An article entitled “Rugbyseuns gestrand ná beloftes” by Julian Jansen in the Rapport newspaper highlights that Centurion High School in Pretoria is under financial pressure and has had to close down it’s boarding establishment. The school therefore cannot fulfil it’s bursary obligation to a young talented player Brandon Smith, who was part of the SA Elite under-16 group.
According to the article, the school attracted the youngster from the Boland to Pretoria with the help of the Bulls recruiter Xander Janse van Rensburg. Now that things have not panned out, van Rensburg is recorded as saying that the Bulls were just the middleman that helped the boy’s move North to happen and cannot be held accountable for Centurion’s financial woes.
The entire article is here:
http://www.rapport.co.za/Suid-Afrika/Nuus/Rugbyseuns-gestrand-na-beloftes-20131214
Other contributions on the same topic can be found here on www.stoopstats.co.za:
Jirre Mnr Roos. n Ordentlik opgevoede Valie is skuit bang vir die see. Ons wilie n “huisie by die see” persent he nie. Miskien n huisie inie Bosveld.
Manne. Oor skole en die “koop” van spelers. Ek kyk na die ouers en dink: In die woorde van Koos Kombuis “Almal wil ‘n huisie by die see he”. Dis al.
@Tjoppa: Jong dis n goeie vraag… hy het sy 5 maande stint daar gaan doen… kan jou nie rerig antwoord nie… menlo het baie dinge belowe en toe lyk die gras seker maar groener… ironie is toe kom hy terug en saam met hom n gros van hulle beste spelers… duncan het nou begin hard oefen… hou hom dop, hy is oppad… sagte plekkie vir hulle al2… ek help hulle baie… hulle is soos my kinders…
@McCulleys Workshop: Big difference- the Toffees is a prominent soccer team.
@Ploegskaar @ Tjoppa: Julle behoort teen die tyd te weet dat ek van volledige ontledings hou wanneer ek ‘n afleiding maak en nie net omdat ek so voel ‘n punt maak nie. So, as julle werklik wil weet wie die grootste kopers van spelers in Pretoria is, moet jy na skoolgeld kyk. Ek het so klein bietjie huiswerk gedoen en skoolgeld in Pretoria vir 2014 het die volgende opgelwer – amal staatskole van hoog na laag:
Affies Seuns: R26 760
Menlopark: R23 800 + sportgelde (maar boeke ingesluit)
Waterkloof: R21 680 + R1 800 vir rugby = R23 440 (en as jy krieket speel ook, nog R1 800 en as jy atletiek ook doen, nog ‘n R1 800 – dus R1 800 vir elke buitemuurse aktiwiteit) en boeke uitgesluit.
Eldoraigne: R19 900, (maar boeke ingesluit)
Garsfontein: R19 400 (boeke uitgesluit maar sportgelde ingesluit).
Affies kan nie heeltemal met die ander vergelyk word nie aangesien hulle baie meer fasiliteite het om te onderhou, maar dit gee nietemin ‘n aanduiding van wat dit ‘n ouer kos.
Dit word egter vir my duidelik uit bovermelde kommentaar dat baie selektief te werk gegaan word wanneer kritiek uitgedeel word. Ek dink Garsfontein het ‘n fout gemaak om openlik te erken dat hulle werf – en na my beskeie mening nie so lafhartig is soos die ander wat beweer geen seun kry ‘n rugbybeurs of krieketbeurs ens. nie. Dit kom voor dat as jy “lieg”, dan is als OK. Of Garsies is ‘n maklike teiken omdat hulle erken hulle werf.
Maar ongelukkig vir sommige skole is die skoolgeld hierbo die werklike feite wat niemand kan wegredeneer nie. En neem in ag dat Waterkloof se koshuis vir 150 leerders binnekort voltooi sal wees en Menlopark besig is met verdere aanbouings aan die bestaande koshuis. Vir wie dink julle is die koshuise. Vir kinders in Pretoria?
My punt is as jy die een wil kritiseer – wat waarskynlik die minste beurse van almal toeken – dan moet almal gekritiseer word.
