Currie Cup latest – Lions turn down Soccer City move
17 Oct 2011
Keo.co.za brings you news from the Currie Cup.
Lions turn down Soccer City move – The Lions have rejected an offer to make Soccer City their official home stadium, and will continue being based at Ellis Park.
The GLRU and Stadium Management South Africa (SMSA) sent out a joint press release on Monday, confirming that negotiations for a possible stadium switch fell through.
‘We were informed by the Lions that discussions between us have concluded and that our offer was not acceptable to the Lions and that Ellis Park will remain the home of the Lions. We are hugely disappointed that the Lions turned down our offer to host its Currie Cup and Super Rugby home fixtures at the Soccer City Complex’, said SMSA CEO Jacques Grobbelaar.
Lions president Kevin de Klerk added: ‘We have fantastic rugby matches coming to Ellis Park and look forward to seeing the home of the Golden Lions packed to capacity on a regular basis.
‘The Lions will pursue any reservations about the stadium’s locality and will continue to provide a friendly, pleasing environment as has been done over the past few years.’
Habana extends WP stay – Bryan Habana has signed a three-year contract extension with WP and the Stormers.
The 28-year-old has been linked with moves to France and Japan this year, but the Springbok wing has decided to remain in Cape Town after his current contract expires at the end of the season. It has been reported that he will be paid less than his initial Province deal over the next three years.
Habana first signed with WP in 2010 after spending four years with the Bulls.
97 Comments
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17 Oct 2011, 11:55 am
good to have you bryan…!!
well done… and well done to wp for signing him…!!
17 Oct 2011, 12:05 pm
17 Oct 2011, 12:13 pm
Good stuff! Bryan still has something left in him. Very happy to hear he isn’t fleeing.
Now just get Jaque Fourie to do the same!
17 Oct 2011, 12:22 pm
He decided to stay in CT??
France and Japan didn’t take him because of the hefty price tag.
They let Sadie, Whitehead, JJ and Cronje (who else?) go and let Habana stay.
“Well done” Province…. how about some props?
17 Oct 2011, 12:35 pm
All they need now is for the overpriced pensioner to pick up an age related injury – hammy or groin strain maybe – and their investment will look even better.
17 Oct 2011, 12:39 pm
So what happend with habana being in talks with other clubs ? He tweeted that he was not and will sign with WP which he did. He was upset that the media (ie keo cronies) just create reports from nowhere.
17 Oct 2011, 12:43 pm
Of course Habana is staying. With Coetzee’s limited coaching abilities all Habana is expected to do is stay on the wing and try and make the odd intercept.
It’s money for jam. While he’s resting on the wing he can even do the odd commercial.
17 Oct 2011, 12:45 pm
@sparticus(sparticus)-6: Yeah man…. everyone here takes a pay cut to be loyal. I wonder if Brussie took a pay cut.
17 Oct 2011, 12:47 pm
@Great White Shark(Predawn)-7:
Wow. Habana probably the one winger that doesn’t do that, but okay.
17 Oct 2011, 12:52 pm
Sigh…. Refer to HHS above…
17 Oct 2011, 12:57 pm
@Tacitus(Deucalion)-5: You know you are one helluva bitter old man when it comes to your treasured Bulls side. At some point you would have been enjoying the success Habana contributed to achieving at the Bulls, and now you sit there wishing injuries upon him so you can see another Province suffer. Very sad.
17 Oct 2011, 13:04 pm
Never knew 28 was old.
17 Oct 2011, 13:09 pm
Great to hear…
Habs is finding his way back to form, and he is a world class winger…
Good to have you here Bryan!
17 Oct 2011, 13:19 pm
J.J Engelbrecht top try scorer Vodacom Cup , never got a chance in Super 15 ahead of average Habana.
Province could have signed a decent prop like BJ Botha with Habana’s wages or held on to Sadie and Engelbrecht with improved offers. Or even get Joe Pietersen back.
And maybe a year or two in a average league such as Japan could actually do Habana more good than bad. He has completely lost the adventurous side of his game.
17 Oct 2011, 13:23 pm
@Great White Shark(Predawn)-7:
Limited coaching ability se gat.
17 Oct 2011, 13:52 pm
stormersboy just posted on other thread…
“four words
Western Province Willem Alberts.”
tell us more bud…??!
17 Oct 2011, 13:54 pm
will be great to have willem down here…
would shore up our lock department great…
17 Oct 2011, 13:56 pm
@ufo(ufo)-17: You guys need a replacement for Flo too.
