All hail the Kings
23 Feb 2013
The Kings scored an historic Super Rugby victory in their tournament debut in Port Elizabeth.
The Kings won 22-10 in front of a crowd exceeding 30 000 against Australia’s Western Force.
What a magnificent achievement. What a wonderful night for rugby in the Southern and Eastern Cape. What a night to remember.
South Africans be proud of a team that played for themselves, their region and their country.
Hopefully now the hatred with subside.
Luke Watson, a former Grey High captain, led out the Kings and proved inspirational in the opening 30 minutes before an accidental elbow to his larynx ended his evening. His replacement Jacques Englebrecht was as imposing as every Kings player stood tall in defence to turn a 10-5 deficit into a 11-10 lead and ultimately victory.
The Kings players with Super Rugby experience like hooker Bandise Maku, lock Steven Sykes and midfielders Andries Strauss and Ronnie Cooke were outstanding but it was a local teenager, winger Sergeal Petersen, who stole the hearts with a brace of tries to be named man of the match.
Petersen was in school at Grey High just three months ago and what made the night even more monumental was the first try should go to local lad from the region’s greatest rugby institution and that the player of the night should be a product of Grey High.
Kings Director of Rugby Alan Solomons deserves every accolade, as does coach Matt Sexton.
‘It was an incredible defensive effort,’ said Solomons. ‘We turned over a lot of ball and made a lot of mistakes but they will learn at this level. But their commitment can’t be faulted. It was a huge effort.’
Kings stand in captain Andries Strauss said the players were always confident they were good enough to win.
‘We will enjoy the night, but we are a grounded unit and we know it just gets tougher with each match.’
The Kings were given no price and no chance and done no favours.
The Kings lead the South African Conference after week one and that alone is a screen shot that makes this year among the most historic in South Africa’s Super Rugby history.
The Kings were everything but an embarrassment. They were an inspiration and they deserve every bit of applause for what was achieved in Port Elizabeth on Saturday night.
No new team in the competition has ever won in their first match. That bit of history belongs to the Kings.
By Mark Keohane
944 Comments
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23 Feb 2013, 23:56 pm
@skopdiekan-548: I’m comparing your Stormers backline full of players who made their debuts for other provinces. Only three made their debuts for WP – four started off elsewhere. Only one of ours started elsewhere. Simple.
23 Feb 2013, 23:56 pm
@jet jungle-546: which subject .. what.. you talking about Palestine ..?? .. is this the ax you wanna grind out here where true saffas like the Watsons are standing up for true beliefs and miserable PW Botha clones like you and these pompous white silver spoon fed punks from sugar plantation bigotry are trying to keep rugby strictly pompously bred and fed to blik ore boertjies and white last bastion souties only??
23 Feb 2013, 23:57 pm
The noordtransvaal and Oranjestadders still produce the tough boeremansaplikes – you don’t get Juan smith or Andre venter or kobus worse or willem Alberts or danie rossouw or bakkies Botha coming out the cape schools.
23 Feb 2013, 23:57 pm
This win to the Kings is a catch 22 to many rugby loving whites in RSA. If they continue to win tho will irk them if they lose then it is a blight on RSA depth.
Is it racism that many saffas hate Kings???
23 Feb 2013, 23:58 pm
@kaksioek-551: we don’t need no mercenaries.. I will be only too happy if we keep all our home bred players here and keep all those overrated mercenaries like Taute and Jantjies etc. who come take our home bred players places out… unlike your setup which will not and cannot survive without them…
23 Feb 2013, 23:58 pm
Pieter Steph du Toit and Paul Jordaan are also Sharks Academy products.
23 Feb 2013, 23:58 pm
@skopdiekan-537: I do not know or hate the Watsons, I do not hate players that ply their trades for other provinces and countrys. I do dislike Hypocrats immensly and i love nothing better than a stake of the coals washed down with a long cool beer.
23 Feb 2013, 23:59 pm
@wallabie.-554: Only if the Saffas in question are black, because the Kings are mostly white.
