SA rugby needs a caretaker

 We need someone employed with the sole responsibility of looking after talented fringe players, with a view to ensuring they are not overlooked or left feeling vulnerable within the SA system. The majority of our provincial coaches seem incapable of looking after their own players for the exodus of young talent is getting out of hand. If these youngsters are being snubbed by their own provinces, move them to other provinces where they will be appreciated........much like Sadie did with his move to the Cheetahs. We need more of those kind of moves.

While we cant expect to retain everyone or give everyone game time - the position becomes an issue when coaches overlook talented youngsters in favour of washed up has beens or never beens. de Kock Steenkamp vs Quinn Roux, v/d Heever vs Aplon, Jandre Marais vs Franco v/d Merwe.........

The list of young talent that has recently departed makes sad reading:

Stormers: v/d Heever, JP du Plessis, Duvenhage, Quinn Roux, Koster, Pat Cilliers and Armand

Cheetahs: Carl Wegner, Robert and Sias Ebersohn, Brussouw, Richarht Strauss

Lions: Josh Strauss, Etienne Oosthuizen

Bulls: CJ Stander, Wouter Moore, Chiliboy, Dewald Potgieter, Jacques Potgieter and v / Veldtze

Sharks: Ludik, Wandile Mjekevu, Kockott, Jandre Marais, Barritt, Gerhard Mostert 

Kings: Adongo

I don't think it is just as simple as overlooking them. I'm sure that plays a part in the players thought process when leaving, but players like these, and older players like Bekker, will always be swayed by the all mighty dollar. The Rand is really a problem in the grand scheme of pro sports.

In the 90's When the Canadian dollar was very poor to the American one, Players didn't want to play in Canadian Cities, and if they did they would get paid in American money. We lost two franchises because of it, and almost lost two others.

On the free market, players will always go where they can play, and make the most amount of money possible. A sporting career is very short, and an average to good player needs to cash in when he can. The Rand just doesn't cut it.

If Adongo makes the team, he will make more money not even playing 1 second in the NFL then he would starting for the Kings. The minimum salary in the NFL is $550,000 American Dollars a year.

The majority of these players would not have been looking to move on if they had not been overlooked by their provinces. Most youngsters want to play S15 rugby with a view to making the Boks. I have no issue with the likes of Habana, Morne and Bekker looking to make a buck at the end of their careers - I have an issue with talented youngsters being overlooked in favour of sub standard players.........

As I have said Quinn Roux left as he got no S15 rugby, instead Coetzee showed faith in the very average de Kock Steenkamp, we saw the impressive Baby Bok lock, Carl Wegner leave the Cheetahs as they only woke up to his talents once he had signed with a French club. We had the useless loan player Franco v/d Merwe play ahead of the impressive Jandre Marais for the Sharks, Marias is now French bound. v/d Heever was snubbed at the Bulls and now the Stormers - he was pathetically handled. JP du Plessis a talented centre never saw a single minute of S15 rugby with the Stormers - instead we see blind faith in wee de Jongh. No doubt Baby Bok Pat Howard will be next to leave the WP set-up.

CJ Stander last season found himself on the bench with the likes of Dewald and Jacques Potgieter playing ahead of him, he has pissed off to Munster. Mjekevu was a great talent on the wing and he was completely snubbed at the Sharks. Brussouw has been pathetically snubbed by Meyer and he has now packed his bags.

Many of these moves could have been stopped had these players been looked after or moved to provinces where they would have been appreciated. All I can say is that if I was Bok coach, I would make sure I had my finger on the pulse and these kinds of losses would be kept to a bare minimum. There is no way in hell I would have let Quinn Roux, Josh Strauss, CJ Stander, Brussouw, Mjekevu and v/d Heever slip the net. One certainty is that if a player like CJ Stander did slip the net, I would still be offering him a test cap.

I know that if I was Bok coach, I would want a hand in who gets to play S15 rugby. Obviously not a dictatorship, but when you have a provincial coach selecting Steenkamp over Roux, I'd be having words.

If the caretaker could not influence the S15 coach, then his job would be to place that player elsewhere.

Its not going to happen, but the exodus does piss me off.......more so when you see good players leave at the expense of sub standard ones.

 Snapster if you chuck in Habana, Jaque Fourie, Bekker, Francois Louw, Joe Pietersen (Never mind the WP players who left to go to other SA provinces - JJ, Sadie, Whitehead, Cat, etc) then its been a veritable disaster. You simply cant hope for success this way. 

I see Venter is saying he intends insuring there is good rotation. Allistair and the brass are running down the Stormers. 

Only central contracting ala nz might help solve the problem. It is extrely annoying.

 Yeah Mike, I dont rate Ludeke or Coetzee at all. SA is not blessed with great coaches