The Blue Bulls Rugby Union believe the growing storm surrounding their signing of Springbok winger Bjorn Basson is an “internal matter” in the Cheetahs franchise and has nothing to do with them.
Brendon Nel
Reports on Tuesday morning suggested there is growing unhappiness in the Cheetah region as the Super 14 franchise contributes 60 percent of Basson’s salary but allegedly wasn’t consulted about his move to the Blue Bulls.
Basson signed a two year contract to join the Blue Bulls as from November 1 this year, as the defending Absa Currie Cup and Vodacom Super 14 champions look to increase their depth in their squad on the wing.
The leading try scorer in the Currie Cup this year, Basson’s departure will hurt the Cheetahs franchise ahead of next year’s Super rugby competition, especially with another speedster Lionel Mapoe currently in a contractual dispute with the Free State Rugby Union.
But the Blue Bulls Rugby Union’s High Performance manager Ian Schwartz dismissed the complaints saying his union had followed the guidelines as laid down by the South African Rugby Union.
“We have taken note of it but it is an internal issue in the Cheetahs Super rugby region and is between Griquas and the Free State. We have followed the right procedures and we are happy that everything is fine in the way we have contracted him,” Schwartz said. On Tuesday Cheetahs president Harold Verster indicated his union were soliciting legal advice on the matter.
“In light of what has happened, the Cheetahs’ executive committee gave approval for us to seek legal advice on the matter,” said Verster. “As soon as we have received the necessary recommendations there will be a special directors meeting where the findings, and the consequences thereof, will be discussed,” said Verster.
“Bjorn is one of the Cheetahs’ top players. We are making every attempt to keep our star players in the region. We have to protect our interests,” said Verster.
There has been speculation that the real fight is over who gets the transfer fee paid by the Blue Bulls – said to be in the region of R1-million – which both Griquas and the Cheetahs, who are not strong financially, desperately need.
Hier Sharkies sharkies…
KOM LEES !!! He he he he….
Whilst I fully agree this is an internal matter between the Cheetahs and Griquas, the Bulls must realise they are involved purely becuase they are the buyer.
If they want this transaction to go smoothly, it is in their interest to perhaps sit down with both parties and mediate the situation.
Otherwise if the Cheetahs are proven to be correct, it could affect their purchase.
@ biltongbek:
Agree, i hope it can be sorted out fast. SA do not need another sideshow. We have enough more serious stuff needing attention.
@ superBul:
I know this is most likely too much to ask, but SARU is going to have to step in and sort these contractual issues out between unions. Otherwise we will continue hearing about these same issues.
When did the JF and Lions/Shark battle for players started? Right there SARU should have layed the Law down.
@ superBul:
I just have one question regards Bjorn Basson, why did the Cheetahs not contract him directly to also play for them in the currie cup.
It seems that they want him only when they can use him, and the rest of the time he must remain in Griquas until the call comes.
If the Cheetahs rugby union contracted him directly this all would ahve been a non issue, and the Bulls would either buy him directly from the Cheetahs, or the Cheetahs simply would have said no, wait til his contract expires.
@ biltongbek:6 – Bek, I have no idea how it works. But maybe cause Griquas don’t play S14 so Cheetahs get to use Basson there, but in the CC where Griquas do participate Basson is only allowed to play for them during CC. Not sure, just that could be the case.
@ biltongbek:2 – Bek, Agree and probably what Sharks should have done from the start with Mapoe too.
@ biltongbek:4 – Agree again.
Dit is belaglik! Dit het eintlik niks met Bjorn of die bulle uit te waai nie.. Ek verstaan ook nie hoe kan die Cheaters sê Bjorn is een van hulle ster spelers nie? Mis ek iets? Eerstens is die super14 verby. en gaan nooit weer gebeur nie.. Tweedens, as die Cheaters dan so erg aangaan oor Bjorn, hoekom het hy omtrent die hele Super14 Vodacom cup gespeel?
ek begin ‘n patroon te sien… onthou julle hoe harold verster gekla het toe bakkies en wynand teen hulle sou kon speel ‘n paar weke gelede?
as gevolg van sy gesanik, is die ‘blanket ban’ toe ingestel. verster dra net die cheaters se belange op die hart, en voel ‘n veer vir die res van SA Rugby. ek begin al te dink hy probeer aspris die bulle ondermyn.
snaaks hoe daar geen probleme was toe die vrystaat vir wilhelm steenkamp gekontrakteer het nie? bulle het dit professioneel gedoen, en het vir steenkamp sterkte toegewens.
hoekom kan cheaters nie soos groot mense besigheid doen nie?
It is vitally important to differentiate between the Free State Rugby union and the Cheetahs Super rugby franchise.
Yes I know they are the same in all but name but legally there is a difference.
@ superBul:
Here is the problem…
Agents, or a certain faction of rugby agents have been calling for years, and I literally mean years, to have SA Rugby draw up a constitution with conditions and regulations to regulate the industry in that regard to also, specifically get rid of rogue agents who just cause kak.
I know this for a fact.
SA Rugby however either does not have the mental capacity to do this, or the ballas to do it resulting in one such meetings (agents and SA Rugby) with the agents walking out because SA Rugby had no clue, and just dragged their feet.
I have been told that there will be an announcement soon where agents, in association with another group or organisation (who has the players interest at heart) who will establish just such a program where agents become members of this organisation and has to strictly adhere to its regulations. It will also include standard based contracts being used in future which will be independently audited all the time.
Players will be advised to only appoint agents belonging to this organisations but cannot obviously be forced but given who (assoications or groups) that will be involved, I believe most professional players will adhere to this.
