse se skuiwe na onderskeidelik die Glasgow Warriors en Llanelli Scarlets bekend geword het, is ’n derde rugbyspeler van die Leeus op pad oorsee.

Die 19-jarige slot Etienne Oosthuizen sluit hom van 1 November aan by die voormalige Springbok-afrigter Jake White se Australiese Super-span, die Brumbies.

Oosthuizen, wat môre hier een van die Leeus se plaasvervangers in ’n Curriebeker-wedstryd teen die Vrystaat is, het ’n kontrak van twee jaar by die Brumbies onderteken.

Sport24 kon gister nie die Brumbies of Oosthuizen se agent, BC du Plessis, vir kommentaar bereik nie, maar verneem die Aussie-span het Oosthuizen gelok met die doel om oor drie jaar vir die Wallabies te kwalifiseer.

Hoewel hy glo nog tot einde 2013 deur die Leeus gekontrakteer is, kon hy vroeër skuif omdat die Lions nie volgende jaar in die Super-reeks meeding nie.

Oosthuizen, wat 120 kg weeg en 1.98 m lank is, is verlede jaar in die teenwoordigheid van sterre soos Paul Willemse, Ruan Botha en Ruan Venter as die Leeus se o.19-voorspeler van die jaar aangewys.
Sport24 het reeds vroeër berig oor Willemse se skuif na die Blou Bulle en Botha wat ’n kontrak met die WP gesluit het.

White het die laaste tyd – waarin hy met Suid-Afrikaanse spelers gepraat en na video-materiaal gekyk het – wyd in Suid-Afrika na ’n slot gesoek.

Hy het na iemand soos die voormalige Wallaby-voorspeler Owen Finegan gesoek wat jare lank ’n staatmaker vir die Brumbies was. Oosthuizen is uitgeknip vir ’n soortgelyke rol, omdat hy ook nr. 7-flank kan speel.

Hoewel hy nie vanjaar die finale groep van die Jong Bokkies kon haal nie, sal die Bok-afrigter, Heyneke Meyer, groot belangstelling in Oosthuizen se skuif na die Brumbies hê.


- Die Burger

 

[qwerty51]

Is Taute up for sale?

 

[PaarlBok]

Is Taute up for sale?

Most of the youngsters like him and Jankies have it in their contracts that they can leave to play S15 rugby. They'll obvious return for the CC. I am only doing some wishfull thinking. He played 10 all his schoolboy career and had to move to make place for Jankies. He'd be perfect in the Stormers setup in 10.

 

[Brumby Jack]

Is Taute up for sale?

JACO TAUTE!

 

[ChargerWA]

the Sharks officials meet with their Lions counterparts today (Wednesday) to ensure that if Jantjies does make the move, the Lions can bring him back for their anticipated playoff game against the lowest ranked South African franchise at the end of the tournament next year.

Hmmm, imagine if the Sharks were the lowest placed franchise at the end of S15. Can't tell me that wouldn't get interesting.

 

[qwerty51]

Well you can guarantee it will be the Kings.. they will be 10x worse than the Rebels.

 

[Dam0]

Well you can guarantee it will be the Kings.. they will be 10x worse than the Rebels.

True but even they should be able to beat a dilapidated Lions team that has hardly been playing. In NZ we had a promotion/relegation game between our first and second divisions for years. I don't think the second division team ever won one, despite their dominating their league. It's too hard to make the jump from playing bunnies to playing professional teams.

 

[Forcefield]

It depends on how its managed and the step between competitions. The Currie Cup isn't that much of a step down from Super Rugby. Northampton have made a very successful return since they were relegated around 2005 2006ish.

 

[AlexH]

Any news on where Patrick Cilliers is heading?

 

[Blue]

Any news on where Patrick Cilliers is heading?

If I had the money I would sponsor him to go to the Bulls.

Last I heard he was headed to Durban.

 

[PaarlBok]

If I had the money I would sponsor him to go to the Bulls.

Last I heard he was headed to Durban.

Stormers is chanceing him

 

[PaarlBok]

Sad news Wikus retires
Sport24

Wikus hangs up his boots


2012-09-19 13:24

Moaner and Wikus van Heerden (File)



Johannesburg - Lions stalwart Wikus van Heerden will retire after Saturday's Absa Currie Cup match against the Sharks at Coca-Cola Park in Johannesburg.

