Toulon boast of Habana coup

Toulon boast of Habana coup

15 Dec 2012

French reports are that Bryan Habana will see out his club career with Toulon.

The club, who boast Springboks Joe van Niekerk and Bakkies Botha among an overseas laden senior squad, have made it public that Habana has been signed.

Habana will still be eligible for Springbok selection.

The Western Province and former Bulls wing, crowned IRB World Player of the Year in 2007, produced a season of equal substance in 2011 and was deservedly named South Africa’s Player of the Year.

Habana is the only South African rugby player outside of Naas Botha to win the coveted SA Player of the Year award three times.

He has won every title in the game, with the highlight being the 2007 World Cup with the Springboks. He has won a Tri Nations, a British and Irish Lions series in South Africa, Super Rugby and Currie Cup titles with the Bulls and the Currie Cup with Western Province.

He is also the greatest try sorer in Springbok rugby’s history.

Habana has played for Western Province since 2009.


23 Comments

  • 1.Kayphonik: Reply to this comment
    15 Dec 2012, 03:26 am

    RT @keocoza: Toulon boast of Habana coup: French reports are that Bryan Habana will see out his club career with Toulon. T… http://t.c …

  • 2.Transformation: Reply to this comment
    15 Dec 2012, 06:53 am

    heartbreak hotel for cape dragons.

  • 3.damienm: Reply to this comment
    15 Dec 2012, 06:58 am

    whats a “greatest try sorer”? A flying try scorer?

  • 4.damienm: Reply to this comment
    15 Dec 2012, 07:16 am

    surely keo scribes should use a spell check? I mean it’s okay for us plebs but these blokes are mean to be professionals?

  • 5.BrumbiesBoy: Reply to this comment
    15 Dec 2012, 08:57 am

    I still say the “Players’ Player of the Year” is the more prestigious award.

  • 6.katman: Reply to this comment
    15 Dec 2012, 09:56 am

    I think the greatest era in his career is when he started out as an outside centre for the Lions. He’s never quite scaled those heights again.

  • 7.Rhys7: Reply to this comment
    15 Dec 2012, 10:45 am

    They haven’t, only yesterday Boudejalli was saying he was not going to replace Wilkinson because he had Giteau & Michalak.

    It was said that he still targeted Habana but it would be very difficult to sign because of his cobtract til 2014 with WP/Stormers.

    Also why would the Stormers let him spearhead a new kit release by having him do a teaser video etc… If he wasnt going to play in it.

    They have plenty of other bif name Springboks Etzebeth, Bekker, Burger, de Villiers etc…

  • 8.Rhys7: Reply to this comment
    15 Dec 2012, 10:53 am

    If he does go it will be following the rugby championship next year.

  • 9.wnbb: Reply to this comment
    15 Dec 2012, 11:12 am

    Keo smoking the white stuff again.They probably will get him….either after his contract expires or they compensate the Stormers for an early release of his contract .

  • 10.Guns: Reply to this comment
    15 Dec 2012, 11:29 am

    Talking about speed, Carlin Isles, Olympic Dream YouTube USA 100m sprinter whom joined 7s, would have qualified for London semi 100m had he been there http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gA5bwqVN5LM&feature=youtube_gdata_player

  • 11.J.B. Cowper: Reply to this comment
    15 Dec 2012, 11:30 am

    Toulon shaping up to be the strongest side in world rugby

  • 12.Tuna: Reply to this comment
    15 Dec 2012, 12:02 pm

    WP going head hunting again or will they bring up a youngster from their own ranks? I have R50 on Rhule as their next target. Or will they save Mjekevu who was apparently wasted by the Lions and the Sharks as per some experts here.

  • 13.skopdiekan: Reply to this comment
    15 Dec 2012, 12:29 pm

    we’ll take Mjekevu for Habana any day.. Habana can go score the muchos euro’s if that what hi soul desires.. he won’t be missed he’s treading on thin ice in terms of the longevity of his capacity to perform at the top level already anyway..

