Catrakilis joins Kings
20 Sep 2012
WP flyhalf Demetri Catrakilis has signed a two-year deal with the Southern Kings.
Catrakilis has featured for Province during the Currie Cup over the last two seasons, but failed to make the match-day squad for the Stormers during this period. The lack of opportunities in Super Rugby is believed to be the main reason behind his decision to join the Eastern Cape franchise.
Cartrakilis will compete with George Whitehead and Wesley Dunlop, who have impressed in the Currie Cup First Division, for the No 10 jersey next season.
The 23-year-old follows Cheetahs centre Andries Strauss and Sharks lock Steven Sykes as the Kings’ new recruitments. Director of rugby Alan Solomons is happy with the quality of players his team has signed so far.
‘Demetri is the more experienced player among our flyhalves,’ Solomon told keo.co.za. ‘He’s shown great form during the Currie Cup Premier Division over the last two seasons for WP. His kicking at goal and out of hand has been excellent. I’m surprised he hasn’t played Super Rugby for the Stormers.
‘Steven Sykes and Andries Strauss also add plenty of value,’ he continued. ‘Steven has had a stint with Leinster in Europe and did very well for the Sharks during Super Rugby and the Currie Cup. He’s also a EP local boy, having gone to school at Marlow.
‘Andries will offer us plenty of experience and leadership. He’s shown his quality for the Sharks and Cheetahs in Super Rugby and travelled with the Springboks to Europe in 2010.’
Solomons added that the Kings have a recruitment plan in place to ensure they will be competitive in 2013. They only have a one-year guarantee in Super Rugby, and will have to feature in a promotion-relegation play-off against the Lions should they finish last in the South African conference next year.
‘We have a good recruitment plan in place, which will help strengthen our squad. Things have been going really well since it was confirmed that we will play Super Rugby in August. I’m confident we will have a team that can do the job next season.’
Meanwhile, Solomons confirmed that flank Luke Watson will be the first-choice captain going into Super Rugby. Watson leads the EP Kings in the Currie Cup First Division.
The player missed the opening rounds of the domestic competition due to a shoulder operation and a following quad strain. But he has shown great form in his four appearances, scoring eight tries which include two hat-tricks.
‘Luke is a player that will score plenty of tries for your team,’ said Solomons. ‘But it’s his general play that has been very impressive. He’s been in great form since coming back from injury.’
Watson’s form could be a boon for the Springboks, considering Heyneke Meyer’s team has struggled with injuries in the loose forward department. Meyer confirmed during his first interview as head coach that all South African players, including those playing in the Currie Cup First Division, will be in contention for national selection.
Solomons believes that Watson can add value to the Boks.
‘Luke has proven he is a quality player and he can make an impact at higher levels. But it’s up to Heyneke Meyer to decide on who he wants to use in his team.’
By Gareth Duncan
408 Comments
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20 Sep 2012, 11:28 am
@rangerman-95: Nice.You got caught out and had a poor comeback.All is forgiven rangerboy.Let us move on.
20 Sep 2012, 11:29 am
Luke Watson’s time has come and gone same as Burger, Smith, Spies and a few more
Luke Watson was done the ultimate dirty by that two faced rat of a coach who hid behind his duplicitous 2 faced agendas as to why he picked Floors, Tyibalika, even Joe Van Niekerk and Wikus van Heerden at open side ahead of him when Burger was injured and when Watson was without doubt the top flight open side player in the country, if not the world back in 2005 / 2006 when he carried John Smit and his sharkshit punkass brethren solo on his young shoulders in pretty much all of their S12 – S14 escapades through the 2005 season.
Watson was marginalized and ostracized on purely vendetta based ideology by a two faced prick of a punk eyed coach which had sweet fanny fckall to do with rugby when he was without doubt the premier scavenging and breakdown driving loose forward in the country by miles.. which was endorsed even his peers who agreed as they voted him as the top rugby player of the season bar none.
