Let’s be honest – being a Canadian international doesnt mean very much with the level they play at.
2ndy he has been playing in the grey, cold mud of England. Even Schalk Brits looked a tiny bit off the pace when he helped the Stormers out last year. And he runs around like a winger that sniffed gunpowder in the UK!

This Jeb oke is gonna come in, not knowing the structures, defensive patterns etc. and then get blown away by the speed of a S15 game.

If it was an International like Dusatoir then I would say no problem
But how good is a Canadian flanker playing for London Irish?

Now I do hope I have to eat my words, but there are too many instances of players looking like Supermen in the UK and struggling back in SA…

OK, we all know that the above is Hondo-speak for a “white” up and coming referee. Now, to prove to us who these young white referee/s is/are, perhaps you should name them and allow people to form an opinion about WHO is the better ref at this stage of their career.

Rasta or “the competent, up and coming young referee with potential.”

At least it is not Ratsa Dumisane. If he refs the way he sings, there’d only be one outcome.

He is just struggling outside a 12 that attacks the advantage line with his outside shoulder. Olivier prefers playing with a 13 that cuts inside him in scissor fashion, which JJ does so well.

Sadie performs better next to a straight running 12 or a passing 12, such as Francois Venter.

Ludeke is spot-on with his combinations.

@skyewalker(skyewalker)-41:
When they get that ‘chance’ it comes at the expencese of a competent, up and coming young refree with a potential, bear it in mind

But consider this:

If J Fourie was honest with the WPRU then Sadie would have most likely staid with WP, as he would have gotten a chance to play, but at the time WP had three springbok centres. Also Sadie is the most overated player since Gaffie Du Toit, the guy has shown nothing to justify this amount of hype.
It’s a case of Meyer saying he is talented and the truth, which is he is decidedly average.

I am more irritated that we gave away JJ Engelbrecht, that guy is the real deal, alos how we lost Hougard (F), is a big buggerup.

He’s playing great in the vc, and has the lineout experience which AC was going for. I’d really like to know why he wasn’t considered.

There are a lot of red herrings in the fishing net here, but more about that later.

You mentioned that Sinclair will add experience and a ball carrying ability to the team. I will now consider the relevance of that by making three points.

First point: There is a difference between “experience” and “experience”, or alternatively put, there are two kinds of experience. Sinclair might be an experienced player in terms of test rugby, but how experienced is he in terms of the WP / Stormers structures on defense or offense? Or in terms of playing rugby on the faster fields of the southern Hemisphere?

In fact, one can put down an argument that he is very inexperienced where it counts.

Second point: This season has proved again that your most effective ball carrying players in terms of meters gained and ball retention are the shorter opensiders, who protect the ball a lot better in contact than the taller players who are more upright in collisions.

Third point, related to the second: If the Stormers were looking for a strong, ball carrying player, why was Francois Louw the first choice?

Couple of things , first off – WP cannot sign every player , just not possible , we will always lose quality players. Sadie left becos ahead of him at the time was 3 Bok centres and all 3 current boks as well. He was offered more money and there was really no way that WP could afford to pay 4 centres that amount of money. I was more upset of Whitehead and so far my concern was justified. Every Union needs at least one strong player with a good backup , Whitehead was for me that cover. Not bok material but dam good at Super level.

Now back to the loosies , we lost our whole first choice trio guys , at super rugby level you dont experiment , you do that at CC level. Its absurd to expect that the Stormers region have 4 super level 8th men and even if we do another youngster with potential he would seriously lack exposure in a team already short of experience.

Allistair is 100% correct in getting the balance right , I am not sure if anyone can comment on who that player should have been because we don’t know who was contacted and who was unavailable. As a matter of fact it looks like Allistair did very well to at least get a solid player.

I know there are politics but the one thing that bothers me is how come Luke Watson was not considered ? He is heavily favoured in the Cape ? Talking about the Cape its interesting to note that the majority of the people against the recruitment of Sinclair are the so called “Cape Crusaders” , I wonder what they would have said if a New Zealander was brought in ? Probably the thing what they said when WP played Chris Jack a few seasons ago and that was Jack Shite !!