I recently had the pleasure to listen to how the season that was (2009), have been one of the more successful for WP Rugby.
Excuse me? Successful? How on earth did you come up with that?
To me personally the only guys that can compete with the Lions rugby union for uttering the most unbelieveable PR crap is Western Province rugby, the only difference being that WP Rugby have been doing it for much longer which is why they are arguably more successful in duping the rugby public and their long suffering fans.
Throughout the year I shared some of the horror stories on this website with you in our privileged position as media guests of WP Rugby union. Most of which is easily forgotten or lost in the maize of positive rugby spin (read bullshit) that we find in the main stream media, and from the guys at WP Rugby themselves.
Make no mistake, I have made some wonderful friends in WP Rugby, most of whom funnily enough, agree with me.
But it is with this last, farewell and thank you for your support message from WP Rugby union where I sat up and asked myself; “Just what do these guys perceive as successful?”
The Stormers ended 10th on the log in the Super 14, Western Province’s three union sides (U/19, U/21 and Senior teams) all only made it to the semi-finals, in which all three lost their matches. Hell even the WP Vodacom Cup side could not even manage a semi spot ending 4th on the log in their league (top 2 qualified).
In fact, the only ‘success’ Western Cape Rugby enjoyed has been through non-unionised governed/managed/administered teams like the Maties (Varsity Cup Champs) and Hamiltons (Club Champs).
Most will tell you achieving the honour of a home semi-final in the Currie Cup takes some doing, and yes it has not been easy but please, don’t be fooled, the Currie Cup in itself is a 5, at best 6-horse race (if Griquas features strongly) so making the semi’s is hardly an achievement and should be a given for a union like Western Province.
Yet the spin-doctors from WP Rugby would have you believe that 2009 was a magical year for WP Rugby and how this now is the sign that WP and Stormers rugby have turned a corner for the 2010 season.
Let me be on record to say that 2010 will be one of the worst years in WP and Stormers rugby in the last decade (and that will take some doing) thanks to the union’s continued ignorance on the importance of proper structures and development of talent through those structures.
You want to sit back and appreciate a successful season?
Then sit back and enjoy the country cousins, the Cheetahs and what they achieved with minimal resources, a nightmare start to their campaign, injury plagued periods throughout the year and even the odd tabloid-type off the field scandals where they not only (for the first time in many years) managed to hold onto most of their core group of players for another year, but also managed to feature 3 teams in 3 finals on Saturday at Loftus where their U/19, U/21 and senior Currie Cup side will take part in the finals of South Africa’s premier domestic competition.
Hoe lyk die weer in Pta, gaan dit more reën ?
#29 bdb
My bloutrui is safely packed away in my cupboard awaiting the S14 series when my Bulls play against the Australasian teams again.
28
Thanks fender
I will take the silence from the buLLies as aPProval- although with “biNNesmondse gebitchery”
:-))
Sop net dat mAAndag NIE ‘n BLOU mAAndag is nie!
:-))
More almal
My maag is al so bietjie loperig van opgewondengeid. Kaartjies is gekoop, vervoer is gereel, my trui ruik soos staysoft en die wors is in die yskas.
Dit gaan darem maar lekker wees om more daar aan te kom, die braaivleis vure te ruik en die blou bul lied oor elke tweede bakkie se speakers te hoor.
Ek kan nou nie meer werk nie.
eks leKKe jaloers rOOipiet!
geniet die atmosfEEr!
SA weer se dis more 14 min 23 maksimum met ‘n 0% kans vir reen. Dit klink of dit egter vandag reenerig is, dan kan die bal seker bietjie nat wees more.
Ek gaan verseker, eks net bly ek hoef die jaar nie weer kingspark toe te ry nie, dis darem maar donners ver vir my.
37: ja, dit moet of ordentlik reen of glad nie, maar so tussen-in se paar druppels maak die veld en bal baie glibberig. Maar, dit geld vir albei spanne, reen of droogte.
Interesting article.
From personal experience, I can also confirm that the development structures at the Lions also leave a lot to be desired.
I had hoped that with the new Exco’ in place there, that things would improve, but it appears that the more things change the more they stay the same.
A union can buy players until the trophies are won, but unless sustainable development structures are put in place, success will (IMO) be short lived.
Having said that, the development initiatives of the IRB on a global scale leave much to be desired.
Rugby 7’s at the 2016 Olympics will do something towards greater recognition of the game, but I’m afraid that unless they (the IRB) puts some “real” time, effort and money into global development, Rugby Union will remain a minority sport worldwide.
Dink as daar nou een ou is wat hoogs die _______ in is vir die Sharks, is dit Kaplan. Nou moet hy vanaf sy vakansiehuis (net langs Kingspark) in Durban al die pad reis na Transvaal om die finaal te kom blaas.
Ek is amper banger vir Kaplan in ‘n finaal as vir Brussow. Maar dis net omdat ek vir die bulle skree.
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