WP discard sends Poms into frenzy
6 Oct 2008
It’s premature to suggest that Bristol’s new South African signing Mathew Turner will become rugby’s version of Kevin Pietersen but the kid Western Province didn’t want has started his senior professional career brilliantly.
Turner has represented WP U19 and was the leading try scorer in the inaugural Varsity Cup for UCT in 2008. Many respected commentators predicted a bright future in South Africa for the youngster, some even suggesting that he was ready to make the step up to senior provincial rugby.
However, despite his obvious class he was deemed surplus to requirements at U21 level at WP and sought to forge a career with Bristol in the Premiership. He debuted on Saturday against Northampton and shone in a losing cause, scoring two tries and creating a number of opportunities for teammates.
Turner holds a British passport and has already been drafted into England’s Sevens 26-man training squad. If he makes an appearance for them he’ll be ineligible to play for South Africa. If he continues to build on his impressive start with Bristol there is every chance that he could be considered for the England Test side for their Year End Incoming Tours, where he could face the Springboks on 22 November. England have trialled a number of wingers in recent times and the position remains a headache for them.
Prior to the 2008 season Western Province opted to contract veteran wing Wylie Human from the Lions as cover for their first-choice players in that position. The deal made no sense given that Human is 29-years-old who had seemingly hit the ceiling of his potential. Turner was yet to spring to prominence during the Super 14, but WP would have surely known what Human could offer at that stage and could have gambled on a rookie.
Turner was apparently keen to stay at WP, but was given no indication that he was in the long-term plans of the union. This prompted his decision to move once the offer from Bristol came.
Western Province are particularly guilty of allowing their best young players to be poached by rival South African unions. They’ve already surrendered SA U19 players Francois Hougaard and Stephan Dippenaar to the Bulls. Both went on to acquit themselves well in the Super 14. Another former Western Province junior Juandré Kruger, has deputised brilliantly in the absence of Bakkies Botha. These are just the most recent of a number of top performers the union has let slip through their fingers.
Something needs to change at the union so as to ensure that they retain their best young players. If not, WP supporters must brace for more of the disappointment they’ve become all too accustomed to in recent years.
By Ryan Vrede
309 Comments
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6 Oct 2008, 16:54 pm
MONGRALS MAN, MONGRALS That’s what Wp need.
Not Bakarm Luke wat net wil driee druk en vir die skare waai nie! MONGRALS sê ek jul!
Pakslae tipe Mongral!
Maar toe koop hul Hilton Geelkaart Lobberts wat nie eens nou Diggers o/21 se span kan haal nie!
LMAO!
6 Oct 2008, 16:55 pm
#146 Sheriff: Maar hierdie week kan ek nog lag….
6 Oct 2008, 16:55 pm
#135 grootblousmile: dis die humiliation gbs…die pyn vat mens…die humiliation is darem erg man!
6 Oct 2008, 16:56 pm
#138 asha1: LOL
6 Oct 2008, 16:57 pm
#152 grootblousmile:
Dis reg, ek gun jou dit.
Maar as daar eers teleurstelling is, sal die trane vrylik vloei. Die saak is seker.
6 Oct 2008, 16:57 pm
#150 grant10: as a fellow rugby supporter…please enlighten me… what makes Luke so good that you want to give him a Province jumper?
6 Oct 2008, 16:58 pm
#151 Staal: En toe koop hulle ‘n moeg ou hond in AJ.
6 Oct 2008, 16:59 pm
Snaaks, dit lyk my hoe ouer ek raak hoe slegter vat die k*k
Die ergste is, ek het dit verwag van die begin af. Dit maak erg seer as daai soort verwagting vervul word.
6 Oct 2008, 17:00 pm
#156 Staal: Hi Staal, maybe a misguided hope he can get back to his 2006 form as a fetcher flank, he really was special then! Schalk and him in the same pack dont work i am afraid!
6 Oct 2008, 17:01 pm
#157 Loosehead: op hel skoon van hom vergeet!
6 Oct 2008, 17:01 pm
#153 grant10: Ag man, wat kan ek sê… WP sal iets moet doen aan:
1) Raak ontslae van Coach AC
2) Vervang / stem hulle hele verdomde Administrasie uit
3) Hulle sal moet ophou hasbeens koop en 2 goeie stutte koop, 1 enforcer slot bykry, ‘n losskakel koop en ‘n buitesenter.
4) Raak ontslae van die Fijiaan en AJ en die nuttelose ander ou manne
6 Oct 2008, 17:01 pm
The Hartenburg 2005 Merlot has just been awarded the International Wine and Spirits Competition Merlot of the year 2008.
Not so bad hey?
6 Oct 2008, 17:02 pm
#11 benigma: #12 Rooipiet: #101 jacoshark: It has nothing to do with race. WP are just totally inept at identifying and developing talent. They’ve got the most competitive school league in the country, the only players they should ever be buying are top of the line internationals, not the likes of AJ Ventre, Human, etc. It’s pathetic!