24 Feb 2013, 00:00 am
@wallabie.-554: yip its racism.. nothing less than that.. its racism in snooty white miserable bigoted pompous bred whitey ville that hates Kings and everything they aspire to with an absolute passion.. hoping like hell they going to get destroyed for their racism to be upheld and entrenched further.
24 Feb 2013, 00:01 am
@CoachPete-505: I think the cheetahs play rugby, they offer options, they are truly ball in hand, their biggest issue for their history been an organized defensive structure.
24 Feb 2013, 00:01 am
@kaksioek-556: Sharks academy is a mercenary enterprise that goes around to Craven week competitions and offers big money to young kids to come ply their trade for their mercenary teams…
24 Feb 2013, 00:02 am
This argument that anyone critical of the Kings is a racist is as stupid as the argument that the lily-white Kings team, run by a white man and captained by his white son, is advancing the cause of the “multitude” of black rugby players in the Eastern Cape.
24 Feb 2013, 00:03 am
TEN ex-Academy students have played for the Springboks:
? Frans Steyn
? JP Pietersen
? Waylon Murray
? Ryan Kankowski
? Beast Mtawarira
? Tim Dlulane
? Alistair Hargreaves
? Keegan Daniel
? Lwazi Mvovo
? Patrick Lambie
24 Feb 2013, 00:03 am
@jet jungle-557: stake should be steak as in the bloody kind
24 Feb 2013, 00:03 am
@wallabie.-554: what do you know about whites in SA?
It’s not racism. I am too young to have anything to do with Apartheid. I just don’t like the Watsons. Cheeky is a prat and Puke said he wanted to puke on the jersey.
Oh and the way they got in sucked.
Simple.
Skopishit talks shiit. He tilts at windmills.
24 Feb 2013, 00:04 am
Fifty – Four (54) ex-Academy players represented the Sharks in the Super Rugby
and/or Currie Cup:
15 Frans Steyn Carl Bezuidenhout Scott Spedding
Gouws Prinsloo
14 JP Pietersen Dusty Noble Mark Richards
13 Waylon Murray Clyde Rathbone Braden Ferreira
12 Brad Barritt Riaan Swanepoel Luzuko Vulindlu
11 Lwazi Mvovo Cedric Mkhize Howard Noble Sibusiso Sithole
10 Patrick Lambie Guy Cronje Steve Meyer
9 Ross Cronje Sandile Nxumalo Thulani Nteta Cobus Reinach
8 Ryan Kankowski Justin Downey Pompies Wessels
7 Michael Rhodes Nikolai Blignaut Marcell Coetzee
6 Keegan Daniel Conrad Stoltz Lambert Groeneweld Francois Kleinhans
5 Alistair Hargreaves Johan Snyman Anton Bresler
Peet Marais
4 Steven Sykes Claude Dry Jandre’ Marais Jan-Toit van Jaarsveld
3 Patrick Cilliers JC Strauss Julian Redelinghuys Wiehahn Herbst
2 Craig Burdon Jody Jenneker Kyle Cooper Monde’ Hadebe
1 Beast Mtwarira Dale Chadwick Sangoni Mxoli Barra Mthethwa
24 Feb 2013, 00:04 am
@kaksioek-562: spot on.
24 Feb 2013, 00:05 am
Without the tWatsons the Kings would be a much more palatable venture.
24 Feb 2013, 00:05 am
562 kaksoek that’s a v good point in itself – which is how many black players are actually on the park – is the point to develop the talent in the region or to import from elsewhere to make into a competitive franchise of merceneraries like the rebels.
24 Feb 2013, 00:05 am
@jet jungle-557: you got any iota of an idea what a hypocrite is.. a hypocrite is one who kills breathing living conscious beings and swallows their flesh in savoring glee and calls himself civilized… that is a hypocrite of the utmost degree…
@jet jungle-557: how much were you hoping the Kings get annihilated by this evening.. Like ShaunB amd kaksioek your last bastion dream merchant pals?
24 Feb 2013, 00:05 am
@ShaunB-535: what do you believe you are?
