Duncan quits Cheetahs
27 May 2008
Cheetahs lock Rory Duncan is heading to Japan.
Duncan led the Cheetahs to Currie Cup glory last year, while he also captained the Super 14 team this year when Juan Smith was injured. Duncan is leaving next month for the Jubilo Yamaha Club on a two-year contract, and he will join up with ex-All Black captain Reuben Thorne.
“There are obvious financial benefits to going there, but my wife and I also wanted a different experience. Japan will be something new and refreshing and that is something to look forward to,” Duncan told keo.co.za.
Duncan also had offers to go to the Northampton Saints and Glasgow Warriors, but had his reasons for deciding on Japan.
“I played a couple of years in Scotland a while ago and this opportunity will be much different to that. Financially it is also better in Japan. To be honest I have never watched a game of Japanese club rugby on video, but I’ve read a lot about the league and spoke to a few guys about the rugby. It’s apparently slightly quicker than what we play over here, so again, it’ll be something new,” said Duncan.
A fortnight ago lock-partner Barend Pieterse announced his retirement from rugby for the end of this season, and Duncan joins a long list of Cheetahs who have left union in the last year. But Duncan is confident the Cheetahs can make a successful defence of their Currie Cup title.
“The Currie Cup is always different to the Super 14, and Free State are used to losing players. We always have the habit of pulling out some magic young guys and this year will be no different. The guys are young, but they have experience in the Currie Cup and they won’t go into the competition wide-eyed,” he said.
By Grant Ball
31 Comments
27 May 2008, 10:47 am
Silly Dragon!
27 May 2008, 10:50 am
Cheetahs to retain the CC? NOT!
27 May 2008, 10:56 am
Now Klein Flippie vd Merwe can get another chance. Played good rugby in th VC
27 May 2008, 11:07 am
De Villiers and Van Der Merwe are capable youngsters, but youngsters nonetheless.
Cheetahs need to buy some experienced locks – fast!
27 May 2008, 11:20 am
from Bloem to Japan
sh*, talk about a culture shock.
27 May 2008, 11:37 am
I wonder how much he will be paid? Will he be playing alongside Yamaha Van der Westhuyzen?
27 May 2008, 11:45 am
Another sad loss for the Freestate.
27 May 2008, 11:52 am
Duncan will be at least double the height of his *** teammates. He won’t even have to jump in the lineout
27 May 2008, 12:11 pm
A guy like Duncan was never going to be springbok material and an overseas offer was just a question of time. One has to wonder how rugby in Japan can compete so effectively with our local unions.
Surely the popularity of the game cannot be close to what it is here, and still there is enough money to attract some very good players.
27 May 2008, 12:35 pm
Cheetahs should look to buy Francois Van Der Merwe from Province, seeing as AJ Venter is bound to exclude him from the pecking order in next year’s Stormers squad.
27 May 2008, 12:50 pm
so much for AJ always saying he loved Durban
27 May 2008, 13:09 pm
#11 greatest13gerber: He does but apparently the Sharks wouldn’t renew his contract! And he has discovered he still whants to play
27 May 2008, 14:06 pm
Test
Good afternoon one and all,from a cloudy London. Finally able to access the site .
27 May 2008, 14:07 pm
A huge loss for the Cheetahs..
27 May 2008, 14:23 pm
Well Mr Duncan, I hope that you don’t get injured by the pygmies. Nippon is only fun for the first three months. After that you’ll be craving real rugby played by real men.
You are now an employee of a technology firm.
Moron.
27 May 2008, 14:57 pm
#9 Dumb Supporter: Just the exchange!
27 May 2008, 15:03 pm
#15
Rugby is a professional sport, it is a job, you go where the money is, if a “technology firm” is where the money is, you go there. Players have a limited time frame to make big money, so I think we know who the “moron” is.
27 May 2008, 15:09 pm
#8 Kietzphat: So I guess Rory will be Big in Japan………??
27 May 2008, 15:33 pm
#9 Dumb Supporter: second biggest economy in the world, and unlike the US, there’s a pro league. population of 127 million with plenty expats.
will really be a very different and interesting cultural experience.
27 May 2008, 16:21 pm
Duncan was lucky to play S14 and even CC. Very average measured in SA Standards. Good Luck young man
27 May 2008, 16:28 pm
#20 Judge: Most average SA players dont have a CC winners medal – which should make him slightly above average I would reckon.
27 May 2008, 16:40 pm
#19 cab:
There is a pro league in the USA, now. Kinda like the old Currie Cup. Saffirs, everywhere. Lots of Braai & Boerie afterwards.
Don’t blink. Hier kom die Arende!
27 May 2008, 16:59 pm
What is the name of the Pro Leugue in USA? You are not talking about the RSL are you? Because it is definetly not pro, and almost never on TV.
27 May 2008, 17:05 pm
#22 Comment by: did not know that, proper pro or is it a university/collegiate league?
27 May 2008, 17:29 pm
http://www.premier-rugby.com
This is the top competition in the USA, and it is a load of kak because clubs and players have to pay there own way, and there is no income stream, no TV nothing, just gate fee’s / concession sales / sponsors.
So it is basically totally amatuer, with the exception of a few clubs who may support a couple of there top players.
Amazing in country where there is proffesional woman’s softball, poker, darts, bowling, Lacross, turkey hunting & bass fishing that the powers that be can not get rugby in ESPN 3.
All credit to the clubs and players in the RSL, they actually play a decent game of rugby and would take on a many of the better clubs in RSA (Excluding the giant’s like shimlas, maties etc). And these guys really do it for the love of the game, because it does not make economic sense at all.
27 May 2008, 18:04 pm
Duncan is a solid player – nothing more and wont be missed all that much.
27 May 2008, 18:59 pm
#24 cab:
Rugby Super League
Clubs
http://www.usarugby.org/default.asp
27 May 2008, 19:01 pm
#23 sean123:
Of course it’s not on TV.
They didn’t even show the USA games during the RWC. Morons
The only place in on Fox Soccer Channel
27 May 2008, 19:21 pm
I have a dream
I love my Cheetahs and historically haven’t really cared much for the Lions, but for the health of SA Rugby, we need the team with the greatest financial and population wealth to fire.
My proposals:
? Get some new sponsorships. Johan Rupert must have some spare change.to chuck around.
? Hire Jake White as the Super14 coach and let Loffie do the Currie Cup. Jake has too much to offer and it would be a homecoming. Loffie could learn a thing or two from Jake.
? Purchase: John Smit, Butch James, Percy Montgomery, Marius Joubert, Eduard Coetzee, Cobus Visagie, Pat Barnard, Faan Rautenbach, Michael Claassens. No one in SA wants them or could afford them.
? Build three rugby academies (SARU owned boarding schools) in the townships. Offer an education to those who want to play rugby and have some ability.
? Flatten Ellis Park and go play in the new FIFA2010 final stadium
28 May 2008, 08:37 am
Duncan no loss to the CHEETAHS – was never used in a line-out, goes to ground before making contact, looses ball in tackles etc. Van der Merwe much better player.
28 May 2008, 11:16 am
Unfortunate about rory. Good physical player! We’re in a bit of trouble now concerning locks. Hopefully the young, inexperienced boys will step up to the plate.
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