Set to leave the Lions den?: Josh Strauss
This week we will mostly be concerning ourselves with rumours, assertions, insinuations and accusations, observations and praise...
Bizarre goings-on in the South African media this week, with widespread reports of Lions captain and dynamo back row Josh Strauss opting to join none other than the Crusaders for next year's Super Rugby tournament (that's the one the Lions have been unfairly shovelled out of by the way).
The rumour, sparked as many credible and well-checked media stories these days are: via Twitter, proved untrue, but did have the side effect of letting us all know that wherever Strauss is next year, it's unlikely to be at Ellis Park after he confirmed that his agent is looking around at overseas opportunities.
The Strauss move was also rumoured to be a loan for a year (presumably up to the point when the Lions play the Kings and give them what for), while Elton Jantjes is also set to be loaned out to another franchise as he has a clause in his contract saying that if the Lions lose Super Rugby, Jantjes can move on.
Indeed, the Lions might have to resort to that kind of creative thinking and loan out a whole host of players. Having already lost the services of four key forward personnel and looking certain to lose Strauss, all on the back of a home defeat to the Griquas, the ship is looking decidedly unsteady in the choppy waters of SA Rugby.
Would year-long loan deals, with the players coming together for a couple of weeks before the play-off against the Kings, not be a good solution for the Lions?
Hopefully they can create something though. It would be a desperate shame to lose them from the face of SA Rugby for the longer term.
Remember the English and French clubs' reasoning for not being happy with the Heineken Cup because the Celtic teams could qualify with relative ease from the Pro12 while they had to fight tooth and nail through the arduous Premiership and Top 14?
Remember what they said about the Celtic teams being able to rest players on a regular basis, thus leaving the teams not only fresher for the Heineken Cup but also looking fresher for the Six Nations?
Well, take a look at the Pro12 this weekend. Leinster, shorn of several internationals on mandatory rest periods, were annihilated by the Scarlets. The Ospreys crumbled in Treviso, also lacking several key players.
Yet under the current qualification rules being suggested by ERC, it is infeasible to think either of these teams will not be right up there, both when it comes to challenging for the Pro12 title and especially in qualification for the Heineken Cup. A couple of domestic defeats actually don't matter.
Meanwhile, the French have been bashing lumps out of each other with full strength teams for three weeks now, while the Premiership kicked off (in style, we might add) with a reasonably full complement of internationals on show.
You see, defeats in these two leagues could see you in quite a lot of trouble when attempting to qualify for the Heineken Cup, especially with the number of teams set to be cut to 20. Finishing in the top four or five in either league is no mean feat and requires a lot more effort than finishing in the top eight of the Pro12 does.
The English and French have a point - this time ERC need to listen and think.
In France, it seems the pressure of reaching the heady goals being set is beginning to fizz in boardrooms around the country, with a couple of Presidents opening fire on the referees of games their teams lost with typical panache.
Agen's president Alain Tignaud asked that Agen be 'refereed like everyone else', adding he wanted his team to be relegated because they were 'not good enough, rather than because of injustice' (so you're confident of staying up Mr. Tignaud?)
A little more high-charged than that was Racing Metro President Jacky Lorenzetti's furious insinuation that Toulon's head coach Bernard Laporte entered the dressing room of referee Monsieur Raynal during the half-time of Toulon's 23-21 win over Racing (a match which Toulon claimed with a late penalty). Laporte claimed to be entering to ask about an alleged stamp by Dimitri Szarzewski on Chris Masoe.
Anyway, conspicuous by his absence is Toulon's own inimitable mouthpiece Mourad Boujellal. Strange... so where are Toulon these days? Ahh - of course. Sitting pretty at the top with three wins out of three. Referees are only bad when you lose. They're the easiest to blame for defeats; ironically, they're the ones you can control the least.
There's a lot of sour grapes in France at the moment, there are also still a lot of matches being decided on penalties and much indiscipline, fighting and cards.
There's no real solution other than to look at the referees and see if they really are that awful; it's worth bearing in mind, France is perhaps the toughest place in the world to referee so slack is the discipline at times. But it would be nice to see a measure of censure applied to the loudmouths on occasion.
That Australian rugby is in a bit of a rut at the moment is obvious, but how deep is becoming more and more evident.
It seems that the Rugby News publication, a weekly paper devoted to all goings-on in sub-franchise rugby is to be no more after this season, and it seems that club rugby is no longer worthy of domestic TV coverage after this year either.
This would be less newsworthy in other countries - akin to the loss of a couple of digits more than a limb - but Australia has no provincial rugby to back up the Super franchises as in South Africa or New Zealand. The downgrading of club rugby that these cuts afford is a hammer blow to the game, a real marginalisation in a country where rugby ranks a distant fourth behind rugby league, AFL and cricket.
