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, 13:46 pm
@grant10-191:
naas botha:
“Probably the greatest flyhalf ever to play the game”.
He is not even SA’s best. (IMHO) (try Honnibal)
As far as world comparisons go…………………………………he would be lucky to make the top ten.
20 Sep 2012, 13:47 pm
@Puma-196: Puma, I reckon you talking twak now… There’s been plenty of times when Sharks have had great 10′s and they have had to fight it out… La Croix and Honiball a case in point.
There are other positions where players have to fight it out and where competition is healthy it is good for the team – eg. The Loosies… Daniel has risen to the top despite competing against some big name behemoths at the Sharks.
Wrapping Pat in cotton wool and being precious about him is no good for him as a player or the team…
If Pat is truly the best, as most Sharks supporters suspect he may be, then he will start and remain at 10 unless injured or he gets rotated with Elton… But if Elton is truly also shithot, then the Sharks may have an excellent rotational/tactical option which will have to be managed very fairly and without prejudice.
Its win/win for the Sharks either way…
20 Sep 2012, 13:48 pm
@cane-201: I guess it’s in the eye of the beerholder.
20 Sep 2012, 13:49 pm
@Sharksgirl-195:
“and I have the Sharks emblem permanently tattooed on my left arm!”
How cute!
20 Sep 2012, 13:50 pm
@cane-201: He is a great name in SA rugby but I think you are correct. Honiball would be in my team before Naas. I also think DC and Larkham would be streaks ahead.
20 Sep 2012, 13:50 pm
@cane-201:
I agree.
20 Sep 2012, 13:50 pm
@Heavens Game-197: No bud, it is wrong. Lambie is a brilliant fh we should not once again be selecting another fh and play Lambie at 15. Doubt it is better for the team, it will bring unhappiness and Lambie will leave, much like Ruan, Bret and Fransie did.
We are forgetting here how brilliant Lambie is at fh, because he missed out playing there because of injury.
Elton should go to Stormers where he can start.
20 Sep 2012, 13:51 pm
@David-204: Hey at least it’s not at the base of her back.
20 Sep 2012, 13:51 pm
@Sharksgirl-195: lol. good girl
@Sharksgirl-200: Yeah… Definitely… Now you talking like a real through and through Sharkie
20 Sep 2012, 13:52 pm
@David-204: Cute yeah! But I still have nightmares of the needle colouring in the Sharks Shirt! Most painful memory I have so far!
20 Sep 2012, 13:54 pm
@Sharksgirl-210: Okai correction, not the most painful! The most painful is still that last minute of S14 final 2007
20 Sep 2012, 13:55 pm
@Skeppie-205:
I just reckon that Grant10 has a rather limited experience of non SA 10s.
20 Sep 2012, 13:56 pm
@Heavens Game-202: “Wrapping Pat in cotton wool and
being precious about him is no
good for him as a player or the
team…”
oooohhh you’re not going to win points with puma now as lambie is uber precious & needs reassurance that he is the favourite
20 Sep 2012, 13:56 pm
@Puma-207: See 202… I certainly havent forgotten Lambie’s breakthrough season in 2011… Farken awesome. Not to mention he was screwed 6 love in the Bok setup specifically by the Bulls (especially Matfield) in the Bok setup who started this Lambie is a better 15 bullshit in the first place in order to take away some pressure from the rear from Morne Steyn… This has subsequently being repeated as gospel by HSM mouthpieces such as this site and SA Rugby mag, and now taken as gospel by the ignorant sheep.
20 Sep 2012, 13:56 pm
@grant10-191:
Good article.
Interesting point by Tobias regarding the extra space the flyhalves now have because of defenders having to be 5 metres away from the last mans feet.
What they seemed to stress is that Goosen has only played 30mins of test rugby yet everyone expects him to change our attacking options overnight.
We all have this high expectation that he will change the face of Bok rugby just like we had when HM took the reigns and looked what has happened since.
20 Sep 2012, 13:57 pm
Something is not right @ the sharks … last years CC semi was half full… the test vs England wasn’t a sell out either …. very average attendance during Super 15 …. also a well known fact that Lambie isn’t a happy chappy because he isn’t picked @ 10 ….
20 Sep 2012, 13:57 pm
@Sharksgirl-211: Yip that was painful. Though the way we got to the final this year, will be one of my best memories of our Sharks. We played thrilling rugby in the last few games. Just a pity the travel was way too much in the end.
20 Sep 2012, 13:57 pm
@cane-201: I actually agree with you there wholeheartedly…
But that doesn’t mean we can be friends, yeah?
