When the going gets Roff …
16 Mar 2006
Former Wallaby winger Joe Roff will play for the World XV against the Boks at Ellis Park on 3 June.
Suparugby reported that Roff would join flanker Olivier Magne, flyhalf Carlos Spencer, scrumhalf Justin Marshall and fullback Thomas Castaignede in the warm-up game that precedes the Bok Test season,
The Brumbies star played 86 Tests for the Wallabies and is currently playing club rugby in Japan. Roff loved playing against SA teams in the old Super 12, scoring a record four tries in one match against the Sharks in 1996.
Meanwhile, All Black Bruce Reihana and Gloucester’s South African flanker Jake Boer are also tipped to join the squad, along with former Bok prop Cobus Visagie and Bok discard Brent Russell.
While the match involves some of the best players in the world, it will not be awarded Test status. The SA XV will, however, still play in the official Bok jersey.
Clearly, though, it is starting to take shape as a pensioners day out for the World XV, with too many of the players past their best. The Boks should hammer them, but to call it a World XV should not be confused with a best XV. This is a mix and match of former internationals with one club season left in the bones.
So much for player burnout? The match has been arranged by SARPA to raise funds for the organisation. It seems it is okay for the players to be involved in an extra match if their is a financial benefit to SARPA and the players. When this is not the case, then the moans are of player burnout.
Talk about having principles, which if they aren’t convenient, can always be changed.
21 Comments
16 Mar 2006, 09:35 am
Die drake is roff…
16 Mar 2006, 09:35 am
this is getting very interesting.
16 Mar 2006, 09:36 am
****, Redcard. You beat me to it. and with a dragons chirp. Nice one.
16 Mar 2006, 09:38 am
I reckon Jake shoul throw caution to the wind and play the youngsters. We need to improve the depth in the squad for next year. Guys like Smit, Schalla, Matfield, JDV, Botha, Habenero, Os and Percy shouldn’t play.
16 Mar 2006, 09:49 am
Joe Roff ! Now there is a name from the past that knew how to torment the opposition ! What a brilliant player.
Ig, you or anybody knows if Roff is still playing rugby on a competetive level, and if so, where ? Any additional info on him ?
16 Mar 2006, 09:50 am
sounds pretty much like a test team, hope the boks are up to it, what if Brent Russell carves them a new one?
16 Mar 2006, 09:51 am
Just make sure Percy plays against the Wallabies this year. Im just licking my lips thinking of how some of the African S14 centres are going to cope with the Shane Warne of Rugby League aka Mark Gasnier if he takes the ARU bait and switches to real rugby. The mail is the ARU is going to offer him US600Kpa to switch as he is obviously top notch and Mortlock is only one tackle away from breaking in two.
16 Mar 2006, 10:39 am
janee, almost **** my pants when i read the name. joe roff… aaaiieee!!! that guy murdered us!
16 Mar 2006, 10:48 am
What exactly are the SARPU supposed to do for a living?
How many emplyees do they have?
What do they need more money for?
As for other unions in other avenues of business…..aren’t the members supposed to pay for the unions exsistance from their monthly salaries?
Likewise, as with other unions…wouldn’t SARU be obliged to provide them with office space,etc somewhere?
Personally, I think SARU are being more than obliging withregards to this.
To provide SARPU with the national jerseys,players and facilities goes way beyond proffessional ettiquette.
I’m pretty sure most of the Bok players are not that interested in this match,it is a game they would rather not play in….but then, speaking negatively about your own Players Union gets you in trouble pretty quickly……typical Union workers mentality.
If I was this Hoskins bloke, quite frankly, after this game I would not want to hear so much as a squeek out of Hennie LeRoux mouth for another 5 years.
It is about time that Keo.co.za gave us some more information withregards to this organization.What exactly is their agenda?
16 Mar 2006, 10:58 am
Ig,
Why put such a negative slant on the issue? The Boks traditionally play a few warm up matches before the serious business gets under way, and if SARPA didn’t organise this one, it would probably be a meaningless jaunt against a Uruguay or someone similar. In 2004 they played the Central Unions match (captained by Rassie) in Kimberley. Hardly adding to the congested itinerary, and personally I would prefer to watch this spectacle than a minnow drubbing with official test status.