17 Oct 2011, 13:57 pm
Is John Smit still continuing with the Sharks or has he retired from the game.
17 Oct 2011, 14:00 pm
@XhosaKid(XhosaKid)-19: Off to Saracens.
17 Oct 2011, 14:01 pm
@HHS(Hop Hop Spinnekop)-18:
not easy to do…. Flo and Heinrich best by far in SA… but we do have some youngsters coming through… who have carried us through the season against many bok loosies….
but willem can cover loose and lock… great buy if it’s the case and i’m sure stormersboy wouldn’t have said so if it wasn’t…
great news for wp/stormers
17 Oct 2011, 14:04 pm
@XhosaKid(XhosaKid)-19: He has moved to Saracens on two year deal.
17 Oct 2011, 14:04 pm
@XhosaKid(XhosaKid)-19: Smit has signed for Saracens for next year.
Not sure in which capacity they’ll use him, they have Schalk Britz.
17 Oct 2011, 14:05 pm
@ufo(ufo)-16: That will be huge!
@HHS(Hop Hop Spinnekop)-18: I think they might play Plo in his place. Replace a Louw with a Louw….quite simple really! lol
17 Oct 2011, 14:06 pm
@ufo(ufo)-16: emailed you
17 Oct 2011, 14:08 pm
Stormers should buy:
Coenie Oosthuisen
WP Nel
Sarel Pretorius
17 Oct 2011, 14:10 pm
@stormersboy(stormersboy)-25: Send it to me also please.
I am also excited to see Etzebeth play next year…albeit in the Vodacom Cup team.
17 Oct 2011, 14:12 pm
@RugbyStudent(RugbyStudent)-26: We need a new fullback too. Jantjes and Aplon wont be around much longer.
17 Oct 2011, 14:18 pm
@Sasuke(Sasuke)-28:
Uhm, Riaan Viljoen is going to Sharks, Jaco Taute would be a greate buy.
17 Oct 2011, 14:23 pm
@stormersboy(stormersboy)-25:
cheers bud…
17 Oct 2011, 14:26 pm
@RugbyStudent(RugbyStudent)-29: Damn I thought Riaan Viljoen is coming down. Yes that kid has lots of potential.
17 Oct 2011, 14:27 pm
mostly… IMO… we need a couple of big scrummaging locks… because the biggest problem for me is at lock…
when we got shunted by the crusaders in the s15 semi… everybody did the obvious and blamed the props… what everyone neglects is that both andries bekker and elstadt had injuries that required season-ending surgery after the comp… which may not see them ready for this coming s15…
neither are the greatest scrummaging locks around anyway… but bekker was carrying three serious injuries… shoulder, ankle and (i think) hip… so neither could push effectively in the scrums…
no prop in the world can hold up an opposition pack if the locks are not shoving… it’s the obvious… but maybe less informed…. thing to always blame the props… but locks and loose-forwards play a integral part in it too… just see the difference schalk makes when he packs behind whichever prop…
but the stormers pack was good for most of the s15… even bulls fans were talking about our ‘light’ five being sorted out… so much so that there were calls for proudfoot to help the boks out…?? but sadly the demise of our scrum and lineout both coincided with bekker’s injuries…
coincidentally… our lineout also went to pieces at the same time late in the season…
on the weekend we had fondse who’s been very underwhelming and lobberts… a loosie retread… due to steenkamp being pulled last minute…
while we all acknowledge our flyhalf options are severely affected by injury… we need to do the same with our locks… but no doubt… a few good props and locks will be great… but we need to look at things in perspective…
17 Oct 2011, 14:29 pm
@RugbyStudent(RugbyStudent)-26:
i’d buy coenie in a heartbeat…
reckon him and brok are the two most dynamic props in sa… and will hold their own against anyone… (with scrummaging and/or fit locks behind them) and the two of them together would offer extra work around the park that few other props can…
17 Oct 2011, 14:35 pm
@ufo(ufo)-33:
What about:
1.) Coenie Oosthuisen
2.) Tiaan Liebenberg
3.) Brok Harris
4.) Juandre Kruger
5.) Andries Bekker
17 Oct 2011, 14:38 pm
@ufo(ufo)-32: Agreed. You cant afford injuries to our locks. Current Locks Bekker, Elstadt, De Kock Steenkamp, Lobberts, Etzebeth
17 Oct 2011, 14:43 pm
Stormers team for next year
1. Blaauw
2. Liebenberg
3. Brok
4. Elstadt
5. Bekker
6. P.Louw
7. Burger (C)
8. Vermeulen
9. Duvenage
10. Grant
11. Habana
12. de Jongh
13. Fourie
14. JDV
15. Aplon
16. Deon Fourie
17. Stephen Kitshoff
18. De Kock Steenkamp
19. Koster
20. Louis Schreuder
21. Gary van Aswegen
22. Danie Poolman
17 Oct 2011, 14:48 pm
@RugbyStudent(RugbyStudent)-34:
i like that a lot…!! would be awesome RS… but think kruger has re-signed for the bulls
now we just gotta get rassie to phone home…
@Sasuke(Sasuke)-35:
yeah… i think we’ve gotta get estabeth into the system asap and have him learning from and subbing for bekker and elstadt… young eben’s a helluva player… better IMO than steenkamp and lobbers…
17 Oct 2011, 14:52 pm
@Sasuke(Sasuke)-36:
wasn’t it reported that peter grant won’t be back…?
