A tug-of-war over Steven Kitshoff and the Stormers and the Baby Boks has intensified ahead of the Stormers crunch Super Rugby clash at Loftus.
rugby week
The vastly-improved Stormers loosehead prop, Steven Kitshoff, has been named in the SA Under-20 squad that will be compete in next week’s IRB Junior World Championships in Cape Town.
In terms of the SA Rugby Union’s (Saru) latest regulations, the Baby Boks have first call on the player’s services but the Stormers are keen to broker a way for him to play against the Bulls.
“The CEO of the Stormers is currently still in discussions with Saru on the matter,” Stormers coach Allister Coetzee said on Monday.
“So we’ll wait and see what the outcome will be.”
Coetzee said he was taken by surprise a few days ago when the rules were changed to allow national teams like the sevens and junior outfits to have first call on players.
Prior to this change, Coetzee said he and the Baby Boks’ manager, Dawie Theron, had discussed ways of easing Kitshoff’s workload in a way that would benefit both teams.
The Baby Boks play their first match next Monday evening and if Kitshoff turns out for the Stormers, he will play two matches in the space of three days.
In the event of Kitshoff being declared off limits for the Stormers, former Springbok Deon Carstens is his likely replacement.
“A player like Deon Carstens has been part of our larger squad and has been on tour with us,” Coetzee said.
“We also have Wicus Blaauw who has played there before.”
Meanwhile, flanker Siya Kolisi, who was withdrawn shortly before their match against the Sharks last week, was certain to return to action against the Bulls.
“Siya’s shoulder has improved a great deal and I’m very positive about him playing this weekend,” Coetzee said.
“The latest test showed that he has recovered a lot. The scar tissue has settled nicely and so has the inflammation.
” I’m 99 percent sure he’ll be ready for this weekend.”
Joe Pietersen was also likely to make the trip to Pretoria. The fullback was laid low by injury last week, and his absence caused the Stormers to reshuffle their three-quarters.
Gerhard van den Heever, however, who came into the side when Gio Aplon was moved out to fill in for Pietersen, did not have a happy outing and he was unlikely to turn out at his former home ground.
Coetzee said with Pietersen at fullback, Aplon would return to the wing in an effort to bolster the Stormers’ strike out wide.
“It was interesting to note that both Aplon’s tries came when he had moved in to a wing position,” Coetzee said.
“Both instances were pieces of individual brilliance.
“We’ll look at Joe when he comes back from the Bok camp in Durban and by Tuesday we’ll have a clearer picture.”
Fark this is sad , Bulls had to give almost 13 players to the WC squad and we did it for the country and now this. Stormers think they have their own Republic down there in the Western Cape.
SHARKS HAVE JUST SIGNED FRANS STEYN FOR 3 YEARS… 🙂
heeeeeeeeeeehaaaaaaaaaaaa
Welcome back home Fransie, especially back to the Sharks. 🙂
2 @ Puma:
There is happiness and celebrations in the Puma household tonight!
2@ Puma:I can’t get onto the Sharksworld website, they are down, can you get the full story and post it?
4@ Just For Kicks:
Go check SharksRugby you get 1st the news there before SharksWorld. I heard about this last week but never wanted to mention it. As you know you never know if the person telling you is 100%. So kept on asking Rob on Sharksworld if he had heard something to see if he also had heard, but he kept quite about it. Probably never wanted to leak it out I suppose before it was final. Understandable.
Jeez I am pleased about this. We will now probably have the best centres in our conference. Jordaan, Tim, Fransie and Bosman. Bosman has been playing well of late too.
4 @ Just For Kicks:
Kickers, it’s on the Sharks official site… http://www.sharksrugby.co.za
3@ grootblousmile:
You know Frans Steyn has always been my favourite player.
So yes, very pleased..
7 @ Puma:
Yip…. Fransie & Lambie… & Bismarck & Beast…. & Daniel & Alberts…. & JP Pietersen & Mvovo… & Jordaan…. & Deysel & Kankowski…. & Doc Jannie…
8@ grootblousmile:
Why not….hehe. Just include my whole team..hehe.
gbs, Damn I am pleased. You know what this means hey? Fransie will be playing for my Sharkies against your Bully Boys…hehehe.
9 @ Puma:
Just one more player to run around….
8@ grootblousmile:
He can’t play in the play offs (if we make it) however, can play for Sharks in the rest of our games.
10@ grootblousmile:
He is a brilliant player. Was missed huge when he got injured during the wc. If he is in that kinda form then can’t wait to see him play.
Remember this is all very good for our Boks as well.
@ Puma:
glad you are happy old mate, did you watch Cricket last night?
12 @ Puma:
Watched Fransie playing for Racing Metro against Bakkies Botha’s Toulon this weekend… where Toulon won.
Was’nt too ship-shape, neither him nor Bakkies for that matter. Joe van Niekerk was ordinary too… Jacques Cronje was good though.
Fransie did some funny stuff… beginning to wonder about him and the Bokke for this June.
… but you’re right, when Fransie is on form (at centre) he is good….
Bakkies Botha was particularly lazy… and Johnny Wilkinson was utter crap… something like 1 from 5 for his kicking at posts, hell Matt Giteau had to take over the kicking dities eventually.
@ grootblousmile:
I also thought Fransie was very ordinary in that game.
But now well Puma will keep us updated who is the best. Lambie/Steyn/Michelack
14@ grootblousmile:
Sharks will get him back into form. No worries about that.