    Bye Habana.. hello Mjekevu or Rhule.. or anyone else bold and brazen enough to take his place.. why Mapoe signed for that arse end of rugby nonentity the blou ballas . heaven only knows.. what a dumb stupid move.

  • 14.Hondo: Reply to this comment
    15 Dec 2012, 20:55 pm

    It’s about time to earn some hard currency!
    Habana will have to work to earn it though, his interception pranks and tackles missing practice may not be welcomed by the Top 14 coaches, as a rule few SAs backs did well in Europe, Fran Styen, Barritt and Pienaar are the only ones who made some noise there and they all went abroad much younger.
    Habana doesn’t looks like he will survive there too long

  • 15.i_love_u_bakkiesbotha: Reply to this comment
    15 Dec 2012, 21:26 pm

    reallly is time to organise a north vs south best of provincial/franchise/league/cup type competition. just a straight out strength versus strength knockout of some sort.

    prove just which is the best club, provincial, franchise team in the world.

  • 16.Guns: Reply to this comment
    15 Dec 2012, 21:40 pm

    I reckon if Habana can survive in the bok team this long he will be capable to do well in Toulon he is one of the greatest wingers of all time he has class and knows how to graft as well. he will just have to adapt, surely a world class professional player can do so. Then again quite often how the individual settles in with the local hood and family etc also plays a roll to overall success…

  • 17.suffer_guy: Reply to this comment
    15 Dec 2012, 21:58 pm

    This guy with the bak_ore is not kak… But he is no ray mordt or carel dup….. No big loss for the stormers….. He’s avwing… And with the stormer game plan.. He won’t be missed…

  • 18.J.B. Cowper: Reply to this comment
    16 Dec 2012, 15:55 pm

    @Guns-15:

    There is no question a player of his class will flourish along in a team as mind-blowingly powerful as Toulouse – forwards include Carl Hayman, Sebastien Bruno, Andrew Sheridan, Bakkies Botha, Simon Shaw, Suta (current lock for les Bleurs), Danie Roussouw, George Smith, Joe Van Niekerk, Fernandez Lobbe (Pumas skipper), Delon and Stefron Armitage, Chris Masoe, Fred Michalak (back in blinding form for the French national side), Johnny Wilkinson, Matt Giteau, blockbuster centre Bastareaud (as if the side wasn’t physical enough), Maxime Mermoz … and now Bryan Habana.

    What you can do with a billion dollars if you love rugby … INSANE SIDE! (And coached by the brilliant nutcase Mad Bernie Laporte). (PS Wilkinson’s form is so good, his kicking so accurate that they are talking him up for a Lions spot – but with a pack like that in front of him how can you miss?)

  • 19.J.B. Cowper: Reply to this comment
    16 Dec 2012, 15:56 pm

    Sorry – not Toulouse – TOULON

  • 20.DumpsterDiver: Reply to this comment
    17 Dec 2012, 13:15 pm

    Good career move for him, he would be insane not to go.

  • 21.Big Hit: Reply to this comment
    17 Dec 2012, 14:01 pm

    @J.B. Cowper-17: I believe John Smit has signed for Toulon as replacement for Bruno.

    I heard he’ll be covering all three front row positions :)

  • 22.Greenies: Reply to this comment
    18 Dec 2012, 01:18 am

    Great news

    maybe he can learn to side step while he is there, after all these years thats something he still lacks.

    a win win for all people concerned.

  • 23.seamus: Reply to this comment
    18 Dec 2012, 09:31 am

    @Greenies-21: It’s #^(&ing hard to sidestep in mud

Keo.co.za has always promoted uncensored views, but has never tolerated racist or crass outbursts. Come on guys and girls. If you can't moderate yourselves or each other then I am going to be forced to regulate the posts and enforce a registration process for comments. The choice is yours.

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