Blackadder questions recruitment ruling
30 Jun 2011
Crusaders head coach Todd Blackadder says the issue of recruiting marquee players, like the Stormers have done with Schalk Brits, must be addressed.
The Stormers were allowed special dispensation to draft Brits, who is contracted to Saracens, into their squad following injuries to the bulk of the loose forwards in the Super Rugby squad.
His inclusion as a replacement loose forward for Saturday’s clash at Newlands has been widely celebrated in Cape Town, with few within the region questioning the ethics of this course of action. In addition, the calibre of the player in question significantly bolsters the Stormers.
Speaking at a press conference in Cape Town, Blackadder tried, unsuccessfully to hide his frustration at the decision. ‘They’re bringing in a marquee player at the business end of the season, but I think that loophole will be closed at the end of the season. Sanzar have to look at it,’ he told keo.co.za.
‘There’s nothing that we can do about it. They’ve got a dispensation. There can’t be any lose forwards left in the Cape to go into the team.’
When probed on whether they would have followed a similar route had they been in the same situation, Blackadder said: ‘We’ve had injuries where we’ve brought in Brent Ward and Reuben Thorne. Most of the teams have had to deal with injuries, and they’ve all coped.’
The Crusaders have lost three semi-finals in South Africa in recent history, being beaten convincingly on each occasion. However, Blackadder stressed that no comparisons can be made between their visit at this stage of the tournament in 2010, to this one.
‘There is a massive difference between our preparation,’ he said. ‘We limped into the semi-final last year. We came to Africa late in the campaign [to face the Bulls in the league-phase] and went back home where we had to win to stay in the tournament and then had to come back here for the semi.
‘This year we’re in a totally different space. We’ve had three years building to this. We’ve travelled well, we’ve got the mental strength and we can see an opportunity against a very good side. It’s just got a totally different feel about it. We’ve drawn on our experiences too, and are really determined to do something that’s hard to achieve.’
The former All Blacks captain said the composition of the Stormers backline – which was lamented for its conservative look – didn’t affect their planning. He continued, saying he understood why the Stormers had opted for a reshuffle to what is clearly their preferred combination, after experimentation against the Cheetahs.
‘The Stormers have a great backline and they really cut through us the last time we played, but they didn’t get the rewards for it. We expect them to go really direct and it’s about how, defensively, we can shut their game down. We’ve done our homework and recognise their strengths.’
He added that the Crusaders’ 20-14 victory in May had no bearing on this contest. ‘We separate the two. Although I was really proud of our performance the last time, I feel like we’re bringing back a better team this time and we’re better prepared.
‘We really respect this Stormers side. They’re hurting from the last match, were they had a lot of opportunities they could take. But that was a long time ago, this weekend we’ll throw the kitchen sink. This team has stood up at crucial times and shown belief in each other. It’s a knock-out and we’re ready to go.’
179 Comments
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1 Jul 2011, 00:02 am
new zealand play far more proactive running rugby than the Boks, always have, probably always will, but two things: i) they fold under big pressure whereas the Boks thrive on it and 2) the Boks operate on pure gees, probably more than any other side – which is also why they are mostly all mental. Fokmaarvoort met plesier asb.
i know who i be supporting. got nothing against the ABs, probably would support them after the Boks, but definitely support the Stormers over the Crusaders, even if most of their fans talk a whole lot of kak mostly.
1 Jul 2011, 00:03 am
@wooden spoon(wooden spoon)-149: Sad individual
1 Jul 2011, 00:04 am
@JL1(JL1)-143: on news24, a few months back, one white blogger accepted his part in south africa’s murderous past.he actually went as far as to encourage his fellow white countrymen to accept responsibilty for the ills of the past and not to hide behind this conscription excuse.
1 Jul 2011, 00:04 am
@cab(cab)-151: What does gees mean?
1 Jul 2011, 00:05 am
Ag sies NZ would never be “my 2nd team”. How can your main rivals be your “2nd team”?
No for me my 2nd team is Georgia. Or Japan. Or maybe Uruguay.
1 Jul 2011, 00:05 am
@Waster(Waster)-154: “spirit”
1 Jul 2011, 00:06 am
@wooden spoon(wooden spoon)-156: Thanks
1 Jul 2011, 00:07 am
@cab(cab)-151:
Jy flip flop net so lekker soos jou ou doosie lyk dit my.
1 Jul 2011, 00:07 am
@Waster(Waster)-154:
roughly translated, it means spirit or passion, they go a bit bossies in the kop, dont really translate.
1 Jul 2011, 00:08 am
@cab(cab)-159: Yeah I got it
1 Jul 2011, 00:08 am
@cab(cab)-159: if the chap doesn’t know what “gees” means I’m sure he won’t understand “bossies in the kop”!
