224 Comments

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• 151.carol:
  8 May 2012, 23:52 pm

  Keo, bring back Percy..

  Have to say this new ‘Young Man’ does have very nice crisp white shirt on though!!

  Night All

• 152.son of kumara:
  8 May 2012, 23:55 pm

  me thinks the man doth snort too much.

• 153.Slumtown:
  9 May 2012, 01:18 am

  Helll he´s the same height as Keo sitting down! lol Hectic.

• 154.Slumtown:
  9 May 2012, 01:29 am

  @mshiniwami(mshiniwami)-53: pretty impressive 22 there Mshini – I may differ on a point or two but by and large thats pretty spot on I reckon. I think Juandre Kruger adds more grunt as a lock but hwo knows we may very well see the return of Bakkies. Its an open question.

  Agree with the Kolisi, Coetzee, Stander possibilities – real pity Vermeulen is injured as well as Jacques Potgieter. I would have liked to find some space in there for Ashley Johnson but thats near impossible with Spies always being included. Though I doubt his current form I´d probably also have him there due to his senior status but if Vermeulen was fit he´d definitely be on the bench at the very least.

  Jantjes I dont feel is ready for this level yet. Goosen it would have been but with Lambie in the team I´m not sure it makes much sense to have an additionaly flyhalf on the bench – i´d rather add in another dynamic player or fullback – Joe Pietersen comes to mind.
  That backline looks deadly. Exactly as i´d pick it at the moment.
  Good job as usual Mr wam!

• 155.daydreamer:
  9 May 2012, 02:10 am

  AJ making Keo look like a dwarf there…lol

• 156.greatest13gerber:
  9 May 2012, 02:17 am

  @mshiniwami(mshiniwami)-53:

  That Natal front row will get decimated by the Pommies. But it is certain Meyer will select them.Backline looks likely to be the one Meyer will pick.

  Alberts is best at 8 IMO.

• 157.Johannes Expatinus:
  9 May 2012, 04:31 am

  This Keo must be a tiny **** hey.

  AJ sitting on his arse is bigger than Keo.

  I think we should call him Ou Plattes.

  Want hy is so Plat

• 158.Johannes Expatinus:
  9 May 2012, 04:32 am

  where **** = t u r d

• 159.Johannes Expatinus:
  9 May 2012, 04:34 am

  Plattes does have a nice grade 6 jacket on though..

• 160.PrickBoks going South:
  9 May 2012, 06:34 am

  1 minute the shaven gimp is putting both thumbs in his pockets, next minute its both his index fingers.

  Ive seen chimp@nzees using their digits with more dexterity, next thing he’ll be eating his own sh*t.

• 161.gretep:
  9 May 2012, 06:52 am

  @Johannes Expatinus(hanneslom)-157:
  They don’t call Keo “The Mayor of Tiny Town” for nothing…

• 162.sharks_lover:
  9 May 2012, 07:20 am

  you mean Keo is the GOVENOR OR HOBBITVILLE

• 163.Fern is not a stud,he is merely no19:
  9 May 2012, 07:26 am

  Cold,grey,misty miserable day in p oofterville.
  Setting the gerbil stuffers here up nicely before the POP on Sat when the bubble bursts.

• 164.Jeez:
  9 May 2012, 09:23 am

  UNDER-PRESSURE Lions coach John Mitchell has lashed out at the South African Rugby Union’s handling of the Southern Kings’ entry into Super Rugby next year.

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  The Kings were guaranteed a place in next year’s tournament after a unanimous vote by Saru’s general council to include them was taken in January.

  The Golden Lions Rugby Union was one of the 14 unions that voted for the Kings.

  But at the same meeting no solution on a mechanism for the relegation of a team to make way for the Kings was reached.

  And more than halfway through this year’s tournament, it is still unclear who would drop out, and how it would happen.

  The obvious solution would be to relegate the bottom team in the South African conference.

  Each country, including Australia and New Zealand, is only allowed five teams in the tournament.

  The Lions are last in the South African standings with 14 points after eight losses in nine matches.

  “Nothing has been defined in terms of the future,” Mitchell said.

  “But the Lions have been around for 120 years and it is up to Saru to stop blackmailing people and hanging a noose out there and to rather allow them to get on with things.”

  He said South African rugby had created a “ridiculous situation for itself”.

