Flip van der Merwe
It has emerged that a contractual dispute with the South African Rugby Union (SARU) is the reason behind Vodacom Bulls lock Flip van der Merwe making himself unavailable for Springbok selection.
Bok coach Heyneke Meyer earlier this week said Van der Merwe was “unavailable for international rugby at the moment”.
The reasons behind Van der Merwe’s unavailability were described as “personal”.
However, Van der Merwe and SARU are at loggerheads because the player feels he was done an injustice when Springbok contacts were awarded.
Unlike lock partners Eben Etzebeth, Victor Matfield and Pieter-Steph du Toit, Van der Merwe apparently did not receive a similar national contract.
Van der Merwe will apparently only make himself available for Springbok selection once the dispute is settled.
Flip is the 2nd Springbok player involved in a contractual dispute with SARU in the last year. Cell C Sharks utility back Francois Steyn also made himself unavailable for the Springboks after failing to reach an agreement with SARU last season.
@ MacroSssss:
119
Yep, a good question
I am out of answers trying to figure out SARU’s convoluted world?
Pollard met all requirements to qualify for a contract but hasn’t and he surely to be among the HM’s 21 for the RWC
Go figure
@ Victoriabok:
120
Can’t see Pollard staying after HM steps down, he is young and worth 10 years of a top level earning , he will have to go.
The Super Rugby and the Boks post 2015 might be something not worth playing for
@ Hondo: @ 122
Who says HM is going to step down?
This is what I love.
Assumptions make the world go around.
@ Hondo:
Despite your convoluted world, Pollard will be going to the WC.
Just watch.
@ MacroSssss: @ 119
Don’t worry. He’ll be there. One of the first on the teamsheet.
Hondo wrote:
This is the precise moment where you are talking kak.
FDP, Flo, Ruan were all first choice selections as far as HM was concerned. Despite being overseas based Boks. But not so much Flip.
And thereby deserving of 2 year contracts.
Do you see the difference?
Hondo wrote:
I think it depends on how well he and the Boks perform in the World Cup
If he shines his value and paycheck would increase exponentially for NH teams
If HM plays the wrong gameplan, pick to may old timers* and we suck badly he’ll have to stick around for a couple of years more
*- HM is too loyal to players sometimes, and he’ll play them way past their usefulness, for example the 2005 CC Final where he simply had to play Leonard
@ Victoriabok:
As far as I am concerned, the concentration is on this year’s WC. All coaches, including HM, will live and die by their selections. This year will be no different.
2016 can wait. And present different challenges.
IAAS wrote:
124
Can’t see where did I say that Pollard isn’t going to the RWC??
IAAS wrote:
125
Here we go again: in the murky waters of SARU there is a mechanism in place to secure service of certaing players based abroad, and that’s by your own admission!
😉
Let us review it from the start
1. HM has a 20-21 players of his choice to go to the RWC,
some who were not selected(no contract) might come handy at any stage of the campaign if squad players go down,
2. I identify the like of Flip, J. Kruger, Hrgreave, BJ Botha, M.Styen or H. v. d. Merwe as suitable replacements in Europe
3. And then there is the ‘elite’ group who enjoy preferential terms- undisclosed – despite NOT being based in SA?
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