Cats welcome relegation call
2 Feb 2006
New Zealand’s TAB betting agency has the Cats as early favourites for basement-dwellers in the Super 14, a fact that coach Frans Ludeke welcomes.
Speaking to keo.co.za, Ludeke stated that he would not attempt to shield the squad from the negative publicity. Instead, he’d stick it up in the team room.
“I saw the odds, and believe me I will definitely show it to the squad for motivation,” Ludeke admitted. “All that talk suits us just fine. It’s always better to be the underdog than the favourite in the fight.”
Ludeke’ side completed their pre-season preparations last evening by downing the Sharks’ shadow 1st XV 20-13, whilst the encounter between the respective B sides ended in a 24-14 victory to the Durbanites.
“I wanted to see us attack more, because the Super 14 is all about scoring trie. However, In the second match, we used our chances better.�
“We’ll obviously be training in the lead up to the opening match next weekend, but in essence our pre-season is behind us now. The only option to the squad now is to perform, and I’m very confident we will.”
41 Comments
2 Feb 2006, 09:27 am
In a fight it is not the size of the dragon that counts but the size of the fight in the dragon.
Cheers
2 Feb 2006, 09:28 am
Well, lets hope it works Frans. I do NOT want to see my team in the duldrums next year.
Come one Cats!
2 Feb 2006, 09:37 am
The Cats have ALWAYS been written off — except when Laurie Mains coached them.
And for over a decade they have NEVER been able to take that mocking and contemptuous writing-off by their opponents and to transform it into a powerful motivational tool.
Frans Ludicrous is just talking through his hat.
2 Feb 2006, 09:51 am
Frans Ludicrous.That’s good Tackler.
Cats to go out, AP to check into rehab.
2 Feb 2006, 10:11 am
Blueblood, you just proved yourself to be in the same intelectual class as tackler.
Lovers perhaps?
2 Feb 2006, 10:12 am
Hope it works – can’t afford my team to be relegated. I remember the year Bobbie came over to the Cats and everyone thought that the Cats would make the Semi’s again…. What a joke that was – it was also the year the Cats gave away 64 points against the Brumbies (For the second time).
Hope they do well this year
2 Feb 2006, 10:16 am
FL, give this message to Jorrie for motivation.
“Jorrie kannie scorrie”
2 Feb 2006, 10:17 am
Hey Tackler you wanker you. What happened to you yesterday hey?
Must have been a **** hot emu that ran past for you to suddenly vanish like you did.
btw, did you find out the price your mom charged cos I will be going down to Cape Town in about a weeks time on a limited budget and might pay her a visit if her rates are reasonable. (Under R20.00) – Somehow I think it will be.
Still waiting for the results of yesterday’s poll.
Hope you find out who your dad is one day – it might help you with sorting out some of your issues.
2 Feb 2006, 10:20 am
Kietie
Don’t let Blueblood upset you. He just can’t get over the fact that the Cheethas won the CC. He is still hounding Kaplan and thinks Kaplan is hidding the trophy at his house. Spoke to Kaplan the legend last night and he told me he might get a restraining order against blue to remove him from his sidewalk, Blueblood is camping outside his house you see. Let it go Blue, let it go….
2 Feb 2006, 10:24 am
Tackler
Where are you? – come out, come out wherever you are – you Kiwi wannabe, Zimbabwe reject, cross-dressing, lower-than-a-snakes-belly, std infected, sad excuse for a human being. (And that’s being nice!!!!!)
2 Feb 2006, 10:33 am
BlueBlood sorry but you are now getting as monotonous as Tackler and that other chap bigg, same comments different words.
Ludeke I don’t really care if you have an entire shrine in the Cats changing room with negative publicity as long as you get the boys to perform.
2 Feb 2006, 10:34 am
Hey folks
Most have taken to ignoring the chicken run ****** called tackler.
It saves scrolling and looking over posts.
Simply ignore him.
2 Feb 2006, 10:34 am
KWV as kak as Jorrie is I think you’ll find that he has a pretty good average scoring tries.
2 Feb 2006, 10:35 am
How many ref’s are there in the Super14?? Sure ‘bloodie’ is going to have a moan about every last one of them…
2 Feb 2006, 10:36 am
Beter than Gus anyway… King Jorrie rocks!!
2 Feb 2006, 10:38 am
Snoop
Ja, please guys, just ignore the d**s. I don’t read or reply to his rambelings. He gets a bonner every night when he realizes somebody actually talked to him (nobody in NZ wants too). So just like you ignore your little brother and he gets bored and farks off do the same with him.
2 Feb 2006, 10:42 am
I agree with Ludeke- that will be a motivation. I also think that the Cats will be good this season. There will be more harmony in the team and I really believe that they have brilliant backs and loose forwards. They have a very good and experience leader in Wickus and they will have better continuity in team selections with the Cheetahs not part of them anymore. In all- the Cats will be very competitive. Dont expect players to perform in friendlies- they are over trained- THEY WILL PERFORM WHEN IT MATTERS.
