OWN CORRESPONDENT, Johannesburg | Monday 6.00pm.
AFTER a disastrous Currie Cup season, Louis Luyt’s Golden Lions Rugby Union have bought nearly half of the Free State side, it was reported on Monday. Flyhalf MJ Smith confirmed on Saturday night that he will be relocating to the Lion’s Johannesburg home, Ellis Park, Business Day reported. He will be joined, he said, by fullback Jorrie Kruger, prop Willie Meyer, lock Charl van Rensburg, flanker Johan Erasmus and eighthman AJ Venter.
“We all received better offers and cannot refuse them,” Smith was quoted as saying. Erasmus is reportedly being paid R750 000 a year for the move.
The Lion’s poor showing has produced panic alarms in Luyt’s headquarters. The richest province in the country failed to make a semi-final berth in this year’s Currie Cup and has seen six coaches in as many years. Last week former All Black coach Laurie Mains signed a three-year deal to coach the fallen giants of South African rugby, and to spearhead the union’s drive to full professionalism. Ironically, Mains remembers Ellis Park as the venue where he coached the All Blacks to the 15-12 World Cup final defeat by South Africa in the 1995 World Cup, claiming his side was poisoned before the final.
And the Lion’s are reportedly trying to poach two of the Blue Bull’s stars, centres Danie van Schalkwyk and Grant Esterhuizen, The Star newspaper reported. According to Business Day , the Lions are also negotiating with Boland wing Jan Ackerman and prop Marius Mostert. Former Springbok and Bulls lock Johann Ackermann, currently under suspension after being caught for anabolic steroid use, has also signed for the Johannesburg outfit.
In other moves, Boland have lost fullback Marious Goosen to the Bulls, and the paper says wing McNeil Hendricks and hooker Dale Santon will join him. The Natal Sharks have lost Springbok prop Robbie Kempson and lock John Slade to Western Province, while New Zealand flanker Duane Monkley has returned home after playing for Province in last weekend’s final.
SPORTS FEATURES
Countdown to the big one
In Kimberley this Saturday, Province face Griquas, a team with nothing to lose and everything to gain. While at Loftus, home advantage may help the Bulls bring the Currie Cup final back to Loftus next week.
It’s more than a name
How have the 18 teams fared in the first nine rounds of the Castle Premiership, the richest national championship in Africa? Here is the MUCHINERIPI guide based on watching some sides regularly and some occasionly.
The best cricketers in town
Allan Donald must be celebrating: President Nelson Mandela gave him the president’s gold award, he has been named one of five cricketers of the year along with Hansie Cronje, Shaun Pollock, Mark Boucher and Pat Symcox, and this week he turned 32.
And now for New York
For Olympic marathon-winner Josiah Thugwane, who will be competing in the prestigious New York Marathon next weekend, it’s been a long, hard road to success.
THEY SAID IT
“It feels better than winning the World Cup.” –Blue Bulls skipper and Spingbok scrumhalf Joost van der Westhuizen on winning the Bankfin Currie Cup trophy after a dramatic 24-20 victory over Western Province at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria on Saturday.
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