Its no wonder the scurrilous little fanny arsed sharkshit contingent are reticent to recognize either his leadership or his playing credentials and want to come Lordy lord it around a carbon copy of the Watson enigma such as Keegan Daniel.. an almost cloned replica of the Watson of 2005, hailing from almost the same backwater of development at Queens EC, and carrying almost the identical traits and abilities.. only that Watson was a king of the deck back then while Daniel is purely the belated jack of all trades crown prince in respective comparison.
20 Sep 2012, 11:29 am
@Skeppie-99: they have always been nru favourites though bud.
always.
my dad says it was the same when he played club rugger fresh out of high school. (he played for collegians)
20 Sep 2012, 11:32 am
@Skeppie-96: What racist garbage?Calling you out as an Apartheid denialist?You were roasted by quite a few bloggers on your poor attempt to justify the existence of the Bok team and emblem during apartheid.
20 Sep 2012, 11:33 am
@wnbb-101: i think its clear to evryone with a brain that you got owned
@fitz1ella-102: huh? i gave him credit for his outstanding seasons but simply said i believe his time has past.
as for the rest of your post, its nonsense.
20 Sep 2012, 11:34 am
@wnbb-104: the boks are and always have been awesome.
thats a fact.
we luuuurve them.
20 Sep 2012, 11:34 am
@Skeppie-99: Farkoff man… You seem to forget how that farken Durban North team from behind the garage (think its Engen if memory serves) dominated for a good few years especially in the 90s…
Now that they rightly getting the regular PK they deserve from a club with decent heritage and history you whine like WePee supporter
20 Sep 2012, 11:34 am
@rangerman-103: Look good on them for being a greta side but it doesn’t help when they win everything. Every good new player ends up at Rovers….it would be healthier if the club scene had a bit more competition to it.
20 Sep 2012, 11:36 am
@Heavens Game-107: Damn you HG…talking that garbage about my beloved saders. I have nothing else witty to say. So I will leave it at this. Skeppie 7 HG 2
20 Sep 2012, 11:37 am
@Heavens Game-107:
saders were awesome and will be back i believe.
went to northwood meself but most of my mates played glenwood oldies and then simply old boys lol.
@Skeppie-108: ja agreed.
20 Sep 2012, 11:38 am
@wnbb-104: No my man, yesterday was healthy debate, guys like Transie and Nama have very good points and interesting views. You on the other hand only come with prejudice and addd nothing to the debate. Why spout such garbage? I abhor apartheid and said so many times yesterday, I abhor apartheid as much as racists like you.
20 Sep 2012, 11:39 am
@rangerman-110: Mates like the Butt brothers? Michael Reeves?
20 Sep 2012, 11:39 am
@Skeppie-111: dont bother bud, he isnt here for reasonable discussion.
20 Sep 2012, 11:42 am
@Skeppie-112: huh? who are those fu ckers?
20 Sep 2012, 11:42 am
@Skeppie-111: Nice try skeppie.You were clearly not impressed that you were taken apart on your point that the bok team had nothing to do with apartheid.In any case,you were shown the error of your ways, so let us just move on from the topic.
20 Sep 2012, 11:43 am
@Skeppie-109: @rangerman-110: I remember when Saders had Plum, Hugh Reece, Du Preez, Atherton?? (Maybe GOB or DHSOB), and a good few others… and then a later generation Barney, Sowerby, Jumping Jaco, Peter Myburgh amongst others…
Naah, fark you okes… you must learn that its not all about Saders…
20 Sep 2012, 11:43 am
@Skeppie-112: they sound like a bunch of hell raising hard drinking womanising ba st ards.
cant be associated with people like that.
20 Sep 2012, 11:45 am
@wnbb-115: you like to move on quick eh?
shallow like a rock pool at low tide.
