ADFSL

After the Stormers started the season with all of: Peter Grant, Gary van Aswegen, Dimitri Catrikilis, Kurt Coleman and Burton Frances as FH cover they now only have Catrikilis left for the season.

Catrikilis is in great form but if the news are to be believed then he is on his way to the Kings next season. (although WP still claim to have the right to counter the Kings offer; even then would he want to stay? )

Peter Grant has already signed for 2013 for Super Rugby and although he is a machine at going for poles he hasn’t set the world alight with his distribution skills nor his tactical kicking. I like him and think he would be a perfect back-up player. (You know what you will get out of him)

But Burton Frances has left (he was never under a WP contract), van Aswegen has played 5 or so games in the last 3 years always getting injured (bad investment) and Coleman (not world class a no 3 option at best) has a broken jaw.

So for the rest of the season JoeP will do back-up as FH. I do like him at FH (he likes to run the ball) although he is not a natural FH.

The real problem is next season when Peter will take his usual 2 – 4 weeks to arrive with Catrikilis gone(prob) and van Aswegen injured (as always) Kurt maybe our only option. Not to say anything bad about the guy (he hasn’t even gotten enough game time to prove himself) But he also hasn’t shown any indication that he is a special player.

WP do have young Tim Swiel playing U21 rugby and although he is an exciting talent, esp. with ball in hand,  he is far from a finished article that can start at S15 level.

Now it is also no secret that WP do want to sign Jantjies from the Lions. But that deal looks all the more unlikely and chances are that he will go on loan to the Sharks in 2013 to return to the Lions for the CC.

AC hinted during the week when asked by the media what he will do next season. He said that he have some players close to signing to strengthen his S15 squad. Now which FH or other option he is talking about I am not to sure of. (Maybe one of the Sharks players that will miss out if Jantjies goes to Durban?)

It sure will be interesting to see what will happen and IF WP will be able to bolster their FH channel.

cheers

Yesterday it was announced that 5 Boks will be released to play CC rugby this weekend. Vermaak, Potgieter, Malherbe, Burden and Mvovo. A sixth player Pat Cilliers was also released but is injured. (though I am not sure they would have released him if he was not injured) {I am sure the Bulls do not mind this}

Now it is good to see that these players was released as it is doing them no good just going to the gym and holding tackle bags. They all need some game time. Esp Vermaak.

But what about the other 22? Players like Liebenberg, Lambie and De Jong have not seen much game time in the last weeks. Surely Mvovo and Potgieter has each seen more game time than these 3 combined?

Lambie is the one player that stands out. He was injured end of S15 and only played a bit part for the Sharks. Since then he has had 9 mins in Aus and 5 mins in Nz. He has even publicly stated that he feels he need game time. And since HM is not intend on using him, why not give him some game time with the Sharks? Esp with Taute back it is not a train smash if he gets injured.

Liebenberg and De Jong has both had some CC game time but De Jong has not even played a single second for the Boks. Would they not benefit from running a bit with the ball?

One can understand players like Coetzee and the starting 15 not being released. And to a lesser extend Bekker who also needs game time this season. (or is he injured? Then he should not be there!) But the above mentioned? Why not?

Mr. Meyer sure make some unusual calls regarding the personal in his squad both in who is there and who he released for some game time.

I know they said the game 22 of the last match would not be released. But surely in a professional era with all the stats available it should not be that simple. They should take minutes played this season as well as minutes played in recent weeks and according to that work out who needs some time to rest and who needs some time to get match fit again? 

Cheers

Ok so I know it is the big 5. But with the Lions regulated from the S15 it is the big 4. Atleast until next end of 2013.

Anyhow the Lions looks to be safe and so does the Sharks for that matter. But all of the Bulls, Cheetahs and WP are not safe at all.

Of the 3 WP has the easiest route in the next couple of weeks with 3 of their last 4 games at Newlands. But that is no guarantee and if the Kwas can break their 100y drought at Newlands the task will become a lot harder for them.

The Bulls and Cheetahs both on losing streaks will really have to turn their seasons around if they do not want to end last in this seasons CC. Esp the Bulls who of late just can’t seem to put 2 phases of play together.

Thing is if one of the Bulls, Cheetahs or WP end last on the log they have to play promo/releg matches against newly promoted EP Kings. Now under normal circumstances you would bet any of these team to win against EP.

