Limpopo to play Vodacom Cup

[TRF_heineken]

The Bulls have the most black supporters? Looking at Loftus I don't see many,

And the professionals in the Tuks side who beat up the amateurs in the varsity cup?

What???!!!

are you so shortsighted that you completely forgot about the Games the Bulls played in Soweto? or the many newspaper articles and photos of black supporters in Bulls jerseys??

you clearly live in the cape, as you have no grasp of the bigger picture. Do yourself a favour and come up north over the weekend, from Kroonstad up to Musina in limpopo, and have a look at the black people and who has a rugby jersey on, and which team's jersey they have. and then stop in Pretoria, Polokwane and Hammanskraal especially... you will be shocked!!

as for the varsity cup, what point are you trying to make?? most of those "professionals" played Varsity cup last year, yet nobody moaned then. other teams also have "professionals". if a guy is eligible to play, then leave him be.

But you haven't provided any proof as to what I pointed out to prove otherwise. so based on that, I take it that you are just here trying to ruffle feathers with a hidden agenda. Until you have showed me otherwise, I will regard your posts as foolish, uninformative and weak.

 

[Draggs]

I have nothing to contribute (as usual), I just got excited because I saw activity in the CC thread.
How could anybody forget the Soweto matches...

 

[RedWhiteGreen]

Well this is ... er ... embarrassing. Five matches, and a -75 try difference.

Should I be surprised if these guys don't come back next year? It's in no-one's interest to send a team out to get creamed like this week-in week-out, surely. If anything it's just harmful to the legitimacy of the competition. Bringing the Namibians back would make sense if possible, surely.

 

[sifplay]

What???!!!

are you so shortsighted that you completely forgot about the Games the Bulls played in Soweto? or the many newspaper articles and photos of black supporters in Bulls jerseys??

you clearly live in the cape, as you have no grasp of the bigger picture. Do yourself a favour and come up north over the weekend, from Kroonstad up to Musina in limpopo, and have a look at the black people and who has a rugby jersey on, and which team's jersey they have. and then stop in Pretoria, Polokwane and Hammanskraal especially... you will be shocked!!

as for the varsity cup, what point are you trying to make?? most of those "professionals" played Varsity cup last year, yet nobody moaned then. other teams also have "professionals". if a guy is eligible to play, then leave him be.

But you haven't provided any proof as to what I pointed out to prove otherwise. so based on that, I take it that you are just here trying to ruffle feathers with a hidden agenda. Until you have showed me otherwise, I will regard your posts as foolish, uninformative and weak.

I said Loftus not Soweto. So colored people do not count like at Newlands which on avg blow every other team out the water with attendance?
Most of those professionals played Varstiy cup last year? I think you are mistaken. They were amateurs last year considering the whole MAties team have not one got a contract with WP and they are all students studying at the University of Stellenbosch. That is why the Bulls could go and sign the 2012 WC winning u/20 captain when he was at Maties. MAties do provide a lot of WP players but they are not connected like the Bulls are doing with development and using them as as a professional outfit.

Do you know why the Varsity cup was created. It was created to pick up talent that slipped through the cracks. That meant amateurs to show what they have and those developing late that is not contracted to a union. That is why it was created. That is why you would note those picked up by WP not playing in the Maties team and most other universities.

Now if you go put more than half of your unions contracted players in the team who's only lecture will be by a referee at scrum time or at a break down then what is the purpose of the Varsity Cup. If everyone go do it now then that means that guys who slipped through the cracks and the actual students who go to the university do not get a chance which you are denying them. Stop thinking its about the Bulls. Its about SA rugby and identifying the talent. That is how WP managed to pick up talent from there that slipped through the cracks.

We already have the Vodacom cup for the contracted professionals. No use in creating another tournament which is the same just with Uni names. And everyone know that the Bulls use Tuks as front cover to approach kids and offering them goodies which is a loophole which makes it legal because approaching them as the Bulls a professional outfit and not as a educational institution will make it illegal. That is why Pollard is playing for Tuks. You won't see them there next year because the rules say he must pass 30 percent of his subjects. He was eligible because he was in school last year.

Victorious Western Province skipper Nick Fenton-Wells, for one, was quick to thank the Varsity Cup when contacted by the official tournament website this past week.

"I think the Varsity Cup gave many of us a lifeline into professional rugby. It's been a massive stepping stone and, in a way, the foundation of our success here can be laid at the door of the Varsity Cup," said UCT's 2011 VC-winning skipper, who has just been selected for the Stormers team to take on the Sharks in Durban this weekend.