As jy in Pretoria gebly het sou jy gesien het dat Menlopark se skoolbussies dag in en dag uit in Garsfontein rondry om kinders op te laai. En Waterkloof se skoolbussies rits net so rond in Centurion. Die jaarlikse busgeld van Centurion na Waterkloof volgende jaar is R4 300 (openlik op hul webwerf beskikbaar). So Centurion trek aan die kortste end met Waterkloof en Eldoraigne wat die kinders werf – in enige graad.
So Waterkloof en Menlopark is beslis nie die engeltjies wat julle dink hulle is nie. Trouens, hulle is die grootste “kopers” van kinders in Pretoria. Was nog altyd so en julle sal my met feite moet oortuig dat dit sal verander.
@McCulleys Workshop: Impossible to do a toffee definitely does not cost R 150 for one suck.
@Djou: So wat jy se as jou vrou jou dogter beveel om te gaan werk is dit haar skuld jou dogter het ‘n prostituut geword? Bulle te sleg en sonder gewete. Punt.
@Rugbyman: Net vir interessantheid hoekom is Duncan weg van julle na MelnoPark? en toe weer terug? Volgens my is hy die talentvolle een van die twee boeties maar Franco se werksetiek beslis beter.
@Rugbyman: Dalk moet jy eendag vir my eerlik julle beleid aangaande werwing in die Kaap en elders, asook beweegredes rondom die nadering van spesifieke spelers, verduidelik. Ek is net ‘n e-pos weg, jy kan my details by Beet kry (meeste ouens hier ken my in elk geval), mits jy die knolle het.
@Woltrui: No Wollie… I never thought the bloggers are laughing at Centurion… I meant their neigbouring schools are… I unfortunately know most of the people in tha community and let me assure you they are enjoying this very sad moment… Die een se dood is die ander se brood…. Very sad though… I have always had a soft spot for Centurion… I grew up in the old “Verwoerdburg…”
Parents (especially afrikaans parents) do need to change their attitude toward school fees though… Most of the parents still come out of the era where school fees was R150 per year… They would rather pay the DSTV or cellphone bill, but not the school fees… What is more important than your child’s education? You pay for what you get… A mindshift is needed…
@Rugbyman: No Mr Rugbyman, I don’t think the bloggers is laughing at Centurion. Most of the bloggers is (except of course the Banana boys and the Mountain goats – and don’t forget the Greystaters
) quiet intelligent and do have empathy for the financial situation for public schools. Can you imagine what a Nu-power season must cost a school like Nelspruit who travel the length and breath of the Vaal over a six week period. I think there could be a lot more Centurion “situations” out there. I feel for the teachers and governing bodies who must run the schools 
@McCulleys Workshop:
I did think there were some kind of moral to that story.
@Woltrui: So the moral of your story is “Never confuse a prostitute and a toffee?”
@Ploegskaar: Watse stellings, aannames en bewerings verwys jy na? Ek het jou mos al telkemale antwoorde gegee… Lees jy dit nie of ignoreer jy dit moedswillig? Of glo jy jou eie bewerings, stellings en aannames ongeag wat ek vir jou se?
@Rugbyman: Na ‘n jaar steeds geen eerlike antwoord op my stellings, aannames en bewerings nie. Julle moet daai Garsie leuse verander na Swenk, Fnuik, Konkel, Omseil. Sies.
@Buffel: What’s the definition of “home”. House, Hilton, College, Kearsney, Glenwood all have large BEs which cater for boys from some distance. Last year a College Old Boy from Australia sent his boy to College. The private schools have boys from all over SA. Some of them are good sportsmen, where is the distinction?
@Djou: Djou… dis hond eet hond… jy weet mos hoe maak ons ou nasietjie met mekaar… almal lag nou vir centurion… ek dink dis hartseer
@Ploegskaar: ag ou ploeg… kul jou hier, kul jou daar en siedaar….!
@Woltrui: he is only in matric next year… he was still u/17 so he should be in cw team again next year…
@Ploegskaar
@Djou: Dit is nog nooit eens bevestig dat die Kaapse keurders wel skolerugby kyk nie, wat nog van Stellenberg spelers raaksien.
