Coetzee trashes talk of Smit SOS
23 Jan 2013
Allister Coetzee insists John Smit is not getting an SOS from him to join the Stormers.
Smit was reported as a possibility to help out the Stormers because of a hooker crisis.
Smit, who has played for Saracens for the last two years, is considering a move to Toulon on a one-year contract, but the Cape Times newspaper on Wednesday reported Smit as a short-term back-up to Deon Fourie.
Fourie, who has signed to play in Europe after the Super Rugby season, will start at hooker but his understudy Scarra Ntubeni will be out for three months because of a shoulder operation and there is concern about Tiaan Liebenberg’s fitness. Liebenberg is still struggling with a long-term back injury.
Coetzee told the Cape media he was considering an experienced South African-based hooker and that there had been no approach to Smit.
Coetzee said the nature of Super Rugby demanded two experienced hookers and one youngster and that it would be too risky to go with two youngsters and just the experience of Fourie.
He said an announcement would be made in the week once terms had been agreed.
Smit would not be a bad option, despite the vehement denials.
He has done a fantastic job at Saracens, in easing the workload on Schalk Brits and also in mentoring the club’s next generation of hooker and front ranker. He is still on contract with Saracens in February and the Stormers have a partnership with Saracens which has seen them release Brits in the past to help out the Stormers.
Smit captained the Boks to World Cup glory in 2007 and played the last of his 111 Tests for South Africa against Australia in the 2011 World Cup quarter-final exit.
He has played his rugby in South Africa exclusively for the Sharks and also spent 18 months playing for Clermont in France after the 2007 World Cup.
By Mark Keohane
423 Comments
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23 Jan 2013, 14:39 pm
@PissAnt-198:
why not bud…?
@the curse-196:
we all have our foibles hey… but bakks is a good guy too…
23 Jan 2013, 14:41 pm
@the curse-191: looks like i caught a flatfish though
23 Jan 2013, 14:42 pm
No problem with Smittie joining the Stormers.If there is a super rugby playstation game he is welcome to join.
23 Jan 2013, 14:43 pm
@ufo-201:
John went to the UK to get away from the demands of SH rugby – specifically the schedule.
Super Rugby, Rugby Championship, tours – the amount of games plus the amount of travel are killing our players.
Yes money is a big factor when players leave for Europe and Japan, but a massive, massive part of that decision is self-preservation. John will not get back into a situation where he spends half the year living out of a suitcase.
23 Jan 2013, 14:44 pm
@ufo-201: repeat something often enough and you will believe it, that is our bakkies…
23 Jan 2013, 14:45 pm
@PissAnt-198: what, thelo.wakefield (everything is blame on him) hates smit?
23 Jan 2013, 14:47 pm
@the curse-205: ja plus it took him time to get used to hashim amla’s beard.
23 Jan 2013, 14:48 pm
@The Rangerman-202: whatever makes you feel better ranger..
hope Ive helped build up your self confidence some.
23 Jan 2013, 14:49 pm
@Transformation-207: : you must admit, Hashims beard looks like the tokoloshe, so i can see bakkies concern
23 Jan 2013, 14:50 pm
@the curse-209:
Don’t you fecking start
23 Jan 2013, 14:51 pm
@Transformation-206:
Nah, its all John, and I actually like Thelo of late. Positive things happening in administration over there.
23 Jan 2013, 14:51 pm
@the curse-205: Yeah,his constant attacks on the Amlas for looking different.Thats’s him all right!
23 Jan 2013, 14:51 pm
@PissAnt-204:
not even for a couple of months before moving to france…?
23 Jan 2013, 14:51 pm
@Dawn-210: I have no problem with Hashim, think he is a quality cricketer..
enjoy watching the man play..
23 Jan 2013, 14:52 pm
@the curse-205:
nah bud… not everyone is like that… keo has plenty intelligent posters who make up their own minds…
23 Jan 2013, 14:52 pm
@the curse-209: no, the beard made look like a kiwi…hence bakkie’s unease.
23 Jan 2013, 14:53 pm
@PissAnt-211:
this is good news pa… coming from you who keeps a close eye on such things…
anything you can tell us about…?