even is he was, i’d rather go with catrakilis… had a good look at him on saturday with binoculars… used to think he was small… but have to say, though he may not be the tallest… he is helluva stocky… thighs like a prop…!!
him and gary would be my picks…
17 Oct 2011, 15:31 pm
The Stormers team I would love to see next season:
15 Gio Aplon
14 Jean De Villiers
13 Jaque Fourie
12 Juan De Jongh
11 Bryan Habana
10 Peter Grant
9 Francois Hougaard or Sarel Pretorius
8 Duane Vermeulen
7 Siya Kolisi
6 Schalk Burger
5 Andries Bekker
4 Hilton Lobberts
3 Frans Malherbe (spelling)
2 Deon Fourie
1 JC Kritzinger
16 Tiaan Liebenberg
17 Brok Harris
18 Adriaan Fondse
19 Nick Koster
20 Nic Groom
21 Gary Van Aswegen
22 Conrad Jantjes
I wouldnt mind seeing Brussouw, Joe Pietersen, Ethienne Reynecke, BJ Botha and Johaan Muller in Cape Town
As for the Bulls fans saying that Habana constantly plays ahead of poolman and engelbrecht well I say Akona Ndungane and Zane Kirchner are constantly played ahead of Gerrard Van Den Heever… so which is worst? I would prefer to have Habana in my team ahead of Ndungane oh and when will JJ Engelbrecht get to play for the bulls? With jano vermaak at 9 hougaard may play 11 with basson at 14… that leaves ndungane van den heever ahead of engelbrecht in pecking order…as for sadie.. he will prbably get game time at 13 ahead of Pretorius but remember that Dippenaar and Watermeyer also occupy centre spots so the bulls backline looks pretty clogged up at the moment…
17 Oct 2011, 15:32 pm
@ufo(ufo)-37: I agree too an extent….we dont want to be rushing our young players…especially forwards. If they get serious injuries while young it might come back to haunt them later in their careers.
@ufo(ufo)-38: I havent heard that. Grant is an experienced campaigner with great defence and great goal kicking accuracy. He also plays very flat and brings his forwards into the game.
17 Oct 2011, 15:33 pm
Forgot about Elstadt in stormers team.. would play him off the bench for lock and back row cover… wp dont need cover for flo when we have kolisi, kitshoff, koster, p louw eltast and lobberts who can play 7…
17 Oct 2011, 15:42 pm
I ask, why use Duane Vermeulen at 8? The guy is made to play blindside.
1 JC Kritzinger
2 Tiaan Liebenberg
3 Brok Harris
4 Rynhardt Elstadt
5 Andries Bekker
6 Pieter Louw
7 Duane Vermeulen
8 Schalk Burger (c)
9 Dewaldt Duvenage
10 Peter Grant – Would bring Gary van Aswegen in though to challenge
11 Bryan Habana
12 Jean de Villiers
13 Jaque Fourie
14 Danie Poolman
15 Gio Aplon
16 Deon Fourie
17 Frans Malherbe
18 De Kock Steenkamp
19 Nick Koster
20 Louis Schreuder
21 Gary van Aswegen
22 Juan de Jongh
- Schalk Burger should be used as 8. Strong off the back of the scrum, primary ball-carrier. Let Duane Vermeulen play blindside, where he can best be utilized in broken play.
- I’d release Steven Kitshoff to the Baby Boks. Give him a few games when they aren’t training or in case of injuries, but he can only benefit from playing for them.