We can only hope that something is done to help regenerate this. Without a thriving club game - including good coverage and information flow - underpinning the franchises, Australian rugby will be operating on decidedly shaky foundations and the rut they are currently in will become a lot deeper.
Finally, on a more cheery note, do not delay. Get to an internet connection, trawl the depths of the ether, and try to pick up a full-length replay of this weekend's Taranaki-Tasman Ranfurly Shield challenge/ITM Cup match.
Pace, skill, endeavour, physicality, discipline, honesty, 89 points and a stadium full of raucous fans were on offer, with barely a trace of referee sledging, fighting, indulgent squad rotation or unwelcome politics to be seen. All this between two of the country's less-decorated provinces as well.
It's taken some time to get right, but New Zealand, pioneers of a better game on the pitch for a while now, seem to be getting the administration of the game right in challenging times as well. It's creating a national rugby atmosphere where people seem happy to play and officiate, rather than scared to lose or get things wrong. It can be done.
Loose pass compiled by Richard Anderson
Comments
APV1 says...
@ Monkeyboy - Taufa'ao Filise and Toby Faletau spring to mind immediately.
And it's more like, "We've got a successful leagues system which we're not willing to risk because of you and we're fed up with some of you lot having a free-ride into the HC."
Opinions vary and thank you for actually debating, rather than being daft. I think we'll just have to agree to disagree and let those "in charge" thrash it out in October.
@ 7ton - the schedule isn't too busy, it's just unfair. The Pro12 has as many teams as the AP, so there's parity there (the T14 is busier still). When the international players are called up, then all teams suffer, depending on how they've built their squad. We've lost Agulla and now Flo to the 4N and will lose more in the Autumn and 6N. But that's our squad. Some are worse off and some better off. But they also reap the rewards when those players are available, so it's probably about even. Except Toulon and similar, which is just daftness. That's the salary issue, which is another anomaly.
@ melkdave - Hear! Hear! A meaningful Pro12 (without teams "doing an Edinburgh") would be better for everyone.
@ jamesliveinhope - yep. And, despite rumours to the contrary, I want the HC to continue. If nothing else, it gives us Bath fans something to strive for..!
@ HenryFitz - wow, you're a ray of sunshine! I bet you're great fun at a party, such is your optimism..! Try the other side of the coin - Tongahuia got paid handsomely for his contribution (simple: basic salary for being in the squad + bonus for being in 22 + bonus for being in 15 and starting. Or in 22 + bonus for coming on. Try bonuses. Performance bonuses. Etc.), so he probably isn't complaining too much. Hell, I'd not if I was being paid to play the game I love. I'm fat and useless, but that's a minor issue really.
Posted 12:37 04th September 2012
Monkeyboy says...
HenryFitz has hit the nail on the head here. Basically the AP and T14 are acting like football clubs and couldn't give a fig about inclusiveness. They're hungry for cash, kudos and control.
Posted 11:56 04th September 2012
GCP_JONES says...
@Carpelone....
So what are you exactly saying, don't beat around the bush , COME ON OUT WITH IT MAN.
By the way you do you support?
Posted 10:31 04th September 2012
melkdave says...
@Monkeyboy
I dont have to ask the SRU or FIR why they only have 2 teams ,its pretty obvious.The SRU hasnt got the finances to fund annother team ,let alone 2 ,it also hasnt got the player base,theres just not enough quality players,..The Italians also have simlar problems financally and concerning player base and quality,although their situation is slowly improving..The situation is however getting worse ,as the WRU has for sometime been saying its proffesional clubs are in crisis,and may need more funding from the WRU whitch it hasnt got.This means that maybe annother welsh club will have to close,and they already have lost one ,the one based in Bridgend i belive cant remember what it was called atmAlso you say the AP and Top14 should rest its players more ,but the simply fact is they play exactly the same amount of 1st class games as the irish or welsh ,italains or scots 30 its a IRB ruling that no one plays more than 30 1st class games a seasonSo AP and T14 players get just as much rest ect as their celtic counterparts ,that arguement is a red herring ,and imo irrevalant to the main issue ,whitch is the Pro12 teams just dont have to try.Perhaps the only differance is the intensity of the games ,in the AP and T14 intensity is high ,while in the Pro12 it isnt because it doesnt have to be.,As ive said many times nothing is ruled in or out as far as im concerned ,but if we want a vibrant relavent HEC as the pinnacle of european club rugby there has to be change,because atm it cant claim to be the pinnacle of european club rugby,as clubs are there by right rather than on merit.Also wouldnt it be better for theose that dont qualify on merit to play in the Amlin where they have more chance of victory,and thus will have bigger attandances,and thus more revenue.Rather than get hammered most years in the HEC.
