Strauss quits captaincy, Spencer sacked
2 Aug 2012
Josh Strauss has stepped down as captain of the Lions while coaches Carlos Spencer and Wayne Taylor have been released from their contracts.
Strauss oversaw a disastrous Super Rugby campaign, marred by further turmoil off the field. Beeld reports that he wants to focus on regaining form, which he deemed to be poor during the southern hemisphere competition.
It is also reported that his strained relationship with head coach John Mitchell was a contributing factor. Strauss led a revolt against Mitchell after a draconian training session towards the end of the Super Rugby campaign.
Strauss has been named at blindside flank for their warm-up match for the Currie Cup against the Bulls in Johannesburg.
Meanwhile, the Lions have announced that assistant coach Spencer and conditioning coach Taylor have had their contracts with the union terminated.
Business Day reports that the Johannesburg union has exercised a clause in the coaches’ contracts that states Spencer and Taylor would be released from their contracts if the Lions finished dead last.
Mitchell, who was suspended in late June, will only learn his fate in September. Given that Spencer and Taylor’s contracts were tied to Mitchell’s, it seems likely that Mitchell will not continue with the Lions.
52 Comments
2 Aug 2012, 08:54 am
Dont know what more this bloke has to do to get into the Bok set up.
HM likes to pick leaders in the Bok squad but then picks Pottgieter as a backup loosie.
HM, we trust you but hell that was a poor decision.
2 Aug 2012, 09:03 am
Lions coaching position – poisoned chalice.
Lions captaincy – poisoned chalice.
Being a Lions player? Endless disappointment.
Cilliers – go to the Sharks. They need decent back-up props.
Willemse and Botha – go to the Cheetahs. They need locks and you’ll likely start.
Maku, Visagie, Van Der Merwe, Minnie, Strauss, Jantjies, Murray, Mapoe, Taute…
Get out! Get out now!
2 Aug 2012, 09:09 am
Is he up for a big money move perhaps?
2 Aug 2012, 09:10 am
Can’t agree more with John Galt… Strauss should be a bok! Way ahead of takhaar Potgieter!!
2 Aug 2012, 09:10 am
When is Elton signing for WP? We will take Josh as well. Will make a good captain for the Currie Cup while the boks are doing duty.
2 Aug 2012, 09:21 am
strauss is the best of a bad bunch at the lions
hes definitely not springbok quality
neither are any of the potgieters
2 Aug 2012, 09:23 am
Don’t know if this is true but…..
From another website:
Apparently there was a clause in Carlos and Wayne Taylor’s contracts. That if the Lions come last in the S15 that the GLRU can end their contracts and according to the article they did. Also Kamana tweeted yesterday about how a kuk day.
Lovely stuff.
2 Aug 2012, 09:26 am
@Sasuke-5: Why do want Elton and Strauss so that they can also use that WP springboard to move overseas?
If the rumor I posted #7 above is true then Elton will be out of there with Carlos moving out of the picture.
2 Aug 2012, 09:41 am
Sooo…
what time is the cricket starting
2 Aug 2012, 09:47 am
Ok… sounds like Josh didn’t quit as captain but it was taken from him.
2 Aug 2012, 09:56 am
Stormers should seriously get Carlos Spencer in as their backline coach. They a very good side and with him they will sort out their attacking game.
Also if Stormers get Jantjies and Pretorius as is rumoured they will be sorted for next year. Pretorius was superb for the Cheetahs last year and really he wasted his time going to the Tahs. His defence will be improved on at the Stormers too as that is only his weak point. If those two players join the Province and they can get Carlos they will be in the final of SuperRugby next year and could win it.
2 Aug 2012, 09:58 am
Cilliers should come back to the Sharks.
2 Aug 2012, 10:19 am
@Puma-12:
Agreed.
Chadwick’s nowhere near up to it and Herbst is still learning and is a specialist tighthead.
