Andries Strauss becomes second Queens signing

Free State Cheetahs midfielder Andries Strauss has become the second player this week to sign with the Kings franchise ahead of their inclusion in the 2013 Vodacom Super Rugby series.

Earlier this week the Kings signed Sharks lock Steven Sykes for the coming season and they followed it up with the signature of Strauss, who was seemingly unhappy in Bloemfontein.

Strauss, who still had a year to run on his contract with the Cheetahs, after moving there from the Sharks, asked to be released from the contract to take up the offer from the Kings.

The midfielder has been a regular in the Cheetahs' backline but the arrival of Johann Sadie at the end of the season would have made it tougher in terms of competition in the midfield.

The Kings have promised to sign several more top-name players, and may even sign a handful of Argentinean or New Zealand players to bolster their ranks ahead of their one-year entry into the Southern Hemisphere competition.

For the Cheetahs, coach Naka Drotske confirmed Strauss’s departure, but Sadie’s arrival will offset the loss and looks set to form an attacking midfield with Robert Ebersohn.

The Cheetahs have also signed Lions prop Caylib Oosthuizen and the Bulls' Rossouw de Klerk, while they lost the services of WP Nel (Edinburgh), Ashley Johnson (Wasps), George Earle (Scarletts), Marcel van der Merwe (Bulls) and Sias Ebersohn (Western Force) from their Super Rugby squad this year. 

Adian Strauss is a one dimensional crash test dummie. With Sadie joining not really much need for him. 

First that I have heard about Steven Sykes. He is a decent player. Think he got miffed with his treatment at the end of the superxv by the Sharks, being put on the bench for Alberts etc

The queens at this stage with player resources would still be hammered 70-0 in each game. Good cash cow for points for the other South African teams

Sharkbok

I agree with you about Sykes being a decent player - but I think he is beginning to feel the heat of the youngsters coming through - hence the signing.

I would not consider the present signings by the Queens a major breakthrough for their rugby - probably the best one they did was Catrakilis- the others may be considered as discards of average or below-par abilitiy.

kings are in a difficult position, they want to develop the talent around them, but SARU saying the bottom placed team in the saffa confernce will play a relegation match to see if they secure a place in 2014, is just whack, especially given the number of chances that the lions have had.

IMO, southern kings need to go to NZ and recruit some of the talent they go over there, cos if anyones been watching the ITM, the are unearthing talent at phenmonenal rate and theres a massive reality that some of those players will be playing for nonNZ confernces, due to theei not being any room,
 

Sasu

I have been watching some of the ITM matches and yes - they have a huge talent pool not accommodated in the Super 15 squad of the various franchises - matter of fact some of the franchise players should be feeling a huge amount of heat- because of competition,

However, I am not sure how many foreigners are allowed per franchise team in SA.   As far as I know only one - so the signing up of foreigners will be limited severely.

My impression is that the present arrangment as to the Lions -Kings issue stems from political pressure and that the Rugby Board plays a iffy kind of game here.   They realize that since it is not necessarily based on rugby issues -  the expperiment is likely to flop - so they are making sure it does and then find a way out of the dilemma.    Not a purely rugby decision - if it was the issue would have been handled differently.   I am not on the inside - so the above is a deduction - not necessarily based on fact.   Howevver, knowing the SA enviroment it is very likely the case.

@clevermike,

will debate laters with ur points but u are more in the know with SA affairs and hwat have u and its a bit of a shame, cos rugby is suffering as a result.,

but im off to the gym and my daily affairs. but im wondering do u live in SA and what time do u sleep, cos u post in the early hours of SA, lol. just curious is all. :D

Sasu

I live in a small coastal village north of Durban in a huge house situated circa 200 meters from the local tidal pool and beach.   Have a swimming pool at home though - and rarely goes to the beach.   Often wakes up very early and start to write crap on this programme - that is according to Beeno and others - but I think I try to stick to facts.

@clevermike,

sounds like a nice place u got there. and im sure u dont really worry about beeno, hes good for a laugh if nothing else, :)

im sure that given the kings are new inclusions, SARU might give them preferntial treatment to get their squads sorted, similar to the melbourne rebels who are allowed more then the normal allocated foreign players rule set by ARU.

one of the major discussions in NZ is who is going to be unlucky enough not to make it, and a 5 club tournament  similar to the vodcom cup is currently in talks at the moment. the 5 clubs will be feeder clubs to the NZ spXV franchises, to help increase rugby quality of the guys who dont play spXV. it also helps lock up talent within NZ, but the NZRU said its just preliminary talks with very little chance of it happening. i hope it does though,cos we got some serious talent to burn.

 According to what I have read and heard....the Queens wanted to get in and play top division rugby because they have so much local talent in their union.

Now it appears all they have is money...hence the transitional players will have to continue to play in the townships.

Shame on you Cheeky and Puke.