Rose flies to Sydney
15 Apr 2008
Lions utility back Earl Rose will fly out and join the squad in place of the concussed Justin St. Jerry.
Rose will be joined by lock Cobus Grobler, who replaces Anton van Zyl (calf injury), on the flight tomorrow night. Rose has not played since he dislocated his finger against the Force in the third week of the competition, and his absence has meant the Lions lost valuable depth in an already below-quality Super 14 backline. He has been used predominantly as a substitute and his impact in the second half of their matches since last year’s Currie Cup was profound.
Rose will not be in the squad for the Waratahs match this Saturday, but coach Loffie Eloff told keo.co.za that Rose would play before their Antipodean tour is over.
“Earl’s finger has healed but it’s still too early to put him in. He’ll be used as a back-up and will cover a few positions from fullback to flyhalf. We’ll bring him in when he’s ready, but he will definitely play on tour,” Eloff said from Sydney.
Eloff is concerned about the lack of experience of the players in the Lions squad, and has admitted that buying one or two older heads would aid their prospects of success in future that much greater.
“The only way these players will gain experience to win matches is by playing and learning. When I return from tour I would like to meet with our executive committee to discuss and consider getting one or two senior players with calm heads that could help us, but we’ve already got the core of the squad to go far,” said Eloff.
Eloff made seven changes for the Crusaders match, but said he will not make many more for the Tahs. “I’m not going to chop and change after every match. I will pick a side according to the way we’ll play tactically.”
31 Comments
15 Apr 2008, 13:09 pm
My name is Earl, and I am a superstar. My dad says so.
15 Apr 2008, 13:45 pm
I’ve never really understood why this guy never made it. Craven week 2002 at the Woodburn stadium in Pmb I thought I saw the most promising youngster that SA had produced in years. Did his small frame catch up with him?
15 Apr 2008, 13:50 pm
Teabag…Atleast he started playing well towards the end off last years CC.
Give him a chance, he cant do worse.
15 Apr 2008, 13:53 pm
#2 I can only guess that his mental strength is of a questionable standard to make it at this level! You should have seen him when he tore Bishops (Western Province champions in 2002) apart. That’s where he made his name!
15 Apr 2008, 13:54 pm
earl has been in great form past year or two. Dont agree about the lack of exprerience. Young players such as Vermaak, Venter. Alberts; Ludik; Heinke have been the better performers in the squed, Lions lack depth in quality, not experience.
15 Apr 2008, 14:01 pm
Earl’s injury was actually Loffie’s fault entirely.
He told the oke to pull finger or else…
15 Apr 2008, 14:10 pm
Rose is a good player – and he will become great with an experienced player close to him for a season or two. If Rose had a Percy to mentor him he would have been great already. If gets to play in a solid backline he will be devastating. My opinion.
15 Apr 2008, 14:17 pm
I also rate him but the problem is that when he is bad he is awful.
When he is good he is very good though.
15 Apr 2008, 14:18 pm
Shows how low the Lions are feeling by thinking Earl Rose is great or potentially great. The Stormers did a great swop when Jantjies came to Cape Town. He is way better.
15 Apr 2008, 14:20 pm
On another note, i read an article about Mujati in the March edition of SASI.
Did you know he was earning R500 a month when he initially signed with the Lions as an U20 player?
I wonder if the other guys in the squad were earning the same. Thats just farkin ridiculous!
No wonder all the POC’s leave Lions cuntry!
15 Apr 2008, 14:20 pm
ARK
They didn’t do a swop you git.
15 Apr 2008, 14:20 pm
8. wpw, that’s the thing … he needs a mentor close to him to calm him down and help him stay level headed. He plays badly when he’s left to do things on his own in a poor unstructured backline.
15 Apr 2008, 14:27 pm
The current Lions backline is not the greatest place for a youngster to find his feet. Rose can be excused for having some off days in this setup. A Percy-type character in the Lions backline will do wonders.
15 Apr 2008, 14:33 pm
I agree Katsesnor.
He definitely has loads of talent. The Lions do not have many experienced guys to help players like Earl and Ludik develop their game.
If Grant Esterhuizen or Japie Mulder were still around they wouldve been great mentors.
15 Apr 2008, 14:40 pm
Japie should be mentored by a huge ****** cellmate.
15 Apr 2008, 14:49 pm
Well said katman.
15 Apr 2008, 14:53 pm
Japie lost the plot big time. He’s into the wrong kind of mentoring.
15 Apr 2008, 15:00 pm
Japie was the original Boere thug!!!
15 Apr 2008, 15:01 pm
13, wpw, having players like André Pretorius and Jaque Fourie around will help a great deal … but they are almost never around. I said some time back that the Lions need to look at someone like Gaffie (who may become available soon). They need a solid guy with much experience that will not play for the Boks. I believe the Lions would have been higher up the logs if such a player was around from the start of the S14.
15 Apr 2008, 15:06 pm
17, wpw, the Lions had some real “brekers” in their team some time back – Japie, Bullet, James Small, Wiese – and the Lions did well then … (but let me not give the Lions ideas here
).
15 Apr 2008, 15:09 pm
Rose’ kicking out of hand is outstanding. Like Katsenor I rate him.
15 Apr 2008, 15:11 pm
Small and Dalton. China’s of Gary Beuthen for gods sake. Terrible, terrible people. Only Jo-burg could produce that type of individual.
15 Apr 2008, 15:43 pm
Think loffie has got something good going with this team! He should keep them like this and not make too much change in the future!!
15 Apr 2008, 15:50 pm
Earl ‘I wear more padding than a NFL linebacker’ Rose is useless. Ok going forward with a above average kicking game but shocking on defense and no guts!
15 Apr 2008, 16:23 pm
Some young talent? Yes.
Heinke, Alberts, Vermaak, Ludik, Rose
Some hard grafters? To be sure.
Wepener, Baywatch, Joubert, Jaco Pretorius
Some Springboks? Sadly, only three with decent test experience.
Andre Pretorius, Big Joe, Jacque Fourie
The major problem is a distinct lack of tactical awareness, composure and BRAINS!
15 Apr 2008, 16:32 pm
Zoeloe Shark (post 2) – i saw the same. he was sensational at school boy level. Ran absolute holes into my beloved Cheetahs school boy side.
Sank a Cheetahs side that had Bismark and Ruaan Pienaar in it
15 Apr 2008, 17:36 pm
he and his brother should be playing flyhalf where they played at junior level,but unfortunately that position is reserved for whites at this level because it’s a position
you need to actually use your brain
15 Apr 2008, 18:22 pm
Molla. So to use your brain you have to play fly half? This site is reserved for the semi intelligent at least.
15 Apr 2008, 22:17 pm
Not sure what the fuss?
Defence is also part of the game but Earl got nothing of it, just look at Ludik in action once in a while to get the idea of a young full back as the last line of defence
Sure, loads of talant but not much that can be utilised at 1st Class rugby
16 Apr 2008, 07:52 am
Ludik is hugely overrated.
Some are even saying he should be selected for the Boks. What a joke!
He has talent but for please tell him that he doesn’t need to ALWAYS kick up-and-unders when attacking from the back.
16 Apr 2008, 16:20 pm
voshd
then leave
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