Sharks target Bulls stars
The Sharks are set to poach three of the Bulls most valuable players.
According to Rapport newspaper, Bakkies Botha, Wynand Olivier and Bryan Habana are being targeted by the KwaZulu-Natal Rugby Union.
The Sharks are prepared to pay Botha R500,000 to play for them in the Vodacom Super 14, which would see the lock earn R2 million next season – the most by a South African rugby player.
Olivier has been offered a R950,000 contract by the Sharks, which is more than the Bulls’ best paid player Victor Matfield.
Finally, the Sharks are prepared to pay Habana R1.35 million to swop his blue jersey for a black and white one.
The Sharks “poaching” follows the signing of former Bulls and Leeds prop Kees Lensing, who is paid R1.3 million a year for playing his rugby in Durban.
September 17th, 2006 at 2:21 pm
AndyMcNabFAN, you hit it right on the head. It seems the Guppies motto is, if you can’t beat them, buy them.
What is a bit disturbing about this offer, actually sad and I guess you must pity the sharks, they have just started raising promising players through the ranks, and now suddenly they approach and are trying to buy away core players from other provinces.
Even worse, two of them are still contracted and the guppies are contravening SA rugby’s rules…being unethical and they can end up paying the Bulls much more in court, than what they paid for the players.
As for Olivier, I really hope the Bulls make a seriously lucrative counteroffer, and also up the pay of their Bok players, the Bulls are probably one, if not the richest union at the moment (Gatefees, biggest provincial sponshorship ever in SA, etc.) They must not be so stingy, we already lost Cronje…
September 17th, 2006 at 3:12 pm
It’s sad that rugby is incresingly becoming all about the money.
September 17th, 2006 at 4:21 pm
WP is koning.
September 17th, 2006 at 5:06 pm
The blood in Bakkie’s vains are blue there is NO way he would settle for less….Habana……GO!!
September 17th, 2006 at 7:42 pm
Mcdaddy,Chelsea are Champs of England.Its been 10 years since the Sharks were champs of SA.
**** the Super 14,I want the Currie Cup first.
September 17th, 2006 at 7:45 pm
How many Bulls/WP players come from the surrounding areas (Valka etc).Not that I care,its a prof game.
Lets not forget where E.Botho started his career.
September 18th, 2006 at 12:13 am
professionalism is catching up in sa rugby now. good to see the sharks take a lead in this matter. dont think they will get all 3. would like to see habana there tho,,he will get coached properly and would score shitloads more tries,,,that are from set moves,,,,rather than intercepts
September 18th, 2006 at 8:33 am
Won’t it be cheaper to by the currie cup!! Just show that the sharks has no faith in there youth programs if there’s any.
September 18th, 2006 at 8:49 am
Grikwas showed on Saturday that it is still just 15 against 15 on the field. The team from Kimberley’s budget is probably much less than half that of the Lions and even though they had many injuries, managed to be competitive.
SARU should aim to make the smaller unions more competitive. Having a CC with only 6 teams will be like the S14 without OZ and NZ. What is the point of that.
Onto something different, where has Pote Human been all this time? I remember him playing flank for the Cheatas with his big beard and then he dissappeared from rugby for about 15 years. No he is head coach of the bulls? Does anyone know his story?
September 18th, 2006 at 8:56 am
Eish , those bulls played on sat.
I can understand habana and bakkies, but why would the sharks want olivier – they’ve got enough centers as is.
September 18th, 2006 at 8:59 am
Slappes , het geen senters Saterdag gesien v d Sharks nie
September 18th, 2006 at 9:01 am
Olivier made an *** of the Sharks backline on Saturday. How do you Shark supporters explain that? If he is as terrible as you say your own backline must be even worse!
September 18th, 2006 at 9:05 am
What happened to the “best” locks Haargrieves, blignot, muller sykes why sharks want “dumb bull” bakkies?
What happened to the “best” centeres BArrit, boba, why do they need “dumb bull”
Oliver?
Bulls please hold on to those two!!!
September 18th, 2006 at 9:19 am
WO said on a radio talks show last week that he will never leave the Bulls! hahaha
Money talks….
September 18th, 2006 at 9:57 am
i hope habana doesnt move. im a sharks fan to the core, but i feel habana going to the sharks would just about put paid to brent russels career.
September 18th, 2006 at 10:19 am
If i was **** muir i would be offering 10 mill for Spies…forget the rest.. Go the sharks…
September 18th, 2006 at 10:23 am
Strikers
All the info was available in yesterdays Rapport including that those that have been approached were seen in Durban last week, apparantley visiting their good friend – John Smit.
September 18th, 2006 at 10:28 am
schalla, (#65)
I think BR’s career at the Sharks is shot already. **** Muir, in statements on this blog in the last few weeks has clearly indicated that he doesn’t have much regard for him in any of Brent’s preferred positions. “Impact player” is not a position, and in fact is an insult to the player.
BR still has a career ahead of him. It is just not in this country. He must get out now before his confidence is irreparably shattered.
Sending him onto the park on Saturday when the Sharks have already conceded 6 tries takes the cake.
When does his contract expire?
September 18th, 2006 at 10:59 am
Typical Natal behaviour.
They cannot develop their own players and then try to steal the Bulls and Freestate players.
******* thieves.
September 18th, 2006 at 11:07 am
It seems good in theory to have these players but I fail to see where they will be better than the curent crop of young up and coming Sharks players. If our forwards ae going to go all soft and give up as a unit like they did in the last game then what is the use of buying all these players from Blue Balls country…
September 18th, 2006 at 11:39 am
If the sharks pull this off, they will be the best team in SA and will have a great chance of lifting the S14.
September 18th, 2006 at 11:47 am
A victory such as Saturday’s comes from sheer guts and determination. You only get that when you play for a team! Bakkies, Habana and Olivier does not constitute a rugby team and no matter how much money you pay them, you can never buy guts and pride. Let them go, we’ve got enough pride in the Bulls franchise to replace any player – no-one is bigger than the game!
September 18th, 2006 at 3:07 pm
The move could yet see these players evolve beyond their current roles. Go Sharks!
September 18th, 2006 at 6:23 pm
PA how do you know all this stuff?