24 Feb 2013, 00:07 am
@wallabie.-554: You will find it’s really nothing to do with the Kings it’s self. The hatred is more towards the Watsons. I really don’t know why. Also blame SARU they created this Kings vs. Lions bs. They are really the clowns.
Calling it racism? Get the fck out of here…
24 Feb 2013, 00:07 am
@skopdiekan-552: Pw got nothing on Netanyaho, go and attack that windmill dude.
24 Feb 2013, 00:08 am
Interesting that the Kings use the 7 shirt as the openside! As the rest if the world does
Apart from France and South Africa…
Any reasons why they use 6 as openside? Cannot imagine Brussouw with 7 on his back or Smith with 6 haha
24 Feb 2013, 00:08 am
@cab-569: Not only are there very few black players in the team, but they even imported two coaches from New Zealand and lobbied SARU unsuccessfully to allow them to field more foreign players. It’s a joke.
24 Feb 2013, 00:10 am
@Rhys7-574: Perhaps it’s the Kiwi influence from the coaching staff.
24 Feb 2013, 00:10 am
@wallabie.-554: you know it is, hence the question, they just can’t help it. However, it’s always veiled. The cheetahs, lions, stormers, bulls, and sharks have had their whipping years, let the kings endure theirs with dignity. The above teams did.
24 Feb 2013, 00:11 am
@kaksioek-562: what are these white men who are playing those that they can muster who are near as possible to SR ready in order to create a platform for the budding black rugby population to emulate and aspire toward ??
You are one dumb f’ng colonialist prick if you using your Watsonian hatred to cast dispersion about their underlying aspirations and ambition.. which is to develop EP rugby into a truly multi racial cosmopolitan enterprise that will hone and develop ALL the talents in that region and especially to give aspiring black players the opportunity to be proud of the franchise they hail from instead of selling their souls for a pocket full of miserable feeble silver to those greedy soccer playing moguls in sugar plantation bastions of mercenary activity up the coast.
If Cheeky and Solomons are successful the franchise MOST hard hit by their success will be your sharkshits that why you fear their potential for success and hate them with a last bastion of pompous segregationist passion…
24 Feb 2013, 00:11 am
575 quite correct – I suppose they say they’ve got to be competitive, and maybe they do, but I thought the whole premise behind the franchise is the development of the local black talent and today showed 2 wingers that did that, which is a start, but the importation of talents suggests there is another driver behind this whole enterprise, and that’s always been the issue – which is what exactly is the underlying driving principles.
24 Feb 2013, 00:12 am
@skopdiekan-555: well that’s fitting.
24 Feb 2013, 00:15 am
@jet jungle-573: I live in SA .. I am a south african citizen I have been a south african citizen since birth.. I have no allegiances not ideological associations or affiliations with any right wing segregationist Israeli’s the same as I have never had with any right wing white segregationist boertjies who are still clinging to their hope for a separate last bastion self determined homeland in southern Africa.
24 Feb 2013, 00:15 am
@cab-579: Which SA team doesn’t have two black wingers?
