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SA Rugby's message to Stormers amid off-field dramas back in Cape Town
While the Cape Town rugby scene is abuzz, almost besotted, with the South African rugby union decision to place Western Province Rugby Football Union under administration, the Stormers are doing their damnedest to focus on the job at hand.
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The team completes its four-match United Rugby Championship tour when they take on the Dragons at Rodney Parade, Newport, on Friday.
Their preparations this week have been overshadowed by events about 10,000 kilometres to the south in their home city.
While the warning signs have been there for a couple of months, the bomb finally dropped on Tuesday – when SARU advised WPRFU President Zelt Marais that it was invoking its constitutional power to take administrative control of the union.
The letter from SARU CEO Jurie Roux to Marais was forwarded following a decision by the Executive Council of the SARU on Monday.
Experienced former SA Rugby CEO Rian Oberholzer has been appointed as an administrator and will assume oversight of the union’s affairs immediately.
His remit includes supervision of the operational affairs of the company, Western Province Professional Rugby (Pty) Ltd, which manages the professional playing teams of the Stormers and Western Province.
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And Stormers have been on the road in Europe for the last month, playing in the newly-formed URC.
Stormers coach John Dobson said the team is still ‘upbeat’, despite all the off-field drama.
“As a team, we have largely tried to immunize ourselves from all that has been going on off the field,” Dobson told a virtual media briefing from the team’s base in Newport – adding that they have done a “reasonably good job” of it.
The coach revealed that he was “required” to tell the players about the latest development – the SARU takeover – and delivered the news on Wednesday.
“The players just want to focus on the rugby,” Dobson said, adding: “As a coach and the team’s patron, it has been a hell of a period.
“The opportunity to focus on rugby, without the headlines or people on the outside saying we are not going to get paid.
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“For me, personally, to focus on the team is exciting.
“That will bring energy to the team.
“[However,] we have been really disciplined in not getting involved [in the off-field dramas].
“It may have been a good thing that we were on tour as things came to a head.
“We have just focussed on the rugby and what happened out there, we can’t control it. I am thrilled with the energy in the team.”
Asked if there has been any communication with or message from their ‘new’ superiors at SARU, Dobson said: “The communication I have had from SA Rugby is just to concentrate on Friday’s game.
“We will pick up all the nitty-gritty of it next week.
“The message that came to me, strongly, was: ‘Keep the team up and focus on Friday. They have nothing to worry about the future’.
“That’s what my job is meant to be, to focus on the game. There was no detail in the communication.”
Captain Salmaan Moerat echoed similar sentiments.
“We are focussed on the game and there hasn’t been much chat about anything around the boardroom,” Moerat said, adding: “We have solely been focussed on the tour.
“The energy has been really good.”
Comments on RugbyPass
1.97m and 105Kg? Proportionately, probably skinnier than me at 1.82 and 82kilos. He won’t survive against the big guys at that weight.
54 Go to commentsThe value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
3 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
10 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
54 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
10 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
54 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
3 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
54 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
54 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
54 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
54 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
54 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
54 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
2 Go to comments