1 Jul 2011, 00:10 am
@wooden spoon(wooden spoon)-161: Ha ha don’t worry, I showed my ignorance but I could work that one out I think
1 Jul 2011, 00:11 am
@cab(cab)-159:
Hoekom is jy nou so tjoepstil met jou “beter”?
1 Jul 2011, 00:14 am
Alright, night all.
Or as one of the best Keo poster’s used to say, “see you through the window.”
1 Jul 2011, 00:18 am
@ET.(ET.)-163:
cos i think u trying to cause kak – u must put your kouse on the right way round sat.
1 Jul 2011, 00:18 am
@wooden spoon(wooden spoon)-164:
night spooner
1 Jul 2011, 00:20 am
@cab(cab)-165:
100 cases of red wine on the ‘Saders as I put my money where my mouth is.
1 Jul 2011, 00:26 am
i am out of here as well.i hope skop and jl will reflect on their past indescretions and hopefully come to the conclusion that they need to accept responsibility for their past actions.the truth cannot undone what you have created but it will at least set you free,spiritually and emotionally and hopefully less baby-talk from skop going forward.cheers
1 Jul 2011, 00:34 am
this Valkyrie half bred little feeble runt along with his hopelessly marginalized halfbred mongrel uncle ExcrementTwofaced trash never did nor ever will stand for much regarding the qualities that any true society in this country stands for. They are both simply feeble fake pseudo creeping garbage that are neither this nor that. Neither black nor white, neither left nor right, neither wrong nor right, they simply are both feeble little halfarse half bred shades of gray garbage empty vessel trash that don’t belong here nor there nor anywhere. and that’s why you find this dubious little feeble fckup idiot in Philly Dilly land up some other colony hopping whites arse arselicking away, and the other who rates Kitchener as a f’ng hero because the little halfbreed runt he hates dutchmen.
These the kind pathetic half bred halfarse mongrel creeps who are neither here nor there in their Valkyrie type zombie twilight zone never never land. Garbage pieces of two faced yellow bellied scum who will stoop to low life antics like bombing innocent people worshipping in a church on a Sunday or else chucking a bomb at some defenseless students in a bar in the name of courageous liberation politics. This is the kind garbage scum creep that is the makeup and nature of garbage like this Valkyrie piece of lowlife trash, who’s eulogy for scum like Kitchener etc is enough to show the garbage filthy halfbreed mongrel scum for who he truly is
1 Jul 2011, 00:47 am
Excrement Twatass also had 100 cases of red wine on SharkieVarkies vs Stormers, as he had 100 cases of rooiwyn on Saders vs Cheetahs, pity is he keeps losing. Just for mos Stormers gonna fckup his fakearse Sonny Bill Saders Saturday, just to teach this fakearse piece of twofaced two timing scum what denotes allegiance from scumheid.
1 Jul 2011, 01:27 am
nonu has signed a two year contract with the BLUES
1 Jul 2011, 02:21 am
@PissAnt(PissAnt)-8:
Exactly………….good point. I think it is just the usual pre match nahnana nah na BS, or at least I hope so. If not the Blackadder is just another faaking keeweee whinger…………..and they have enough of them already.!!
1 Jul 2011, 02:35 am
@grant10(grant10)-36:
“unpatriotic little twat”…………..hehehehehe, faak but you are a hypocrite of the highest order
1 Jul 2011, 02:49 am
@Black Panther(Black Panther)-72:
Haha, the prime whinger arrived and sprouted forth his usual excuses and one eyed k ak
Prize doooooooooooooos!
1 Jul 2011, 03:47 am
@whatever(whatever)-174: How are silverdale doing?
1 Jul 2011, 05:07 am
@Black Panther(Black Panther)-72: Ooohh look its Panties again and his Saffa bashing…big panties come to save the universe from those evil saffas. What a revolutionary hero!!
Panties is a droll… doos troll just in case you need a reminder.
1 Jul 2011, 08:02 am
I agree with Blackadder…
However, he is not really entitled to say it!
Brent Ward was nowhere near (nor had he ever been involved with) the ‘Saders when he was called in when they could have picked Marshall at the time. Incidentally Marshall has been a better player.
The Crusaders would be the worst team at recruiting and developing their own talent from their own area;
8/15 of their top team have been poached from other sports (2 from NRL) or teams (most of the backs are from Hurricanes zone).
I do realise ringing in a player who has been living and playing on the other side of the world for years to bolster the team for the finals is different and needs to be stopped before the Blues call on Carl Hayman to cover for Woodcock and Nick Evans to replace Brett who is suffering a bad case of uselessness at present.
1 Jul 2011, 09:26 am
The rules allow. I don;t happen to agree with how they have been applied in this case, but the allowance is there.
In the same way that Richie bends the rules, so it had been applied here.
1 Jul 2011, 09:47 am
@ashampoopaloo(joel1yahoo)-120:
And again, his real class come out.
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