24 Feb 2013, 00:16 am
The Watson fans should go and read about Bosasa: “Bosasa Operations, exposed (in 2009) in Parliament for allegedly bribing top prison officials to secure contracts worth more than R1,7-billion, makes a killing from government business. This includes work for the departments of correctional services, justice, home affairs, transport and the provincial governments of Gauteng and the Eastern Cape. “Bosasa’s chief executive, Gavin Watson, has close links with the governing ANC through his family’s anti-apartheid struggle credentials and his brothers’ post-1994 business interests.” Hot tip: Gavin Watson is Cheeky Watson’s brother. “A number of people benefiting from Bosasa contracts or linked to Watson and his family had links to Mbeki’s office, including the ex-president’s political adviser, Titus Mafolo, and Mbeki’s head of office, Lorato Phalatse, who is married to former Strategic Fuel Fund chairperson Seth Phalatse. “Watson’s brother, Valence, is the chief executive of Vulisango Holdings, the empowerment partner of controversial mining firm Simmer & Jack. Valence Watson’s business partners include Nozuko Pikoli, the wife of axed prosecutions boss Vusi Pikoli, and Siviwe Mapisa, the brother of Correctional Services Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula. “At the time when the Bosasa group was awarded its first major prisons contract for catering in 2004, the company was owned by Watson’s family trust (26%), Bosasa directors Carol Mkele (33,3%) and Joe Gumede (18,5%), and the Bosasa Employees Trust (22,2%). “Between 2004 and 2006 three companies in the group—Bosasa Operations, Sondolo IT and Phezulu Fencing—were awarded six tenders by the prisons department at the value of R1,8-billion. “The SIU’s probe focused on four tenders: a catering tender for R717-million over three years; an access control tender at R237-million; a fencing contract for R587-million, and a tender for TV systems in prisons at a cost of R224-million. “Hofmeyr’s probe found that in almost all cases Bosasa was involved in the drafting of tender specifications and that procurement policies were severely discounted.” These are your heroes True patriots this bunch.
24 Feb 2013, 00:17 am
581 but you are also an Israeli citizen or have you relinquished that?
24 Feb 2013, 00:17 am
http://mg.co.za/article/2009-11-20-prisons-graft-bosasas-empire-of-influence
24 Feb 2013, 00:17 am
@skopdiekan-570: I never called myself civilised dude we are just clever apes. You are the one that think the human race is a special creation. I will allways support the kings over any overseas teams and the stormers. They won my respect today. I do think i am kind though conversing with a bitter old man who got nobody left to shout at home.
24 Feb 2013, 00:18 am
Then, let’s not forget that Cheeky Watson tried to blackmail Peter de Villiers into including his son, Luke, in the Bok team:
Ex-Bok coach Div’s *** tape bombshell
Posted on May 28, 2012 | Leave a comment
By Yolandé Stander and John Harvey
CONTROVERSIAL former Springbok coach Peter de Villiers has accused Southern Kings rugby boss Cheeky Watson and local ANC MP Cedric Frolick of being behind shock allegations that he had been filmed having *** in a parking lot in 2008 shortly after being appointed.
The accusations are made in De Villiers’s new book Politically Incorrect, released on Friday May 25. In the book, De Villiers claims he had been told the two were behind the *** tape smear which almost derailed his Bok coaching career before it had properly begun.
“The first time I heard about the so-called *** tape was the weekend of the Tri-Nations test against the All Blacks in Cape Town. Chris Hewitt, the South African Rugby Union (Saru) media manager who was later killed in a light aircraft crash, informed me about the existence of the tape. Apparently Cheeky Watson and Cedric Frolick were going to reveal a *** tape they had obtained of me in a compromising position with a woman in a car park during a trip to the Eastern Cape.
“By then Chris had informed me that Cedric, who as an ANC MP was involved with the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Sport and Recreation, had told him he would rather have a white coach who would listen to him than a black coach who did his own thing.”
The *** tape allegations centre on an incident in April 2008 when the Bok coach was allegedly caught on tape having *** in a car with an unknown woman. Later that year Springbok communications manager Andy Colquhoun was quoted as saying Saru had found “no evidence of a plot and no evidence such a tape exists”.
Watson and Frolick both rubbished De Villiers’s claim on Friday. Watson told Weekend Post: “My only comment is: ‘Shame, I feel sorry for him.’ It’s completely unfounded.”
An equally incensed Frolick said: “As I said initially when the story [about the *** tape] broke in 2008, I do not know anything about it. I don’t get involved in people’s personal business.”
He was surprised this was even mentioned in the book, because De Villiers never raised the issue with him after the incident. “If he had a problem he could have spoken to me about it, but he never did.”
De Villiers’s book has already courted controversy in Eastern Cape rugby circles as it contains assertions about Watson’s son Luke and the fact that the Southern Kings should not be part of the Super Rugby competition next year.
Frolick said De Villiers’s disclosures were a “slap in the face” to the Eastern Cape rugby community.
