EP Kings have Solly to thank
25 Oct 2010
MARK KEOHANE, in his weekly Business Day column, says Alan Solomons has maximised his resources in Port Elizabeth.
It is no exaggeration to emphasise the importance of the Eastern Province Kings beating the Pumas and playing in next year’s Currie Cup Premier Division. It is also no exaggeration to emphasise the contribution of Kings director of rugby and head coach Alan Solomons in making this all possible.
Solomons, in a season, has done what the politicians and the rugby administrators have been speaking about for the past five years, which is to turn Eastern Province into a rugby region once again.
There were no pre-season promises from Solomons that in 2011 Eastern Province would again be among the top eight premier domestic sides in South Africa. There was no handout from South African rugby in the form of a restructured Currie Cup competition that accommodated the Eastern Cape by way of Eastern Province. There was no treasure chest, filled with cash to buy the best players and buy a winning culture.
All Solomons enjoyed, by way of luxury, was his passion, that of provincial president Cheeky Watson and the warrior spirit of De Wet Barry to lead a bunch of wannabes and could have beens.
Solomons, like he did when he was at UCT, Western Province and Ulster, relied on passion and a work ethic that has never failed and never ceased to amaze those around him.
Many class players have promised Solomons they will sign with the Kings when the side’s Super Rugby participation is guaranteed, which is supposedly 2013, but understandably none were prepared to sign for a team in the First Division and more familiar with a wooden spoon than the silver spoon.
Eastern Province rugby has been a mess for some time. Administratively it has been a jungle that has attracted every sort. Watson has restored integrity to the boardroom in the province but all that restores respect to a team is consistently positive results.
Not only did Solomons have to battle cynicism and the stench of mediocrity, but he had to build a winning culture with players who will be lucky to make it to Super Rugby because their talent doesn’t match their enthusiasm.
The result has been as remarkable as the 36-all away draw to the Pumas in the first of two promotion-relegation matches; the very same Pumas who went to Coca Cola Park (Ellis Park to the traditionalists) a fortnight ago and whipped John Mitchell’s hyped Lions.
Mitchell has rightly been praised for finding the occasional roar in the Lions this year, but seven wins from 14 is a telling statistic that demands acknowledgement and therefore perspective.
Solomons’ effort also demands perspective and the kind of acknowledgement that has always been denied him in South African rugby.
Solomons is not popular among South African rugby administrators because he is intelligent, hard working and has never suffered a fool. When involved with Western Province and the Springboks (as Nick Mallett’s assistant in 1997 and 1998) he encountered many fools and never excused their incompetence. He was vocal in his criticism and refused to play the political game of politeness.
In Watson he has found an ally and comfort that having an opinion is a good thing and exercising one’s right to think is even better. He has a provincial president who enjoys an intelligent coach and promotes the value of debate.
Solomons challenges any stereotype and his urgency and intensity scares more people than it seduces, but he has an ability to maximise any resource and the one thing he has always had is loyalty from players.
Barry, a WP and Solomons favourite 10 years ago, is an example of this loyalty, but those players who are close to Solomons will also tell you that they know they have Solomons’ loyalty, which is why he so often gets a return on his player investments.
Solomons is a sporting cliche because so much of what he does is based on the principle that a close team is a successful one – and there’s nothing wrong with sporting cliche that make us smile.
Eastern Province rugby is a point away from reaching the point from which there should never be a return to the sort of mediocrity Solomons inherited.
Never has a play-off promotion match mattered so much to South African rugby because an EP victory will be so much more than a win on the rugby field.
And for that Alan Solomons, Cheeky Watson and De Wet Barry can never be thanked enough.
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245 Comments
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25 Oct 2010, 14:03 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-43: Eastern Province certainly have a liking for Free State players as props André Schlechter and Riaan Vermeulen, locks Rory Duncan and Barend Pietersen, No 8 Darron Nell and flyhalf Jaco van Schalkwyk have already played for the Kings
Rory Duncan and Darron Nel represented EP long before Rory took the Cheetahs to CC glory. I think it may be the other way around.
25 Oct 2010, 14:38 pm
I think the artickle is a bit premature. Let EP first get past the Pumas on Friday. In my opinion Solomons has achieved nothing yet, only if they advance to the premier division can you say he made a real difference.
I also agree from a SA rugby perspective, EP has to win. But what if they loose on Friday? I dont think the Pumas are going to roll over on Friday. Their careers are on the line so I will expect them to put up a fight, and if they play like they did against the Bulls and Lions they might just spoil the party for Solomons, Watson and a lot of other people.
