Lions prepared for another fight

29 Oct 2009

Manie Reyneke says the Lions will follow a similar path to the Jaque Fourie arbitration case if Louis Ludik and Willem Alberts want to leave to the Sharks.

Reports suggest that Alberts, Ludik and four other players have similar loopholes to the Springbok centre’s contract, which meant he won the arbitration that allows him to now sign for Western Province. Reyneke denied that there is anything wrong with the contracts, but said he is again prepared to fight for the promising fullback and eighthman.

The Fourie saga took nearly three months to reach a conclusion, and Lions CEO Reyneke said they would go a similar route with Ludik and Alberts.

‘The contract is not wrong, that’s the agent [Peet van Zyl] playing games again,’ Reyneke told keo.co.za. ‘If the players want to leave, we have individual contracts with them and we’ll go the same route we went with Jaque, and then see what happens.’

Reyneke looked a jaded man regarding the entire Fourie saga, and did concede there was nothing he could do if the players wish to leave to Durban.

‘Ive seen stuff in the press from them through their lawyers and agents – if it makes them happy to go, they must go. We’ve made them offers, we’ve  looked after them, but there’s a lot of talent in this country.’

Reyneke was understandably disappointed with the outcome of the Fourie arbitration.

‘I am very sad with the manner it happened. If anyone is ever privy to the arbitration documents, you’ll see they admitted they signed a two-year contract, but got off on a technicality. You know what, it’s just sad, we fetched him out of school and gave him the opportunities and stuck with him through all the injuries he had. Unfortunately that’s the route they want to go – it’s a professional era and if he wants to move, he’ll move.’

The Lions have suffered a mass exodus of senior players throughout the year, but Reyneke was confident the future is bright, despite their best players being eyed by other provinces. Despite the senior side finishing a lowly sixth, the Lions U19s face the Cheetahs in the Currie Cup final at Loftus on Saturday.

‘If it wasn’t for the swine flu the U21s had [in August], we probably would’ve been in the final for that as well. We have good youngsters in the system, our recruiting is working, and look at our current senior squad – most of them are being hunted by other provinces – but 12 have come through our own schools system.’

Regarding the coaching structures, it is not yet clear whether Jake White will work with new director of rugby Dick Muir next year. Reyneke confirmed former Bok and Lions lock Johan Ackermann could be added as a forwards coach within the next week.

‘Jake and his company’s contract runs out at end of October, but there is a proposal on the table. But that now needs to change with the new coaching structures. Either way, we know where we’re going.’

By Grant Ball, in Johannesburg



186 Comments

Pages: [1] 2 3 4 » Show All

  • 1.Winston: Reply to this comment
    29 Oct 2009, 12:17 pm

    Blah blah. Rubbish dragons need to get there contracts acts together and hire professionals to draft contracts for them. Did the guy not pass Law 101 who acts as there contracts drafter..

  • 2.Sonito: Reply to this comment
    29 Oct 2009, 12:18 pm

    Yeah but you lost the last fight so whats the point of wasting your energy if you know you going to loose again

  • 3.PissAnt: Reply to this comment
    29 Oct 2009, 12:21 pm

    I always quite liked Manie as he presented himself as an honest, down to earth type person.

    But this is a load of tripe.

    You know what, it’s just sad, we fetched him out of school and gave him the opportunities and stuck with him through all the injuries he had.

    Manie honestly man, cry me a river.

    The question that MUST BE ASKED is why Jaque, Alberts, Ludik and the host of other players WANT to leave despite the involvement of Jake and future involvement of ****?

    If it is money, then the union (lions) have only themselves to blame.

    But I would venture to guess this has a whole lot more to do with just money.

  • 4.Transformation: Reply to this comment
    29 Oct 2009, 12:22 pm

    and everyone thinks EP rugby has the monopoly on bungling administrators! Ha ha ha ha

  • 5.sharks_lover: Reply to this comment
    29 Oct 2009, 12:22 pm

    in one breath he says he will fight it like in the fourie case

    then he says if they want to go they must go?

    :shock: this oke is bananas

  • 6.Jozi: Reply to this comment
    29 Oct 2009, 12:26 pm

    Release them if they want to go but please do me a favour; get a f#cking decent lawyer who knows his oats…..honestly this is not funny.

  • 7.Winston: Reply to this comment
    29 Oct 2009, 12:27 pm

    Until they start running there entity like a business and not a goverment instituition with incompetent staff and structures this will continue..

  • 8.coherence: Reply to this comment
    29 Oct 2009, 12:27 pm

    I can’t imagine why Fourie would want to leave such a successful union.

  • 9.Cyborg: Reply to this comment
    29 Oct 2009, 12:28 pm

    For goodness sakes. Who on earth was drafting their contracts?

    #3 PissAnt:
    I fully agree. The question is really WHY these players want to leave the Lions.

  • 10.Tacitus: Reply to this comment
    29 Oct 2009, 12:28 pm

    They tried this at the Bulls.

    We opened up a legal can of whippass on them.

    End of story.

    That’s how a PROFESSIONAL union does it.