De Villiers’s criticism of the Southern Kings being included in the tough Super Rugby competition next year also came as a shock to Frolick.
In the book, De Villiers says the Eastern Cape needs rugby to be developed, as 60% of all South Africa’s black players come from the region, but the Kings are not the answer. “If you want to introduce rugby, make every Super 15 team play a game there. If you want to develop talent, let it run its natural course, not by buying players from elsewhere. If they gave black players the chance, they would be the best they could be …
“We don’t have enough players to justify it. Instead of creating a vehicle to develop and keep the best black rugby players in the country, we’re making a team for the seventh, eighth and ninth best white players who don’t have anything left to give.”
He says the Kings simply would not be competitive in Super Rugby.
Also tackled in the book is the issue of Luke Watson, the current EP Kings captain, and his controversial stint with the Springbok team. In a section of who would captain the team he details his decision not to make Luke skipper.
“Cheeky didn’t expect me to be so strong. Like most South African fathers, he couldn’t take a step back from his child’s sport. Luke is an outstanding player and captain, but he never lived up to my expectations.”
http://theweekendpost.com/2012/05/
24 Feb 2013, 00:18 am
@skopdiekan-581: Thats all I wanted to hear. Respect. Over and out.
24 Feb 2013, 00:19 am
@kaksioek-587: This was after he managed, previously, to get him into Jake White’s team.
24 Feb 2013, 00:20 am
De Villiers’s book has already courted controversy in Eastern Cape rugby circles as it contains assertions about Watson’s son Luke and the fact that the Southern Kings should not be part of the Super Rugby competition next year.
Frolick said De Villiers’s disclosures were a “slap in the face” to the Eastern Cape rugby community.
De Villiers’s criticism of the Southern Kings being included in the tough Super Rugby competition next year also came as a shock to Frolick.
In the book, De Villiers says the Eastern Cape needs rugby to be developed, as 60% of all South Africa’s black players come from the region, but the Kings are not the answer. “If you want to introduce rugby, make every Super 15 team play a game there. If you want to develop talent, let it run its natural course, not by buying players from elsewhere. If they gave black players the chance, they would be the best they could be …
“We don’t have enough players to justify it. Instead of creating a vehicle to develop and keep the best black rugby players in the country, we’re making a team for the seventh, eighth and ninth best white players who don’t have anything left to give.”
He says the Kings simply would not be competitive in Super Rugby.
Also tackled in the book is the issue of Luke Watson, the current EP Kings captain, and his controversial stint with the Springbok team. In a section of who would captain the team he details his decision not to make Luke skipper.
“Cheeky didn’t expect me to be so strong. Like most South African fathers, he couldn’t take a step back from his child’s sport. Luke is an outstanding player and captain, but he never lived up to my expectations.”
24 Feb 2013, 00:29 am
@kaksioek-587: Makes you wonder where all the scadenvreude stem from.
24 Feb 2013, 00:35 am
@kaksioek-590: strange how its all you lost last colonial outpost colony hoppers living over in Goolongwanaland who have the most hatred and dispersion to sow about a South African family who are at the forefront of the drive to create a rugby region for aspiring EC rugby playing aspirants..
How come its all you snooty white colony hopping hate infused racists living over in another white Victorian enclave shouting out what despicable human creatures Cheeky and Luke Watson are.. while the local indigenous rugby playing aspirants and supporters treat them as their truly elected spokespeople and leaders in the hope for a rugby renaissance in that region??
Are you the antithesis of all that is promising in SA or are they.. you feeble lost last bastion outpost runaway convict loving hypocrite.. Luke and Cheeky Watson are striving for a potential platform for success and you little runaway punk are wishing they fail…
Who is the undermining feeble creep and who is at the forefront of the attempt toward uplift for the EC rugby loving people.. you or them… who ??
24 Feb 2013, 00:42 am
@skopdiekan-592: On the contrary, the Watsons are a South African family who are at the forefront of the drive to enrich the Watsons.
They spend every waking minute trying to cash in their “struggle credentials” – and are doing a pretty decent job of it too.
