‘Gerrie poisoned Frans’s mind’
27 May 2010
Peter de Villiers blames Frans Steyn’s agent Gerrie Swart for the controversy surrounding the fullback’s selection.
The Springboks face Wales in Cardiff on 5 June in their first Test of the year. De Villiers has decided to include overseas-based players in the match 22, which sees Steyn selected at fullback in the starting line-up for the first time since the Tri-Nations clash against the All Blacks in Hamilton last year.
However, it was reported in Die Burger on Thursday that Steyn sent De Villiers an SMS earlier this week saying he does not want to play against Wales. It is also rumoured that the two have a strained relationship, which is behind Steyn’s withdrawal. De Villiers has denied these claims.
‘There has never been tension between Frans and I. The problem involves me and Frans’s agent Gerrie Swart,’ De Villiers told keo.co.za.
‘Gerrie has poisoned Frans’s mind by saying I don’t want him in the Springbok setup, which is far from the truth. It’s because of these lies that Frans does not want to play for the Boks.’
De Villiers said Swart was playing the middle man between him and Steyn in a deceitful way.
‘Two weeks ago, Gerrie sent me an e-mail saying on Frans’s behalf that he doesn’t want to play for the Boks. He also suggested some players I should replace Frans with. Who is he to tell me, the head coach, who to select?’
De Villiers said there has been poor communication between him and Steyn, but believes the truth will be revealed when the two parties meet in Johannesburg on Friday.
‘I haven’t heard from Frans since he left for Racing Metro after the Test in Hamilton last year. It is true that he sent me an SMS earlier this week, but it didn’t say he didn’t want to play for the Boks. He tried to get hold of me. We tried to call him back but we couldn’t get through to him after several attempts.
‘But I don’t think I should have to call Frans to find out if he wants to play for the Boks. I don’t call John Smit, I don’t call Victor Matfield, no player gets special treatment.
‘[Springbok convenor of selectors] Peter Jooste has now organised a meeting with Frans and Gerrie tomorrow [Friday]. Peter invited me along and I accepted because I want to look in Gerrie’s eyes and Frans’s eyes and see where the truth lies. I want to hear from Frans himself whether he wants to play for the Boks or not.’
When keo.co.za tried to called Swart, he was not available for comment.
By Gareth Duncan
622 Comments
Pages: « 1 … 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 [13] Show All
27 May 2010, 19:39 pm
@Pam Anderson’s left ( . )(Pam Anderson)-599:
Hmmm nuff said! Die flokken staal d r a a d deoooos
27 May 2010, 19:39 pm
@Bill Reyts(Gumboots)-597:
They need PG Autoglass maybe?
27 May 2010, 19:40 pm
@Agile T*t-Tyrant(Stegmannenov)-602:
27 May 2010, 19:46 pm
@Pam Anderson’s left ( . )(Pam Anderson)-598: Absolutely!
@fantasticbarnsmell(fantasticbarnsmell)-588: More a reference to Frans Steyn’s phone .. wonder if the news is reaching him that he is much loved in SA
@kevin w(kevin w)-593: If the opportunity is there, I will provide the bitching!!
27 May 2010, 19:54 pm
I see that those baaaastard Sharks have done it again … first they scerwed with Frans Steyn and now Pienaar has had enough of their **** and he is lost to Bok rugby forever.
27 May 2010, 21:52 pm
You have to wonder whether the players ambitions and teh manager’s incentives are aligned.
The player clearly wants to
- be a Bok,
- be part of the first team to defend their RWC, and
- make money.
The manager wants his player to
- make money.
Not complete alignment there.
27 May 2010, 23:22 pm
Some important questions to be asked.
1) Do the sharks get money from Ruan’s transfer? If so, how much and is this part of the reason for selling him (are they selling players now?). If not, why did Bath ask for a transfer fee? Surely it is a 2 way street. I would like to understand how transfer in rugby works.
If the Northern hemisphere sides are demanding transfer fees, hopefully SA sides are doing the same. Surely if we cannot compete with the with £ or Euro, but have the raw material, we should be making huge money off these players. After all, the SA unions spend huge amounts of money training & conditioning these players.
2) The public should not always blame the management. The players really need to shoulder the responsibility. If F Steyn does not want to play for the Boks (I don’t believe this until it is confirmed), then he must not.
If players the caliber of Steyn & Pienaar are chasing money, let them go. I am sure they will be happy being a big fish in a small pond in Europe. When the international season rolls round, surely they will sit there with a big hole in their lives. I can’t believe that any professional sportsman with the capability to compete at the top, is happy to sit & watch the best players compete. It will surely leave them a husk of their former selves.
The other thing to recall, is that no matter how important the players in Europe believe they are, they will always be the poor cousins when compared to a french player or english player in their side. The adoration will always be poured on those persons.
28 May 2010, 01:07 am
@The Bill(The Bill)-607: Selling teams can only demand a transfer fee if the player isn’t out of contract. Was Pienaar out of contract? not sure.