@Ploegskaar: O, ek sien. Jy stel dit so oulik, kan nie anders as om te lag nie. Maar ek dink jy hoef jou nie meer oor Garsies te bekommer nie. Blou Bulle het ‘n ander vennoot gekry.
Het hom weliswaar lanklaas sien speel, maar JJ se seun is goed. Baie goeie visie, skop goed, breek die lyn dikwels en boonop blitsvinnig. Weet egter nie of Kaapse keurders Stellenberg se spelers so goed dophou nie.
@Woltrui: hit the nail on the head. I know we are in the professional era but let the boys finish their schooling at home and then look for greener pastures. It takes a local boy’s position and the knock on effect is huge. By all means the Union’s can recruit but let the boys stay at home till matric has been completed.
@Djou: Met die Kaapse skole wat altyd ‘n week later as die binnelandse skole begin het, kon ‘n verplaaste ‘n week vroeër by laasgenoemde inval, terwyl die niksvermoedende Kaapse skool ‘n week later kopkrap en wonder wat de fok het van hul ster-speler geword tydens die vakansie.
Het JJ hierdie jaar by ‘n paar Stellenberg games gesien, sy laatie het vir die 0/16a’s gespeel en is deel van die o/19 wedstrydgroep vir volgende jaar sover ek weet. Dink JJ vorm ook deel van die groep rugbyouers wat tans hulle bemoei met die oplewing en langtermyn verbetering van Stellenberg rugby.
@Ploegskaar: Verduidelik bietjie vir ons ander ouens wat jy bedoel? Terloops, hoe gaan dit met JJ Harmse? Wat het van hom geword?
@Woltrui: Sover ek kan onthou is hy eers in 2014 in graad 12.
@Rugbyman: Hoe gemaak in 2014 met die Kus en Binnelandse skole wat op dieselfde dag begin? Bemoeilik seker daardie jaarlikse verdwyn/verskyn truuk van julle, of hoe?
@Rugbyman: Hi Rugbyman. Where is Franco going next year? I see he is not on the list of contracted players for the Bulls U/19 squad. Would be a big lost if the Bulls don’t sign him. Although he didn’t get opportunities during the Craven week I still think he was one of the best centres I saw in 2013. Big, fast and good hands.
@Tjoppa: Stem saam met jou oor die Bulle se ontwikkelingsbeleid. Maar dit het begin by Saru met ‘n nie weldeurdagte “kwotabeleid”. Om sommer dadelik ‘n kwota af te dwing sonder ‘n strategie (top-down) sal nie werk nie. ‘n Bottom-up, waar die unies ontwikkelingsplanne voorle en halfjaarliks terugvoering aan Saru gee is wat nodig is. En as die unies onsuksesvol is, moet Saru hulle penaliseer. Dit sal die unies dwing om haalbare planne in werking te stel.
@Rugbyman: Jy is reg oor Centurion. Op ‘n manier moet hulle gehelp word sodat ons nie nog ‘n goeie rugbyskool verloor nie. Dalk moet hulle, Zwartkop en Eldoraigne byeenkom en saamwerk. Help nie een skool (Eldoraigne) word net groter en groter en die ander twee krimp nie. Dit sal op die lange duur teen almal tel want soos ons weet, die demografie verander heeltyd.
@Tjoppa: Ag ek wil nou nie betrokke raak by die hele centurion sage nie… hulle het al n wyle baie groot finansiele probleme en as dinge daar nie regkom nie gaan ons net nog n goeie afrikaanse hoerskool veeloor wat volgens my baie hartseer is… Ek wil jou darem net reghelp oor franco… Hy was begin graad8 in Brits en het weens persoonlike omstandighede geskuif Tuine toe reeds in graad 8. Garsfontein het op daardie stadium sy boetie gewerf wat in graad 7 was en beide seuns het toe Garsfontein toe gekom een in graad 8 en een in graad 9. Franco was nooit in eldoraigne nie en is reeds oktober in sy graad 8 jaar by garsfontein ingeskryf… Volgens hom die heel beste skuif van sy lewe! Great seun wat baie hard werk en n baie groot toekoms voor hom het…
wat by brits gebeur het, het niks met geld te doen gehad nie, wel ander faktore wat ek nie op die blog gaan bespreek nie…
@Djou: The people rotten is not SARU but the Bulls who is to lazy to develop local talent. And why would they if schools are willing to pay for the imports. Local development will cost THEM money and effort. Spineless if you ask me.