  Mitchell believes a good solution to fitting six franchises into five would be for the Lions and Cheetahs to merge again. Between 1998 and 2006 the Lions and the Cheetahs played as the Cats, but when the tournament expanded to 14 teams the Cheetahs and the Lions became separate entities.

  “If you want to be the best team a merger with the Cheetahs is the way to go,” Mitchell said.

  He said the status quo could be maintained, with the Lions developing very good young players.

  “But if you want to create a team that is going to be better and you want to become a serious challenger, a merger is a decent decision.

  “It depends whether you want to continue to accept mediocrity and just hang in there and be part of the competition, or if you want to win.

  “If the Lions were at full strength and playing with the same team that won the Currie Cup last year, we would have been more competitive in this year’s competition, but we still don’t have the depth to maintain and sustain performances to win the title – and neither do the Cheetahs.

  “If you amalgamated the best players from both franchises you would have a serious group, and with strong leadership and a good team culture, they could achieve anything.”

  The Cats were an unsuccessful merger, with players based in Bloemfontein unhappy when they were forced to spend months in Johannesburg.

  It’s an option that poses many operational and logistical challenges.

• 165.Great White Shark:
  9 May 2012, 09:35 am

  AJ speaks more eloquently than Percy and Victor put together.

• 166.skyewalker:
  9 May 2012, 09:39 am

  @Great White Shark(Predawn)-165:
  He sure seems to know what he’s talking about.

• 167.mshiniwami:
  9 May 2012, 09:43 am

  @Jeez(Jeez)-164:

  John Mitchell trying to wrangle himself and his union out of the mess they have created for THEMSELVES for the last decade. Lions have been around for 120 years blah blah who gives a sh*t if they have been churning out putrid performances for years,reak of mismanagement, maladministration and nepotism for same amount of time. The union is a pale shadow of the once proud union it once was, and has been for a while now.

  Their existence for over a century should make those running organisation for last decade fel ashamed. And Lions not being in superrugby doesnt men they shall cease to exist,just means they have to step their game up.On all fronts from upper echelons of management(president’s council) to the pitch itself.

  People lambast Kings for so called sense of “entitlement”….Lions have been “entitled” for years.

• 168.stormersboy:
  9 May 2012, 09:54 am

  @mshiniwami(mshiniwami)-167: neither should be in a competition that has the words “Super” in it.

• 169.mshiniwami:
  9 May 2012, 09:56 am

  @Slumtown(Slumtown)-154:

  Thank u sir

  Pity about Vermuelen,would have liked to see him have a run.Picked Spies because I know its inevitable especially under Meyer,same with Morne to a large extent.Wit Du Preez now having made himself available for selection-one will see him feature at very LEAST of the wood ahead of Pienaar/Pretorius.

  Have to disagree about Jantjies,I realy do feel that he can contribute with better players around him at Test level. He possibly has the best skillset for a 10 in this country and only 10 that really threatens the gain line consistently.And now with Goosen injured I think it would apt to bring him into fold at least for England series. Lambie should be given time to settle a bit at 15 come Test season because he hasnt played there since WC2011.JP Pietersen covers 11/13/14/15. The bench split will be interesting,likely to be a 5-2 split with England so strong upfront so full frontrow on bench possibly. Elstadt brings harder edge than Juandre Kruger who is more of the athletic 5 lock.

• 170.Great White Shark:
  9 May 2012, 09:56 am

  @skyewalker(skyewalker)-166:

  He has a bit of character and seems intelligent..also missing from Matfield’s dour monotonous commentary. Percy is just a giggling happy moron.

• 171.mshiniwami:
  9 May 2012, 10:02 am

  @stormersboy(stormersboy)-168:

  Fair enough.

  But since there has to be a 5th team and that the Lions have bungled it for over a decade I would rather see the Kings get their chance to see what they can do. All the better if the issue of relegation is resolved early so they can start recruitment early because the entire procurement process, marketing as well sponsorship dynamic changes altogether with the affirmation of “Superrugby status” especially for the EC region.Lions havent managed to do jacksh*t with any of that nor entice their region.

• 172.race of tan:
  9 May 2012, 10:09 am

  My wife and i went to see the sharks play at the Stoop years ago, harlequins homeground, and we could not believe the size of AJ Venter. Everytime he came near the stands are jaws dropped at the sheer size of the man, Russel was also playing that day.

