5 Responses to French Top 14: Kockott is the best in the Top 14

• 

  1

  grootblousmile on 22 October 2013 at 11:27 am

  Depending on what the Springbok policy will be in the future regarding overseas players, if they persist with overseas players, then Kockott should get a call way before Ruan Pienaar.

  He has been sublime in France and gives a very good option for goal kicking too.
• 

  2

  grootblousmile on 22 October 2013 at 11:32 am

  Of course my opinion is that Heyneke Meyer should be tasked to slowly wean SA off foreign-based players.

  For instance, I would not employ Jaque Fourie again now that he has once again signed on in Japan till 2016. Similarly I would not use Ruan Pienaar anymore since he has signed for another 3 years at Ulster. I would also immediately not pick Juandré Kruger, Chiliboy Ralepelle, Jano Vermaak and Gurthro Steenkamp anymore (there are suitable replacement players for them already IN South Africa)… and would probably use Morné Steyn and Zane Kirchner at the End Of Year Tours for the last time, providing that guys like Demetri Catrakilis and Johan Goosen steps up, and in Demetri’s case, gets given an opportunity to do so. At fullback, I would reward Gio Aplon with a recall for the End Of Year Tours.

  I would persist for a while with Francois Louw, Bryan Habana and Fourie du Preez… till clear replacement players for them grab their spots on merit.
• 

  3

  grootblousmile on 22 October 2013 at 11:54 am

  Weaning SA off from using overseas-based players serves several purposes…

  1. Firstly SA-based players have far more freedom to join the Bokke training groups during the year and also earlier before the next Test is due to be played.
  2. Secondly, players with serious ambitions to play for the Springboks would be encouraged to stay and play their domestic season in and for SA sides.
  3. Thirdly, playing form against fellow SA-based players can be more accurately measured.
  4. Fourthly, should the message ever really get through to SA Franchises / Unions to develop some similarities in Style of play, for the greater good of the National Squad, SA-based players would have a valuable advantage, knowing some of the joint systems employed already.
• 

  4

  grootblousmile on 22 October 2013 at 11:59 am

  I’m not against someone going to play overseas in search of bigger financial benefits or to possibly lenghten their playing career.

  What I am saying is that a deliberate decision to go overseas, should go hand in hand with the full realisation of the consequences and nett effect of the decision. Players should know and accept if they persue the lure of the Pound, Yen or Euro, that they at the same time temporarily say good-bye to Springbok duty… and maybe it would encourage some to come back quicker to SA than they would have done otherwise.

  I would like your opinions on the matter….
• 

  5

  Just For Kicks on 22 October 2013 at 1:47 pm

  I think there should be a clear cut line. You can’t say to some players, ‘you can’t play if you’re out of the country”, to others, ‘you can play till the end of the year’, and to yet others, ‘you can play till we find someone else suitable’. It is extremely unfair on the players, and will ultimately just make the situation more corrosive.

  It must be one or the other. How SARU do this, I am not sure, because, unfortunately, money does talk, and unless SARU can offer the players enough of an enticing carrot, it will be difficult to keep the top flight players at home.

  Rugby, like so many other sports has become a global business, and as so many sports men and women ply their trade in other countries, take athletics, swimming, cricket and football, to name a few, it isn’t ever going to be an easy task.

  I do think that the All Black ‘bubble’ ail burst soon, and even with central contracting, it may also have to find new ways of keeping their players at home.

  I also think that had SARU not been such a headless chicken, that there could have been a better system in place that could have seen us in a better position than we are now, with so many of our top flight players either plying their trade overseas, or with one foot on the plane.

  The SR rugby campaign by SARU is a shambles, no wonder so many players want to leave, money aside, the Lions/Spears debacle means that some players have had to live from one day to the next for their future. The Currie Cup shambles – it’s 6 teams, no, it’s 8, no, back to 6, hang on a minute, even though it’s been decided, we’ll have another vote for 8 teams. What is going on.

  If this was happening in your company, you’d be looking to move too!!!!

  Personally, I would like the players to remain in SA, but I completely understand the frustrations, financial sacrifices and career shortening sacrifices (playing too much rugby,) that makes them want to move – I don’t believe that it is just the lure of the £,$ Euro or Yen. So if the decision is made to allow them to play overseas, then so be it. HM will just have to have a few more scouts out there watching. By the way, I am available, Heyneke!