2 Feb 2006, 10:51 am
Grrrrrr….
Are you going to the game next week?
Can’t wait,STORMERS are gonna kick ***.
Wanna see how the loosies work with Luke back to top form.
2 Feb 2006, 10:53 am
Biggie
Nope dude, would have loved to see the Cats put one over the Stormies but I’m in Cape Town. I will have to go watch all those games that the Stormers lose at home.
2 Feb 2006, 10:56 am
Grrrr…….
I’m in joburg,how does that work.????
At least you can watch the games at a proper stadium….
During the S14 you will at least watch one good team playing when you go to Newlands.
2 Feb 2006, 11:00 am
Big
You are right, the OTHER team playing the Stormers. Ag, I cannot tell a lie… I will support the Cape Town boys when I go and watch. But I don’t have to like it!!!!
2 Feb 2006, 11:11 am
Eish we’re in the same boat,but nobody screamed louder than me when the Cats killed the bulls last year.We gotta support all SA teams if we want to make semis…..
Gotta go,must work,talk soon.
2 Feb 2006, 11:16 am
Offside,
No, he’s not all those things casue that would make him Australian or English
2 Feb 2006, 11:35 am
man i just cant see that team being relegated. look at the talent, also good balance in the squad with decent forwards and backs. maybe through injuries in key positions (flyhalf perhaps).
i think it will be the cheetahs that get the axe. they were also part of the cats werent they, so why not include them if you are using past form as a barometer. also currie cup success does not mean super 14 success, as the bulls have shown us in previous years (except for last year).
2 Feb 2006, 11:39 am
Kners howzit boet,
I see our wee felines sorted your sharkies out in the 2nd match.
Not that it enlightens us any more as to our chances of avoiding the drop.
2 Feb 2006, 11:41 am
The difference with Cheetahs is that they now have a decent coach.
2 Feb 2006, 11:47 am
CSB,
“Pretty good average”?
Which word does not belong? I think you can use average on its own.
Jorrie probably scores enough tries for an average rugby player, but I couldn’t resist the rhyme.
On the other hand, I would rather be known as George Petrus Muller than Jorrie. Who gives SA rugby players bad names? (pun intended).
Draadkar, Windpomp, etc. EISH!!
2 Feb 2006, 11:48 am
lol KWV, I think I was being to kind adding the “good” in.
2 Feb 2006, 12:06 pm
Oh, come on! What about “Swys” and “Piston” and “Domkrag” and “Baksteen” and “Ghriespomp” and “Viervoet” and (well, he’s Tshwanaian now..) “Bakkies” ….
It’s probably just a dutchy sort of babyish thing!
2 Feb 2006, 12:11 pm
Piet Van Zyl,
That’s what etc. is for.
2 Feb 2006, 12:18 pm
Would it be to much to ask to call the Cats Lions? Can we dispense with this worthless name?
2 Feb 2006, 12:21 pm
Titles are important. Take the misleading and downright dishonest headline of this article for instance.
2 Feb 2006, 12:24 pm
Tackler, if you are reffering to Swys as the young talent from the Bulls that passed as result of a car accident then Swys is short for Francois, plank!!
2 Feb 2006, 12:43 pm
i’m no jorrie fan, but he does have pace and is fairly agressive 5and the cats need to get their defense in shape). wouldn’ mind seeing him on the one wing and willemse on the other. lets give the oke credit, he’s been on somewhat of a try-scoring spree lately.
2 Feb 2006, 13:28 pm
agreed cab, as **** as many say he is atleast he’s still scoring tries, unlike old Gus that has difficulty even catching the ball.
2 Feb 2006, 13:38 pm
Only in South Africa is it somehow considered a positive to be an underdog.
Personally I perform to my peak when the pressure and expectation is at its highest.
But that is probably why England went into the last RWC as overwhleming favourites and won it at a canter.
2 Feb 2006, 13:47 pm
I agree with that StM, it’s because south african teams are always the underdog and nobody expect us to win that we don’t win the super 12 or coming 14! It’s time to shift that mentallity and get cocky, we should think we are the favourites to win and start winning and crush any underdog we play against, this negativety has got to go!!
2 Feb 2006, 14:05 pm
neither were england overwhelming favourites, nor did they win it at a canter, nor did they perform terribly well.
In my opinion England were just very fortunate not to play the best team in the tournament, NZ.
2 Feb 2006, 14:22 pm
St M
England won it, desperately, at the end, and even you have to admit that it was Wilko – one season wonder – that did it for you.
No my friend, you are speaking rubbish.
2 Feb 2006, 15:24 pm
Ou Ludeke praat teveel met keo.co.za soos dit vir my lyk. Hy moet op die veld wees en daai manne dril, die Stormers moet pakslae kry.
2 Feb 2006, 16:19 pm
eh coffee, sorry mate but i am a bit busy today.
so, next friday are we gonna be at the roo to watch? afterwards quite a cool party at paard in den haag.
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