@Heavens Game-116: saders arent my team but i do have a pint there from time to time so i will mind my manners here
20 Sep 2012, 11:47 am
@rangerman-114: HAHAHA Dont worry Ranger, I would never out a fellow Northwoodian
20 Sep 2012, 11:47 am
One of the best backlines that took the field in Natal Club rugby was:
9. Hentie Maartens
10. Forget (Might have been Joel before the nasal affliction)
11. Errol Stuart
12. Thompson
13. Pieter Muller
14. James Small
15. Forget ( definitely a decent player)
Teich also used to play regularly… Those were the days…
These are the days too
20 Sep 2012, 11:49 am
@Skeppie-119:
seriously, i actually find it very amusing that my mates ended up playing for glenwood?
personally, saders is the better club though my mates side has defo had the best of the crushers over the last few years
20 Sep 2012, 11:49 am
Just as it is important for the world to gaurd against people with fancy ideas about the Holocaust ,so it’s also important for the world to guard against people like skeppie and others with fancy ideas about apartheid.I will be your conscience skeppie and will be watching you like a hawk on this forum.That will be my last on this subject for now,unless mobilized to step in to restore order and perspective on this issue.
20 Sep 2012, 11:50 am
usually quite a niggly game actually.
plenty of passion and dirt from both teams but beers in the pub after, every time, without fail.
20 Sep 2012, 11:52 am
@wnbb-122:
you are mildly amusing in a “look at that old man with knee length socks and sandals on” kind of way.
only for a minute and only once.
wake up.
20 Sep 2012, 11:53 am
@rangerman-123: Niggly game? Farken “niggly” was playing Quins on the Bluff or Police in Maritzburg…
20 Sep 2012, 11:54 am
@Heavens Game-116: Aw come on HG saders is the crem de la crem
20 Sep 2012, 11:55 am
@Heavens Game-125: did i say niggly?
i meant farken evil tempered
we have a particular lock who gets a yellow against saders almost every year unless he is taken off early haha.
20 Sep 2012, 11:55 am
@wnbb-122: And it is my duty to pull in line racists of any form. Your kind will not be tolerated. This is a new country where all men are equal, your ideal of some being less equal will not wash.
20 Sep 2012, 11:55 am
@rangerman-118: Skeppie got the message, mr.original wum,and that’s the most important point .I will try my best to play an active role in his deprogramming procedures.
20 Sep 2012, 11:57 am
@Heavens Game-125: My very first club game was as an 18 year old playing PMB Police….snot was klapped!
20 Sep 2012, 11:58 am
@Skeppie-126: Crem de la crem? Pre ejaculate…?
20 Sep 2012, 11:58 am
@wnbb-129: i think you mean as much to him as the tick a rhino rubs off its muddy balls
20 Sep 2012, 12:00 pm
@rangerman-127: Lol… There were days long ago when the Blakeways played different sides… That was evil tempered proper… and they are boets lol
20 Sep 2012, 12:02 pm
@Heavens Game-133: Camel was indeed another story!
20 Sep 2012, 12:03 pm
@Skeppie-130: They also had some decent players turn out… Honiball, a lock called Malgue, a giant flank called Laatz and a quiet chap at 3 called Lood who was the most evil sod on GodsGreenEarth when 2 front rows met…
20 Sep 2012, 12:03 pm
hypothetically speaking…..it’s not the fear to select him what I see as the problem.
It’s the fear that you will never be able to drop him, even if he plays to 50 years old is the problem.
Can you imagine cheeky yakking on in the papers if Luke was to get dropped?
And dropped for an Afrikaaner in all likelyhood? Toi-toi-time
20 Sep 2012, 12:09 pm
@Skeppie-128: No,you are wrong.We are not all equal.We can’t have equal,pay,jobs etc etc.You will always have stinking rich people,poor people,influential people,people with better education than the next person.Only in a court of law are citizens of a country supposed to be equals-which definitely was not the case during the apartheid years and if you want to look further,you can add the American deep south to that list as well where blacks always got the short end of the stick in cases involving whites,same as in SA.Refrain from using this ‘all people are equal’ mantra,please.
20 Sep 2012, 12:14 pm
@wnbb-137: I know its a hard concept for you to accept, with all that bitterness and hatred you carry around with you but you will come around. Either that or you will become so twisted you will end up just like the vile architects of apartheid.
20 Sep 2012, 12:26 pm
@fitz1ella-102: You again. You love blaming White and Meyer for all sorts of dirty deeds regarding Luke’s career. But perhaps you’d like to expand a little on the time back around 2008 when your man Divvy gave Luke a few starts, realised he was below par, relegated him to the bench for a few games and then promptly dropped him for, guess who… White’s first choice players (Smith & Burger).