Sharks needs quality reserve prop who can paqck down on both sides of the scrum.
If not Cilliers, then maybe get Carstens to return.
2 Aug 2012, 10:21 am
very exciting young bulls side selected for the warm up game.
2 Aug 2012, 10:24 am
@Puma-11:
Pretorious has a poor pass which led one journo to comment that maybe that’s the reason he had the most running meters at the Cheetahs.
We need a neat and organised 9 at Stormers and a Test quality 10.
With our pack and defence we can carry an ordinary 9/10 combo for most of the season but in knockouts we need more than that.
2 Aug 2012, 10:24 am
@puff-2: Agree with Willemse and Botha. Strauss, Taute and Mapoe should also go to the Cheetahs.
2 Aug 2012, 10:27 am
Puma the youngster who played tighthead for the baby boks in the final is from Natal… Keep an eye on him… But it is Looshead where the Sharks are stuck… Chadwick is not up to it…
2 Aug 2012, 10:27 am
really doubt that complaining about the coach will get you called up nationally.
in this regard players need to suck it up or move to another union.
rugby is not football yet where players can get a coach outed willy nilly. Sure, it’s happened a couple of times but nowhere near football.
I see test rugby call ups being a de-facto discipline keeper in the greater rugby dynamic of this country at the moment.
ie: meyer and mitchell are thick as thieves……so if you shny mitch??!?!?
2 Aug 2012, 10:30 am
@HHS, looks like you know your stuff.. Right on both accounts..
2 Aug 2012, 10:32 am
Is the rumour true that J Nienaber is leaving the Stormers for the Bulls? Can’t remember where I heard it or read it though?
2 Aug 2012, 10:32 am
@puff-13: For sure. Do hope Cilliers comes back to the Sharks.
@wpstormerbok-15: Get Elton he is a seriously good fh. I think Pretorius is a superb scrummie only his defence was not up to it. He will get it sorted at Stormers. Now if you had that half back pair this year with Carlos as your backline coach. Stormers would be in the final. You get them for next year I think you will make it all the way. Cheetahs have a brilliant scrummie but think he has signed there for a few years.
2 Aug 2012, 10:35 am
@THE MAULER-17: Okay never knew that youngster from the junior boks was from KZN. Then we need to look at bringing him in for next year. Cilliers though can play both sides of the scrum and he has been outstanding this year.
2 Aug 2012, 10:36 am
Elton – come to WP/Stormers – we NEED a flyhalf who can run, pass and kick for territory. You can also kick your penalties.
Bondisio too please – we need a new #9 who does kick the ball down the throat of the opposition every time he gets it (Duvenage) and also one that ignores his backline and kicks the ball (Schreuder, although at least he found touch, but still a bad decision).
Strauss, Taute, Minnie, come along too please – cover for Elstadt, Petersen, Vermeulen.
If I had my way I would take Maku, Mapoe, Murray and Cilliers too
2 Aug 2012, 10:38 am
Agree on Cilliers coming back… Sharks need a Looshead… If Beast gets injured they are screwed… Like the first half of the season when he was out…
2 Aug 2012, 10:40 am
@Puma-21: @wpstormerbok-15: I was thinking the same thing Puma – Elton would thrive at WP with a decent pack (besides the semi), a good scrummie (WP will need to get one of those) and JDV next to him. But also I agree that Spencer will have to come with. As much as I dig him, Fleck should step down, it was very plain to see Stormers backline was doing nothing all season (although perhaps to do with Grant’s bad form?). Their defence was down to Nienaber.
But WP need to move away from constantly kicking at 9 and 10. There must be more balance and a 10 that can run, attack, pass AND kick for corners.
2 Aug 2012, 10:44 am
@Brigadier Van Zyl-18: “shny” – ? Its written “shnaai” soos in “naai” maar met ‘n “sh” to make it more polite
Like Shmack for smack
2 Aug 2012, 10:46 am
@bokfan1-26:
ek probeer engels my bru.