@Gungets Tuft: I heard that many of the Bulls’ original list of contracted u.19 players for 2014 recently turned them down and joined other unions.
An important point the Bulls are missing in their response: The schools in Pretoria at which the players were placed did not go to the Boland to recruit.
The Bulls did the recruitment in the Boland region – and only then did they approach the schools. So, if the Bulls claim to be the middle man, surprise surprise – they also are the instigator.
In business terms – by being the deal instigator and then the middle man in completing the deal, you would surely have a claim on a commission. Thus, you are totally involved.
The Bulls want their bread buttered on both sides – they want the players and not pay for them. It has already started to blow up in their faces as Garsfontein joined Affies and Waterkloof by turning them down.
But, my sources tell me the Bulls might have found a new partner in Menlo Park. And as a very affluent school, they might just have more funds to accommodate the Bulls’ requests. Still, the signs are there, the Bulls’ strategy will not last much longer.
And all just because of SARU not being able to design a proper quota system!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sies man
@Pedantic: You have left out one school that might want to round out their recipients of Bulls sourced players.
Totally unacceptable behaviour by the Blue Bulls. Most of the parents and Bulls supporters in Pretoria don’t agree with this kind of behaviour. Recruiting the Western Cape kids and taking opportunities away from local kids. How can we expect our players to be loyal?
The Blue Bulls management doesn’t feel a rats ass for its supporters. That was clearly illustrated when the supporters asked some questions after the Currie Cup chaos. Nobody has the guts to take responsibility. So doesn’t matter what happen. Business as usual for the Bulls. Can’t the sponsors at least step in and stop this “recruiting” of school kids. Can’t think Vodacom can be to happy if their name is brought into contention.
@beet: Don’t agree with you Mr Beet. If the Bulls was the “broker” between the kid and the school – they are as responsible as anybody for this situation. If you give yourself out as a prostitute you must not complain if you get ….. Sorry. If you give yourself out as a toffee, you must not complain if you get chewed.
Don’t panic Mr Smith – there are scores of schools who will be welcoming Brandon with open arms!
The parents have now shown their hand … they’re willing to accept a “deal” and I’m 100% sure his phone has been ringing off the hook since this was published. We can’t always blame the unions and the schools … ultimately it’s the parents who accept the offers.
Odds on where we will see Brandon Smith in 2014 ?
Glenwood 1-5 (They need a good U17 hooker & boet is @ the Sharks)
Garsfontein 1-1 (Just because)
M College 2-1 (Bulls choice, but they already have a good U17 hooker)
And oh, shame on you Bulls!
I’m no Sangoma, but I saw this coming.
First of many similar situations to come. Artificial success is not sustainable. The cracks are inevitable. Schools have no business associating themselves with unions…when shyte hits the fan, they will come second best.
The sooner the unions are explicitly banned from this kind of intervention at a schoolboy level the better. I seem to recall mention of proposed regulations prohibiting the contracting of schoolboy players but I’m not sure if that was ever implemented. Whether this type of “facilitation” would have been stopped is unclear to me.
The problem, much like the lip service payed to policing substance abuse or the flaunting of rules at the Varsity Cup, is that SARFU need to have the will to enforce rules for any intervention to have effect.
IMO the Bulls approach to recruiting at a junior level has probably ruined as many aspirant young players prospects as they have succeeded in developing – to the detriment of rugby in SA.
@Gungets Tuft: No Eldoraigne is a public school. Two largest public schools in Pretoria in number of learners terms – Eldoraigne and Wonderboom, followed by Waterkloof, Garsfontein, Menlo Park, Zwartkop and Centurion. Demographical changes caused former Pretoria rugby power house HTS John Vorster to “fall off the cliff”, whilst schools such as Menlo Park, Garsfontein and Eldoraigne benefitted – mainly as a result of new residential developments.
