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.
@ Victoriabok:
38
You mentioned Matfield, Etzbeth and PSDT as the first choice locks in HM pecking order?!
I beg to the difference
Matfield is a wreck or near by to it, just came back from a knee injury at the tender age of 38 🙄
Etzbeth, spent 2014 in bed, injuries prone,
PSDT, not mach fit and it has been like that last 3 seasons
Leaving Flip out makes no sense in rugby terms, in short HM might be under instructions to cut back
A RWC Squad of 31 players will probably contains 10-11 tokens, it means that SOME of the already contracted Boks will be left out, add Louw, Pienaar and FdP to the mix and do the Maths!
@ nortie:
60
“Sometimes the players seem to forget that being a Bok is mutually beneficial and they also score in the long run and maybe SARU should be thanked for upping their profile?”
Well, PdV used 70 odds ‘Boks’ in his tenure, not sure about HM but the figure isn’t too far back
Which means only few have really justified SARU’s ‘investment’
Hondo wrote:
Maybe Flip felt HM would favour Vic and Eben and would not get much gametime?
Maybe he’s carrying an injury, he’s been injured for a long time, and would rather extend his career in Europe with a big payday rather than risk it for peanuts playing for the Boks?
@ Hondo:
True, but some have been fly by nights and weren’t offered huge Euros to play in France.
The “big stars” draw the big contracts, and some of them only became big stars due to their profiles as Springboks.
All I’m saying is that it cuts both ways.
Victoriabok wrote:
So, playing 35 odd games a season in France while being susceptible to injury is a good move?
Then he should go to Japan, also good money, but a much lighter load.
Maybe it’s just because I’m an armgat, but I’ve never been under the impression that the Boks get paid peanuts….something like R 100 000 per test, seems like good money to me.
So a guy can earn his money in France, still play maybe 10 tests a year for an extra Million or so, but that’s not enough?
And this bull about only having so many years to earn a living doesn’t cut it, they earn in that time what most normal people won’t earn in several lifetimes…..plus due to their profiles they make enough contacts to be employed, whether they are graduates or not.
Or they go into coaching or media
Hondo wrote:
If you’re complaining about the team composition now I wouldn’t want to hear you when the team for the 2019 WC gets announced 🙁
nortie wrote:
He might have a bum knee or some other potential career ending injury, look at Frik Kirsten
The best offer or most agreeable probably came from France, it would be better to settle there if you have a family as well
R100 000 is not that much, only about $8000 or €7000
They pay them well in the NH
Saturday they first showed the European Cup Final followed by a delayed broadcast of the Bulls Lions . The difference in tempo and hits between the two was apparent immediately. I can understand why players retire there
67 @ Victoriabok:
“R100 000 is not that much, only about $8000 or €7000”
It’s a relative term VB, for 80 minutes on a Saturday afternoon it’s a moer of a lot of money on top of your usual monthly contracts IMO.
MacroSssss wrote:
Nope, that’s contrary to the facts, Flip’s move was already a fait accompli way back in 2012, making him considerably less valuable to the Bok cause here in 2015 than Eben & PSDT:
“A player like Flip van der Merwe, when he renewed his contract in 2012, already told us he was heading abroad after 2015.”
Xander Janse van Rensburg, Bulls/Blue Bulls
http://www.rugby-talk.com/2015/05/super-rugby-bulls-no-mass-exodus/#more-100749
Victoriabok wrote:
Wrong!
Old timer returnee saffas now retire at The Sharks, the Sunset Franchise 🙁
Angostura wrote:
The Sharks fans say the same
“Do the Sharks have some sort of unwritten policy that they only recruit a player who’s either:
A. Moving into the twilight of his career
B. Constantly struggling with injury
C. Played for a minimum of two other South Africa unions
Any combination of the above is considered a bonus. “
Angostura wrote:
Or Victor? 😛
72 @ Victoriabok:
Despite his age, Victor is our most valuable lock.