"The Vodacom Cup is a very hard competition as you would have seen had you watched that final, but we were so much better equipped having played Varsity Cup knock-out rugby.

"It was this [Varsity Cup] tournament that got us onto the professional rugby radar and once there we have had the chance to condition and prepare for this level. (And) I fully expect many of the Varsity Cup 'graduates' to go even further."

The FNB Varsity Cup has been the stepping stone for many young rugby players into professional rugby. This year, Tuks saw some of its players break into the Absa Currie Cup. Wesley Dunlop, the man who captained Tuks to their first ever FNB Varsity Cup final, was among the players to play professional league rugby this season. His dream to sign for the Blue Bulls was realised before the 2011 Absa Currie Cup season started as he was drafted to join the Pretoria-based squad. Dunlop, however, did not get a chance to play for the Blue Bulls as he was loaned to the Platinum Leopards where he has been a regular starter at fly-half and finished the season as the Leopard's leading point scorer.

BLUE BULLS TUKSRUGBY ACADEMY
The Academy Opens on 14th January 2013

All Academy students have to report at the following address:

1304 South Street, Hatfield, PRETORIA

09:00

The Blue Bulls TuksRugby Academy has been established to identify and develop talented rugby players to their full potential and to equip them with the necessary skills and knowledge to enjoy a successful career in rugby.

We strive to create a professional environment and have established one of the most advanced rugby development units in the world to educate students through specialized coaching and advanced skills and techniques.

http://web.up.ac.za/default.asp?ipkCategoryID=6466

Boom! Thats end of the purpose of the Varsity cup

 

[TRF_heineken]

I said Loftus not Soweto. So colored people do not count like at Newlands which on avg blow every other team out the water with attendance?

No you were questioning whether the Bulls had black supporters... I haven't seen WP making an effort to host a game in Khayelitsha or anywhere in the Cape flats for that matter to give back to their Previously Disadvantaged People the opportunity to watch a big game in their own stadium which isn't too far to walk to...

Most of those professionals played Varstiy cup last year? I think you are mistaken. They were amateurs last year considering the whole MAties team have not one got a contract with WP and they are all students studying at the University of Stellenbosch. That is why the Bulls could go and sign the 2012 WC winning u/20 captain when he was at Maties. MAties do provide a lot of WP players but they are not connected like the Bulls are doing with development and using them as as a professional outfit.

Do you know why the Varsity cup was created. It was created to pick up talent that slipped through the cracks. That meant amateurs to show what they have and those developing late that is not contracted to a union. That is why it was created. That is why you would note those picked up by WP not playing in the Maties team and most other universities.

Now if you go put more than half of your unions contracted players in the team who's only lecture will be by a referee at scrum time or at a break down then what is the purpose of the Varsity Cup. If everyone go do it now then that means that guys who slipped through the cracks and the actual students who go to the university do not get a chance which you are denying them. Stop thinking its about the Bulls. Its about SA rugby and identifying the talent. That is how WP managed to pick up talent from there that slipped through the cracks.

We already have the Vodacom cup for the contracted professionals. No use in creating another tournament which is the same just with Uni names. And everyone know that the Bulls use Tuks as front cover to approach kids and offering them goodies which is a loophole which makes it legal because approaching them as the Bulls a professional outfit and not as a educational institution will make it illegal. That is why Pollard is playing for Tuks. You won't see them there next year because the rules say he must pass 30 percent of his subjects. He was eligible because he was in school last year.








http://web.up.ac.za/default.asp?ipkCategoryID=6466

Boom! Thats end of the purpose of the Varsity cupc

Oh really? so what you are saying is that not a single person on the Tuks roster are registered as a student at Tuks?? That's a very big allegation to make. Let's use an example shall we? Clayton Blommetjies only got a Bulls contract AFTER his stellar performance in the Varsity Cup last year.

Now I agree that most players do have some sort of Bulls contract, but that is because the Bulls are part of the Tuks Rugby academy, just like the Lions are part of the UJ rugby academy and the Free State part of Kovsies rugby academy.

How about you stop this vendetta you have against the Bulls, when you know just like everyone else that every Major Province does exactly the same as the Bulls. can you honestly sit here and say that not one single player from Maties or UCT has not represented the WP at some stage?? I know a lot of those guys has played Vodacom Cup, WP U21 and WP U19. What makes it worse is that WP has the luxury of 2 big Universities at their disposal while the Bulls have just Tuks, and a little bit of interest in Pukke.

the fact is that Tuks, along with their high performance centre and the Bulls development academy are just getting a better result than their counterparts at the moment. It's not their fault the other Unions and Universities are a bit behind.