The other thing I would say is neither Steyn nor Pienaar had a starting Bok place when they signed their NH deals. Both were also rotating positions for their S14 sides. Simply put, they probably felt they were too good not to be starting and they’re right but SA just is in the midst of a golden era as far as talent is concerned.
The attraction of a NH contract to these two is game time in one position, chance to experience a new culture (and possibly the new girls
) for a couple of years whilst becoming millionaires in their early to mid-20s.
28 May 2010, 01:55 am
@ROAR my beautiful Lions … ROAR!(RL)-605:
Yes.
If they carry on like this they’ll be the same as the Lions 50 years from now
28 May 2010, 04:58 am
@TheBoksAreBack(bringbacktheboks)-557: This has nothing to do with me supporting one blogger…more the fact that I have the same opinion as him. There’s a difference. Because of that fact I find it unnecessary to repeat the point he has already made regarding basing selections on potential “what if’s”. If his point is similar to what I would have typed I won’t bother repeating it, rather I will agree with it. Like I said, nothing to do with taking sides. And it is quite clear that you don’t have a basis for your point and hence have opted to be childish in all this and insult me rather than present a logical case. And don’t expect me to descend into a mud-slinging battle with you because I dont stoop that low. Like I said, I’ve been on KEO for years and I only type with regards to decent rugby debate, not personal insults….mshini is one of those bloggers who i know leaves emotion at the door before he logs on, but clearly you don’t judging by the way you’ve descended to adolescence by labelling him “my girlfriend”….you are either a child, new on here, or just a doos based on your behaviour and I dont have to answer to you son
28 May 2010, 09:04 am
@Kritik(Krit)-515:
He used to be involved with said sports company, no longer, but he is still in the game.
I have no problem with Roy giving you my email, but obviously I am not going to post it here.
28 May 2010, 09:05 am
@pearl rose(pearl rose)-521:
I am afraid I do not have a rugby-talk email address.
28 May 2010, 09:46 am
I haven’t read the comments on this article but I think it is sad that on the eve of one of the biggest and eagerly awaited rugby matches in a long time, an article over an arrogant boy and his tantrums can get over 600 comments, while the match preview is struggling with 150 comments.
28 May 2010, 10:21 am
Does anyone know when we can expect an article on how the meeting went?
28 May 2010, 15:10 pm
Gerrie poisoned Frans? Really? Now I’m not saying Gerrie is a stand up guy, he is a AGENT ffs, but I think Snor should look it the mirror. His tendency to play people out of position and farrrk up their careers is a problem, and he seems to LOVE doing it to the Sharks.
Pienaar
Steyn
Smit
3 Genius decisions by our coach 3 dismal failures. Fire the Snor
28 May 2010, 15:14 pm
@PissAnt(PissAnt)-612:
Count yourself lucky
28 May 2010, 15:16 pm
@Die Griek(Die Griek)-613:
Hela hela!
It’s coming, it’s coming
You wante de chappies for da change?
28 May 2010, 15:19 pm
@flanka(flanka)-610: I don’t give a **** who you “support” on the blog, or why. As I said, no-one cares, so no need to be embarrassed.
Re the ‘debate’ you 2 are trying to drum up : As I already wrote : “FYI: I did not continue with my point as I’ve said what I wanted too, and out of respect for others there’s no use rephrasing it 10 times. It gets kind-of monotonous.”
Don’t you understand that?
If not, then tough … its my choice whether I want to flog something to death too-and-fro or not. I choose not too, as its not fun for others. I made my point. Write yours and move on.
As for starting insults, did you not write “having a better vocabulary than yours”? … or have you conveniently forgotten that insult? If you start throwing sh-it, be prepared to get some splash-back in your face. My reply with all his vocabulary errors was to show you what total c-rap you are churning out. Infatuation blinds one.
>” I’ve been on KEO for years ”
Congratulations. Exactly what it matter how many years you’ve been on here or why you have the urge to blurt that at me I have no idea, but as it turns you on : I have too (for many years). You think it gives you some “elevated position”? Grow up. You are no better than someone who joined yesterday.
>” and I only type with regards to decent rugby debate”
Maybe that’s your goal, but your first post at me is 100% the opposite. So enjoy working at it.
>”you are either a child, new on here, or just a doos based on your behaviour”
Yes, way to go. A really mature post, and a real asset to the forum.
>”and I dont have to answer to you son”
Dead right there … so please move on.
28 May 2010, 15:20 pm
@RaGe_X(RaGe_X)-614: Looking out for it too! Hopefully very positive.
28 May 2010, 15:54 pm
@TheBoksAreBack(bringbacktheboks)-618:good for you son
28 May 2010, 17:45 pm
so….
all is cleared up and misunderstandings resolved.
frans steyn to play against wales
news24
29 May 2010, 01:55 am
This is like Malema poisoning the unemployed with his greed. Where are the poeple that take the players intrest to heart. Not SARU and not the Bloody Agent either.
Agents should not have ties to SARU.
If Gerrie does work for SARU they should sack him!
Pages: « 1 … 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 [13] Show All
Have your say
You must be logged in to post a comment.