  • 11.PissAnt: Reply to this comment
    29 Oct 2009, 12:30 pm

    #10 Tacitus:

    They tried that.

    They failed.

  • 12.charo: Reply to this comment
    29 Oct 2009, 12:30 pm

    #4 Transformation:

    haven’t they?

    that whole ecape region is rotten with corruption

  • 13.grant10: Reply to this comment
    29 Oct 2009, 12:32 pm

    Dicky Muir must be pulling his hair out!

    These 2 players are HUGE losses…Somehow D M gonna have to recruit aggressively…the current crop will give it there all but lack the class to be a top half super 14 finisher.

    Man i am glad i am not in Muirs boots!!!

  • 14.grant10: Reply to this comment
    29 Oct 2009, 12:33 pm

    DM ….Go fetch Saffas back from Europe…call Gary Botha…he will give you a list!

  • 15.sharks_lover: Reply to this comment
    29 Oct 2009, 12:33 pm

    tacitus its not about trying , fact is the lions contacts are not up to scratch and with all the nosence in the lions camp players got fedup

    with the loophole they found a way out

    i agree with PA , there is far more then meets the eye or what we know that is problamatic at the lions

  • 16.XhosaKid: Reply to this comment
    29 Oct 2009, 12:34 pm

    #1 Winston: they can hire me, I have contract law 4th year level :-)

  • 17.sharks_lover: Reply to this comment
    29 Oct 2009, 12:36 pm

    #11 PissAnt:

    PA did you read yesterdays article in the daily news re the **** muir appointment at the lions ???????

  • 18.grant10: Reply to this comment
    29 Oct 2009, 12:37 pm

    Between WP and Sharks no one is safe!

    Boland at least going overseas….[thanks Rassie ]

    But wp and sharks must stop the blatant poaching…..hell we have 74 top players overseas…theres the targets….Now the Lions really on the back foot….seems no bloody loyalty to other sa franchises exists…war out there i tell you!!!

  • 19.XhosaKid: Reply to this comment
    29 Oct 2009, 12:37 pm

    #4 Transformation: since the Lions hired that former referee,I cant remember his name, its been downhill, talk about jobs for pals.Having said that I think Kevin De Klerk has a plan

  • 20.grant10: Reply to this comment
    29 Oct 2009, 12:38 pm

    I hope the WP and Sharks fane never moan or complain if boot on the other foot…

  • 21.grant10: Reply to this comment
    29 Oct 2009, 12:38 pm

    fane is fans

  • 22.JockBok: Reply to this comment
    29 Oct 2009, 12:40 pm

    #12 charo: Howzit Charo. Just been trying to figure out a little problem with transport and customs, and thought of you. Do you have company email I can get you on?

  • 23.grant10: Reply to this comment
    29 Oct 2009, 12:41 pm

    Now sharks the moer in because DM allowed to do both bok and Lions jobs…i agree …a DOR should only do 1….

    DM …if i was him…would try and influence okes to the lions…i know A Solomons got into kak when he did it as well…with 1 of Mallets teams….its actually not right…cannot be a slave to 2 masters

  • 24.Puma: Reply to this comment
    29 Oct 2009, 12:41 pm

    #3 PissAnt: Yes PissAnt, Have to agree there. Must something happening there at that union that none of us know of. Maybe why some of the players want to leave.

  • 25.PissAnt: Reply to this comment
    29 Oct 2009, 12:42 pm

    #17 sharks_lover:

    Missed it.

    Is it available online anywhere?

  • 26.grant10: Reply to this comment
    29 Oct 2009, 12:42 pm

    I See Gary Gold reckons the Argie 10/ 12 …Santiago…is highly rated and said to be the next Contemponi….

  • 27.sharks_lover: Reply to this comment
    29 Oct 2009, 12:42 pm

    #23 grant10: exactly grant, and i know dm is a very ethical person , but it will always bring him problems

    but the report did say the matter is resolved

  • 28.Puma: Reply to this comment
    29 Oct 2009, 12:42 pm

    #22 JockBok: How you JockBok? Have not seen you around here for a long time. Must be busy mate?

  • 29.grant10: Reply to this comment
    29 Oct 2009, 12:43 pm

    Ai DM….perhaps you should of rather left this job to Heyneke….its gonna age you my man!!

  • 30.Martin: Reply to this comment
    29 Oct 2009, 12:43 pm

    bloody thieving sharks….they stealing all the lions talent :)

  • 31.sharks_lover: Reply to this comment
    29 Oct 2009, 12:44 pm

    #25 PissAnt: will get you the link

  • 32.Puma: Reply to this comment
    29 Oct 2009, 12:45 pm

    #23 grant10: My feeling is **** will look at the youngsters coming through and build a team of his own.

    Remember he brought in a lot of youngsters at the Shraks when he took over. Barritt comes to mind.

  • 33.grant10: Reply to this comment
    29 Oct 2009, 12:45 pm

    #27 sharks_lover: I am not cool with a D O R doing both….its looking for trouble….really not on…

    Anyway…at least i can watch Sat final without fear of a heart attack….will support cheetahs…but bulls been brilliant this year…and it would be a fitting result if they do the super 14 and CC double.