But it is not yet certain that the Boks will be available for that games and after this extended season with its unprecedented amount of injuries one will not be sure how many 1st choice players would still be available. Add to this that the team finishing last on the CC prem log won’t have much confidence after losing so many games AND the Kings having won most of their games will be full of confidence. And this game might not be so simple to call at all.

Of coarse Griquas still have to play their last 3 out of 4 games away from home and might still end last on the log.

But just think how funny it would be if one of the Bulls, Cheetahs or WP are relegated to the CC first div whilst still playing S15 while the Lions might well win the CC and have no S15.

This one reason I say the franchises needs squads of 40 45 players. To do this they need to get more investors like in the EPL. On the other hand one have the Bulls who on paper has prob the best overall squad depth in SA after buying all the young talent available yet still can manage more than 1 win?? Weird.

Cheers

Well with the Bulls signing any rugby player that can kick, chase and take a crash ball AND the Kings trying to build some sort of competitive side fort next seasons S15. (that is if the Mayens are wrong) Add to that the increasing signings from Europe, Japan and Brumbies. The stock of available players for other unions in SA are becoming limited.

Like in the EPL (soccer) if you do not buy a good mixture of young talent, average players and SuperStars you will fall behind and although you might stay competitive you won’t win any trophy’s. (just ask Arsenal) A good example is the chiefs who bought SBW and Cruden and won the trophy. ( I know it is not as simple as that)

The days of squads being able to cope with 30 players are long gone and one needs atleast 40 – 45 top players.

So with that in mind WP just has to climb head first in to the market and see how many players they can afford. Be it from other unions or even trying to keep their own players which is not so easy in the Cape.

What makes this year so interesting is the exclusion of the Lions out of the S15. This has opened up a large amount of players. Most of the Lions uncontracted players have already signed with other unions. As BayLion has pointed out.

To my mind WP needs a world class tighthead (but so does SA), a flyhalf and some what surprisingly some lose forward reserves. I say surprisingly because WP do have a lot of lose forwards but the all the knee injuries to Burger, Koster, Carr, Vermeulen and injuries to Kolisi and Elstedt it looks like no team will ever have enough losies.

I read in Die Burger that Cheeky said WP did not counter their offer for Catrakilis (i wonder if this means a deal with Elton is close?) and that he will deff be leaving. Now I don’t trust anything old Cheeky says but he is most probably correct. This means more than ever WP needs a flyhalf with Grant to one dimensional, van Aswegen struggling to play 3 games in a row and Coleman not up to standard. Now it is no secret WP wants Elton but so do the Shraks. The difference being if WP lose out on Elton they have nobody else while the Sharks still have Lambie. (although someone should decide whether he is a FH or a FB and let him play there all season)

I also read that WP wants to sign both Cilliers and Rhodes both players willing to travel for enough dough. It will still be a struggle because I can’t see the Lions letting all their player go. It would be suicide. But both these guys would be smart buys because they will fill gaps in the WP squad. Esp. Cilliers with WP always strugeling come scrum time.

The next few weeks will be very interesting esp with the Kings naming new recruits every second day.

As they says watch this space.

\cheers

I know it is only the CC and does not mean much anymore. To tell you the truth if it was not for HM butchering of Springbok rugby I would probably not have watch as many CC games.

BUT WP for the first time in years is making it exciting to watch them again. Their results of the past few seasons was not to bad and although a trophy or 2 would have been great it is their style of play that was the worst thing about watching their games. It is diffucult to watch all the games of your team when they average less than 2 tries per game. (and even the tries that do come are not beautiful to watch)

A while ago is was seriously worried about WP midfield stock. With JdV past his best and no one to step into the playmaker berth of 12. But then came Brachie. I know it is only CC standerd and that it is no where near S15 level. But that boy can play. His ofloading skills in the tackle is something to behold and I would love to see how he fares in next seasons S15.

Now if we can only persuade Mr Jantjies to join WP for next seasons S15 then we may have a real chance of S15 glory?

On the other side of things Mr Meyer is still not conceding that his Kick and Hope gameplan is faulted. Pffft.                                    

Against a seriously avarage Aus side with a FB that is serously shaky under the high ball it still did not work.

I even think Zane had by far his best game in a Bok jersey. BUT his best kick and chase game is just not good enough for international level. The same goes of Morne.

People are very critical of HM (me included) BUT one thing we do not give HM enough credit for is his revival of the CC. If it wasn’t for his pathetic game plan with the Springboks nobody would have watched the CC. But as things stand after each Bok game we are left with a void of wanting real rugby. And thus watching the CC.

OK so the Bulls being last on the log does not hurt. (lol)