I’ll pretend to read your answer.
20 Sep 2012, 12:27 pm
@wnbb-137:
I agree, not all men are equal.
You wil never be equal to Skeppie, you have no class and the world would be a better place without the likes of you.
20 Sep 2012, 12:27 pm
@Skeppie-138: You brought up this ‘we are all equal’ misconception,mate.In any society of this world it’s an accepted fact that not all men are equal.It just can’t be.I was part of a discussion group ,debating that exact point.As part of our discussion was a book,one of many, called ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ by Harper Lee which show-cased the struggle of blacks for quality before the law courts of 1930′s deep south of America.Although these people were supposed to be equal,judged on on same principles of law,it was never the same,just like in SA where no white man ever got convicted by a white judge for tossing out blacks through windows of high-rise buildings or pushing them down staircases.You still got quite a lot to learn about what transpired in life skeppie.How old are you?,because i see you quite often refer to your father as back-up.
20 Sep 2012, 12:29 pm
@Mr Black-140: You obviously are a troll or have no concept what i am trying to educate skeppie on.
20 Sep 2012, 12:33 pm
@wnbb-141: “As part of our discussion was a book,one of many, called ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ by Harper Lee”…
Chrissakes… Capo, you must be in matric…
Always had the inkling that you were a spotty faced little p.rick… Now I am goddamn certain.
Now farkoff laaitie.
20 Sep 2012, 12:33 pm
Kings announce signings, as they target Rossouw, Taute
20 September 2012
Share on facebookShare on twitterShare on emailShare on printShare on googleMore Sharing Services0George Byron
VERSATILE former Springbok forward Danie Rossouw and star Lions fullback Jaco Taute could be the latest players being lined up to play for the Southern Kings in Super Rugby next year.
Though Kings officials are tight-lipped about who is on their shopping list, EP president Cheeky Watson said yesterday his union should be in a position to name about five new signings next week.
The burly Rossouw, formerly of the Bulls who now plays for Suntory in Japan, and Lions star Taute are players whose names have been linked to the Southern Kings this week.
At a media conference to announce the signings of lock Steven Sykes (Sharks), centre Andries Strauss (Cheetahs) and flyhalf Demetri Catrakilis (Western Province), Watson said the Kings had a budget of about R40-million for player recruitment.
“We had been hoping to name three other players today, but a couple of technicalities crept in regarding getting their contracts signed,” Watson said. “By this time next week we hope to have possibly five new names to release because negotiations are at an advanced stage.”
The EP boss admitted that some names had slipped through the net during negotiations and that a number of names of potential new signings were floating around and that was why he had called yesterday’s meeting.
“We have had to consult with our partners Border and South Western Districts before making any announcements,” he said.
If Rossouw and Taute are signed they will give the Kings a big boost as they bid to make an impression in the international competition featuring Australia and New Zealand’s best sides.
EP’s president said that the Kings were looking at contracting 12 players from the current EP squad to play Super Rugby.
“That figure changes because we have tough Currie Cup matches coming up and the door is open for a guy to perform under pressure situations.
“This is just the beginning of our recruitment drive. Because the franchise was announced late there are tremendous challenges involved in finding the players needed to put a competitive team on the field next year,” he said.
Watson said the Kings were looking at finding players for strategic positions and he was delighted to have signed Sykes, Struass and Catrakilis.
“Catrakilis has had a very good Currie Cup season so far and played a pivotal role for Western Province and I think he can add tremendous value for this region.
“Strauss is a strong and physical backline player while Sykes, who comes from Cradock, will be coming home. We were very excited to sign him because the Kings want to bring players back home.”
20 Sep 2012, 12:33 pm
@wnbb-141: what are you on about?
why dont you wail and gnash your teeth for the san who were pushed out of the best land by the nguni tribes right into the desert?
eradicated and treated like vermin by the zulu and xhosa.
because you are simple sonny
20 Sep 2012, 12:33 pm
Rossouw & taute !! good news … EP KINGS on the RISE …. bye bye Lions … bye bye Lions …. ohhhhhhhh its trueeeeeeeeeeee!!!!