2 Aug 2012, 10:47 am
Bulls sure are in a buying spree. See they have just signed SA Under 20 Lock – Paul Willemse.
2 Aug 2012, 10:48 am
@THE MAULER-24: That was when we struggled a bit was when Beast was out injured. Chadwick was not great. We need top class replacement if we ever lose Beast again to injury. Cilliers would do just fine I feel.
2 Aug 2012, 10:51 am
@bokfan1-25: If Stormers sort out their half backs for next year and with a top backline coach like Carlos they will go all the way.
There are rumours that Elton and Pretorius may be coming to Stormers. You guys just need to get Carlos as well.
2 Aug 2012, 10:51 am
@Puma-28:
nice one. Is Abromovitch on our board these days?
i would imagine that 1 in 4 or 5 junior players become good enough to play superrugby at the level in which the bulls aim to compete.
ie: superrugby winners.
Expect many of these youngsters to fade away unfortunately , but that is the reality of it.
All the bulls can provide is a worldclass coaching and training platform to help these youngsters become as good as they can. The rest is up to the player and fate.
2 Aug 2012, 10:53 am
@Puma-28: They want total domination. Every possible future Bok is in their line of fire. The word is out there…..come to Pta and Bok dreams follow. Very sad actually, for some of the young players who are moving there. It’s really time for SARU to step in and ensure the youngster are spread around in order to get game time. This stockpiling by the Bulls is not in SA’s best interests at all.
Som I’m already guessing the Jaque Nienaber moving to the Bulls rumour is true then. They buying anything that moves at the moment, in coaches and players.
2 Aug 2012, 10:56 am
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged by Mad Eye Productions.-32:
what ****.
players choose to go where they want. The Bulls do not force them to go there and this oke is at best 4 years away from springbok callups…..and that is only if he makes the superrugby grade in the first place.
the only word that is out is that the bulls provide a way better structure to play in than other unions. But that secret has been out for quite some time already.
2 Aug 2012, 11:35 am
@Brigadier Van Zyl-33: The Bulls don’t force anyone to join them off course, and nobody can force them not to… But I agree, there should be a more even spread of young talent around the country. It isn’t typical professional sports behaviour, I know, but it’s important to keep smaller teams competitive… That’s why the NFL have a draft ssystem whereby the worst team the previous year gets first pick of the new talent. I don’t know what can be done to stop the Bulls from luring everyone to them, and professionally there’s no reason why they shouldnt but it does suck for SA rugby as a whole… Think about all the young centres they now have! Engelbrecht, Serfontein, Small-Smith, Venter, and those are only the ones I know about!
2 Aug 2012, 11:47 am
Buying Craven week stars doesn’t mean they willake the step up… Hell Marcel never made the KZN craven week team and look at him now… Just about finding the real talent…
2 Aug 2012, 11:49 am
@Tarlo-34:
the real issue is that everyone assumes that an u20 player is ready for superrugby and even CC.
that is not the case at the bulls. Once in a blue moon is there an u20 who is ready for superrugby. All these youngsters will be playing junior and vodacom cup for the next couple of seasons. Only after that will the bulls determine if they think certain players are good enough to make the senior squad and offer them a contract or send them back to wp.
2 Aug 2012, 12:23 pm
Spencer come to WP Fleck is clueless.
2 Aug 2012, 12:26 pm
Bulls at it again!
The Blue Bulls Rugby Union have pulled off another coup by signing top SA under-20 lock Paul Willemse from the Golden Lions.
2 Aug 2012, 12:27 pm
@Brigadier Van Zyl-36: How can all those young lads play age group, Vodacom Cup and CC when you have about 7 flyhalves, 20 centres, 50 loose forwards etc etc etc?
How many get the chance to play….and how many polish Oom Wynies skoene?
