Fourie’s future still in doubt
19 Jun 2009
Jaque Fourie’s agent has denied that the Springbok centre has signed with French club Clermont Auvergne just yet.
In recent months Fourie has been linked with many European clubs but now French websites have him listed as one of the club’s new signings for next season. However, his agent Peet van Zyl said talks are still ongoing with the Top 14 runners-up.
‘They have shown huge interest but Jaque is not leaving at this point in time,’ Van Zyl told keo.co.za. ‘We still need to discuss Jaque’s future with SA Rugby and the Lions, so Clermont are pre-empting things at this point.’
Fourie and his agent held talks with the Golden Lions at the end of May, but now the discussions will go into their second round.
‘We will be meeting again next week when the Springboks come up to Johannesburg. SA Rugby obviously want him as part of their plans for the future leading up to the 2011 World Cup.’
Fourie has come through the ranks at the Lions, being born in the province and going on to represent the Craven Week side. With the current re-structuring and clean-out at the union, Fourie is still waiting to see whether they have the potential to be competitive in the Super 14.
‘We want to find out who the coach for the Super 14 will be next year and what players will be brought in. Financially they can’t compete, but looking ahead it must be worthwhile for Jaque to stay until the 2011 World Cup,’ said Van Zyl.
Despite a solid Super 14, Fourie’s undoubted potential has yet to be reached at the Lions. Van Zyl said, however, that it would be impossible for him to move to a top South African union.
‘His Lions contract lasts until October 2010. They would release him to play overseas as they aren’t able to compete financially, but out of principle they wouldn’t let him play for another South African team as Jaque would then be playing against them.’
SA Rugby and Western Province ensured a major coup for the country’s rugby when they held on to Schalk Burger earlier this week. Keeping Fourie in South Africa would be a boon of similar proportions.
Meanwhile, former Springbok No 8 Jacques Cronje will be moving from Biarritz to join Frans Steyn at Racing Metro. Lions lock Dewald Senekal, who was injured throughout the Super 14, will be heading to Toulon.
By Grant Ball
39 Comments
19 Jun 2009, 11:04 am
Dragons!!! Ons gaat hom nodig kry!
19 Jun 2009, 11:04 am
HY kannie nou waai nie …. kom maar sommer Bulls toe man… dan kan jy ook in n wenspan speel.
19 Jun 2009, 11:07 am
Why would they list him as a new signing if he hasn’t signed? Yet.
Like the Steyn signing, denial for months and then viola he’s gone.
19 Jun 2009, 11:37 am
Agent just out to get a bigger cut of the cake
19 Jun 2009, 11:37 am
Jacque Fourie will one day look back at his career and realise that he never reached his full potential for the single reason that he stuck it out at the pathetic, disgraceful, ludicrous Lions for so long.
He should have signed for the Bulls or Sharks 3 years ago, and he would have been the top centre in the world by now.
You look at what someone like Bryan Habana has achieved since his move to the Bulls, and you have to feel sorry for poor Fourie.
The Lions have screwed him over, and the fact that they will not allow him to move to another SA franchise is unforgiveable, under the circumstances.
19 Jun 2009, 11:38 am
Fourie needs to leave that sinking Lions ship ASAP!
19 Jun 2009, 11:39 am
#3 Dantalian: Agree, this deal is already done, just dont want to announce before the B&I Lions games!
Good luck Mossie!
19 Jun 2009, 11:39 am
#5 Tacitus: Surely so, but was he ever brave enough to leave Carletonville, I doubt it big time
19 Jun 2009, 11:41 am
#5 Tacitus: He is still the best 13 in the world IMHO, or who is better than him…. surely not aidi, Conrad Smith, Bod?
Pity than a player with such skill only has a WC medal
19 Jun 2009, 11:49 am
#9 Tisme: Fourie’s got himself to blame, nobody else
19 Jun 2009, 11:52 am
#8 Charlie:
I agree. If Fourie had really made an effort to leave the Lions then he would have (look at how many players leave the team on a regular basis). Jaco Pretorius was a key Lions player and he went to the Bulls. Nobody put a gun to his head to force him to stay with the Lions.
19 Jun 2009, 11:52 am
#5 Tacitus:
what we would give for him at the bulls….somebody needs to get their chequebook out…
19 Jun 2009, 11:54 am
Mossie, dit is tyd om daai pragtige huis van jou uit te huur en jou mooi vrou Frankryk toe te vat.