25 Oct 2010, 14:50 pm
Explain this to me, how come this article is good, because Keo likes Solly and gives him a good write up?
25 Oct 2010, 15:08 pm
Keo has been “hobnobbing” with Luke and his lady, so expect a lot more pro-Cheeky, pro-Luke redemption etc. I come to you at the turn of the tide
But I also want EP to make it to the Premier Division, have a softspot for the EC. Keo might even stay over at Joe Van Niekerk’s house one evening, they’ll kiss and make up, and tomorrow we have a piece on Joe, saying he must go to WC2011. Funny stuff.
25 Oct 2010, 15:14 pm
@Loki(Loki)-54:
ahh the things people will do for a free lunch….
25 Oct 2010, 15:17 pm
Last weekend’s starting lineups origins:
15 Mzwandile Stick: Born Port Elizabeth, School Stephen Mazumgula (Junior) Newell High School
14 Paul Perez: Samoa
13 De Wet Barry: Born Ceres, Western Cape, School Paarl Gimnasium
12 Wayne Stevens: Grey High School, Port Elizabeth
11 Norman Nelson: Born Patensie, Eastern Province, School Patensie
10: Monty du Mond: Born Klerksdorp, School Orkney High School
9 Gerrie Odendaal: Born Standerton, School Affies Pretoria
8 JJ Gagiano: Born Cape Town, School Bishops CT
7 Jacques Potgieter: Born Port Elizabeth, School Verkenner Primary and Danial Pienaar Tech High School (both PE)
6 Devin Oosthuizen: ???, School Voorpos (Junior) H.T.S John Vorster (High)
5 Willem Stolz: ???, School Jan Viljoen High School
4 Rory Duncan: Durban, School Dale Junior (King Willaims’s Town), Muir College Uitenhage
3 Andre Schlechter: ??? Namibian????
2 Jaco Fourie: Grey College Bloem
1 Pumlani Nodikida: Peddie, Macabangwana Primary School, Qaphelani High School
Pretty average spread of imports vs home grown when compared to other franchises.
25 Oct 2010, 15:18 pm
@Loki(Loki)-54:
lets hope he isn’t going to be staying with hougaard and schalk britz….
25 Oct 2010, 15:20 pm
Solomons has also a very nice big cheque book and that helps – I heard that Valie Oelsig is going to get a R1 million, the current Puma captain and hooker 3 times more than what he is currently earning at Pumas.’
25 Oct 2010, 15:23 pm
@Jonck(Jonck)-58: Jaco Engels also signed with EP.
25 Oct 2010, 15:30 pm
@j-ms(j-ms)-56:
I think you might surprise yourself if you were to go and do a similar analysis for a team like the Bulls.
25 Oct 2010, 15:45 pm
@j-ms(j-ms)-56:
The Bulls team that lost to the Sharks:
15 Zane Kirchner – born in George
14 Gerhard van den Heever – born in Bloemfontein
13 Jaco Pretorius – born in Johannesburg
12 Wynand Olivier – born in Welkom
11 Jaco van der Westhuyzen – born in Nelspruit
10 Morné Steyn – born in Cape Town
9 Francois Hougaard – born in Paarl
8 Danie Rossouw – born in Sabie
7 Dewald Potgieter – born in Port Elizabeth
6 Derick Kuün – born in Johannesburg
5 Victor Matfield (captain) – born in Polokwane
4 Bakkies Botha – born in Newcastle
3 Werner Kruger – born in Kempton Park
2 Chiliboy Ralepelle – born in Tzaneen
1 Dean Greyling – born in Potgietersrus
WOW! Not a single one born in Pretoria…
25 Oct 2010, 15:58 pm
@61
Who the F*ck cares where a player was born, where was he developed?
25 Oct 2010, 15:59 pm
@WP Till I Die(WP-Forever)-61: How many actually did any schooling in PTA
25 Oct 2010, 16:07 pm
62. Papoose(papaown): That’s why I noted where they went to school.
25 Oct 2010, 16:08 pm
62. Papoose(papaown): well, people care, because as soon as anything is said about EP then the make-up of the team becomes a bush for scoundrels to hide behind! a franchise like the bulls with all the money it has, could’ve opened its academy to many mamelodi, atteridgeville, soshanguve boys and unearthed a plethora of talent, but the willingness to transform is not there.
25 Oct 2010, 16:10 pm
61. WP Till I Die(WP-Forever): now you will be able to add Bjorn Basson: born in King Williams Town, prep: Central primary: high school: Dale College.
25 Oct 2010, 16:19 pm
#62 transie.
so the question is……
who is currently more “transformed”……
bbru or epru?
genuine question.