Of course they aren’t doing much at all for black South Africans – but then that means they have a lot in common with Cheeky’s comrades in the ANC.
You believe the spin – good for you.
Don’t expect me to.
24 Feb 2013, 00:43 am
@CoachPete-508: Thanks Coach, I sure hope you’re right.
24 Feb 2013, 00:45 am
Yes and it’s also strange how its tge vegetarian enlightened humanitarians who are also the most aggressive intolerant narrow-minded on this here website.
Who knows hey, it’s a strange world we live in.
24 Feb 2013, 00:46 am
@skopdiekan-592:
Hi Skop…I can’t fathom why some would want to sell a whole Rugby region down the river because of the perceived actions of a few….surely there are other reasons for the hatred of the Sa table topping Kings?
24 Feb 2013, 00:46 am
Oh for goodness sake stop talking about Peter Div of course he wants to put down Watsons. Everyone who isnt part of it does. South Africa is politically incorrect and messed up and it spreads to rugby. Luke has said with hind sight he wouldnt have played for the springboks in 2007. The funny thing is that Luke probably gets on with Jake White now and less so with Peter div. how can he say he did not live up to expectations? Watch Watsons performances against Wales and Italy in 2008 and he was in great form yet Div decided to drop him. Div was a nuthead in charge. I will not listen to him. He did not live up to expectations. Theres so much stuff that goes on and everyone has an opinion. Noone will ever know the full story, not even those involved.
As a player I rate Watson highly and as a captain and I thoroughly enjoyed watching the Kings win. Sergeal Petersen looks a great talent maybe can replace the void Habana will leave for the boks.
However I dont know much about Cheeky Watson and how much people claim they are corrupt.
I say, let every man have his opinion but in terms of rugby, let the talking be done on the field.
Most players that have played with Luke have gotten on with him very well. Only those in their little bubbles back in 08 would try and bring him down. I have lost all respect for John Smit since his outburst in his autobiography.
Luke inspires me with his performance and the character he has shown with all the hate he recieved. Hes a changed man and hes admitted to his mistakes. People like they are in SA were looking for a reason to hate Luke and unfortunately he gave them one.
The best thing about the Kings is that people will love it if they lose and hate it if they win. I find it laughable that people were so quick to put the team down, shows really that South African rugby supporters and traditional teams are in a bubble. Get out of it. Get on with it. Deal with it.
Kings are in it to for the long run, post Watson era and will hopefully provide a platform for all rugby players in the Eastern Cape, whether Black or White, for years to come. Atleast there is now a franchise there to play for and I think SA fans should support this. It makes SA rugby as a whole, stronger.
Well done to all the winning teams today.
24 Feb 2013, 00:49 am
No response from SA Rugby
2012-10-09 14:46
Sport24 columnist Graeme Joffe (File)
Related Links
SA Rugby need to answer…
RIP Corra
Are we fans before journalists?
Graeme Joffe
I haven’t received a response from SA Rugby to my last column but to be honest, I really wasn’t expecting one.
When the questions get tough and uncomfortable, SA Rugby bosses take the 5th amendment, just like their SASCOC counterparts.
The problem is that none of these administrators are accountable because of the gravy train that runs from top to bottom.
The Daily Dispatch reporting that the department of Sport and Recreation “wasted nearly R8-million in fruitless, unauthorised and irregular expenditure while it chalked up more than R10-million in liabilities. The financial losses come as the public protector conducts an investigation into the irregular spending of more than R2-million on local and international flights by sports minister Fikile Mbalula and his deputy, Gert Oosthuizen.”
(NOTE: The Daily Dispatch has subsequently retracted the story above)
How do Mbalula and co also justify a spend of R45 million on the 2011 Sports Award Gala at Sun City?
And already for the 2012 awards, they had a big launch function last week just to name the nominees.
Where in the world do they have a function just to name the nominees – only in South Africa for the fat cats to have another party!
So, when your sports ministry and SASCOC are wasting public funds with *** abandon, how can you expect any other sporting body to play by the rules.