20 Sep 2012, 14:00 pm
@Transformation-213: Farkoff Sharksworld “expert”… WTF do you know beyond Qhunu anyway…
What you dont actually know about the Banana Boys is scary… especially as an “expert”
20 Sep 2012, 14:00 pm
@Heavens Game-214:
No, it was you Sharkies who were punting Lambie as the next Bok 15 after his first season.
20 Sep 2012, 14:00 pm
Naas is the best flyhalf in the world ever to have played American football. End of story.
20 Sep 2012, 14:00 pm
@David-212: My personal favourites would be: (In order) Larkham, Honiball, DC, Wilkinson, Nick Evans, Butch
20 Sep 2012, 14:01 pm
Oh here kommie kak, daai oke retweet me stukkend, all night long…
Nik Rabinowitzblitz – komp stamp my dinges into the public, not exclusive KEO anymore, moving up, sorrry for that.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U38cRToxkSI&feature=vmdshb
20 Sep 2012, 14:01 pm
@David-220: Wrong… Lambie wasn’t the NEXT Bok 15 after his first season… He was THE Bok 15…
Keep up schmuck.
20 Sep 2012, 14:04 pm
@katman-221: Sure? Wasn’t Gary “Perfect Regular Season” Anderson a FH in his youth…?
20 Sep 2012, 14:04 pm
@PielNeus-223: 192 Views? Dis ongetwyfeld die meeste views in die PielNeus gesin, maar dis, in die konteks van die groter YouTube, nogal kak. Dalk het Rabinowitz nie volgelinge nie.
20 Sep 2012, 14:07 pm
@Heavens Game-225: If he was, it was at school. And that doesn’t really count.
20 Sep 2012, 14:09 pm
@katman-226:
yeah right.
20 Sep 2012, 14:12 pm
@PielNeus-223: What a klompkak bulldust you ever seen… Farken welcome to CapeFlats TV…
20 Sep 2012, 14:13 pm
@Heavens Game-229: it was quite funny though, if only to laugh at the fletsie accent.
obviously a capedcrusader.
20 Sep 2012, 14:15 pm
@cane-228: A professor told his students: “In some languages, a double negative is incorrect. In others, a double negative makes a positive. But in no language do two positives make a negative.”
A voice from the back of the room: “Yeah, right.”
20 Sep 2012, 14:17 pm
We cant all like to talk like white people
We be liking to try though
20 Sep 2012, 14:19 pm
@Dawn-232: hehe, cmon dawn, i find many accents amusing and hearing the felts flets on heynekes head was skreeu snaaks.
20 Sep 2012, 14:20 pm
Pass the sugar, deah
20 Sep 2012, 14:21 pm
@Dawn-232: Dawn you can to be speaking like an angel.
20 Sep 2012, 14:21 pm
@Dawn-234:
20 Sep 2012, 14:21 pm
And make damn sure it’s from our own plantation
20 Sep 2012, 14:22 pm
@Skeppie-235: dawn is an angel.
20 Sep 2012, 14:22 pm
Why’s my pith helmet so skew
20 Sep 2012, 14:23 pm
@Dawn-237: and while we are at it, lets find a way of making booze out of it.
20 Sep 2012, 14:24 pm
@rangerman-240:
Indeed
That’s your job as lord of the manor
Just make sure the natives dont drink it all
20 Sep 2012, 14:25 pm
I’ll be reclining on the settee in the day room
20 Sep 2012, 14:27 pm
@Dawn-242: Earl Grey and crumpets for the madam.
20 Sep 2012, 14:27 pm
@Dawn-239: Ith that the thame ath a pith pot?
20 Sep 2012, 14:28 pm
@Skeppie-188: Good days those… when Club rugby actually still meant something…
I still remember a game at Quins… Tannies screaming from the sideline… bluffscruff everywhere and an involuntary twitch in the arm of yours truly resulted in an interesting chain of events starting with a local ruff and tuff hero falling to the floor on the field, an early shower, and a bit of chaos in the club house after the game due to some further involuntary goaties around the hallowed bluff bar during the postgame presentations…
It was a rapid get outtatown situation…
(Fernly will be all over this like a rash
)
20 Sep 2012, 14:28 pm
@Skeppie-243:
Yep
Get moving
Lazy native
20 Sep 2012, 14:28 pm
@katman-244:
S those funny hats you colonials sometimes wear
20 Sep 2012, 14:30 pm
@Heavens Game-245:
No-one really cares
Write your memoirs elsewhere
20 Sep 2012, 14:31 pm
@Dawn-237: Plantation…? They always were and still called farms in the Last Outpost daahling… Plantations are found in Jamaica and North Carolina…
Put if you keen for a bit of Plantation fantasy to go with those whips and cuffs of yours then HG here can maybe sort it out….
20 Sep 2012, 14:32 pm
@Skeppie-243:
Two sugars please
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