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Worcester respond to Hougaard joining rival Premiership club instead of heading overseas
Worcester have insisted there are no hard feelings with Francois Hougaard after the former Springboks scrum-half decided on Wednesday to surprisingly join a rival Gallagher Premiership club after months of speculation that he was moving overseas.
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Hougaard, the soon-to-be 33-year-old, arrived at Worcester in 2016 and with his Springboks days behind him after winning the last of his 46 caps in September 2017, he committed his long-term future to the Warriors in 2018.
That three-year extension expires this summer and amid speculation that Hougaard was either off to Japan or potentially heading back to South Africa to join the Jake White project at the Bulls, Worcester made plans for his exit by signing Willi Heinz and Will Chudley for next season.
It has now turned out, though, that instead of watching Hougaard from afar in 2021/22, the half-back will be playing for Wasps in the Premiership after the East Midlands club announced on Wednesday a deal that will bring him to The Ricoh.
Has that twist in destination left Worcester disappointed? No, according to head coach Jonathan Thomas. “We just wish him all the best,” he said. “Wasps have got a good man and a good player. We part on good terms. He has also had a great time at Worcester and he can come back to this club at any time in the future.
Transfer news…#PremRugbyhttps://t.co/tNGBbYpksc
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) March 17, 2021
“He has been such a talisman for this club over the last five seasons. The big thing at Worcester over the last five years is it has always been trying to fight relegation and keep the head above water.
“That is something hopefully we are planning on changing in the future, but the big thing we have seen from Francois is he has been that talisman all teams need and he has got Worcester out of trouble on a number of occasions.
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“You need big players to inspire those around them and that probably is the definition of what a leader is, those who sacrifice themselves and inspire those around them to play better than what they think they can and Francois has done that on a number of occasions.
“Recruitment is always a bit of a juggling act,” continued Thomas. “The salary cap getting reduced has had a big impact. You really have to watch your pennies because it is just under £2million the cap has gone down.
“Every signing you make you have to make sure that it adds real value to what you are doing and everyone knows what we are trying to achieve as a club. We need to develop our young players and to do that we need leadership in key positions in the spine of our team.
“Look at Scott Baldwin at hooker, Chudley, Willi Heinz, Duhan van der Merwe – throughout the spine of our team we have made some good signings around leadership but most importantly they have all got to fit within the cap as well.
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“It’s a difficult juggling act at times but that is where we are at and we are really happy with the two guys that are coming in in that position – and don’t forget young Gareth Simpson who is doing well for the club as well at the moment.”
'…the chances of injury are high just because of the nature of the game but the moment you start fearing that is going to happen to you, that is when those things start to happen'
New @theRPA chair & @WorcsWarriors prop @beef324 chats to @heagneyl ???https://t.co/RzhBphLCb6
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) February 21, 2021
Comments on RugbyPass
It couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
25 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
13 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
25 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
13 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
82 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
1 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
13 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
12 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
13 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
13 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
13 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. At least Andrew Kellaway is like “Woah, yeah it’s great, but settle down there guys” having endured years of the Aussie media, fans, and often their players getting ahead of themselves only to fall flat on their faces. Have the “We'll win the Bledisloe for sure this year!” headlines started yet? It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
13 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
44 Go to commentsThanks, Nick. We (Seanny Maloney, Brett and I) just discussed Charlie as a potential Wallaby No 8, and wondered if he has truly realised how big he is in contact (and whether he can add 5 kg w/o slowing down). Your scouting report confirms our suspicions he has the materiel. No one knows if he has the mentality (as Johann van Graan said this week about CJ, Duane and Alfie B) to carry 10-15 times a game.
57 Go to commentsHe would be a great player for the Stormers, Dobbo should approach the guy.
3 Go to commentsGood article. A few years back when he was playing for the Cheetahs, he was a quiet standout for exactly the seasons stated here. I occasionally get to see his games in the UK, and he has become a more complete player and in many ways like an Irish player. His work ethic is so suitable to the Leinster game. I wonder if Rassie would have him listed somewhere.
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