I am also looking forward to seeing BR and Carlos the Jackal teaming up again, as they did when the Barbarians carved England up at Twickenham last year.
Would it make your feeble sensitivities feel better if they called it “a” World XV, instead of “the” World XV?
Some guys just aren’t happy, unless they’re unhappy.
16 Mar 2006, 11:19 am
Ig,
A responsible media person should at least check his/her facts when making statements.
The agreement between SA Rugby and SARPA is that the Bok players will be selected taking into account their game time during RS14.
Furthermore this will be about entertainment and giving players the opportunity to play their natural game without the pressure of test rugby.
Most rugby supporters would love to see Jean de Villiers at flyhalf. Jake will now have the opportunity to experiment and give the players the freedom to play exciting running rugby.
What most people do not know it that most of the top rugby playing countries actually fund their player associations directly with amounts of up to R5mil per annum. This was proposed but SA Rugby did not want to follow this model. In stead the Bok players themselves agreed to play one match annually for the finanacial benefit of SARPA.
SARPA members pay R85 per month to belong to the association and has just over 400 members. In order to run proper programs ranging from transformation workshops, career advice and life skills programs, not to mention the legal costs of representing players in disputes and court cases, extra funding has to be generated.
The players are what the game is about, they provide the entertainment and are an important stakeholder. If you look at most professional sports in the world their players have strong associations representing their interests and as such they all have funding models ensuring that their assocations are well funded to professionallly look after their interests.
Next time make the effort and get the correct information before just making statements!!
16 Mar 2006, 11:22 am
I’m looking forward to this match. I always enjoy these world 15 matches. Think I’ll beetle on down to Ellis.
16 Mar 2006, 11:46 am
Thanks Playerpower for the information.
The question still has to be asked why, particularly given the amount of activities the SARPU would like to organize……are the players paying only R85 then?
Sure, some earn more than others, but wouldn’t SARPU be better advised at implementing a better payment system amongst the players…ie: more from Boks….less from vodacom players, afterall, the higher level players need SARPU possibly more than the junior level players?
Personally…..and I’ve seen only the worst of unions, I don’t see why the employer(SARU) should need to subsidize an organization that could well take them to court at a later date.
However, saying that….SARU are completley inept and R5 million would never have been missed amongst the gravy trainers anyway.
16 Mar 2006, 12:15 pm
What an excellent defender, attacker and kicker.
If only the Stormers had a wing like this…
16 Mar 2006, 12:22 pm
Bluecap,
Beetle on down to Ellis, then, and I’ll phone you through a live commentary from Bloem.
16 Mar 2006, 13:20 pm
When Roff was playing at international level, he was severely criticised for his try-scoring ratio.
Solid player, yes. Great, no.
16 Mar 2006, 13:33 pm
mikeybrass,
WTF?
He is the record holder for the S12/14 with cullen no2. 51 tries i think.
I would say that is international rugby.
16 Mar 2006, 13:34 pm
St. Petersburgbok,
The players determine and decide what subscriptions they pay. A sliding scale was proposed some time ago but was not accepted by the players.
However the fact that there are only just over 400 professional rugby players in SA limits the funds from membership dues. Even if you did implement the sliding scale with such a low membership base the income will still be limited.
The SARPA membership fee is in line with the UK, NZ, France and Australia. Their funding from their national unions is vital in running their operations. Again in professional sport it is accepted that disputes will come about but it is also important that it get resolved professionally. If not the effect on the playing field could be disasterous. Therefore the owners, club, unions etc in most professional sports want problems to be addressed fast and effectively. In order for this to happen you need money.
Just think of the bad and sad consquences if a rugby match does not take place due to strike action!!! Players want to play rugby and have the peace of mind that they have professionals looking after their interests.
16 Mar 2006, 14:25 pm
…Die Roff gets going???
Roff joke Ig
17 Mar 2006, 07:25 am
Roff recently knocked back an offer from the Force. The main reason was that he refuses to play for any other Aussie team. Brumbies man through and through
17 Mar 2006, 17:12 pm
still Joe Roff wat a winger!!!!!!!! the damage he an Ben Tune used to inflict was killer miss those oaks!!!
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