Now speaking of Handre Pollard. WP had first choice on him, but he, as individual made the choice to come to the Bulls. this has been said a lot on this forum, that people should stop saying that the Bulls and Sharks poached players. it's still the player's choice where he wants to play at the end of the day.

 

[sifplay]

No you were questioning whether the Bulls had black supporters... I haven't seen WP making an effort to host a game in Khayelitsha or anywhere in the Cape flats for that matter to give back to their Previously Disadvantaged People the opportunity to watch a big game in their own stadium which isn't too far to walk to...

LOL Khayelitsha? That is a suburb. Soweto is a City almost on its own and its not part of Johannesburg. Yes the Stormers played the game there as well in that final. Remember. Cape Flats is a suburb as well. The previously disadvantage community here myself included just jump in a train and 20 minutes later we are at the stadium as Newlands is situated right by Newlands station. WP play regularly in Paarl as well. WP had a WP Liga team in the eighties and 90's. So here we did not wake up 16 years later and go play a game at Soweto and call it "reaching out".

Oh really? so what you are saying is that not a single person on the Tuks roster are registered as a student at Tuks?? That's a very big allegation to make. Let's use an example shall we? Clayton Blommetjies only got a Bulls contract AFTER his stellar performance in the Varsity Cup last year.

Now I agree that most players do have some sort of Bulls contract, but that is because the Bulls are part of the Tuks Rugby academy, just like the Lions are part of the UJ rugby academy and the Free State part of Kovsies rugby academy.

How about you stop this vendetta you have against the Bulls, when you know just like everyone else that every Major Province does exactly the same as the Bulls. can you honestly sit here and say that not one single player from Maties or UCT has not represented the WP at some stage?? I know a lot of those guys has played Vodacom Cup, WP U21 and WP U19. What makes it worse is that WP has the luxury of 2 big Universities at their disposal while the Bulls have just Tuks, and a little bit of interest in Pukke.

the fact is that Tuks, along with their high performance centre and the Bulls development academy are just getting a better result than their counterparts at the moment. It's not their fault the other Unions and Universities are a bit behind.

Now speaking of Handre Pollard. WP had first choice on him, but he, as individual made the choice to come to the Bulls. this has been said a lot on this forum, that people should stop saying that the Bulls and Sharks poached players. it's still the player's choice where he wants to play at the end of the day.

You are missing the point. I do not give a rats ass if the Bulls buy up the whole Springbok team or the whole JWC squad. Its their money they are providing employment to people. What I care about is when a Tournament created for Amateurs is over run by players with Professional contracts. That means the actual students and amateur at Tuks will not get a chance in the team because a guy who is already discovered and have a professional contract is filling up the team.

The Varsity cup wasn't created for professionals. It was for amateurs and those who was missed by scouts or late bloomers. If Blommetjies have his masters agree or whatever is irrelevant as the moment he got a contract he should have not been included in the team and his place should have been filled by the next amateur in the production line. Do you get it now?

As for Pollard. He was approached by a education institution which makes it legal for his carreer choices. A Bulls contract is thrown in the deal as a bonus. So its legal not poaching. Problem is loan the lad out to someone who might use him or any of those others playing in Tuks rather than spoil and throw a spanner in the development machine of SA.

The problem is no one in SA is working together. Look at the Kiwi's. They have their best 150 players in Super RUgby. Here we have a Kings team who could have looked better without the need to go foreign if teams worked together and spread the players evenly. Its Franchises forget their affiliation of the provinces. The sooner we get our top 150 players playing in Super Rugby the better our national team will perform

 

[TRF_heineken]

LOL Khayelitsha? That is a suburb. Soweto is a City almost on its own and its not part of Johannesburg. Yes the Stormers played the game there as well in that final. Remember. Cape Flats is a suburb as well.

Actually, Khayelitsha, Cape Flats and Soweto are all townships, forming part of a greater municipality. SOWETO = South Western Township.

You are missing the point. I do not give a rats ass if the Bulls buy up the whole Springbok team or the whole JWC squad. Its their money they are providing employment to people. What I care about is when a Tournament created for Amateurs is over run by players with Professional contracts. That means the actual students and amateur at Tuks will not get a chance in the team because a guy who is already discovered and have a professional contract is filling up the team.

The Varsity cup wasn't created for professionals. It was for amateurs and those who was missed by scouts or late bloomers. If Blommetjies have his masters agree or whatever is irrelevant as the moment he got a contract he should have not been included in the team and his place should have been filled by the next amateur in the production line. Do you get it now?