23 Jan 2013, 14:54 pm
@ufo-215:
And risk injury and a big paycheque in France? Not going to happen.
23 Jan 2013, 14:54 pm
@the curse-209: Bakkies is a tokoloshe himself.Farking creepy oke that! I am extremely worried about his conduct when he is off on his walkies.
23 Jan 2013, 14:55 pm
@the curse-209:
hands off our hash…
a more dignified sportman you can’t hope to meet…
23 Jan 2013, 14:55 pm
@PissAnt-211: you like thelo?
geez that won’t sit well with the ‘hateThelobrigade’..
did u get the catering tender @ Newlands?
23 Jan 2013, 14:57 pm
@Transformation-216:
but how is his character Trans, his character? or do we have to, like Bakkies assertions with McCaw, have to wait for Hashims “Lance Armstrongs Oprah confession”? 
@ufo-215: I know boet…
23 Jan 2013, 14:57 pm
@PissAnt-218:
oh okay…
must repeat i liked the idea…
pity…
any news on how we’re gonna sort out our hooker problems..?
23 Jan 2013, 14:58 pm
@PissAnt-211: you’re right..john was struggling with staying fit 3 years ago..now he must forgo pies to run in SR…highly unlikely
23 Jan 2013, 14:59 pm
@ufo-217:
There is a huge drive by Thelo to get rid of the cliques in WP rugby, specifically with regards to the old Apartheid past and racial divisions that formed because of it and is still found in the club rugby structures (those who actually drive the governance of the union).
It is really positive, he is not interested in people wanting to play the victim card but also expects the bigger, richer clubs to pull their weight in development of the game.
23 Jan 2013, 15:01 pm
@PissAnt-225:
wow…
that is seriously good news bud…
all strength and support to him…!!
23 Jan 2013, 15:02 pm
@Transformation-221:
Haha! Only because I do meat samoosas!
I have no problem with Thelo, he engages fans even on social media and he is bringing about positive change as far as I can see.
@ufo-223:
Would have loved it myself, however, won’t happen, I reckon Allister could do worse than pull Ryno Barnes in from Griquas.
23 Jan 2013, 15:04 pm
@ryecatcher-200: Plod brought that situation on himself.He should have retired before the WC .We all knew that Bissy was the best …except the Bok management team and,admittedly, a few Sharkievarkies .Bissy,surely,was not too happy with the situation himself.Fact.
23 Jan 2013, 15:04 pm
@PissAnt-227:
interesting…
big question… how’s his line-out throwing… i’m struggling to remember…
23 Jan 2013, 15:09 pm
@ufo-229:
Captain of Griquas last year, I rated him as one of the stand out hookers of the Currie Cup campaign. Line out throwing is good.
23 Jan 2013, 15:11 pm
So,they are happy with Thelo now,because he promised to control the ‘brothers’?Amazing.The moment you threaten their dominance and supremacy you are the devil ,but the minute you are seen to be looking the other way you are accepted into the circle .Wakefield will never win this fight.He is not indispensable .At the end of the day he will bow down to the will of the clubs.
23 Jan 2013, 15:11 pm
@PissAnt-230:
yeah, remember him being captain and his general play… just not his line-out work…
cool… so we can relax a bit then…!!
23 Jan 2013, 15:11 pm
@ufo-220: Agreed pal.Strange Phenomenon this tall poppy syndrome Remember Clive Rice,a magnificent
cricketer & captain being booed at Newlands.BTW. have a good day
23 Jan 2013, 15:13 pm
@ryecatcher-233:
yeah rye…
tall poppy syndrome is rife in our country…
sadly…
23 Jan 2013, 15:14 pm
@ryecatcher-233: wasnt knocking Hash at all rye… I like the bloke..
23 Jan 2013, 15:18 pm
@the curse-235: Was nt talking about you & Hash.Nobody could possibly dislike him.Was referring to other posters
remarks re John Smit.