Posted 10:21 04th September 2012
HenryFitz says...
I can't believe people are so moronic as to take Premier Rugby and LNR's argument at face value. This is about money and control. A greater share of the pie. That's what it was about 5 years ago, and that's what it's about now. As organisations whose only negotiation tactics are blackmail and threat, this is just more of the same.
As for the laughable argument itself, what do people think will happen if the competition is reduced in numbers? French teams already consider the league more important, so they put out second teams a lot of the time. Is that going to change because the Pro12 teams are less-rested? Like funk it is. The only likely change is that we'll see some of the Pro12 teams, when they're out of contention, putting out second sides as well. So there'll be more walkovers and a load of nothing fixtures at the back end of the groups. I'm sure that will be brilliant for the competition.
English teams will obviously flog their players until exhaustion as views on employee welfare haven't changed much there since the industrial revolution. Tongauiha must have felt like coolie labour back in 2011. Anyway, that's not going to make them any better. Bath, Irish, Gloucester, Exeter and Sale will still be average sides. Plucky and proud, I suppose, but only competitive due to French carelessness.
The Irish teams will do well because they're financially sound and have depth in their squads. All the Welsh teams will lose more players to France. The Scottish and Italian sides will be left fighting for scraps, and the loss of income from the competition will put them under serious financial strain. As devil-take-the-hindmost capitalists are deaf in both ears, such appeals for clemency presumably won't find much of an audience here. A shame, as the further impoverishment of Scottish and Italian rugby is the only definite outcome.
Posted 10:18 04th September 2012
jamesliveinhope says...
To those suggesting that AP and Top 14 clubs need to change their structure to compete.
Might like to remind you that, Irish aside, the Celtic league was a club competition until the Welsh and Scots realised that their clubs were not able or financially sustainable enough to compete at this level. (about 2002 I think).
The Premiership set up has remained pretty well unchanged since the game went open in the nineties because it hasn't needed to - the issue now is that, so much of the English and French club's income is derived from their domestic leagues that , if something's got to give it'll be the HC, which will damage that competition irreparably.
Still feel that, if the HC is to survive this, its the Celts that will have to compromise.
Posted 09:05 04th September 2012
froggy73 says...
Imo, by giving 3 less guaranteed spot in the PRO12 would be a good way and give these 3 spots to the 4 Amlin semi-finalists (the Amlin winner has one already) would:
- Make the PRO12 meaningfull as teams would have to play week-in week-out to guarantee their HEC spot for the following year
- Give AP-T14 a bigger cake by granted the 3 spots (assuming the French and English clubs will be the Amlin semi-finalists)
- Make all 3 leagues feel they are now all on an equal footing
Posted 07:24 04th September 2012
Monkeyboy says...
@melkdave You'll have to ask the Scots & Italians why 100% of their teams are in the HC. What you should really be asking yourself is why you prefer a league that tires out the players for HC & Ints rugby. As I've mentioned before why can't the T14 & AP reform to provide better player welfare, thus producing better HC & homegrown players?
Posted 07:10 04th September 2012
Ferdie says...
Josh Strauss' beard - I think that is even better than Jason Eaton's one
thanks to the people who watched the taranaki youtube clip; just to give an idea of how old-fashioned heartland rugby is in nz (still semi-pro) last week taranaki players were at a rural school, there had been a poster-drawing contest for kids, the winner from normanby 70km out of town, pop under 1000, prize presented by 5 tki players who also ran a games session, prize was the whole school of 152 got taken by bus to the game. simple stuff, but it starts with the kids.
Posted 07:03 04th September 2012
cuw3100 says...
@ Ferdie: gr8 work :)
it is nice to see some of the AB 7s players like Cama Baker et al playing 15s. also some young guys from the U20 teams. what the rst of the rugby union world would do to have such riches :)
Posted 06:37 04th September 2012
melkdave says...
@Monkeyboy
Your point that the Pro12 is not a one nation league is valid,the problem with looking at it as a S15 type league is that unfortunatly 2 of the countries inviloved in the league cant provide enough teams to have a conferance type situation.If the Pro12 was a 16 team league with the top 2clubs from each nation.sub conferance only qualifying for the HEC ,we would be having this debate.Also wouldnt they be qualifying on merit by virtue of wining or comming 2nd in their conferance,whitch is what we are asking for anyway.
Posted 02:13 04th September 2012
ruckingkiwi says...
Ramage , getting a bit carried away there.. Glen Jackson an AB??
ITM is still the best comp out there.
Posted 01:51 04th September 2012
melkdave says...
