Ebersohn nails Naka
30 May 2012
Sias Ebersohn has expressed his disappointment in Naka Drotské after the Cheetahs coach failed to back him in the 2012 season.
On Tuesday, it was confirmed that Ebersohn had signed a two-year contract with the Western Force. A lack of game time in this year’s Super Rugby competition as well as the coach’s lack of faith in his ability has resulted in Ebersohn swapping Bloemfontein for Perth.
Ebersohn was the Cheetahs’ No 1 flyhalf in 2011 but the rise of Johan Goosen meant he started the 2012 season on the bench. When Goosen was seriously injured, Drotské favoured Riaan Smit in the starting flyhalf position. Ebersohn was again overlooked.
It appears that Drotské never forgave Ebersohn for missing that penalty against the Highlanders. When Goosen was injured, Ebersohn came on to the field and immediately slotted a conversion from the sideline. But the Highlanders fought back strongly and eventually took the lead. Ebersohn had a chance to win the game in the final minute, but missed from point-blank range.
Ebersohn immediately expressed his regret, but also felt the coaching staff should have backed him in the games that followed. He said as much when speaking to OFM on Tuesday.
‘I waited a long time for my chance at the Cheetahs and then suddenly Goosen was on the scene and when he got injured, I was suddenly replaced by Riaan Smit – in my three years at the franchise I never competed with Riaan for a place and it seems that the chances that other players are given, were never given to me. It’s sad but at some point you have to look at yourself.
‘It isn’t in my hands. I am not the coach and it was always Naka’s decision. As a player I will always give my best and this move won’t influence the way I play. It is disappointing to leave, especially when you realise they aren’t interested in you.
‘I had high expectations of the season, and things didn’t always go as I wanted them to go. But there were promises of playing time made that never materialised. Goosen had a good season and I am a player who plays not for money, but rather to enjoy the game. You can never get better unless you are backed and you improve on the field. Luckily this lesson has happened early in my career and I can learn from it.’
Ebersohn told the Bloemfontein radio station that a player needs to be backed during the bad times. He cited Springbok and Bulls flyhalf Morné Steyn as an example.
Steyn has a reputation as one of the most accurate kickers in the world, but has had an inconsistent season in front of goal.
‘Morné has had – by his standards – one of the poorest kicking seasons of his career but he still plays and the team still backs him. I never played enough to get my self confidence on a high and without those opportunities, you get rusty, you get “vrot”. You need to play to keep in form,’ he said.
Ebersohn added that he looked forward to making the flyhalf position at the Force his own.
73 Comments
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30 May 2012, 10:17 am
if i’m not mistaken the krige family stills runs a hunting/farming business in zambia…
saw when they had the zambian 7s a few years ago they interviewed corn and one of his brothers…
30 May 2012, 10:20 am
@PrickBoks going South(PrickBoks going South)-37: Wrong again.
Monty, for example, comes from South African territory and was educated in Cape Town from a young age. He was a border at the same school as me.
You guys, however, have made it a point to actively target young South African players in their late teens and early twenties.
BIG difference, one which of course you are too arrogant and too much of a sh*t to man up and admit.
30 May 2012, 10:22 am
@Brigadier Van Zyl(Brigadier Van Zyl)-40: You were at SACS too? What year, Brig?
30 May 2012, 10:23 am
@Simon(Simon)-41: No, he was born in Walvis Bay, South African territory all the time.
30 May 2012, 10:28 am
@bryce_in_oz(bryce_in_oz)-33:
Divvie booted Henning Gerricke.
they introduced him to Divvie as a mental coach and snor freaked saying he was the only mental coach on the team and Gerricke should find another sandpit to play in.
30 May 2012, 10:34 am
@the artist formerly known as gunther(gunther)-55: As far as coaches go, Div was 100% mental.
30 May 2012, 10:34 am
@Michael(mikeybrass)-54:
that’s what he said.
30 May 2012, 10:36 am
@Brigadier Van Zyl(Brigadier Van Zyl)-45: Correct, Krige was in Boys High. Have a read at the following. You will also learn that he was born in the same hospital as George Gregan in Lusaka.