With regards to Matt Turner, his only choices were to play for WP or go overseas (his preference). Apparently, he would have stayed had WP offered him a contract, but he didn’t want to play anywhere else in SA.
6 Oct 2008, 17:02 pm
We as a country and especially the current coach have been calling for rugby players with brains. Here cometh a player small on size but still the most devastating try scorer of his generation and we let him go – Duh!!!
I think the people that need the brains in WP/SA rugby are the people in charge. Im sick of these types of stories. It is clear that this is racially motivated – the stats speak for themselves. Im going to eat some valium and forget about the rot that is WP rugby Union.
6 Oct 2008, 17:03 pm
lobberts, aj and percy!!!!!!!!! Noooo mannnnn!!!!
6 Oct 2008, 17:03 pm
#159 grant10: As a fellow blogger … some free advice … GET RID OF HIM as a player he is but average, very average. You have got better flankers. Invest in MONGRALS and Koster & Kie will flourrish with all the good ball. This guy is like Jake says… “better on the bench!”
6 Oct 2008, 17:04 pm
i just hope wp dont waste the prodigeous talent of nic koster as well
signing lobberts and vermuelen mite leave him out in the cold
what a shame
he should join the sharks and start playin for a real team
6 Oct 2008, 17:05 pm
#165 grant10:
it’s actually sad!
6 Oct 2008, 17:05 pm
#164 The Rant Sniffer: share the valium my man….pppllleeezzzzzeee
6 Oct 2008, 17:05 pm
#166 Staal: Surley with his height [dis]advantage he would be better under the bench?
6 Oct 2008, 17:06 pm
To a certain extent I feel that you WP supporters are taking this too hard…. you guys had a good enough Super 14….. better than the rest of us… but a kuk CC… mostly due to 2 things – absence of Bokke players AND the kuk Alistair Coetzee coachie !
6 Oct 2008, 17:08 pm
#170 Loosehead:
LMAO!
6 Oct 2008, 17:08 pm
#171 grootblousmile: If I remember correctly when WP beat the Bulls in the first leg of the CC, the WP supporters were telling us what a brilliant coach AC was.
6 Oct 2008, 17:09 pm
#163 crazy ******:
so how do you explain his exclusion in the wp u21 squad
when he plays ahead of both “coloured” wings at ikeys and
morne jooste?!!
this has nothing to do with race…..???
its always been a race thing down here in cape town
and is slowly becoming one in the bokke setup
6 Oct 2008, 17:09 pm
#172 Staal: Ek wonder of Lulu op ‘n kussingkie in sy kar moet sit om oor die dashboard te kan sien ?
6 Oct 2008, 17:10 pm
At 1,77m and 82kg matt turner hardly has the attributes of a big wing with a devastating handoff as some r suggesting.He is also joint top try scorer of the varsity cup with marcello sampson and the varsity cup is a far cry from the intensity of a s14 match.And on the basis of these performances and one game in England ryan ridiculously suggests that he is ready to face the boks on the end of year tour.matt is a good club player nothing more and there r far better wings in SA.
6 Oct 2008, 17:12 pm
Hier is ‘n wenk vir iemand
*******************************************************************************
6 October 2008
WPRFU
The Board
Dear Sirs
I herewith tender my resignation as Head Coach of the Vodacom WP team with immediate effect.
It has been a privilege to work with the players and wish them all the nest with their careers.
Sincerely
A Coetzee
*****************************************************************************
6 Oct 2008, 17:12 pm
#176 saru1983:
have you seen turner play?!!
6 Oct 2008, 17:14 pm
#175 grootblousmile:
6 Oct 2008, 17:15 pm
#176 saru1983: What do you know anyway ?
Remember your post yesterday, here it is:
*********************************************************
386 saru1983 Report comment
October 4th, 2008 at 6:54 pm
#377 carol meredith: dont worry about the afrikaans its a **** language
*********************************************************
Your opinion counts for nothing, choppie !
6 Oct 2008, 17:17 pm
#178 jacoshark: seen a couple of games.He is good better than jooste.But nothing special to suggest he is ready for international rugby and cant be replaced
6 Oct 2008, 17:18 pm
#175 grootblousmile: Hy het seker een van daai “safe” baba stoeltjies!
#176 saru1983: “1,77m and 82kg” that’s Hulk-like for a Wp winger!
6 Oct 2008, 17:19 pm
#169 grant10: Valium is the only way. Its the only thing that gets rid of the nightmare that is SA life – actually i am going to start my own song called ValiumWami – wish the Valke had made it through to the semi at least i would of had someone to support. GO THE LIONS!!! Eergh. In ten minutes i wont care.
6 Oct 2008, 17:19 pm
The biggest problem with SA rugby is that when things go pear-shaped they blame quotas, but when we are winning there’s no complaining over quota’s…blatant double standards i tell you!
I saw Turner playing at Bishops, he was a class act. It’s a pity that we lost him but we can’t dwell over it, there are plenty of other wings.