As for Pollard. He was approached by a education institution which makes it legal for his carreer choices. A Bulls contract is thrown in the deal as a bonus. So its legal not poaching. Problem is loan the lad out to someone who might use him or any of those others playing in Tuks rather than spoil and throw a spanner in the development machine of SA.

The problem is no one in SA is working together. Look at the Kiwi's. They have their best 150 players in Super RUgby. Here we have a Kings team who could have looked better without the need to go foreign if teams worked together and spread the players evenly. Its Franchises forget their affiliation of the provinces. The sooner we get our top 150 players playing in Super Rugby the better our national team will perform

No actually, you are missing the point. The Varsity Cup was meant to assist with getting players from amateur to professional quicker, and to have a bigger pool for the Unions and SA to have players.

To play Junior World Cup doesn't qualify as being a professional. Handre Pollard for example was still in High School when he played last year for the Boks at the JWC.

Most of Tuks players first played for Tuks as amateurs before playing for the Bulls. For example Shaun Adendorff, Jean Cook, Marvin Orie and yes, even Handre Pollard.

Here's another example. Duane Vermeulen, Jean Deysel and Willem Alberts were all at UJ. Duane and Jean was in Dromedaris Mens Hostel and Willem was in Bastion. Not one of them had a Lions contract when they started at UJ. Not one of them was in the Lions own Hostel. Duane and Jean played Hostel rugby, not UJ rugby. The scouts saw them at those Hostel games, and then got lured away to other Unions. Only when they Joined the union, and no longer played Varsity Rugby did they become professional!

In essence you are saying that these young lads, who are still developing their skills that have the potential to become great Springboks one day, should not be allowed to play Varsity Cup, and have no game time whatsoever to develop their skills??? Don't be silly!

Yes they have the U19 and U21 Vodacom Cup games, but it's not enough for the unions to see what they guys have.

 

[sifplay]

Actually, Khayelitsha, Cape Flats and Soweto are all townships, forming part of a greater municipality. SOWETO = South Western Township.



No actually, you are missing the point. The Varsity Cup was meant to assist with getting players from amateur to professional quicker, and to have a bigger pool for the Unions and SA to have players.

To play Junior World Cup doesn't qualify as being a professional. Handre Pollard for example was still in High School when he played last year for the Boks at the JWC.

Most of Tuks players first played for Tuks as amateurs before playing for the Bulls. For example Shaun Adendorff, Jean Cook, Marvin Orie and yes, even Handre Pollard.

Here's another example. Duane Vermeulen, Jean Deysel and Willem Alberts were all at UJ. Duane and Jean was in Dromedaris Mens Hostel and Willem was in Bastion. Not one of them had a Lions contract when they started at UJ. Not one of them was in the Lions own Hostel. Duane and Jean played Hostel rugby, not UJ rugby. The scouts saw them at those Hostel games, and then got lured away to other Unions. Only when they Joined the union, and no longer played Varsity Rugby did they become professional!

In essence you are saying that these young lads, who are still developing their skills that have the potential to become great Springboks one day, should not be allowed to play Varsity Cup, and have no game time whatsoever to develop their skills??? Don't be silly!

Yes they have the U19 and U21 Vodacom Cup games, but it's not enough for the unions to see what they guys have.

No its a suburb of Cape Town. Just like Bishop Lavis, Mitchells Plein, Elsies River a suburb is just like Newlands. Not enough for unions to see what they have? They should have covered that area before they put them in. And if the Currie Cup and Vodacom cup ain't enough with u/19 and U/21 teams included then you have signed too many players or cropping them up because I can guarentee you putting professionals in a game to beat up amateurs in a competition you will not achieve anything. Just like SA playing against Namibia will not give you a hint how good a player actually is.

And no its not created to get into professional rugby quicker cause there are the academies like the WP academy and guys good enough gets contracts. Same with players turning 18 making them legal get contracts. Those who are missed get a chance in the Varsity CUp. That is why Maties will not include a players once he is included in the WP squad or have a contract. If you got too many players then loan them out to Limpopo or the Falcons or SWD or any other team let them show you how good their are against other professionals and not beat up amateurs. Playing against amateurs is not showing any skills. Like Hougaardt shows his magnificent skills against Namibia with a 60 meter try but against NZ he can't even make a box kick without showing them he is going to do it.

And no the Varsity cups was for amateurs to be seen. Willem Alberts, Deysel De Jongh and long list of players were at this and this universities but they weren't beating up amateurs in the Varsity cup when they were contracted.