Sports administrators are not answerable to anyone.
The example is set by those above and it’s become a free for all. Ride the gravy train as long as you can.
Does that not sound familiar for SA in general?
Back to the Kings/Lions saga, I am the first to admit, it would be great for Port Elizabeth to have Super Rugby and a PSL franchise for that matter. But I don’t see the PSL using their political clout to promote PE City or Bay United a couple of divisions to the Absa Premiership and relegate a club that has underperformed over the last few years.
Can you imagine the uproar if that happened in football?
So, you can sympathise with Lions administration, players and fans for what has been a shambolic, unacceptable, political promotion of the Kings to the Super Rugby.
Had promotion/relegation been in place at the beginning of the 2012 season, then all is well and you have the playoff but the Lions had no idea they would be gone in 2013 as a result of a “dirty” vote.
Hence, the Lions administration can be forgiven for looking shell shocked and not quite knowing what to tell their stakeholders and fans.
If the Lions follow the legal route, to whose benefit will that be, except for the lawyers. SARU have the financial means for a five year legal battle, not sure if the Lions do.
Silence is golden and the silence of the Lions administration must mean they are working on another plan or competition that could be “golden” for the Lions in the long run, if you’ll excuse the pun.
Super Rugby isn’t the be-all and end-all.
Just hope too many fans haven’t thrown in the towel already and that SA Rugby are in some way compensating the Lions stakeholders and suite holders for 2013. (hint hint, nudge nudge, wink wink)
After all, SA Rugby put the cart before the horse, thinking SANZAR would agree to the 16th franchise.
It didn’t happen and SARU went behind the backs of the Lions and are fully responsible for the current state of affairs.
The Lions nor the Kings should shoulder any of the blame.
As for unaccredited agents, I did get this response from a work colleague of Mark Keohane.
Simon Borchardt tweeted: “Another emotional rant from @Joffersmyboy. How can @mark_keohane be representing Luke Watson when he resigned from HSM three months ago? The burden of proof falls on you, Graeme. Stop being a fan and do some actual research”
Well, well, well Mr Borchardt. My research shows me that no HSM employees have SARU accreditation to be an agent. Mark Keohane was also not accredited when he acted on behalf of Luke.
Did anything happen?
No
Do SARU bend the rules?
Yes
But I do see that Mark Keohane’s brother, Shane, has a temporary license and is scheduled to take the agents test this week. Hope he passes the test and can cover for his “bru” to continue acting as Luke’s agent/manager. Must be a nice little commission if the player is currently earning R3 million a year and to be R4 million from June 1, 2013.
Not bad research, huh?
Spin how it how you wish Mr Borchardt, you guys have done it so well for so many years. In fact, Keo has made a business out of spin doctoring.
Lucky, he doesn’t need a medical accreditation for that!
Email Graeme at: graeme@butterbean.co.za
Catch Graeme Joffe on SportsFire every Monday and Thursday at 17:30 on Radio Today, 1485am in JHB, National on DStv audio channel 169 and streaming worldwide on http://www.1485.org.za. Follow Graeme Joffe on Twitter: @joffersmyboy
Disclaimer: Sport24 encourages freedom of speech and the expression of diverse views. The views of columnists published on Sport24 are therefore their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Sport24.
24 Feb 2013, 00:51 am
@jet jungle-586: you being kind to yourself… you think you being kind to me you got no clue.. I never addressed you.. you came looking here for a conversation… I just say my piece and you come looking to tilt at windmills… you think you need some education then get some.. or else keep communicating perhaps you still learn something you don’t know much about yet.
@Tuna-572:
If its not racism then what the fck is this hatred you feel toward someone striving to create a multi racial platform to develop black and white non racial rugby in that region…
you are deluding yourself if you telling yourself its not racist when it is.
@cab-584: I’m Israeli by birth only. I am South African by natural citizenship. Both my parents are South African citizens from birth.
24 Feb 2013, 00:51 am
@kaksioek-598: This gem also explains why Keo and HSM have parted ways, and how he was cashing in by promoting Luke.
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