25 Oct 2010, 16:22 pm
A union operating on a shoe-string budget against the richest union in the country, wow, a fair comparison is possible?
25 Oct 2010, 16:23 pm
67. charo – the wp giant(charo): epru by a mile. there are no players accused of being quotas in EP
25 Oct 2010, 16:25 pm
67. CHARO – THE WP GIANT(CHARO): 67. CHARO – THE WP GIANT(CHARO): And that is the elephant in the room question that the transformationistas and their useful idiot liberals seem to avoid…
25 Oct 2010, 16:26 pm
OK, we’ll list where they went to high school:
15 Zane Kirchner – PW Botha College (George)
14 Gerhard van den Heever – Afrikaans Hoër Seunskool (Pretoria)
13 Jaco Pretorius – Gelofte Hoërskool (Pinetown)
12 Wynand Olivier – Afrikaans Hoër Seunskool (Pretoria)
11 Jaco van der Westhuyzen – Ben Viljoen (Groblersdal)
10 Morné Steyn – Sand du Plessis (Bloemfontein)
9 Francois Hougaard – Paul Roos Gimnasium (Stellenbosch)
8 Danie Rossouw – Rob Ferreira (Nelspruit)
7 Dewald Potgieter – HTS Dan Pienaar (Uitenhage)
6 Derick Kuün – Afrikaans Hoër Seunskool (Pretoria)
5 Victor Matfield (captain) – Hoërskool Pietersburg
4 Bakkies Botha – HTS Vereeniging, HTS Middelburg
3 Werner Kruger – Jeugland Hoërskool (Kempton Park)
2 Chiliboy Ralepelle – Pretoria Boys High
1 Dean Greyling – Afrikaans Hoër Seunskool
So let’s be generous and say that 8 of the run-up 15 were “developed” within Blue Bull country, the other 7 are imports.
So pretty much similar to what J-MS was trying to point out in his post 56 above.
25 Oct 2010, 16:30 pm
70. hg
have been trying to understand this “transformation” thingy in rugby for some time.
now i’m told it is not actually a numbers thing…
then wtf is it?
i thought epru was “transformed” when it went down the tubes.
but apparently not. it is now “transformed” even though there are more witous involved than before.
maybe it is now “transformed” because it is more successful than in the originally “transformed” days.
scratch head……………
25 Oct 2010, 16:35 pm
70. Heavens Game(Heavens Game): what is there to avoid? the blue bulls were the kakkest union in the history of super rugby from ’98 – ’03 FACT but because they were guaranteed participation in super rugby and sponsors pumped in loads of money – to a point where a black-owned Oasis asset management company from cape town sponsor them – they managed to BUY the best players and retain them!
25 Oct 2010, 16:39 pm
72. charo – the wp giant(charo): voting in an incompetent black person into a position of power is not Transformation! it doesn’t matter how much you want to associate transformation with mediocrity Charo, these two concepts are not tied at the hip
25 Oct 2010, 16:47 pm
72. CHARO – THE WP GIANT(CHARO): Ja, I also can’t get my head around the overwhelming witou presence in a “transformed” union… It is confusing… No one can define it so fark knows how you can measure it, so that you know if you have achieved it or not…
25 Oct 2010, 16:50 pm
75. Heavens Game(Heavens Game): what did jurie roux say it was to you senile dimwit?
25 Oct 2010, 16:52 pm
73. Transformation
They also used their money wisely in building one of the country’s best youth academies and brought in a coach who setup some fantastic internal structures.
Like Dubai they had longevity in mind with their spend.
25 Oct 2010, 16:54 pm
73. TRANSFORMATION(TRANSFORMATION): So the Bulls are transformed…yeah? Or have they still got a little bit to go…?
25 Oct 2010, 16:55 pm
Just read according to PDV to get our defence right we need a “5% improvement from the players”????
25 Oct 2010, 16:56 pm
77. Yetirat(Yetirat): the point is that if for any reason, they were not guaranteed super rugby participation, they wouldn’t have retained sponsors and thus the quality players! look at the lions – in the financial hub of sa – yet they are still kak and “transformation” can’t even be blamed for that one cos the Ferreias, Reyneckes, de Klerks have been at the helm!
25 Oct 2010, 16:57 pm
76. Transformation(Transformation)
actually old jurie didn’t spell out either.
all said was that “transformation” is not about numbers but more about attitude – if i remember correctly.
then he went on to boast that they had 6 coloured ous in the maties team.
????????????