I have not even mentioned the 2 years in a row where Tuks transgressed the competition rules and got away with a slap on the wrist when they should have lost all their points. They are going to do it again next year probably.

And it will be a bit harder to smuggle in the pro's as Bona fide students presentation will increase to 18.

 

[LittleGuy]

Blue Bulls 110-0 Limpopo.....

 

[sifplay]

Apparently all that the Limpopo Blue Bulls do at practice is practicing standing behind the poles and to kick off

 

[LittleGuy]

Apparently all that the Limpopo Blue Bulls do at practice is practicing standing behind the poles and to kick off

They should expand that to forcing opposing players to touch down in the corners, this might at least force some missed conversions.

 

[sifplay]

They should expand that to forcing opposing players to touch down in the corners, this might at least force some missed conversions.

They got a new shirt with the numbers at the front not back so that it looks if they are on the attack whole of the 80 minutes

 

[LittleGuy]

Lions 161-3 LIMPopo

 

[RedWhiteGreen]

Any word on if they're going to be kicked out (or withdraw) after this season or something? To be honest it would make far more sense to bring the Namibians back (is funding the issue?). Or even Madagascar (although I guess we haven't seen them up against top grade competition before, and funding could be even more of an issue there).

 

[LittleGuy]

Any word on if they're going to be kicked out (or withdraw) after this season or something? To be honest it would make far more sense to bring the Namibians back (is funding the issue?). Or even Madagascar (although I guess we haven't seen them up against top grade competition before, and funding could be even more of an issue there).

Yes it was, which is unfortunate because they were clearly better than Limpoop, and it was better for the development of rugby as a whole, especially since Namibia may be going to the next RWC it's crucial they get game time lest the AB's break the Oz record from 2003. I can't imagine Limpopo will be back the results were so shockingly lopsided there was almost no point in playing the matches.

 

[psychic duck]

Zimbabwe could fill a hole from Namibia. An Africa XV with the best from a selection of African nations top players possibly boosted with a few South Africans. But then again the funds for all of the African sides apart from South Africa just isn't there and continues to make African rugby very difficult to run.

But anyway it seems Limpopo have a 3 year deal anyway.

 

[LittleGuy]

Zimbabwe could fill a hole from Namibia. An Africa XV with the best from a selection of African nations top players possibly boosted with a few South Africans. But then again the funds for all of the African sides apart from South Africa just isn't there and continues to make African rugby very difficult to run.

But anyway it seems Limpopo have a 3 year deal anyway.

Oh God!!!! Maybe they can bring in some foreign players, Josh Tyler might be looking for a club....

 

[Draggs]

Oh God!!!! Maybe they can bring in some foreign players, Josh Tyler might be looking for a club....

No, he is still tracking back to tackle that jock, nearly there big lad!

 

[sifplay]

Yes it was, which is unfortunate because they were clearly better than Limpoop, and it was better for the development of rugby as a whole, especially since Namibia may be going to the next RWC it's crucial they get game time lest the AB's break the Oz record from 2003. I can't imagine Limpopo will be back the results were so shockingly lopsided there was almost no point in playing the matches.

Limpopo could be much stronger. But Bulls refer to stock up their University team to beat amateurs than loaning them to their sub union Limpopo. Then 9 players out due to being accused of murder did not help their cause further. But the Bulls gave them a braai which was cracking I heard

 

[TRF_heineken]

Limpopo could be much stronger. But Bulls refer to stock up their University team to beat amateurs than loaning them to their sub union Limpopo. Then 9 players out due to being accused of murder did not help their cause further. But the Bulls gave them a braai which was cracking I heard

You see, comments like this won't win you any fans! Stop being such a ********!

Limpopo is seperate from the Blue Bulls!!! FOR **** SAKES!!!

They will be back in the mix for next year's tournament. They already have sponsors and deals in the pipeline. They are also trying to lure Some guys back to the province who are originally from this area to play for them instead of other teams in the Vodacom cup.

Guys like:
Brendon Snyman (Leopards)
John Mametsa (Blue Bulls) - He's retired from rugby, but he moved back to Polokwane and is part of the rugby community and he's considering his options.
Jan De Klerk (WP) - He played for Maties in the Varsity Cup in the final this year

Then the highly unlikely ones:
Trevor Nyakane (Cheetahs)
Deon Fourie (WP)
Chilliboy Ralepelle (Bulls)
John Smit (Sharks)
Danie Rossouw (Toulon)
Pedrie Wannenburg