And WP supporters you can rest assured about Koster, he isn’t going anywhere…still makes no sense why Rassie is bringing in Lobberts(with him here we’l be playing with 14 players most of the time!!)
6 Oct 2008, 17:19 pm
#174 jacoshark: Firstly, he doen’t always play ahead of both the “coloured” wings. He’s regularly started on the bench, particularly at the beginning of the Varsity Cup…does that make John Dobson racist? Secondly, Matt Turner scored 9 tries in the Varsity Cup. The second highest try scorer, with 8 tries, was one of those “coloured” wings who also plays for UCT – Marcelo Sampson.
It has absolutely nothing to do with race.
6 Oct 2008, 17:20 pm
#180 grootblousmile: howzit.I see you still bitching if it makes you feel any better the other official lang are **** too
6 Oct 2008, 17:24 pm
If England had half the raw Rugby talent SA does, they’d have won every World Cup played so far. But what they do have is the foundations, structures and systems to foster the talent and create an outstanding player. Let’s look at the talent SA has fostered off late? Ruan Pienaar, Steyntjie and Schalk to name but 3.
In the Premiership, NZ, or even the Ozzie structures, Ruan and Steyntjie would be groomed – maybe time at 12 if they wanted them in at 10, they would have worked with the Provinces/S14 fanchises to foster the aspirational requirements of the National sides with these players – who can forget Carter or Gitaeu’s time at 12 commanding the midfield and learning the game before being moved to 10 to totally dominate the pivot? Is Ruan a Scrumhalf or Flyhalf? No one knows incl. Ruan! Steyntjie? he can play any position – and has 10, 12, 13, 11, 14 and 15 for the Sharks or Boks. This is what’s known as a utility back, not the next best Flyhalf to wear the Bok no.10. Schalk – still great player, but where’s the coaching taking him? He throws himself with abandon like he did day 1, but his body is going to start telling him he can’t do it, hence where is the coaching phases focused on his positional play, winning the War and allowing a battle or 2 to slide, he needs to start becoming a leader, thinking more, using more brain and less brawn.
But we don’t do this, we can’t take decisions in the national interest let alone at a players level, there is no one tasked with owning the National blueprint, PDV is not the right person as this is a more far reaching role, encompassing years of development and understanding the structures at work. Think about it – Mehrtens at 10, Carter at 12, then Carter at 10 and McAlister at 12 for the Crusaders – grooming, focus, planned. Not the bok method of have you played 10, great your our 1st choice!
6 Oct 2008, 17:24 pm
#185 crazy ******:
you’re forgetting that he missed a few games in the varsity cup due to injury
and therefore played off the bench in few games
and still managed to finish top try scorer playin fewer games than sampson
who started most
6 Oct 2008, 17:25 pm
#186 saru1983: Nobody will ever take you seriously here on Keo…. you’ve got NO credibility left, no skaam whatsoever, no respect or manners !
None of our languages are ****…… kuk attempt to get out of the insult you were dead serious about….. nothing less than a FULL APOLOGY will suffice !
6 Oct 2008, 17:28 pm
#187 Weepee: I think you will find the mantra as per 184 “forget about him – there are many better players or will be”. Well written.
6 Oct 2008, 17:29 pm
#189 grootblousmile: bla bla bla ja whatever
6 Oct 2008, 17:30 pm
#31 PissAnt:
How about their ‘star’ signing (Titus) a nobody rugby league with family (obvious connection) that hails from CT… whatever happened to him…
6 Oct 2008, 17:31 pm
#186 saru1983:
Maybe you should consider an apology. If anything, people will respect you for that.
Trust me GBS will not stop. And he is here everyday, day and night.
6 Oct 2008, 17:31 pm
#188 jacoshark: I agree and started more because he was a quota. The cycle turns. Sorry gents feeling pretty disillusioned at the moment. Trying to blame people – but I know im wrong – My psychologists says I must first blame myself. I obviously was not cheering loud enough during the Falcons game. Even though in my heart I know that, that day they would of beaten anybody!.
6 Oct 2008, 17:31 pm
#191 saru1983: Dis reg, jy sal daai post van jou nog baaaaie hier sien !
6 Oct 2008, 17:32 pm
you wp’s are being too hard on yourselves.
the bulls just lost a lock who was destined for greatness, juandre.
then again, where did he come from originally?
6 Oct 2008, 17:33 pm
#196 rangerman: ouch
6 Oct 2008, 17:33 pm
#186 saru1983:
why you still in sa then?
just leave if that is your opinion.
6 Oct 2008, 17:35 pm
#194 The Rant Sniffer:
haha and hows the therapy going for you?
it just angers me as a wp boy, to see such talent being discarded
6 Oct 2008, 17:37 pm
#198 Fern: yes dude, ek was besig om ‘n joke te maak nou die aand, ek dink ons het mekaar so bietjie verkeerd verstaan. Regso, sien die Bulle die Sharkies in die final?
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