This is a nice position for the Bulls to be in, but not so lekker for all the kids involved.
2 Aug 2012, 12:27 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged by Mad Eye Productions.-32: Nou praat jy kak, en baie daarvan.
2 Aug 2012, 12:28 pm
@Sasuke-38: Goota move quick these days. Bulls scouts are in top form!!!
2 Aug 2012, 12:37 pm
@KWAGGA ROBERTSE-41: It’s not hard to ‘scout’ kids who have already played age group level rugby for SA, or SA schools, or have been obviously gifted kids from the time they could walk.
It’s called: giving them more money than they have ever imagined, more than any other union can offer.
What it isn’t though, is talent scouting.
2 Aug 2012, 12:44 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged by Mad Eye Productions.-42: The Bulls have had the best structure in the country for many years now and have produced and coached/developed some of the finest in the past.
They have the money to get the best, and if the best needs to rise above another talented player it only gives a better pool to choose from. The fact that you mention SARU should get involved in spreading the player base is crazy. Bulls have got the money and they are using it wisely. Our friends down in the South…….oooooo fokkit ja. The less said the better.
2 Aug 2012, 13:13 pm
“contracts that states Spencer and Taylor would be released from their contracts if the Lions finished dead last.”
Who in heavens comes up with a clause like this.
Designated for failure
2 Aug 2012, 14:33 pm
@Sasuke-37: Not sure if the Blues really need another inexperienced attack-focused coach but Spencer could end up with the Blues with JK. Third in command at the Blues would be better than second at the Lions
2 Aug 2012, 20:18 pm
WP needs to throw all their monetary weight behind Cilliers. Lions can keep Jantjies, WP need to steal Goosen from the Cheetahs. Those 2 plus Schreuder in place of Duvenhage and Province will be unbeatable. Oh, and get Spencer as the backline coach. One can dream can one not?
3 Aug 2012, 08:34 am
I can’t do it any more.
Sorry but 20 years of unwavering support, in the face of such mediocrity is enough. The GLRU is absolutely wrecked and has been laid waste by naked self-interest. I feel, a bit, for Kev and some of the current boys as they do/ did seem to be trying to sort out this clusterf***, but its not like they were not around when this ship was being holed.
We were always able to find and polish some great talent but ALWAYS lost them and have been in perpetual crisis for a decade now. Enough. Enough. Let the Kings come and let relegation be the hard sharp kick of reality that finally sweeps this mess away. Though I do fervently believe that the Kings inclusion is the thin edge of the political wedge and that SA Rugby will be wounded because of it, I cant justify their exclusion in the face of such crappery from my Lions.
If the GLRU survives and learns from their gross ineptitude, great. If not, well it would hardly be a loss to SA rugby on present performance. I mean EP Rugby Union hardly count and SA rugby is still strong, right?
Man you buggers have broken my once proud Lion Heart. SHAME ON YOU!
3 Aug 2012, 09:17 am
I would also like to add that I think Josh Strauss is the best bloddy captain out there. the fact that he is stepping down can only mean he is about to leave too. If I were still a supporter I would be devastated, but I am not, so instead I think this is a great move for Josh I just hope he gets a starting spot at a good team and shows MH what a KAAAAAAK choice JP was.
3 Aug 2012, 09:18 am
Bloddy=bloody + MH= HM
3 Aug 2012, 10:16 am
Is Josh starting to develope Luke Watson-syndrome?! Getting a bit too big for the game? Generally I would have accepted him with open arms at the Bulls, but not sure about him these days.
3 Aug 2012, 12:19 pm
@THE MAULER-4: ok. so you prefer takbaard to takhaar…
4 Aug 2012, 01:47 am
Delighted to see foreign coaches given the boot, we dont need them… Plum trees is 1/2 SAfrican having an SA wife so he dont count.
… maybe it all the **** that oozes in SA naturally that these foreign coaches have had enough of. either way great news for the Lions.
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