....reminds one most of Clyde Rathbone. Fans were incensed then.....this is the same principle, accomplished with a bit more deceit. And we all know how well that worked out for Rathbone.
yes true to a point Moz.
However as a coach I would not want a player that clearly does not want to play for me. It will disrupt team dynamics. Thus we are better off without him in the long run then. If in future he decides to come back then so be it.
@moz
Gosh mate... would you like some cheese with that whine?
You sound like an American!
Simple equation.... Bulls offered him a better deal. End of story.
I have a serious problem with theb Bulls - they are buying youngsters all over and then they do not use them in major competitions - such as Serfonetin - with the result that these youngsters cannot progress to Super 15 and international rugby. That to my mind is wrong and not in the interest of SA Rugby as a whole. It will ultimately destroy the talents of the youngsters and do not allow for usage of talented players that could potentitially represent us internationally.
Mike there is a solution to your promlem.....Central Contracting, Unprofesionalise the game :) It's gin to be there for as long as you have a big boy with alot of money.
When and where was Serfontein supposed to have been used? He is a 19 year old guy from PE. Where and when should he have been played in his long and successful career in senior rugby, had the Bulls not signed him?
Jordaan, Kitshoff, Willemse, Botha, goosen all have been used and given a chance at other provinces.............and all of them are 19 year old kids.
You want to tell me that Serfontein is less talented than Any one of them?
All to do with where he plays and how many of them they have grabbed from all over, nothing to do with his age.
Honestly as a young player it is a seriously stupid move to go to the bulls, as you will limit your chances in the short term. Look at Goosen, he said no to the bulls, now he plays S15 rugby and is considered one of the best, at 19. If he did go to the Bulls as they wanted, he would not have been where he is now.
I am not saying that he is less talented, but Have a look at your list. Of those, only Kitshoff and Goosen has had a regular spot in Super Rugby and that is because the Stormers had a shortage at prop with Blaauw out, etc. Goosen has been the talk of the time, but has alreday had two serious injuries and that at the start of his career. I do not always buy into this "if he is good enough, he is old enough" story. That could heave been true when Naas Botha and Danie Craven used the expression, but the game has changed a lot, and has become much much more physical. Granted, the players have become stronger and "harder", but I still believe that many of these youngsters are pushed too much too early.
Yes, it is true that you could limit your chances in the short term, but that is exactly the issue that I have. They should stop thinking short term. Many of these youngsters only go after that immediate wealth and sponsorred cars and crap, and in the process they do themselves more harm than anything else. The parents, friends and media are the main culprits in creating the media hype around these youngsters.
You okes that are moaning about players going to the Bulls or wherever, wake up and smell the coffee, this is real life. It is a job for these guys, and just like you all will take up a job where you get a better salary etc so do these rugby players. Stop being so self righteous, we'd all do the same thing. And no, it has nothing to do with loyalty, because players have 10 - 15 years to make their fortune and that's it!
Just on moving to the Bulls, it is a good move. They have had fantastic recent success in Super Rugby and Currie cup rugby, but probably even more importantly, they have a very good conversion rate from club rugby to Springbok rugby. Basically, players get a good salary, a good chance of club success and a very good chance of getting a bok call-up, what else can a rugby player ask for? Sorry, but for all you detractors, pull your heads out of your bums!!
In American football you have a draft. Teams select college players in rotation, allowing all franchises to compete evenly for talent. Later, as free agents , these guys can ring the cash register. In SA rugby the big three, Sharks, Bulls and Stormers have always had a big edge in buying talent. Of late it seems it is only the big one buying the talent.
Ultimately this has to be bad for our rugby.
Moz, I don't like it, I really don't, but the fault does not lie with the players. They are simply trying to secure their futures. If the Bulls are buying players left right and centre, as it appears they are, then it is not a good thing, but the other unions must compete or fall to the way side. There is as much of a competition between the unions for money and players, as there is between the teams on the rugby field. If the Bulls are better at it than the other unions, then the fault lies with the other unions. They need to fix the situation and compete. It is ugly, but it is simple. The long and the short of it is this, The Bulls are running the business side of rugby better than anyone else at the moment. End of story.
A forensic audit needs to be undertaken re bulle affairs - something is very fishy about all this. Never trust a boool!
@MOZ and DYKE...
Oh my God!
If you want loyalty, go buy a dog.
This is a professional era with players needing to look after their pocket!
I see no problem with Pollard going to the Bulls.
Good for him!
Let me ask you this...
If you were working for ABSA and were being paid 10k per month...
And then FNB came along and offered you R70k per month...
Are you going to say no to FNB because you are a loyal ABSA banker?
I think not!
So all of you who are crying that Pollard is leaving his current bank... cry me a frikken river!
Mypoint exactly Chipps
Good to see everyone agree with me!
Actually on several occasions in my career I had higher potential offers that I declined . Money isn't everything....although the absence of money is a nuisance.
Moz I guess one needs to take it in context.
Id also decline if someone payed me 70k to wash their ass.
In Pollards case... He has been offered a fantastic package to do what he loves!
Chips example was very good.
He is basically being paid much more to go do the same thing at another bank.
Flash I know you think you know it all......but you are a bit presumptive.....and way off base.
Pollard is a closet Bool. He did not even bother to talk to WP, after numerous requests and invitations. Stuff him, I would even strip him of his Craven week captaincy at the very least.
Remember this:
Money is not the most important thing in life.
but...
It comes way ahead of anything that comes second.
Yep even in sport.
Not beyond a certain point....I doubt Federer would swop his Wimbledon title for any amount of money.
What goes around comes around. E;der Pollard appears to be setting a bad precedent for his son. If your word means nothing, you'll never have respect from others - bad move and really hope appearances aren't what they seem with him.
there is a lot of life outside rugby
the sad truth is money distorts loyalty....
So how come the bulle have so much money?
Also have bulle spent it all for now at least? I mean how many folk can they contract. If new talent comes along now can bulle react or have they shot their bolt at long last. There is hardly a junior player they havent bought!besides the rest!!!!
Now Beeno that would be interesting to see. they have been bying like mad how much longer can they continue...
well the bulls have been doing the right signings if you ask me so the future looks very good for them. there juniors are also are playing great rugga so there feeding systems are also not laging behind.