Kick-off is at 19:10.

Van Heerden, 33, was a Super Rugby winner with the Bulls in 2007 as well as part of Jake White's RWC-winning Springbok squad later that year. He was also part of last year's victorious Currie Cup-winning Lions team.

Van Heerden enjoyed a stint in England in the 2009/10 season during which he played 21 matches for Saracens. He also has 14 Springbok caps to his name.

Van Heerden is the son of former Springbok Moaner van Heerden.

 

[PaarlBok]

To be finalised today
Supersport

Stormers grab Lion Boks



by Brenden Nel 03 October 2012, 07:07

The Stormers will hit the jackpot and benefit the most from the Lions' exit from Vodacom Super Rugby next year, snapping up at least three players – two of whom are Springboks.

Lions acting CEO Ruben Moggee will announce the future plans of some of his players in a special press conference on Wednesday morning, but supersport.com can reveal that the Stormers have already signed Springbok tighthead prop Pat Cilliers and promising flanker Michael Rhodes.

The duo will be released from their contracts and allowed to join the Stormers on a permanent basis, while the Cape side are also likely to get Bok flyhalf Elton Jantjies for next year’s campaign on a loan agreement.

While Jantjies’ agent James Adams claims nothing has been signed, and that Jantjies will only put pen to paper next week, it is understood that the flyhalf has verbally agreed to a loan agreement with the Stormers, which will see him return to the Lions at the end of the Super Rugby tournament.

Small details, such as what happens should the Stormers face the Lions in the set promotion-relegation match, are now all that need to be ironed out before the deal is concluded.

The same goes for new Bok Lionel Mapoe, who has apparently agreed to terms with the Bulls to play for them in Super Rugby next year on a similar loan agreement. Adams said nothing had been finalised yet.

However, the Lions have given both permission, and if it isn’t signed yet, it is simply a matter of agreeing to terms with the respective unions.

Lock Franco van der Merwe is moving to the Sharks, also on a loan agreement but the details of Jaco Taute’s future are still unknown.

Taute’s agent Eduard Kelder told supersport.com his client was yet to make up his mind, and decide where he would play next year. Taute is only likely to decide after this weekend’s Springbok test against the All Blacks as he wants to concentrate on the game, but it is known he will either go to the Sharks or Western Province.

The Lions are also set to announce a group of players who have re-signed with the union to stay with them next year ahead of their hopeful re-entry into Super Rugby in 2014.

On the positive side, this week’s news that Bulls flanker Warwick Tecklenburg has signed with the union is likely to be followed up with the announcement that the Lions have signed promising Blue Bulls and former SA under-20 lock Franco Mostert after he was given permission by the Bulls to look elsewhere.

 

[The Red Baron]

See Paarl! I told you that Jantjies would go to the Stormers!

Funny thing is, all the players are going everywhere BUT the Kings. So the Stomers, Bulls, Sharks and Cheetahs get stronger at the expense of the Lions, while the Kings do..umm, help me out here Paarl, who exactly will be playing for the Kings?

I think I know who will be playing the Lions for a spot in super rugby in 2014..

 

[Blue]

See Paarl! I told you that Jantjies would go to the Stormers!

Funny thing is, all the players are going everywhere BUT the Kings. So the Stomers, Bulls, Sharks and Cheetahs get stronger at the expense of the Lions, while the Kings do..umm, help me out here Paarl, who exactly will be playing for the Kings?

I think I know who will be playing the Lions for a spot in super rugby in 2014..

Would you hop on a ship that is doomed to sink before there is time to break the bottle of bubbly?

Kings have one year and they will again be relegated.

Simple choice for players. Go on loan to a province wit the outside chance of them wanting to keep you.

Oh and the Lions have made it clear that they will not loan a single player to the Kings. Middle finger salute.

These are all great additions to the other teams, shoring up their weak areas (Sharks need a 4, Stormers need props, Bulls get a good 13 etc)

Would have liked to see Taute at the Bulls but there you go. He will probably sit on the bench in the Cape.