Despite a trophy cabinet which has remained empty for a full decade and after the Western Province pack’s reputation took another battering against the Golden Lions in the Currie Cup semi-final on Saturday, Western Province Rugby’s Senior Professional Coach Rassie Erasmus has already indicated he is not of the intention to buy a single forward player.
The intention of the Western Province brains trust is to continue to bring young stars through the age-group ranks rather than buy seasoned players as they build a winning brand.
Having been knocked out by the Lions in the Currie Cup semifinal in Johannesburg at the weekend, both Erasmus and head coach Allister Coetzee spoke of the “hurt” and “disappointment” of another failed campaign.
However, Erasmus was adamant that they have the right blend of players in Cape Town to get over that final hurdle and start winning trophies – having lost in the Super Rugby Final and Currie Cup Final last year, while falling at the semifinal stage in both competitions this year.
Speaking of their loss at the weekend Erasmus said in an “under-strength” Currie Cup – during the World Cup years 1999, 2007 and this year – then the teams who lose fewer Boks tend to win … as the Lions did [in 1999] and the Cheetahs in 2007.
He did not feel there was a need to go out an buy a new team just because they were beaten in a semifinal by a motivated and cohesive Lions outfit.
“If you look at the Lions, they are a full-blooded Super 15 team,” Erasmus said, when asked about the dominance the Lions pack had in the set pieces.
“If you take out your senior scrumhalf, your main line-out loose forward that contests at the back of the line-out, you take out your senior No.5 lock, you take out your No.4 lock, then you will struggle not just against the Lions but any Super Rugby team,” he said of -players like Duane Vermeulen, Andries Bekker, Rynhardt Elstadt and Dewaldt Duvenage.
“When you loser that quality of player it will have a huge impact.
“I do not have to go buy those guys [players in those positions], they were just injured.
“They will come back once they recover from their injuries.”
He also dismissed the notion that the loss of players like Johan Sadie, JJ Engelbrecht and Lionel Cronje (all to the Bulls) constitutes a major crisis.
“We are happy with how [Dimitri] Catrakilis have come through the ranks, a Kurt Coleman, Gary van Aswegen … we are happy that we are covered there. We still have the possibility of Peter Grant [who is set to return from Japan in mid-season again in 2012],” he said of the flyhalf position.
“To lose a guy like JJ [Engelbrecht], who came through the system, is very disappointing, but we just could not afford what they [the Bulls] offered him.
“I believe Gerhard [van den Heever] will add another dimension to our team –
“If you lose some players in JJ [Engelbrecht] and Johan Sadie, but keeping Nic Groom, Louis Schreuder, Gary van Aswegen, you get players like Dimitri Catrakilis, bring Rynhardt Elstadt through, bring Eben Etzebeth through, then it is not so bad.
“I can tell you now people would not have been happy if I guaranteed those two what they were asking for. I can’t guarantee a guy he will have the No.13 jersey, that is not fair to Juan de Jongh, Jaque Fourie and Jean de Villiers.”
Erasmus confirmed that most of the province’s young stars have been signed up for the next few years – players like Steven Kitschoff, Frans Malherbe, Scarra Ntubeni, Eben Etzebeth, Quinn Roux, Nizaam Carr, Siya Kolisi, Nic Groom, Nick Koster, Louis Schreuder, Gary van Aswegen, Dimitri Catrakilis, Kurt Coleman, Danie Poolman and Tshotsho Mbovane.
He admitted that if success is measured against the number of trophies won, WP have failed.
“If one measures success by trophies, then we were not successful,” he said.
“We had three home semifinals, we played in two finals last year and we were the top South African franchise in Super Rugby this year.
“In two seasons now we just couldn’t get over the last hurdle. I’m taking it on the chin.
“There may have been a refereeing call here and an intercept there and we then don’t win any trophies in a disrupted Currie Cup season, then we don’t have success.
“However, if you look at things like getting the Under-19 players through, getting the Under-21 through, not signing a lot of players from the outside then I think we are really successful.
“When we [Coetzee and Erasmus] arrived here [as coaches in Cape Town] four years ago the team was 11th on the [Super Rugby] standings and didn’t make the Currie Cup semifinals.
“We are building, but it is just that last little hurdle.”
GBS, I think you’re just trying to take the piss out of Young Turk and me!!! But, I tell you, we will never surrender, we will support the WP till we die – or next season when we’ve had time to see which team has the prettiest cheerleaders and then jump ship and support that team! I don’t know which is worse at the moment, SARU or the WP lot. Absolute bunch of muppets.
“If one measures success by trophies, then we were not successful,” he said. Sounds similar to another famous quote – “We only lost on the scoreboard” No wonder this ship is going nowhere.
1 @ Just For Kicks:
Hehehe
I’m not taking the piss out of you… just reporting the news… hehehe
@ grootblousmile:
Ejoying yourself making JFK and myself miserable, aren’t you Bigblu!@ Just For Kicks:
I gotta tell you those Sharkie cheerleaders looked awfully delicious. I must remain hard, no I mean strong….. I will not succumb….i will succumb
How Rassie and them can be happy with their Light Five depth is beyond me…
When the already light Verbrokkel Harris or Wikus Blaauw needs to be replaced, they have the baby telletubby, Steven Kitshoff (Kitskos) as a sub…
Man, that oke is only 20 and needs a few years yet to mature and to be close to Super Rugby standards.
We saw Andries Bekker and Rynard Elstadt injured at the same time this season and then WP have a plonker like Hilton Lobberts there at lock….
Well, let them simmer in their slumber, I say!
@ The_Young_Turk:It’s not only the Cheerleaders with the Sharks, they must put something in the porridge at school, because there was some talent in the stands too!!!
4@ grootblousmile:Yeah, and didn’t you con us with that transfer as well (Lobberts, I mean)
6 @ Just For Kicks:
Oh yes we did!
That oke is not so lekker in the head!
You tell them Rassie.
As a Lions supporter, I can understand the 15 years of “re-building and development”.
I’m sure the Union will support you to the Hilt(on Lobberts)
I thought WP didn’t do it last year because the squad was a bit inexperienced and expected a better showing from them this year. I don’t think its the raw material and they are a good team. But when competing at this level then you need something a little bit extra to take you above the rest. I learned this in Combat Rifle shooting. Inevitably the thing that is lacking is the guys that work with the teams motivation, focus and attitude. After having given it a deal of thought my submission is that Schalk Burger doesn’t hack it as a Captain. The reason for this is his one glaring shortcoming….and that is to lose his head when the pressure is on and things get a bit rough. He still gives away penalties (not as many as before) then when the chips are down he forgets about the team and plays only. Great rugby player he is and would still be in my world team, but WP need to find a different leader on the field…..they will then be able to take the extra step. The Lions resurgence is closely linked to their new Captains appointment….work it out, its not rocket science. The Bulls are going to have leadership issues next year and when Stefan goes the Sharks will need to find someone else too who is top rate. Keegan Daniel is also a bit of a Schalk Burger in this regard, without Stefan to back him up their game will slip.
Schalk is ‘n kaptein se gat. Ek dink die probleem le by die coaches. Die spelers is goed genoeg, maar daar gaan sweet boggerol aan in daai WP agterlyn. Hardloop soos afkop-hoenders rond. Besluitloos, planloos. Proudfoot doen goed met wat hy het, maar tussen Fleck en Coetzee het nou maar bewys hulle skiet kort. Kyk maar hoe die Bok-agterlyn gesukkel het met Coetzee as agterlyn-afrigter voor 07 WB. Toe kom Eddie Jones in en …. siedaar! Ons lyk soos ‘n All Black agterlyn!
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