All of this comes back (yet again) to the inability of SA Rugby to regulate this part of the game.
Hi ouens, just a quick question on ID: Bloubulblog.co.za and BulleBlog are you one and the same person?
2@ biltongbek:
Why should the Bulls get involved in a domestic battle between Griquas Rugby Union and their Super Rugby Franchise entity, the Cheetahs Super Rugby Franchise??
Basson’s player contract was with Griquas Rugby Union, who just happens to contribure as a member Union in the Cheetahs Super Rugby Franchise. His contract is not with the Free State Cheetahs Rugby Union and not with the Cheetahs Super Rugby Franchise.
The Cheetahs Super Rugby Franchise might have an issue and a case to answer with the Griquas Union, due to the 60% salary contribution factor, but almost assuredly not with Basson or with the Bulls.
Read the Storm Brews over Basson thread and the discussions between Morné and myself…
The Bulls are doing EXACTLY the right thing to stay out of the fight and there is NO MORAL OBLIGATION on them to intervene!!!
@ fender:
nope! bloubulblog.co.za is Laagvat Lingenfelder, an bulleblog is Doelskop de Klerk.
14@ bloubulblog.co.za:
Hello,
Remember to go update your Profile particulars (Name & Surname), you have not done it yet…. it is a requirement to blog here!
The Bulls are handling this matter in the correct way. They have not gone behind anyones back or had any underhand dealings.
16@ Loosehead:
Hello Loskoppie,
Yip, for once I agree with a prop…
13@ grootblousmile:
Ek se nie hulle moet nie, maar as hulle die destiny van Basson wil sien by die bulle is dit in hulle belang om saam met die ouens om n’ tafel te sit.
Anders as hulle besluit om nie involved te raak nie, dan kan dinge skeefloop en hulle het geen input nie.
Dit is hulle besluit, maar jy weet self hoe dinge in n’ boardroom kan draai.
Thanks Bloubulblog for clarifying that.
Also some great names there (i.e. Laagvat Lingenfelder en Doelskop de Klerk) if you guys are thinking about starting an alternative Afrikaans rock band, I reckon…
18@ biltongbek:
Daar is regtens NIKS wat die Cheetahs Franchise aan Bjorn Basson of die Bulls kan doen om hom te verhinder om Bulle toe te gaan nie…. fokkol… derhalwe is daar GEEN belang vir die Bulle om om die tafel te sit nie, hulle het klaar met Griekwas en Basson onderhandel, geteken en betaal.
NIKS kan met hulle aankoop skeefloop nie!
Laat die Kwas en hulle eie Super Rugby Franchise maar hulle eie HUWELIKSPROBLEME uitsort, het fokkol met Bulls te doen nie!
@ grootblousmile:
As dit die geval is, waaroor gaan die bohaai dan. dit maak geen sin dat daar nou n’ bohaai is oor iets as die Cheetahs niks kan doen nie. Het enigiemand die kontrak gesien wat geteken is?
anders is alles spekulasie, en as die cheetahs n’ bohaai opskop as hulle k@kk@l daaromtrent kan doen nie, dan is hulle f@kken stupid.
The more I read about these messy issues, the more Morne’s model where regional franchises control the unions and ensure development makes sense…
15@ i just updated my particulars, and also mentioned it to Doelskop.
@19 fender
thanks fender. maybe we can call ourselves something like ‘platgeslaande pampoene’
Blouste wrote:
Is daar iets fout met jou?
Morning all,
In a way this dispute is a snapshot of South African rugby ie: dispute, arguement, chaos, confusion, controvesy, scandal etc,etc.
As ever SARU (aka Boswell Wilkie Circus- apols to the late Tickey the clown) have allowed an off field situation to develop into a another farce – why are there no hard and fast rules in place BEFORE it all goes tits up ? Why is there no capable SARU administrator laying down the law? What was that new oke from Stellenbosch employed for ? Regan the wagestealer ? The rest of the grand fromages at SARU earning good bucks to preside over this mess.
The provinces are like unruly kids in a playground, unfortunately the prefects who are supposed to keep order have buggered off and the teachers are blind. There are 2 many pretend administrators who couldnt manage a Wimpy bar around our rugby today and the greedy agents dont help either, whispering sweet things into players ears.
I dont see NZRU or ARU or the RFU having these problems – rather they are focussed on winning things whilst we spend 3/4’s of our time fighting amongst ourselves.
Thats my moan for the week ! I have just been offered a new job and was happy until I stsrted reading about SA rugby.
A lot of nothing it seems, much like the freestate.
@ Mielie Pap Mike:
The prefects are smoking with the school kids in the toilets. So they can’t discipline them. 😆
21@ biltongbek:
Die Cheetahs Super rugby Franchise het miskien ‘n regsaksie, indien nodig…. net nie teen die Bulle en / of Basson nie… derhalwe is daar seker rede vir die bohaai, maar ek sien geen rede hoekom die Bulle uit hulle eie betrokke MOET raak nie.
23@ bloubulblog.co.za:
Jou mater het klaar sy vereistes nagekom, en ek het jou voornaam verander na jou REGTE voornaam, dis hoe dit hier werk, nie dat dit vir iemand gegee sal word nie (behalwe op jou versoek).
Ek moet sê ek hou nogal van die byname “Laagvat Lingenfelder” en “Doelskop de Klerk”, miskien moet julle oorweging daaraan skenk of julle nie as bloggers onder daai skuilname wil blog, soos op julle eie blog nie?
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