19 Jun 2009, 11:56 am
Why do the guys never admit in the beginning that they might just be heading overseas. For months we heard Frans Steyns hasnt signed anything and no he is gone.
19 Jun 2009, 11:58 am
#3 Dantalian:
Exactly! They never admit they’ve signed a deal. I remember Habana as well. A week before he moved to the Bulls they said he is going nowhere.
19 Jun 2009, 12:00 pm
#9 Tisme:
easy answer. Mortlock remains the benchmark, BOD close behind.
its daylight to the next bunch of Jauzion, C.Smith, Fourie etc
Jacobs has had a really good TriN in the Bok 13, Fourie cant really say the same over the whole competition. But Fourie had an excellent S14 this season for an otherwise dire team. Crazy that the Bok selectors didnt release alot of players, like Fourie, for the Lions tour matches.
Richard Kahui, if he can retain fitness, is the next superstar in the 13 jersey.
Safas are going to have to get used to a mass exodus of their star players. The Lions has been a carrot that kept most of them in SA but with the Series over, many (not all) will leave for overseas in the same way that the ABs experienced after the RWC 07. NZ are slowly starting to see the reverse with some of those players returning (McAlister, Jack) with the carrot of a home-RWC.
19 Jun 2009, 12:16 pm
#16 BlackPanther: Mortlock is a shadow of his previous self… time to put him to pasture!
BoD…. we have 3 weeks to prove if you are right, I doubt if he will win the contest with Fourie, Aidi maybe
Kahui… good talent but has not proved himself on the highest level
The test of a brilliant player is to prove himself when his team plays K@K…. Fourie had done that week in and week out year in and year out
19 Jun 2009, 12:26 pm
This would not be an issue if he was starting for the Boks on a regular basis.. If Jaque goes i understand but he is an amazing player.
19 Jun 2009, 12:26 pm
I think BP is overrating Kahui and Mortlock isn’t anywhere near as good as he used to be. BOD is still a great player and probably still the best 13 overall but perhaps not the attacker he once was.
I think the Frenchman Bastareaud is the next star 13, he was wrecking the ABs last week and made mincemeat of Wales in the 6N. Typically France have dropped him in favour of Mermoz.
19 Jun 2009, 12:30 pm
#19 Big Hit: BOD was out done by Conrad Smith when Ireland met the ABs last year and Conrad has been a legend for some time.. Conrad Smith can match BOD for skill and class..
Kahui is not the finished article and Mortlock is past his best.
19 Jun 2009, 12:35 pm
#20 Tbozknows: BOD was in a bad run of form at that point, just back from injury. Many thought he would lose his Ireland captaincy and maybe even his place. But he lost some weight, turned things around and led Ireland to the Slam and Leinster to the HEC.
Smith is a pretty good 13 but I don’t believe him to be in BoD’s class to be honest. I agree with BP that Jacobs had a very impressive 3N last year and he was good on the EOYT too, but he’s got that shoulder problem now so it might hinder him.
19 Jun 2009, 12:40 pm
#21 Big Hit:
BOD is the best centre I have ever seen.
I have seen clips of Danie Gerber and other former greats, but I don’t have enough footage to compare them to current players.
Since 1995, which is probably the start of the professional era, Brian o Driscoll is the best, in my view.
He is no longer the player he was, though, and at this point in time I would put the likes of Jacque Fourie, Mortlock and Nonu in the same bracket as him.
19 Jun 2009, 12:49 pm
#9 Tisme:
Mortlock
19 Jun 2009, 12:51 pm
#5 Tacitus: Amen – good post Tac.
I can understand his reasons for wanting to stay in Jozie – he is a Monument boy after all, but if hed gone to WP for example and him and Jean played all season together, Currie Cup, S14, then their centre partnership would be even better
19 Jun 2009, 12:54 pm
#16 BlackPanther:
For some reason people on this site tend to overlook the masterclass that is Stirling Mortlock. Agreed about Kahui, exciting propect and plenty potential
#17 Tisme:
Cant understand why you say that. How is he a shadow of his former self? BOD is a shadow of his former self
19 Jun 2009, 12:58 pm
#25 Ruggaluvva: the Namibian, Sharks, Southern Kings & Wallaby supporter: Mortlock plays a lot of his rugby at 12 these days. I know he played at 13 last week against Italy but I’m not sure that’s where he’ll be playing in the 3N.