- Jean de Villiers still the best 12. It’s just a shame you can’t squeeze both Juan & Jaque into the same position at 13. Wish one of them would go to the Sharks!
- De Kock Steenkamp on the bench because it has to be a line-out lock.
- Siya Kolisi would get game-time in a rotation. Same goes for Nic Groom.
17 Oct 2011, 15:44 pm
@Rhys7(Rhys7)-41: I think Schalk should move into the 7 jersey ala Boks and Stormers should employ a genuine opensider at 6 or the closest thing to an opensider like P.Louw or Nizaam Carr.
17 Oct 2011, 15:47 pm
My bok 30 for next year:
15 Patrick Lambie
14 Lwazi Mvovo
13 Jaque Fourie
12 Juan De Jongh
11 Bryan Habana
10 Peter Grant
9 Francois Hougaard
8 Duane Vermeulen
7 Schalk Burger
6 Heinrich Brussouw
5 Andries Bekker
4 Willem Alberts
3 Jannie Du Plessis
2 Bismark Du Plessis
1 Tendai Mtawarira
16 Adriaan Strauss
17 CJ Van Der Linde
18 Juan Smith
19 Jean Deysel
20 Jano Vermaak
21 Jean De Villers
22 JP Pietersen
23 Bandise Maku
24 Coenie Oosthuzyen
25 Juandre Kruger / Rynhardt Elstadt
26 Joshua Strauss / Ryan Kankowski / Ashley Johnson / Dewald Potgieter
27 Sarel Pretorius
28 Elton Janjtes
29 Robert Ebersohn
30 Gio Aplon
17 Oct 2011, 15:48 pm
@hendrikp(hendrikp)-42: Not a bad team. Agree Schalk should rather play 7 or 8. The days of Schalk playing 6 are over. This World Cup showed the importance of Openside flankers in World Rugby.
17 Oct 2011, 15:50 pm
@Sasuke(Sasuke)-43:
Hopefully from now on the Springboks & Stormers use Schalk as 8. He’s not doing the same sort of work cleaning out anymore – becoming much more of a ball-carrier, so using him from the back of the scrum makes sense.
Plus then we’d have a nice back-row combination going for the Springboks. Brussow, Smith & Burger, with Alberts off the bench.
17 Oct 2011, 15:51 pm
@Rhys7(Rhys7)-44:
…and your coach?
That’s where it all falls down or goes forward.
17 Oct 2011, 15:53 pm
@Sasuke(Sasuke)-40:
thing about peter grant though is that his pop-gun boot keeps us under severe pressure for lengthy periods… because he can’t kick us out of our 22… we need a flyhalf who can dictate play and keep us playing in the correct area of the field…
i also think grant is a big reason why our backs don’t fire… he runs across the field allowing the opposition defence to easily drift across and cover us… plus uses all the space for the rest of the 3/4s which ends up with them having to make quick-hand passes or collecting hospital passes or just having to die with the ball…
or grant steps off his outside leg dips his inside shoulder and tries to break through what is usually two defenders due to their drifting defence and simply get’s nailed… and that brings the forwards into the game… i’d rather he did his job and let the ball down the line and brought the backs into the game…!
never been a fan of his unfortunately… although he did play okay-ish for a while last year… but flattered to deceive…
now i’ve lost all faith in him and would prefer if he stayed in japan… or georgia… or christmas island…
17 Oct 2011, 15:56 pm
@Rhys7(Rhys7)-44:
You’ve got the good mixed in with the bad.
One that would’ve been a tough decision that I like is CJ van der Linde. Not ideal, but let’s not pretend that Tightheads grow on trees.
The ones I don’t like so much: Lwazi Mvovo, Peter Grant, Duane Vermeulen, Jean Deysel, Jano Vermaak, Bandise Maku, Joshua Srauss, Dewald Potgieter, Sarel Pretorus, Elton Jantjies & Robert Ebersohn.
I also wouldn’t want de Jongh at 12, and can’t see Alberts playing much at lock tbh.
17 Oct 2011, 16:03 pm
@ufo(ufo)-48:
You speak sense. Peter Grant has a lot of good things abut him, but his tactical kicking game undoes all that. I’d seriously consider bringing in a former flyhalf like Braam van Straaten to work with Gary van Aswegen over the off-season if I were the Stormers coach. Give it to somebody who has the ability, and help him get into the right frame of mind, and build confidence through specialist coaching.
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