In-form he is with out a doubt our best inside centre in this country and very well could be in the S15. I rate him well above SBW. Fransie is pure class when in-form. He got it back so quick when he arrived here last year to play in the wc. First seeing him here thought he looked a bit out of shape and not in-form, but heck he was totally mind blowing during the wc. Was probably our best player during the wc. Once he got injured our chances took a big dip. JdV just not as good as Frans Steyn.
15@ superBul:
Freddie probably play his last game for the Sharks this weekend. He goes back to France to join his club there on the 1st of July.
13@ superBul:
Super,
No I never. Never got a chance. What did I miss?
14@ grootblousmile:Seen a couple of games with Jaques Cronje this year, he has really impressed me too. Glad someone else noticed him.
1@ superBul:Just so I don’t make a complete plunker of myself, just help me out here. How many of the Bulls fronline/first choice players are playing in this squad? Toetie hasn’t said anything about Leyds, Mbovane, Hammond, Howard, or Kebble. Kitshoff is an integral part of the Stormers at an integral part of the season. I think your comment is completely unjustified. If Goosen was fit right now, I am pretty sure the Staat would have something to say too.
Goed vir Frans Steyn dat hy weer SA toe kom .. sodat hy weer kan hare sny, raak al weer meisiekind lank 😉
Ons beste binnesenter as hy op vorm is, maar as hy vir die Sharks speel moet hy net aanhou om nie uit te skop nie, dit help die Bulle baie !
Sal goed wees as Gemmerbeer Saterdag vir die Stormers speel, soek nie verskonings na die tyd nie.
Oor die bokspan, as HM vir FDP gaan speel, moet hy net vir Hougaard op vleuel sit, in Habana se plek. Habana al baie beter as laasjaar, maar Hougies op vleuel is iets om na uit te sien, hy soek meer ruimte en iemand wat vir hom ruimte skep = FDP.
Of wat dalk van hierdie agterlyn:
FDP
MS
Habana
FS
Hougies (ja, buitesenter!)
JPP
Lambie
Bank:
Pienaar
JDV
Aplon/Mvovo
@ Just For Kicks:
If i added a smilley would that have helped?
National teams , yes even the u/20,s must be higher honors. If WP keeps Kitchoff away from that honor it will be almost the same as letting Francios Hougaart slip away to the Bulls.
I would simply demand his release.
@ JFK,
Have to disagree Kickers. Naka, has never whinged about layers playing for the National teams, be they 7’s or Junior Boks. AC is being an ass! He contracted Carstens, and never gave him 10 minutes game time, referring to play the Ginga Ninja into the Newlands turf. Now he wants to cry foul?
@ Cheetah4eva:Ok, I will bow to your higher authority on Naka, I, do personally suspect, though, and it cannot be proved, that he may have had something to say. But remove Naka’s name, and insert Plumtree. Same odds, and he has said something. I believe, when Carstens was signed, it was a. because it was thought he was good enough (remember Rassie probably had an influence in the signing), and b. they would have thought he would have performed better – struggling to make the WP run on side. I also agree with that, JWC is maybe a bigger tournament in the scheme of things, esp for the players, but Coetzee, like all coaches are contracted to do a job. One of his is to win the S15 – not the JWC, so I still see no problem with him trying to keep his best players for probably his most crucial match of the tournament.
@ Cheetah4eva:By the way, Western Force have just signed Sias Ebersohn. Will put up story as soon as it comes through
@JFK,
Yeah, it was running on the rumour mill. Pity, but he hasn’t exactly covered himself in glory, and he is always going to play second fiddle to Goosen. The Cheetahs lose players every year, at least this year they have managed to contract the star players like Coenie, Strauss, Brussow, Goosen, van Zyl, Robert Ebersohn, and Liebenberg. There is time to sign some replacements.
WP Nel – either let Coenie loose at TH, and play young Marcel at LH, which gives you two mobile monster props. Ross Geldenhuys is on trail, and then the VC props Ian Potgieter, and Stephan Kotze are also available. Kotze was a Junior Bok too.
Johnson – Lappies Labuschagne was injured, Davon Raubenheimer (I am not a fan), Armand Koster, and Boom Prinsloo for the CC, maybe beyond, and hopefully Juan next season.
vd Westhuizen – Walti Vermeulen will be back, Ferreira, and Uys at 4, and young Ockie van Zyl
Sias – Goosen back for CC, Riaan Smit, is fair at FH, and then either sign another 10, or bring Kritzinger through.
No major crisis yet
@ Cheetah4eva:
Cheetahs fullback Hennie Daniller could likely miss the rest of the Super Rugby campaign after breaking his thumb in their 35-34 win over the Waratahs on Saturday.
Cheetahs coach Naka Drotské told Volksblad Daniller will have to undergo an operation after seeing a specialist on Monday.
“Hennie will be operated on and will be in a race against time to be ready for the Sharks clash,” said Drotské.
However, it may be wise for the Cheetahs to rest him further as his availability for the Currie Cup is important.
Wing Willie le Roux is expected to take Daniller’s place at fullback.
@ SuperBul,
Indeed, but we have decent cover in place. Le Roux can shift to FB, or Riaan Smit can also play there, and Nico Scheepers has been playing well at FB for the Vodacom Cup side. He is also a good goal kicker, think he was leading points score in the VC. So it’s inconvenient, but not a train smash. Injuries are part and parcel of Super Rugby, and it’s a matter ofd luck, to get through relatively unscathed.
How are things in Hoedspruit, getting back to normal?
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