Less than a month ago the Springboks lost out in the Butch James club-versus-country battle. Now, on the eve of South Africa’s Tri-Nations tour to Australasia the roles are reversed.
This time the Boks, on the back of a clause in James’ contract with his club, can hold onto the 2007 World Cup winner and Bath has to find a replacement for the star flyhalf.
Courtecy of rugby365
The saga surrounding James started earlier this month, when he was recalled to the Bok line-up for the first time in nearly two years – for the one-off clash against Wales in Cardiff on June 5. However, James, unwittingly, found himself in the middle of a tug-‘o-war between his country, his club and Premier Rugby.
Premier Rugby, the umbrella organisation responsible for managing the 12 professional clubs in England, eventually won their ‘dispute’ with the South African Rugby Union over the services of James – but not before both SARU and Premier Rugby threatened each other with the IRB.
While James was withdrawn from the Cardiff encounter and also sat on the sideline when the Boks beat France at Newlands a week later, he returned to feature in the two Test against Italy in the past fortnight.
That was enough to earn the 30-year-old a spot in South Africa’s Tri-Nations squad for the away leg in Australasia.
The Bok squad departs for New Zealand later this week – with the opening match of their Tri-Nations defence against the All Blacks in Auckland on July 10, followed by a second clash with New Zealand in Wellington on July 17. The third Test on tour is against Australia in Brisbane on July 24.
South Africa then have a month-long break, as the All Blacks and Wallabies slug it out for a couple of weeks, before the Boks tackle New Zealand again in Johannesburg on August 21, followed by back-to-back encounters with Australia (Pretoria, August 28 and Bloemfontein, September 4).
If James, who has publicly stated his desire to secure a spot in the Bok team for next year’s World Cup in New Zealand, is retained for the home leg, Bath may have to start the season without his services.
South Africa also embark on a four-Test tour of the Home Unions – Ireland, Wales, Scotland and England – in November, which means James could be away from his club for a substantial chunk of the season.
Bath Chief Executive Nick Blofeld and head coach Steve Meehan are both on record as having said they are willing to assist James in regaining his place in the Bok side and will release him for international duty – even though he has another two seasons to run on his contract with the English club.
The Premiership season gets underway early in September, which means Bath may now have to lean on new recruit Sam Vesty, signed from Leicester Tigers in the off-season, or opt to move Olly Barkley from his preferred inside centre spot to No.10.
It is conundrum that Bath will have to deal with, while the Boks will have the luxury of two world-class match winners in their squad – James and Morné Steyn.
Ja, die blinde sambok bliksem hard, nê Bath…. flok julle!
Butch should not even consider playing for the Boks.
At world cup time assuming he is still in the squad, his contract at Bath will be coming up that year too…and he is susceptible to injury.
He should reconsider, purely from a career point of view.
I can tell you one thing for sure, he will never become an announcer, I cringe when they have him as a guest at Premier Rugby matches commenting on the tv….he isnt very erudite!
Butch or Fransie Butch or Fransie
Butch or Fransie Butch or Fransie
Look to the future and go with Fransie, finished and klaar as someone says 🙂
Have finished reading up on The Malthusian Catastrophy (interersting stuff) and Olduvai/Olduvei Therory (scarey stuff) specially Olduvai Cliff.
Some guys were discussing it on Voldy last night.
therory is theory
4@ Treehugger:
Farkit Boomninny, what have you been smoking today to consider these mad Doomsday Theories…. although it has to be said that it seems SA (and definately Brakkenjanpan) is already at the Olduvai Cliff era which is only supposed to start after about 2012, I believe…
Each time the freegin Power goes off here… gives doomsayers more opportunity to speculate about the postulates of Olduvai.
Regarding the Malthusian Theory…. it is only natural that Mother Earth can only sustain so many people and not more. What I suppose will happen is that Populations with a positive reproductive birthrate, will slow down eventually and become much like a lot of Countries in Europe where the population growth is already negative…. due to modern cost constraints and selfish living environments.
So, have no more than 1 or 2 kids… and teach them well because the strongest and most educated will survive…. they always do!
Ok, can someone explain to me why Premier Rugby cannot pull the same stunt they pulled in the Wales test and demand that he is available to Bath and not the Boks at the start of the Premier rugby season? On what legal basis can the Boks hold on to Butch for the home Tri legs?
hugs @ 4
…. and now you have a migraine nê? 😀
8@ Ashley:
I’m worried about Boomninny…. yesterday she said she has learnt a lot on R-T… and today she actually went and read up on Doomsday Theories…
With what’s on offer here and elsewhere she might just stuff her head full of all sorts of needless shit….. hehehehe
oh, and pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease hugs, pleeeeeeeeeeease dont do this again …. please dont ever mention any books on here again cause theres always a chance that i havent read it yet …. its NOT good for my health
..
o, and by the way …. guess what i have open in front of me at the moment?
uh-huh …. an essay on the principle of population by thomas malthus (sigh)
(think i’d start there before i continue onto the stuff you’ve just read!!)
gbs @ 9
see #10!!
10 & 11@ Ashley:
Hahahaha, jou dom fokker!
@ grootblousmile:
Hahahahahahahaha agree it has hit certain parts already, thought to myself 2012 rather 3 years earlier.
gbs @ 12
ag dankie ou gbs’ie 😀
sien, eks ñ boekwurm …. kan myselfie helpie!!
:lol 😆 :lol you guys are so full of shit.
14@ Ashley:
Vanaand oortuig ek vir Handbriekie dat ons ERNSTIG sal moet spyker om by te bly…… hehehehe
gbs @ 16
lol, dinkie daai argument gaan werkie
djys dan al orie muur!!
@ Ashley:
Think you would learn a lot more a lot quicker about it if you read that long thread on Voldy, last couple pages with Agiletittyrant and Tactis.
Thats what got me interested.
hugs @ 18
under which thread did they discuss it?
17@ Ashley:
Hey, daasie fout met my rollie nie, net met my patrone…. holkruit…… hehehehe
@ Ashley:
Serious question, you say “kan myselfie helpie” i always thought it was “kan myself nie help nie.”
And also you guys say gaat for go, thought it was gaan.
gbs @ 20
holkruit? 😯
…. jaaaaaaaa boet, soes hulle sê: “ñ kas IS vir klere” 😆
hugs @ 21
bit of our slang, my broetsie!! 😉
@ Ashley:
Cant remeber Ash, but it reached 600 and something, so will be easy to find. Was reading it last night.
22@ Ashley:
holkruit = loskruit = blanks
@ Ashley:
ohhhhhhhhhh, so i am not improveing my afrikaans, reading here. 😡
26@ Treehugger:
I don’t think you’ll be improving your English here either…. hehehehe
gbs @ 25
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!! 😆
hugs @ 26
depends on what afrikaans you want to speak
boring white folk’s afrikaans
or
afrikaans that full of life and laughter!! 😉
29@ Ashley:
Hey djulle praatie Afrikaansie…. djulle praat Malfrikaans!
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