19 Jun 2009, 13:01 pm
If Lions won’t let him go to another province, there’s no point in staying. He can’t be that much of a sucker to punishment.
If they can let Habs go to Bulls, Jantjies and Januarie to Stormers, what’s the deal with Fourie? After all his service to the Golden Lions, it’s a pretty crappy atittude.
I think he has served his dues.
19 Jun 2009, 13:02 pm
#26 Big Hit:
I’m confident he’ll play 13 in the 3N BH, with Barnes playing 12 but we shall see
19 Jun 2009, 13:21 pm
#22 Tacitus:
BOD is half the player he once was…He was phenomenal in a strugglin Irish team..But he isnt even Ireland best EVER,IMHO that honour goes to MR KEITH WOOD..One of the most talented rugby players in the Last 25 yrs…A freak,amazing player
MORTLOCK even in his advancing age,is as Blackplanther says..still the BENCHMARK..He does what no one centre can do as consistently..Breach the advantage line AT WILL…best runner in the business.
IMHO JAcobs was the best 13 in the world last yr.Just edging Mortlock.
This yr Fourie is knocking down the door
19 Jun 2009, 13:34 pm
#9 Tisme: Mortlock is still the benchmark.
‘A shadow of his former self’ is a huge overstatement.
He has lost pace in the last couple of years, granted.
But in that time his goalkicking, captaincy and playmaking skills (see his forced move to 12) have all improved.
I rate Fourie highly, and Conrad and Adi both had great seasons last year.
But still noone else is able to pull off the complete package that Mortlock brings.
19 Jun 2009, 13:48 pm
#19 Big Hit:
well of course you overrate Kahui. He’s an AB.
Tell me BH, which AB is underrated ?
#20 Tbozknows:
Conrad is a smart player, runs lovely lines and passes with class. Unfort he’s so slow he couldnt beat an egg.
Until I see Mortlock outplayed at 13, he remains the best. Last season he was often played out of position at 12 and he was shown up, which was unfair on his rep. Similarly 1 Test a couple of years ago, McAlister was played out of position at 13 and Mortlock made him look like a schoolboy. Both are excellent players in their true positions.
BOD is not as quick as he was and struggles to finish a move let alone a game these days. Crikey, Id love to be as ‘past it’ as him tho, still an utter geeeeeeeeeeenius !
#22 Tacitus:
Saw Danie play. Is my favourite Bok of all time and probably in my Top 5 of any player ever. Amazing, like BOD with greater power.
19 Jun 2009, 14:28 pm
#31 BlackPanther: Stephen Donald. Good flyhalf, but they try to scapegoat him and compare him with Carter at every opportunity.
19 Jun 2009, 16:10 pm
#32 Big Hit:
but Carter is one of your, many, overrated ABs….
19 Jun 2009, 16:22 pm
#33 BlackPanther: well they prove me right come crunch time.
19 Jun 2009, 16:42 pm
BLACKPANTHER – I can’t see how you can put Adi above Jaque Fourie. JF scores in almost every game he plays for the Boks, and he defends like a machine. JDV/JF is regarded as the best centre combo in the world. I think JF has limited himself by staying with the Lions.
However i rate Mortlock as the complete 13, way above BOD. Mortlock can break tackles, gets over the game line, kick to posts. He has a RWC medal, runners up medal, dumped the ABs out of RWC2003, BOD hasn’t done any of those things!!!
Before JDV i rated Traille from france, also 100kg and can also kick to posts. I always rate players like Traille and Mortlock highly as they have allround skills.
20 Jun 2009, 04:42 am
i did an article in sa rugby a few years back
with fourie saying he would never leave sa
not for any reason i have the issue at home somewhere
he said he would end his playing days with the lions
20 Jun 2009, 04:42 am
sorry lol i meant to say i read an article
ooops
20 Jun 2009, 04:44 am
at least no one said matt giteau is the best
centre in the world
20 Jun 2009, 04:46 am
what is frans steyn leaving the sharks aaggh man
that sucks the drop kick king is gone
well i still feel frans steyns only good position
is full back
is cj van derlinde playing for the boks tonight in durbs
where can i find the test team for tonight ?
Have your say
You must be logged in to post a comment.