Cornelius Petrus Johannes “Corné” Krige (born 21 March 1975 in Lusaka, Zambia) was a South African[1] rugby union footballer, now retired, who played flanker for Western Province in the Currie Cup, the Stormers in Super Rugby and captained the South African national side, the Springboks
30 May 2012, 10:39 am
@the artist formerly known as gunther(gunther)-57: Er no it wasn’t.
30 May 2012, 10:45 am
@Michael(mikeybrass)-59:
exclave…
don’t be a hairsplitter.
he’s right in that it was South African territory at the time.
30 May 2012, 10:45 am
@Michael(mikeybrass)-59: Er yes it was.
30 May 2012, 10:49 am
@Michael(mikeybrass)-59: He was clearly making the same point you tried to make – that Monty was born in SA territory.
30 May 2012, 10:57 am
very unprofessional behaviour by Sias – airing your dry launtry in public.
Not good for the team he is leaving. Why not speak with Naka face to face????
30 May 2012, 12:12 pm
@munkiboi(munkiboi)-30: You’re wrong.
Christian Stewart (WP) played Test rugby for both countries.
30 May 2012, 13:02 pm
I was as critical as any Cheetahs supporter after he missed THAT kick vs the Landers. I myself said very harsh things about it, to myself though.
The fact is 1 bad kick does not make you an average player. As one good kick or even one good game does not make you a good player. Sias had a great super rugby season last year. Not 1 or 2 good games. He was consistently good. Why? Because he was first choice and got the game time he needed.
I’m not sure how I feel about the way Sias has gone on here. Think he could have handled it better I guess. I’m sad to see him go but this move will be good for him. With Goosen signed until 2014 he will stay 2nd choice. Sias will come back a better player.
Good luck Sias.
30 May 2012, 13:12 pm
@greatest13gerber(greatest13gerber)-63: We don’t know what happened. Maybe he did. The fact is he is a very frustrated young bloke atm. He is wrong in saying he didn’t get the chancers that others did. He was poor in Cape Town after starting and pulling him off at half time was the correct decision. THAT kick just completely messed with his confidence.
30 May 2012, 13:40 pm
@Michael(mikeybrass)-52:
Namibia.
He was born in Namibia.
Since when does school come in to it. Noone mentioned your poofy privileged boarding school.
30 May 2012, 13:43 pm
@Brigadier Van Zyl(Brigadier Van Zyl)-40:
what is it with you w@nkers and your silver spoon schools. Schools are full of foreign students, especially the private ones.
Was he born in the school sick room ? No, he was born in Namibia.
30 May 2012, 13:45 pm
@brian WP(brian WP)-43:
I don’t know, ask your whinging mate at #30
30 May 2012, 15:16 pm
Sias
Good luck with the move. I’m a fan and I know that you will be a huge asset for the Force.
I hope you enjoy the opportunity to live and work in another country. I was (and still am) lucky to do this and I can assure you of the benefits and emotional intelligence that comes with obtaining such cultural capital.
Not everyone settles in well from the outset – look at Sarel – but it is the experience that counts in the greater scheme of things. You’ll be a better person because of this.
Enjoy the ride in Western Australia.
30 May 2012, 18:03 pm
@PrickBoks going South(PrickBoks going South)-67:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walvis_Bay
“In 1990 South-West Africa gained independence as Namibia, but Walvis Bay remained under South African sovereignty. At midnight on 28 February 1994 South Africa formally transferred sovereignty over Walvis Bay and the Penguin Islands to Namibia.”
Twatt.
30 May 2012, 18:24 pm
Eish…..I don’t think it was a good idea saying what he did, comes across as a petulant child.
He should have just said toodles, thank you Cheetahs, left and kept his dignity.
30 May 2012, 18:34 pm
Perhaps this will give the Cheetahs some money to buy some good players. Perhaps a lock?
Seriously, Sias is too mentally fickle to play in South Africa (just like me). The Aussies do a much better job of turning average players into great players. (they have to, they have very little talent to go around). In SA, it shape up or ship out. We don’t work with players, much to our detriment.
The good news, is that this mean that the Force won’t be signing Peter Grant who was also rumoured to sign for them. Actually, it would be funny if Sias now had to play second fiddle to another superior Saffer flyhalf.
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