25 Oct 2010, 16:57 pm
78. Heavens Game(Heavens Game): they’re not!
25 Oct 2010, 16:58 pm
76. TRANSFORMATION(TRANSFORMATION): and is Roux the expert in transformation? the sole authority? the Matie oracle?… farking umdidi
25 Oct 2010, 16:59 pm
78. Heavens Game(Heavens Game): 81. charo – the wp giant(charo): are the lions transformed? if not why are they kak?
25 Oct 2010, 17:00 pm
81. CHARO – THE WP GIANT(CHARO):Ja, you see, Rouz is also farting against the wind….
82. TRANSFORMATION(TRANSFORMATION): Please give a definition of transformation then…?
25 Oct 2010, 17:01 pm
83. Heavens Game(Heavens Game): get the Banshee to bring you your meds, did i say he is?
25 Oct 2010, 17:03 pm
84. TRANSFORMATION(TRANSFORMATION): Fark knows if the Lions are transformed? You or Roux can’t even tell us whether the EP Queens are transformed, transforming or to be transformed… and what that is when it happens…
25 Oct 2010, 17:04 pm
80. Transformation
I don’t disagree with your point.
All I was getting at was the long term vision the Bulls had in mind with their spend. A lesson a team like the Lions could learn as they enter a new blossoming period.
25 Oct 2010, 17:04 pm
86. TRANSFORMATION(TRANSFORMATION): See Xhosa’s have inherited the ability for evasiveness – its in the genes from running away from Zulu impis…
25 Oct 2010, 17:07 pm
81. charo – the wp giant(charo): hahahah go on and try to fudge what he he said duplicitous cretin, for the benefit of those like simon borchardt and yourself obsessed with race, he highlighted the advances of their transformation initiative that took kids who would not necessarily have had the opportunities to study @ stellenbosch and developed them into competent rugby players, hence he said there are no such thing as quotas at Maties!
25 Oct 2010, 17:08 pm
A section from “King Of The Road” -Roger Miller
Trailers for sale or rent
Rooms to let…fifty cents.
No phone, no pool, no pets
I ain’t got no cigarettes
Ah, but..two hours of pushin’ broom
Buys an eight by twelve four-bit room
I’m a man of means by no means
King of the road.
Third boxcar, midnight train
Destination…Bangor, Maine.
Old worn out suits and shoes,
I don’t pay no union dues,
I smoke old stogies I have found
Short, but not too big around
I’m a man of means by no means
King of the road.
GO KINGS!!!!! GO KINGS!!!! GO KINGS!!!
25 Oct 2010, 17:08 pm
84. Transformation(Transformation)
this is the big conundrum.
what measurement do we have to decide whether the lions are transformed or not?
if it is numbers then clearly not.
if it is s14 results then they must be pretty close
25 Oct 2010, 17:11 pm
Transie forget it bro, the type of attitude displayed by Heavens Game et al is exactly the reason why this lovely country of ours will never evolve into a better country. One can assume that HG at al are relatively educated fellas who should at least have the mental fortitude to grasp the imperatives of transforming a society, yet the spew forth ignorance of the highest order.
Now, imagine what chance does your less educated white person has of coming to terms with this need to transform?
25 Oct 2010, 17:12 pm
90. Transformation(Transformation)
but ikeys have doing this for decades.
so what’s so great about juries then?
8)
25 Oct 2010, 17:13 pm
89. Heavens Game(Heavens Game): where is it documented that Xhosas ran from from Shaka or were defeated by him?
25 Oct 2010, 17:14 pm
HG @ 89, I see your Colonial tendecies of dividing South Africans into tribes is raring its ugly head….
25 Oct 2010, 17:15 pm
93. XhosaKid(XhosaKid):
you seem to have got hold of the wrong end of the stick.
the question originally was…..
are epru more transformed than bbru?
if so, why?
simple question.
25 Oct 2010, 17:16 pm
93. XhosaKid(XhosaKid): don’t worry, they are cretins destined for the eternal life in a purgatory of nothingness while we will raise the profile of this country, slowly but surely!
25 Oct 2010, 17:18 pm
96. XhosaKid(XhosaKid): ja, he says Zulus are “genetically disposed” like afrikaners to be forwards
25 Oct 2010, 17:21 pm
Charo@97
I’ll put it this way, you rock up at Buffalo Park when the Warriors are playing, the Warriors side on that day could easily have 6 black players or 1, but you ask your average fan, whether they have any hung ups about composition of the side, the answer would be NO, why?, because everyone has the same chance of playing, therefore the team is selected purely on ability and form.
The same applies to EPRU, I hope you get the analogy, its about a paradigm shift, I know its difficult to grasp if one is not really interested in the change.
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