Player drain – Part I

[Flamethrower]

Sharks Rugby
Wednesday, February 06, 2008

Just how the various Super 14 sides from the three participating nations will cope in the absence of a number of experienced stars is an interesting dilemma to ponder.

This year's Super 14 will derive much interest not from who is there, but who isn't. All three nations involved in the tournament have lost a number of players to lucrative contracts in the UK, France and elsewhere in Europe in what has been called in all three countries, an "exodus" of players.

There have also been a few retirements as well as changes in coaching staff, but to turn a negative into a positive, the loss of one player always opens the door for someone else.

South Africa have lost influential, experienced and top class players like John Smit, Victor Matfield, Butch James, Percy Montgomery, Ashwin Willemse and Gary Botha, all Rugby World Cup Springboks, while Australia and New Zealand have lost a number of their own stars to Northern Hemisphere rugby.

There is no doubt that the loss of senior players hurts, and as the saying goes, there is no substitute for experience, but the Sharks for instance certainly have the depth - their Currie Cup squad had to do without as many as 15 players or more through Springbok call-ups and injuries.

They may be losing important players, but those who will do duty this year have gained valuable experience in the past few months. And Dick Muir will be able to name a virtual International test team in Sharks colours, such is the wealth of talent at his fingertips.

He may have lost John Smit, Butch James, Percy Montgomery and Bobby Skinstad, but he has gained four internationals in Jannie du Plessis, Frédéric Michalak, Stefan Terblanche and Epi Taione. Gcobani Bobo and the Noble brothers Howard and Dusty have also moved on but Muir can bank on a settled squad and coaching team and the Sharks will be fancied amongst the favourites this year.

Free State are probably the hardest hit in terms of player losses, but are always competitive despite this player movement in the professional era. Grey College consistently churns out great talent, but they will feel the pinch with five of their players from the Currie Cup final and a host of others having left.

With Marius Joubert, Alwyn Hollenbach, Willem de Waal, Jannie du Plessis, Corniel van Zyl, Michael Claassens, Bian Vermaak, Ryno van der Merwe, Phillip Burger, Barry Goodes and Ollie le Roux all gone and veteran Os du Randt having retired, Free State's depth and experience will be severely tested. They have however gained the services of Hennie Daniller, Jongi Nokwe, Jacques-Louis Potgieter and props Phillip Lemmer and Ronnie Uys for the season.

The Lions have also lost a few players, but will continue to build on what coach Eugene Eloff has started and should be one of the teams to watch in 2008. Brian Mujati and Ricky Januarie have gone South to the Stormers, Lawrence Sephaka, Ashwin Willemse and Jacques Cronje have all gone North, but Joe van Niekerk has returned to the province.

Like the Bulls with Frans Ludeke and the Cheetahs with Naka Drotske, the Stormers have a new coach in Rassie Erasmus, and given their poor 2007 season in which they performed well below their own standards, he will have his work cut out for him. He has been hot on the transfer trail, but has also lost a few players.

Tony Brown, Ricky Januarie, Brian Mujati and Adriaan Fondse have arrived and De Wet Barry, Gerrie Britz and Naas Olivier have left.

The Bulls face interesting times. The reigning champions have lost a number of senior players, Gary Botha, Johan Roets and Victor Matfield the stalwarts who will not be around in 2008, and with a new coach, their aspirations of retaining the Super 14 trophy will be tested.

They have signed up Tiger Mangweni, Jacques Burger and Zane Kirchner but lost SA Sevens star Stefan Basson, Adriaan Fondse, Victor Matfield, Cliff Milton, Francois van Schouwenburg, Johan Wasserman, Frikkie Welsh, Danie Thiart, Wessel Roux, Jacques-Louis Potgieter, Jaco van der Westhuizen and Gary Botha, and Johan Roets to retirement. At this stage, there is still uncertainty over whether Pierre Spies will be able to play.

End of Part I (part II to be posted tomorrow).

[Flamethrower]

Player drain – Part II
Sharks Rugby
Thursday, February 07, 2008

In part two of our series on how the loss of players to retirement, team rotation and to overseas contracts, we examine how the New Zealand and Australian sides have been affected.