• 173.John Galt:
  9 May 2012, 10:09 am

  @mshiniwami(mshiniwami)-169:
  No hiding in Test Matches Mshini.
  The way in which the Chiefs backs ran over him on the weekend was way too easy. Wouldnt have mattered who was around him.
  Test teams would mark him as a target and run at his channel all day.

  Happened last year against the Hurricanes as well, Jack Lam who isnt the largest flanker, ran straght over him.
  This after Elton almost single handedly demolished the Brumbies the week before.

  He seems to do really well against smaller Aussie sides, attacks the gainline, tackles well, more or less but is conspicuous in his absence against bigger sides.

• 174.race of tan:
  9 May 2012, 10:10 am

  mshiniwami – I guess during the year the Lions are relugated SARU should organise that the players can be used by the other franchises as well!!!

• 175.skyewalker:
  9 May 2012, 10:12 am

  @mshiniwami(mshiniwami)-171:
  Yeah,but realistically speaking everybody knows that Kings will be by far the worst team to have ever entered the super rugby circuit,a walking 5 points for any opposition,and an embarrassment to sa rugby,that said,so are the Lions.Logical move would be to unite the Cheetahs and Lions again for talent and depth,at least they should then avoid the wooden spoon,that will be reserved exclusively for Kings.

• 176.race of tan:
  9 May 2012, 10:15 am

  skyewalker – The Cats were a disaster last time. They had no game plan and played like a team that had never played together. I think relugation is the only option with the clause that the top Lions players can be used by the other franchises, even ozzie franchises if they wish!!

• 177.Jeez:
  9 May 2012, 10:16 am

  @mshiniwami(mshiniwami)-167:
  I agree with you that the Lions probably dont deserve to be in the comp… But I do feel that they can play a big role to help form a formidable team, be it the Cats or whatever.

  The Kings will play and I wish them well, but theyll probably take the Lions’ place as SAs new bottom-feeders. Luckily a merger between the LIons and Cheetahs will ensure that for once SA will have 4 competitive teams and not just 3. Not only will the Cats have good depth, they will have a awesome starting 15…

  Its good to hear it from Mitchell, even though such a merger might cost him his job.

  Somebody mentioned that the income generated should still be divided by 6 to ensure that the Lions dont go under. That way the Cheetahs just gain a bunch of quality players and the Lions still get to keep their top players to play currie cup etc.

• 178.sharks_lover:
  9 May 2012, 10:17 am

  @John Galt(John Galt)-173: amazing how most try and tell us Lambie is not a !) to suit their own agenda’s

  Yet Lambie keeps producing, last weekends stats again prove this and just his tackle stats?? 17 made missed 0 and the list goes on

• 179.Great White Shark:
  9 May 2012, 10:17 am

  Mark Keohane’s argument on Ballz Radio was that everyone is under the mistaken belief that the Queens Vodacom Cup side will be the Super Rugby side. Apparently they will be two different teams…

• 180.sharks_lover:
  9 May 2012, 10:20 am

  there is a simple solution, let the lions and kings play each other in a best out of 3, lets see who comes up trumps,

  If the Kings are to be in the Super 15 next year i dont see why the Lions should have to help them with players etc, Lions should regroup and prepare for a play off the following year

  Unless play on the field does not count in this country???

• 181.Great White Shark:
  9 May 2012, 10:20 am

  @race of tan(race of tan)-172:

  I went to all of those games. I was amazed at the size of Butch James and John Smit. Smit was taller than what I expected. I towered over Brent Russell of course…

• 182.sharks_lover:
  9 May 2012, 10:22 am

  @Great White Shark(Predawn)-179: GWS seriously there should not be a problem if the Kings play super15, it should however be because they are strong enough to compete at that level and for no other reason

  CAN THEY??

• 183.Great White Shark:
  9 May 2012, 10:25 am

  @sharks_lover(sharks_lover)-182:

  We should all be used to elitism in modern day South Africa by now. We experience it daily by the actions of the new regime. It’s in our faces.

  Why would anyone be surprised when it happens in sport?

• 184.stormersboy:
  9 May 2012, 10:26 am

  @sharks_lover(sharks_lover)-180: I think you answered your own question there matey.

• 185.skyewalker:
  9 May 2012, 10:27 am

  @race of tan(race of tan)-176:
  Maybe with Mitchell at the helm they will be better,their is no denying there is talent,biggest problem with both teams is depth,combining the two teams will sort it out.Would be very sad to see ex-cats playing for ozzie sides.