@APV1
Yes my head hurts at times aswell from bashing it against a brick wall .Some posters dont seem to understand ,that I and i expect you do see their point of view Not everything the celtic clubs do is bad or wrong ,the develoment of talant is very good for example.They also it seems fail to understand ,that clubs need revenue ,to pay players and upkeep grounds ,and a myarid of other expenses.that by making the Pro12 a meaningful league that their club or clubs will get bigger attandances and thus more income ,to pay said players ect.We have already a exodus of welsh players ,scotlands also .The only reason that Ireland hasnt suffered it yet is central contracting,but without a HEC i wonder just how long the IRFU coffers will be flush to keep paying the irish star players.Its one reason why NZ has trouble keeping its star players in NZ,they havent got a massive amount of money and star players ,can earn more in Japan ,SA and europe
Posted 00:55 04th September 2012
melkdave says...
@Whatisthis
I have no problem with it being the top 7 from each league who qualify for HEC rugby.at all Perhaps the best solution would be that each league has 8 qualifiers.,Thus making up the 24 teams,,it will however make the Amlin rather irrevalant though,and lets not forget that also is atm ,a very vibrant competion,and teams are making meaningful income from those games.Its partly because of that ,that most ppeople are saying the Top 6 qualify for the HEC ,while the bottom 6 in each league play in the Amlin,it also allows for2 or even 6 teams if you make the Amlin a 24 team competion from counties like Romainia .Spain ,Russia ect to get european exposure,and make a some money .Perhaps the champions from the Romainian,Spainish Russian leagues would love to play Amlin rugby,that is where you could get your growth from ,while the HEC becomes what it is supposed to be the pinnacle of the european club game.Remember nothing is being ruled out or in atm,but something has to change or the HEC will not be seen as worthwhile in the end (aka some french clubs now ),as it wont represent the pinnacle of the european club game.,if teams qualify by right and not merit.
Posted 00:40 04th September 2012
7ton says...
APV1
You keep saying how vibrant and financially sound your AP league is and if that is the case then of course you would not want to change it. The problem you have is that the AP also creates a busy schedule especially when combined with the HC and Internationals and this is a problem you must solve yourself. You talk about "fairness". Well it is certainly not fair to try and impose your problem on others.
That's not to say we shouldn't have a more competitive pro12
Posted 00:35 04th September 2012
kpe12 says...
Australia's state of affairs looks to be a result of the strength of the game in NZ. People don't like losing year in year out so interest is waning. Australian rugby is going to get worse and worse over the next 5 years.
Posted 23:42 03rd September 2012
GCP_JONES says...
just watched the highlights of the Tasman Makos V Taranaki match,super stuff thanks once again Ferdie. First I have seen of the Leinster bound Andrew Goodman looks a decent player.
So whats this I hear about changes to the Heineken Cup, something about the French and English clubs not being happy or something, Can anyone enlighten me please ?.
@ PR
Can I make a suggestion about next weeks Loose Pass, how the Top 14's lack of a wage cap, just read that Toulon have bought R Wulf are talking to Rocky and the excellent Deon Fourie,
I don't really call that a level playing field never mind resting players when you can field 2 top teams.
I may be wrong but I don't recall ever seeing an article about it.
Posted 21:24 03rd September 2012
Carpelone says...
The Celtic League is crap. The teams playing in the Celtic League are crap. See Ireland, what a hiding they got in New Zealand, Why? They are not used to play competitively week in week out.
Posted 21:20 03rd September 2012
payve says...
Give the pro12 something to compete for in their 'competition.' Split all the teams 50/50 minus the amlin and HC finalists. Pardon my maths but, would this work. Top half get HC rugby. 6 English, 7 French, 2 Welsh, 1 scottish, 1 italian (treviso obviously). Could someone check my working, I make that 19 but open to suggestions for the final place to round of the reduced number tourney. Some sort of wild card or play off perhaps.
Again, this an English, Wasps fan still unlikely to get his team in the HC. Unless they play 80 minutes like their 1st half on saturday for the whole season.
Would this be a compromise? Definitely create some excellent derby matches on the domestic leagues.
Posted 21:17 03rd September 2012
jamesliveinhope says...
@whatisthis - you're getting there - the football equivalent has nations' places decided on the relevant status of the nation, there is then a play-off system where the next tier of the high status nations play the top performers from the lower status nations for the remaining places. It would make sense for those play-offs to take place in the pre-season period normally reserved friendlies. The result, a more consistent quality in the premier competition and the opportunity for other nations (Russia and Georgia mentioned) to compete for it too.
@monkeyboy - are you saying that, as a collection of national conferences, Treviso are effectively only playing against Zebre and Edinburgh only Glasgow - it gets worse!!
Posted 21:04 03rd September 2012