Lineouts are critically important to the Bok game plan, & Vic is the lineout meister
73 @ Angostura:
Flok Ango, you are very freegin solid and logical for a Tjarks supporter!
You sure you are from Natal and do not have brighter, more deliberate roots elsewhere in SA??
2 days consecutively we had loadshedding here @home from 6pm – 8pm:
I must say the days of the ‘opsitkers’ must have been quite lekker …
but I guess not a patch on the ‘saamlêkers’ … 🙂
@ grootblousmile:
I am purebred multi-generational frontiersman … a.k.a. Oos Kapenaar.
76 @ Angostura:
Fark, how many times did you have to fall on your head to start supporting the Goldfish?
I am off to bed, I did not sleep well last night… Handbriekie snored too much…
Eish do not tell her I said this… hiehiehie
@ grootblousmile:
Not at all:
One has the Frontier, & then you have the Last Frontier (mistakenly also referred to as the Last Outpost)
It was a natural progression – I spent 25.75 years of my life in the E.Cape & the rest (the longer portion) here in KZN … You could say I am an East Lander
Cheers GBS & allemal
Owt as well
@ grootblousmile:
Clothes peg on the nose should sort that problem!! 😉
69 @ Angostura:
?
What facts are you aware of?
Do you know if Flip signed to Clermont, before or after he was he was snubbed by the boks.
Contrary to what facts exactly?
This was also in the comment you were replying to, but ignored:
“Flip has been a loyal servant to the Vodacom Bulls since 2009 and always made it clear that he would consider offers from abroad after the 2015 Rugby World Cup, ESPECIALLY AS HE DOES NOT HAVE A SPRINGBOK CONTRACT.”
http://thebulls.co.za/news/2015/02/06/players-leaving/
since then we have no idea what happened.
82 MacroS:
What is the relevance of (1) exactly when Flip signed with Clermont, & (2) that he doesn’t now have a Bok contract?
What is it about this that you do not understand:
“Nope, that’s contrary to the facts, Flip’s move was already a fait accompli way back in 2012”?
Or are you suggesting that Xander JvR was hallucinating when he was saying:
“A player like Flip van der Merwe, when he renewed his contract in 2012, already told us he was heading abroad after 2015.”
If the Bulls knew way back that Flip was going abroad after 2015, then HM & SARU would also have known that. Whether he was going to Clermont or any other club was/is irrelevant.
I’m suggesting that it was the fact that Flip was going abroad after 2015 that impacts his value to the Bok cause and that was a relevant consideration in he & SARU not being able to reach agreement re the terms of the renewal of his 2014 Bok contract for 2015 – res ipsa loquitur.
He would consider going abroad if he doesn’t have a bok contract. He didnt have one. So he considered it. If he had one he would consider staying.
That part is quite clear.
MacroSssss wrote:
That cannot be reconciled with this:
“…Flip van der Merwe, when he renewed his contract in 2012, already told us he was heading abroad after 2015.”
Angostura wrote:
83
Not a valid argument I am afraid
Players such as Louw, Pienaar, FdP, Bakkie Botha, F Styen or Schalk Britz got a Bok contract while all of them are playing abroad
Hondo wrote:
Please supply corroboration for averment.
@ MacroSssss:
I see it differently
HM will take 3 out of the 4 locks to the RWC:
Matfield, Etzbeth, PSDT and Bakkie Botha, all of whom are injury prone with a recent history or just that the old age caught up with them
😉
Odds that 2 will go down during the next 6 months are significant, then Flip will name his price?
We shall see
85 @ Angostura:
In other there are two POSSIBLE theory’s as to why he left… so I dont think we can make a definite decision to crucify Flip’s actions.
@ Hondo:
I highly doubt Bakkies will be one of them, more likely … well without trying to give you ammunition 😉
you forgot about Oupa Mohoje who WILL go to the world cup.
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