• 186.sharks_lover:
  9 May 2012, 10:27 am

  Maybe stormers and kings should join, name them kings and queens,

• 187.sharks_lover:
  9 May 2012, 10:28 am

  @stormersboy(stormersboy)-184: trust me bro i know

• 188.mshiniwami:
  9 May 2012, 10:29 am

  @John Galt(John Galt)-173:

  Fair enough but defense isnt only skillset criteria used to select a Test 10. Morne Steyn also very frail on D and you can add Goosen to that as well who is also not the best defende-also in Jantjies standard but he is more injury prone-had mutliple periods out since his debut last year…Why arent the same reservations held about him or Steyn? Andre Pretorius fell into that category of defensively average 10′s yet he had over 30 Test caps,reservations??? And mate Jack Lam has made a fool of plenty of players on defence,last season saw him run straight through Higginbotham(reputable defender) and a few others.Neither here nor there.

  Here is one of Lam running straight thru Morne Steyn…Bok current Test 10…Nowhere to hide huh? Enjoy

• 189.mshiniwami:
  9 May 2012, 10:31 am

  @John Galt(John Galt)-173:

  Here is the Morne-Jack Lam clip

  http://youtu.be/JzTEi4PoNlg

• 190.skyewalker:
  9 May 2012, 10:34 am

  @sharks_lover(sharks_lover)-186:
  Judging by the log it only makes sense to join sharks and kings,call them bottom feeders

• 191.mshiniwami:
  9 May 2012, 10:36 am

  John Galt, Jack Lam is no joke-size or otherwise.

  Watch the clip in post 189

  See what he does to Morne,Greyling,Potgieter,Stegman.

• 192.sharks_lover:
  9 May 2012, 10:40 am

  @mshiniwami(mshiniwami)-191: hiyas Sbali, truth be told there is only 1 defensively strong 10 in SA and that is Lambie, all the others struggle with defense at times

• 193.Great White Shark:
  9 May 2012, 10:42 am

  @sharks_lover(sharks_lover)-192:

  Goosen is a mamba in all facets. He just lacks muscle and is too doff to know how to fall properly.

• 194.sharks_lover:
  9 May 2012, 10:46 am

  @Great White Shark(Predawn)-193: lol GWS i like the kid too but Mshini is correct , Goosen is not strong defensively, i have seen him miss many a tackle

• 195.WP Till I Die:
  9 May 2012, 10:46 am

  @skyewalker(skyewalker)-190:

  Wasn’t the Eastern Cape originally part of the Sharks franchise area?

  It would make sense for them to merge again, call them the Great White Sharks.

  Or not.

• 196.race of tan:
  9 May 2012, 10:47 am

  Great White Shark – Yes Andre Snyman was there, fris chris. I was surprised to see Justin Swart was quite a well set chappie, thought he was skinny. Yes Butch is a big chap.

  One of most well built back row players i have ever seen was Tim Horan at Watford(Sarries), built like a tank, now i know why he broke so many tackles!

  Another big player at Sarries was Adriaan Richter. The size of that mans legs were scary, he looked like one of those men from the worlds strongest men compeitions. I have never seen a rugby player with those size legs!!

• 197.race of tan:
  9 May 2012, 10:49 am

  Great White Shark – Sorry it wasn’t Adriaan Richter it Gary Pagel!!

• 198.sharks_lover:
  9 May 2012, 10:52 am

  @WP Till I Die(WP-Forever)-195: Sharks join the CAPE CRUSADERS again?? hell no lol

• 199.mshiniwami:
  9 May 2012, 10:52 am

  @sharks_lover(sharks_lover)-192:

  Exactly. I just dont the notion that Jantjies is a liability on D,especially looking at other 10 options baring Lambie…”Reservations” pppfffftttt yeah right and using Jack Lam as yardstick nogal…..

• 200.Great White Shark:
  9 May 2012, 10:54 am

  @race of tan(race of tan)-196:

  I remember my one mate saying that when he met Andre Snyman he remarked that Snyman even had muscle on his cheekbones! Aich! There was a newspaper article many seasons back in some Aussie newspaper about the Aussie chicks drooling over Snyman while he was practicing shirtless during The Sharks Super 12 tour Down Under.

  Bru have you seen Strooli? The oke is a walking tree trunk.

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