  • 34.Hop Hop Spinnekop: Reply to this comment
    29 Oct 2009, 12:46 pm

    They can go. Ludik will not be the same after his knee injury and we have cover for Alberts.

  • 35.Transformation: Reply to this comment
    29 Oct 2009, 12:46 pm

    #12 charo: that’s **** talk ou toppie! look @ these lions!

  • 36.charo: Reply to this comment
    29 Oct 2009, 12:46 pm

    #22 JockBok:

    got your sms.
    i can try to get a transporter for you.
    give me pick up and drop off details

  • 37.justrugby: Reply to this comment
    29 Oct 2009, 12:47 pm

    #20 grant10:

    At least these guys who Province and Sharks are poaching are being kept in the country, if they were not thrown lifelines they would be playing overseas.

    The Lions have themselves to blame, they have been in free fall for ages and have not exactly done much to stop the rot, till now !!, but for a lot of players the horse has already bolted !!!

    Joburg also not the best place in the world to live and bring up a family, the sun and beaches of Durbs far more attractive.

    As for the ones that have already left for overseas, well we are up against the Euro, expensive to buy out contracts, these players will need to make their “own” way back !!

  • 38.Puma: Reply to this comment
    29 Oct 2009, 12:47 pm

    #30 Martin: :lol:

    So we no more poaching from the Vrystaat but here at the Lions too :lol:

    We got to do what we got to do :wink:

    Serious though I am not for players being poached from other unions. Something must be on the go at the Lions that we don’t know of that players are just moving away.

  • 39.Dawn: Reply to this comment
    29 Oct 2009, 12:48 pm

    Goodness

    Julle’s darem ernstig vandag

  • 40.grant10: Reply to this comment
    29 Oct 2009, 12:48 pm

    #32 Puma: Ja…problem is Lions are long suffering…like wp…the fans want instant results….

    And the fans all wanted H Meyer…or most of them…which will be like a axe over D M head….

    Heaven forbid they lose Heinke V D Merwe or that Franco vd merwe chap…then they in there mo er!!

    They will have to recruit at leat a lock and hooker and i still feel they need a 10…

  • 41.Puma: Reply to this comment
    29 Oct 2009, 12:49 pm

    #37 justrugby: Someone should have thrown Frans Steyn a life line and a damn huge one. Should have been kept in this country at all costs.

  • 42.Paws: Reply to this comment
    29 Oct 2009, 12:49 pm

    What **** ..

    We’ll sign for two years, take the pay cheque each month, take the rehab and medical expenses that the union pays .. and when it’s payback time, which in this case is just honoring the contract you signed, you want to find a loophole and run to greener pastures and quote, ‘it’s a professional era’.

    What utter ****. How about playing for the union that carried you through the hard times until the end of your contract in 2010, renegotiate, or accept an offer from another province at that time.

    Bet if they had a long term injury that would keep them out of action nearly the whole of 2010 they would have held lovingly onto there contracts they now trying to get out off.

    Some honor, and self respect goes a long way chaps.

  • 43.charo: Reply to this comment
    29 Oct 2009, 12:49 pm

    #35 Transformation:

    not talking about rugby unions only

    your home town is a garbage dump these days. who’s pocketing the rates?

  • 44.JockBok: Reply to this comment
    29 Oct 2009, 12:50 pm

    #28 Puma: Howzit going mate? Yes, been quiet recently, internet so unreliable in Togo it becomes quite painful to try and do anything other than send email. I read the news and comments most days but can’t usually participate. Mind you, the last week or so has seen a big improvement. So fingers crossed.

  • 45.sharks_lover: Reply to this comment
    29 Oct 2009, 12:50 pm

    #25 PissAnt: give me you email addy mate , then i can email it to you

    the link i gave is up for moderation , damn keo site hehehe

  • 46.grant10: Reply to this comment
    29 Oct 2009, 12:51 pm

    #37 justrugby: facts….but Gary Botha reckons a load of saffas waiting for the calls…must be opportunities…i wonder how ‘clever’ these okes are at the unions??

  • 47.Puma: Reply to this comment
    29 Oct 2009, 12:51 pm

    #40 grant10: They need plenty so did the Sharks when Muir took over. Remember he brought in Barritt, Waylon, F. Steyn. We looked a whole different team with the youngsters with Muir in the first year. That is where he will probably look. Some good youngsters coming through.

    Muir no fool he will sort it out.

  • 48.Dawn: Reply to this comment
    29 Oct 2009, 12:52 pm

    #44 JockBok:

    What you doing there?

    Need an assistant?

    I make good tea.

  • 49.grant10: Reply to this comment
    29 Oct 2009, 12:52 pm

    #41 Puma: Ja….BJ AND CJ too!!!

    At least JDV just gone for 1 year!

  • 50.justrugby: Reply to this comment
    29 Oct 2009, 12:53 pm

    #41 Puma: That one remains a mystery !!

    Afraid the Euro won that fight, in fact a KO in the first round !!!

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