20 Sep 2012, 12:36 pm
i must say, thye kings are looking whiter than white and whiter by the day.
will div have a moan?
20 Sep 2012, 12:38 pm
@katman-139: Well it’s a well-known fact that the senior players controlled that team.Senior players like Barney,Matfield,FdP etc etc wre against his presence in that tea.Plain and simple as that.It’s also a well-known fact that White played a major role ostracizing Luke at every opportunity.
20 Sep 2012, 12:39 pm
Here’s an interesting announcement.
SARU launches Community Cup
2012-09-20 11:38
Community Cup logo (File)
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Cape Town – The revival of club rugby in South Africa received a major boost on Thursday with the announcement that a new televised national tournament for non-university clubs would kick off in 2013.
The inaugural SARU Community Cup, which will replace the existing National Club Championships, will begin on Saturday 16 February 2013, with 20 of the country’s top “open” clubs competing in a format identical to that of the Rugby World Cup.
The tournament will culminate in an annual Grand Final to determine the overall national club champion between the winners of the Community Cup and the winners of the FNB Varsity Cup, presented by Steinhoff International. An “open” club traditionally refers to a non-Varsity club.
“Club rugby is one of most important items on our agenda and we believe that the SARU Community Cup will breathe new life into club rugby,” said SARU CEO Jurie Roux. “It will act as a catalyst for the revival of the club game at all levels across the country.
“Club rugby has suffered from a lack of exposure and sponsorship, since the advent of professionalism.
“What the SARU Community Cup will do is give club players and coaches a competitive platform and an aspirational event through which they can reach their goals.”
Roux said the tournament would start with 20 clubs, but plans were already in place to expand the competition over the succeeding two years by introducing a separate division for platteland-based clubs and junior teams. “The revival of rugby on the platteland is of particular importance,” said Roux.
The 20 clubs will be made up of the 14 champion clubs of the provincial unions, with a further six wildcard teams invited by SARU. The clubs will be divided into four pools of five, with each club playing two home and two away matches over a period of five weeks.
The top two clubs from each pool will then advance to the knockout stages, with the eight teams playing quarter-finals, semi-finals and finals each year at a central venue over the Easter long weekend.
The inaugural SARU Community Cup final will be played on Easter Monday, 1 April 2013, with the remaining six teams competing for the Plate, Shield and Bowl.
“The beauty of the format of the Community Cup is that it incorporates the best of both worlds,” said Roux. “Pool matches will take place in towns and cities across the country and give the tournament as diverse a flavour and footprint as possible.
“The play-off component will revive the very special atmosphere of the old Easter Club Championships, which club people still speak about with great fondness.”
Roux said that the success of this year’s new-look SARU National Club Championships in Rustenburg, which conclude at the Rustenburg Impala club tomorrow (Friday) with televised Cup and Plate finals (SuperSport 1, kick-off 13:00), had demonstrated the importance of a separate national competition for open clubs.
“The universities have been a part of the Club Champs since it started in 1975, but times have changed, especially since the advent of the very successful Varsity Cup,” he said.
“We’ve seen what that competition has done for Varsity rugby, and we therefore felt that this year was the right time to test the waters and not include them,” said Roux. “The tournament has been a runaway success, with big crowds, high-quality rugby and a feeling of kinship and solidarity amongst the competing clubs.
“We now want to take things to a new level and give the best open clubs the platforms and exposure they deserve.”
Roux emphasised that the Community Cup was only the first step in SARU’s strategy to revamp club rugby, which also included plans for the revival of the SA Amateur and SA Platteland teams in the coming years.
“We have been working behind the scenes for the past three years to ensure that the SARU Community Cup has a far-reaching effect,” said Roux. “We have consulted club people in every province and listened to what they had to say. This is therefore not our vision but their vision and their competition.
“But far from being an elitist tournament for a handful of teams, the SARU Community Cup will allow us to safeguard the future of club rugby across the country by ensuring that it reclaims its rightful place on the rugby stage.”
20 Sep 2012, 12:42 pm
@grant100-146: The Bulls,Sharks and Cheetahs will probably fight for the wooden spoon, looking at all these great players the Kings will be signing.
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