23 Jan 2013, 15:19 pm
You were merely post box.Sorry
23 Jan 2013, 15:22 pm
@ryecatcher-237: no probs
23 Jan 2013, 16:08 pm
@the curse-172:
apologies Mr Smartarse, i’m too busy atm to reply in kind.
have to attend to some stuff, count yourself really lucky.
will do my best to come and finish you off
@ufo-174:
now you’ve got me spooked.
oh what the hell ok, i’d bet you for a little more maybe and give the proceeds to a charity. make it a case of the stuff to go to a charity of the winners choosing?
if i think about it i’m reasonably confident it will be too hard and too competitive for the blues to pull off a top 6 finish this season.
23 Jan 2013, 16:09 pm
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-239:
oh god, what do cases of shiraz cost?
fark!
really busy, will check back later
no time to to read posts.
cheers
23 Jan 2013, 16:09 pm
@ufo-213: Hi Pal.You mentioned some
astronomy equipment which you use.
Please let me have the name so I can google.Regards
23 Jan 2013, 16:11 pm
John smit should f@rkoff to mr price chokingkingspark.
23 Jan 2013, 16:11 pm
@PissAnt-225:
Good to see someone is noticing the change.
I have absolutely no problem with Thelo.
23 Jan 2013, 16:16 pm
just so you know
i’ve seen the cheap shots, people
not cool
not cool
cheers till later…
23 Jan 2013, 16:25 pm
Stormers not looking at Smit
——————————————————————————–
by Gavin Rich 23 January 2013, 15:55
The Stormers are looking at three potential players that can be called into the squad to bolster the depth at hooker, but none of them is John Smit.
That was the word from coach Allister Coetzee at the press conference held at the Cape Town Stadium on Wednesday to announce that the final Stormers warm-up game to the new season will be held at the venue on February 9.
Boland traditionally host a warm-up game at their home ground in Wellington, but as they did at the start of 2010, they have opted to once again play the game at the World Cup soccer venue, which has been the subject of much debate between rugby officials and city council administrators over the past two years.
Western Province have been reluctant to make any announcement that would be seen as an indication that they intend turning their back on their spiritual home at Newlands, but it is accepted that it is only a matter of time before big matches in the Cape will be more regularly played out of Green Point. So the February 9 match, with a 16.00 scheduled kick-off, will be provide rugby fans of a foretaste of what they can expect when the change becomes reality.
Like two years ago, the match is being hosted by Boland, and not WP. The 2010 game coincided with the Cape Town Tens and proved a big hit with fans and should do so again this year. The match will be played two weeks before the first Super Rugby engagement against the Bulls at Loftus on 22 February and Coetzee is likely to select a strong side as the Stormers have fewer warm-up matches on their schedule this year.
The Stormers’ first pre-season fixture is against the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein on 2 February. Coetzee is going to have to sign up a new hooker, even if only on a short-term basis, before then as Scarra Ntubeni has undergone an operation and will be out for three months. But the coach scotched reports that former Bok captain John Smit, as a Saracens player, might be in his sights.
“We are talking to two or three hookers but I can tell you that we are not talking to John Smit,” said Coetzee.
Coetzee is hopeful that Springbok Tiaan Liebenberg will be sufficiently recovered from the injury sustained during last year’s Currie Cup for him to be available early in the Super Rugby season. For now though it appears Deon Fourie will be the starting No 2 at Loftus in just under a month from now, with AN Other playing off the bench
23 Jan 2013, 16:26 pm
@grant10-245: Thank you AC……..thank you.
23 Jan 2013, 16:28 pm
My day has been saved….felt physically sick and downright miserable with the thought of the Plod desecrating the Stormers jersey.
Now the world is a better place, AC, respect…..you see the light my man…..
Again…my thanks!!!!
23 Jan 2013, 16:30 pm
@grant10-245: Just a conspiracy to push you over the edge,Gman.
23 Jan 2013, 16:35 pm
@wnbb-248: well it worked….just could not reconcile that plod in my teams jersey……I would of written the season off completely….that Plod would have tainted my whole season …..
23 Jan 2013, 16:39 pm
@grant10-247:
Mwahahaha
Imagine if Schalk and JdV got injured as they’re prone to do, he would be “John Smit Stormers Captain”
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