The Western Force look to be the team to watch out of Australia as they continue their growth under former All Black coach John Mitchell. Like the Sharks, they are on an upward curve and could be Australia's best hope in this year’s Super 14. The Reds look similar to recent past, the Waratahs can only do better than last year, while the Brumbies may well miss their senior players too much to be the same force they were in 2001 and 2004 when they won the tournament.

They have lost Jeremy Paul, George Gregan (pictured) and Stephen Larkham, and Stirling Mortlock is out for half the season after undergoing shoulder surgery. The Waratahs have lost Peter Hewat, while Morgan Turinui has moved to the Reds, joined by former Brumbies star Andrew Walker. Former Force winger Digby Ioane also returns to Queensland who have a new look coaching team in 2008, with head coach Phil Mooney taking over from Eddie Jones.

In New Zealand, the Crusaders will always be considered a threat, the Blues too, while the Chiefs and Hurricanes can never be discounted. The Highlanders have suffered a huge player drain, have a new coach and could well be the weakest of the New Zealand franchises.

But the country has lost a number of top players to the Northern Hemisphere, as many as 15 of their stars will not being playing in the Super 14 this year. The list reads like a veritable who’s who in New Zealand rugby.

Amongst those names are Chris Jack, Carl Hayman, Luke McAlister, Aaron Mauger, Sam Tuitupou, Rico Gear, Anton Oliver, Byron Kelleher, Greg Rawlinson, Doug Howlett, Josh Blackie, Clarke Dermody and Paul Tito.

The Blues have signed Nick Evans amongst others, but lost stalwarts in Doug Howlett, Sam Tuitupou, Luke McAlister, David Holwell, Steve Devine, Angus Macdonald, Ali Williams, Greg Rawlinson and Derren Witcombe.

The Chiefs look particularly hard-hit with Roy Kinikinilau, Tane Tu’ipulotu, Byron Kelleher, Steven Bates, Marty Holah and Keith Robinson all electing to play their rugby elsewhere, while the Highlanders, with a new coach, will miss Glen Horton, Vili Waqaseduadua, Jason Kawau, Charlie Hore, Nick Evans, Callum Bruce, Josh Blackie, Hale T-Pole, Filipo Levi, James Ryan, Anton Oliver, Clarke Dermody and Carl Hayman.

The Hurricanes will no longer have the services of Lome Fa’atau, Tana Umaga, Blair Stewart, Chris Smylie, Brad Mika, Luke Andrews, Paul Tito and Tone Kopelani while the most successful team of the tournament, the Crusaders will have to do without Brent Ward, Paul Williams, Rico Gear, Aaron Mauger, Rua Tipoki, Kevin O’Neill, Tusi Pisi, Kevin Senio, Johnny Leo’o, Jonathan Poff, Peter Nixon, Issac Ross, Chris Jack, Jake Paringatai and Ben May but have secured Brad Thorn and Ali Williams amongst others.

It will indeed be a very interesting competition, and could be a tournament thrown wide open this year.

While the Australian, New Zealand and South African players who are playing European (and not Super 14) rugby are certain to raise the standard of the game in the Northern Hemisphere, a new crop of talent is likely to emerge in the SANZAR nations, and fans should embrace the fact that a new generation of JP Pietersens, Bismarck du Plessis’s, Ruan Pienaars and Francois Steyns are likely to be unearthed this year.

[frontrow]

In relation to part two: Straight off the bat you knew that this was not from the Aust media as they immediately pointed out that the Force are the team to watch out of the four Aussie teams, pleasant surprise really...Also the team with the least bleeding of talent, with hardly a name leaving...As for the general consensus of the two articles, i feel that a lot of the 14 teams will be rebuilding thier teams while we are still developing ours into our third year, which hopefully will give us an advantage from the outset, as we should already have well drilled and experienced campaigners from the get go...
Less than 6 days and we'll see...

[Flamethrower]

Yeah it's a nice change to read something positive about the Force.
Shame I had to look to S.A. to find it.

[GIGS20]

The Sunday times today predicted the to finish fourth.....behind the Sharks Crusaders and Waratahs........FUNNY!

They also placed the Reds at Tenth, which I think is optimistic, Brumbies ninth (I think they might surprise a bit) and bulls Sixth.

I would expect that the article was written by somebody who believes that the scores in trail matches actually mean something.

They tippe the Highlanders for the Wooden spoon....they could be right there, but I'm not holding my breath, competition at that end of the table could well be as tight as the top two!