Then there is school fees. Affies and Menlo Park by far the most expensive, followed by Waterkloof, Eldoraigne and lately Centurion. In addition to school fees, learners at Waterkloof and Menlo Park must cough up additional fees for each extramurial activity they participate in.
Thus, demographical changes as well as fees are causing changes in school preference and growth in schools.
Watch out for Eldoraigne in rugby terms – the school is receiving rugby players from all around the country. Maybe the Bulls should consider transferring the kids to Eldoraigne.
@Djou: Is Eldoraigne private?
The policy of the Bulls to contract so many boys, sometimes 3 in a position, each year was bound to bite. It also shows serious lack of empathy for the boys, basically making a large percentage of them dispensible.
@Beet: @Gungets Tuft: As mentioned above, Centurion’s problems are much more complex. They lose learners to neighbouring Eldoraigne. If they want to keep the teachers, they need to up school fees etc. etc. and parents are not willing to just continue paying more, given e-tolling etc. But it is also a marketing problem as the perception was created that Eldoraigne, (a very affluent residential area), is a better school.
Nevertheless, Woltrui has it spot on above wrt the Bulls.
Seems to me a BE of 25 boys is more of a managed digs for a select few, probably all sportsmen. To lose 1/2 of those, something up. Were the leavers possibly all Matrics last year and they have struggled to fill the BE because there was
no follow up to a single big year of recruitment 5 years ago, followed up by a couple each year. Boarding is a complex setup, not an afterthought, or simply to achieve a narrow goal. Properly set up it will be the heart and soul of a school. Badly done, and I cannot see how you will build gees in a house with 24 kids, it is just seen as segregating a select few kids. I could be wrong, wouldn’t be the first time. :-)
The Centurion side is understandable if they did not see the financial troubles on the way when they awarded the bursary. This could have happened to any kid from any race group who was at the school and depending on staying in the BE. He would not even have had to be a rugby player. XjvR probably should have come out with a stronger statement of intent to help the youngster out. I don’t think basically saying it’s not our problem is going to win him more friends out there.
Tshwane kaskenades !! Prepareer julle maar vir vele meer finansiele skokke- binne en buite SA rugby.
@Djou: Ek het Djou mos gesê.
Soos verskyn in die Rapport. Hoerskool Brits was in ‘n soortgelyke posisie ‘n paar jaar terug en dit het veroorsaak dat klein Franco Naude verskuif het van Brits na Tuine Hoerskool toe na Eldoraign, ek mag hier verkeerd wees, en nou eindelik plek gekry by Garsfontein.
“Julian Jansen ’n Talentvolle rugbyspeler aan die Hoërskool Centurion in Pretoria sit volgende jaar op straat omdat die skool, wat hom met beloftes van beurse uit die Boland na Pretoria gelok het, nie meer sy verpligtinge kan nakom nie.
Brandon Smith (17) van Cloetesville in Stellenbosch was een van ’n groep van 17 Kaapse skoolseuns wat in 2011 met die belofte van rugbykontrakte en skoolbeurse na Pretoria gelok is deur ’n agent van die Blou Bulle, Xander Janse van Rensburg.
Brandon en sy broer, Nathan (19), albei hakers, was destyds leerlinge aan die Paul Roos-Gimnasium in Stellenbosch. Nathan het verlede jaar aan Centurion gematrikuleer en is tans by die Sharks se rugby-akademie.
Van die ander Kaapse seuns wat noorde toe gelok is, is by die Hoërskool Waterkloof en Garsfontein ingeskryf.
Brandon is tans deel van die Suid-Afrikaanse Rugbyunie ¬(Saru) se o.16-elitegroep, ’n span belowende spelers wat as toekomstige provinsiale en nasionale spelers kan ontwikkel.
Die seuns se pa, Neil, ’n stoere Bulls-ondersteuner, is erg omgekrap oor die jongste verwikkelinge.
Hy sê hulle is onlangs in kennis gestel dat die skoolkoshuis volgende jaar sluit weens dalende inwonergetalle en dat hulle voortaan nie meer sy seun se verblyfkoste en vliegkaartjies vir skoolvakansies gaan betaal nie.
Die verblyf beloop sowat R30 000 en die kaartjies R7 000 per jaar.
Die skool het die afgelope drie jaar Brandon se skoolgeld, reisgeld in en om Pretoria, koshuisgeld, asook vliegkaartjies betaal.
Smith sê die skool beantwoord ook nie sy e-posnavrae hieroor nie.
“Die skool het in 2011 vir my gesê: ‘Moenie worrie nie, die beurs sal elke jaar hernu word.’
“So wat nou van volgende jaar?”
Brandon is nie die enigste Kaapse leerling wat deur dié toedrag van sake geraak word nie.
’n Medeleerling, ¬Dylan Antonie (17) van Atlantis, het aan Rapport gesê hy gaan dalk by ’n familielid in Pretoria woon.
Sy ouers, Deon en Yolandi, sal dan die ander uitgawes dra.
Dr. Elsabé Conradie, voorsitter van die skool se beheerliggaam, sê die getal koshuisleerlinge het vanjaar van 25 tot 13 gedaal en die koshuis kan nie meer geldelik oorleef nie en moes sluit.
Conradie sê die skool wil Brandon graag behou, maar daar is ongelukkig net nie geld nie.
“Ons het ons bes gedoen om ’n borg vir hom te kry vir verblyf, maar ook dit het nie geslaag nie.”
Conradie ontken dat die skool nie Smith se navrae beantwoord nie.
Sy sê die koshuishoof het verlede week matriekantwoordstelle nagesien en daarom nie sy e-posse beantwoord nie.
Janse van Rensburg, die Bulle se hoëprestasiebestuurder wat die Smith-seuns oorspronklik Pretoria toe gelok het, sê hy is jammer oor wat gebeur het, maar die unie kan niks aan die skool se finansiële situasie doen nie.
Hy sê die Blou Bulle was net die “middelman” wat die seuns se skuif noorde toe gefasiliteer het.
Great reading, please do share more info.
Btw, rugby will become a dirty backhanded game until this type of stuff gets sorted out.
geez this thread has taken quite a little detour
@Djou: Hi Mr Djou. My point exactly. If the Bulls “brokered” the deal between Centurion and the schoolboy and Centurion can’t keep their part of the deal (which imho already is a lot of hog wash. I can’t imagine the Bulls is not “sponsoring” the boy. We had the article where a kid was put in Marritzburg College by the Bulls with the same perks) why didn’t they broker a deal with the boy and another school?? The boys older brother was apparently also at Centurion with a similar “contract/agreement”. He left the Bulls region after matric and was available for the Sharks this year. Could this move off the older brother to the Sharks had an influence on the fact that the younger brothers “contract” was cancelled. Interesting article and a lot of questions that needs to be answered. The laaitie is obviously pulling on the shortest end.
Good day Mr Wolla: No need to be so secretive about the school. It is in the newspaper – after all. And it is not a secret. It has been known for quite a while that Centurion will close their hostel. One of the reasons is the dwindling number of learners in the school. Less than 100 grade 8’s next year. It follows the same low number in 2013. Five years ago they received almost 300 grade 8’s annually. The learners are going to neighbouring Eldoraigne who readies itself for more than 400 grade 8’s in 2014. So Centurion has a lot of problems in keeping their doors open as an Afrikaans medium school – and drastic steps are needed.
But, the more topical issue is the Bulls claiming to be innocent and not involved in relocating the larners from Paul Roos to Centurion. According to the article the Bulls claim to be the middle man only. Wake up Bulls, do you really think we are so naive. If you are the middle man, then clearly you are involved. You just again demonstrated that you don’t care about the kids otherwise you would have found a way for this kid to stay at Centurion. You probably already identified another player (hooker) in his place, hence your unwillingness to assist. Shame on you!
This is just another reason why the unions should stay away from school recruitment drives.
Good day Mr Beet. Don’t know if you saw the article in Rapport concerning the Bulls “brokering” contracts for kids from Boland to Pretoria schools. A certain school or the Bulls made financial promises and can’t comply anymore. We (Bulls) are struggling from one chaotic situation to the next it seems. These guys are never going to learn. In my opinion somebody is lying big time in this article.