Introduction:
With school rugby becoming more professional by the day, more funds, usually made available via external sources, are being channeled towards rugby player acquisitions after Grade 8, than ever before. One thing that is evident in South African schoolboy rugby is that the Western Cape has a surplus of talent. So by connecting the two: more money for recruitment and a surplus talent pool, it seems obvious that the Western Cape is increasingly going to become the shopping ground of rich rugby schools from afar who want to improve their rugby profiles, with all that’s likely to vary being the means they use to acquire players.
Glenwood’s short-term rugby recruit
Just after Easter, Glenwood drew a bit of negative attention. In tunnel vision their case looked like it was school rugby recruitment taken to the extreme.
- A Glenwood reserve loose-forward was injured ahead of the Easter festival and could not play at the festival.
- Glenwood replaced the injured player with a brand new player from a Cape Town school not generally known for it’s rugby achievements these days.
- This new player had risen to prominence after he won an award for best forward at a Western Cape school rugby festival a few weeks before Easter.
- The Cape Town player covered the exact same positions as the injured Glenwood player.
- The Cape Town player represented Glenwood at the Easter Festival.
- The injured Glenwood player recovered after Easter and was fit enough to travel to the next festival.
- After the Easter festival, the new Cape Town player left Glenwood and returned to the Cape Town school he had left to join Glenwood.
- His Cape Town school had not played any matches over the Easter period, so did not miss him on the field.
- If the Cape Town player had chosen to stay on in KwaZulu-Natal, he was bound to face exclusion from KZN inter-schools games in 2015 as a result of the under-19 Headmasters Agreement rules that apply only to games between the major schools in the province. Glenwood are fully aware of this.
These points above painted Glenwood in a very bad light as a school that was willing to import a player as short-term cover and then send him back home. However when one zoomed out a bit, more details around the incident suggest that the new Cape Town player did attend classes at Glenwood, found it very difficult to make the switch from Afrikaans to English and did not anticipate that being far away from his loved ones back in Cape Town would be so hard. Reasonably speaking these factors could easily have prompted him to pack up his bags and head back home, when Glenwood genuinely wanted him to stay on. There does not seem to be any dispute that this was a rugby recruitment but there is enough doubt to suggest that Glenwood did not go overboard.
SACS unhappy with KES over alleged poaching
Officials at South African College High School (SACS) in Cape Town have sent out a report this week detailing the events that led to a promising under-17 rugby player leaving their school and enrolling at KES in Johannesburg. According to the report an agent or rugby representative of sorts approached SACS 1st XV rugby players while the school was on tour at an Easter Rugby Festival in Johannesburg. This man is said to have disregarded a request not to speak to SACS players, made to him by the SACS headmaster who was also at the same Easter Festival and witnessed the man approaching SACS players.
The opening paragraph of the report really lays into KES:
King Edward VII School in Johannesburg has gained a reputation over the last few years for plundering the traditional boy’s school in the Eastern Cape for talented rugby players. It seems they are up to their old tricks again but this time they have cast the net even further to the Western Cape.
The last couple of paragraphs of the report read as follows:
Either way it seems the boy has made up his mind and despite being taught, nurtured and coached at SACS for two and a half years the lure of a scholarship at a school he knows nothing about and has never even been to is too much of an “opportunity” to turn down. Never mind the fact that KES will no longer play any sport against SACS (i.e. SACS won’t be inviting KES to attend their annual waterpolo festival, nor will SACS be attending the KES waterpolo event. SACS won’t ever go to the KES Easter Rugby Festival again either etc.)
It seems KES feel one player, who is currently in the SACS 2nd team, is worth ending over a century of relations between two great schools.
With the author of the report unknown, it cannot be determined whether there is authority to follow through with these actions or not but it does point to there being a great deal of unhappiness with what has transpired.
KES has responded to the allegations by stating the following:
- The new student’s mother works in Gauteng* (She lives in Durbanville, Cape Town).
- She made an application to KES which was considered in the usual manner
- She will be paying his school fees at KES
- There is no bursary or scholarship from KES
A party close to KES has also stated that the “agent” had anything to do with the youngster relocating to KES.
All of which might suggest that this is not a school rugby “poach” after all.
Morning All,
I was at the Bishops vs. Paarl Gym game yesterday.
WOW! A great atmosphere at a great school, one with so much tradition, so many great ex-players present, so much anticipation from the crowd.
Prior to the BIG game, I watched the u16A game, which was a thriller. The massive Paarl Gym pack against a very slick Bishops back line. The Paarl team edged it out 13-5 in the end and the Bishops boys can only be congratulated for a majestic performance and great composure. Paarl Gym is a good side that you should have beaten yesterday.
However, the only person who took the center stage yesterday was the referee.
It was the very same referee that sent off a parent, an ex-Springbok ,from the same school field a few years back. Yes Sirree!…he was again in charge of both he U16B and the U16A fixtures.
After 10 minutes into the U16A game, the penalty count was 9-1 to Paarl Gym.
Despite calls for consistency from the many by then already irritated Bishops supporters, this martyr was again showing off on a stage where he was clearly out of his depth. Numbers in the lineouts were just ignored. Countless off-sides at the ruck and hands in the scrum, were blind sided by our hero!
He did however, save his best for last. Right in front of his eyes, as well as those of the main section of both visiting and home supporters, a Paarl Gym forward threw a punch which connected the chin of a Bishops forward who was completely oblivious.
Our hero quickly sprung into action….he screeched on his whistle and reached for his pocket, yellow carding the Bishops lad and then yellow carding the Paarl Gym forward!?? HELLOOOO… A punch is a straight red card in any rugby union law book! Why sin bin anyone in the Bishops team?
It was at this point that sanity and composure gave up the ghost and he deservedly ‘copped’ it from the traveling supporters, some more than others.
To readers of this, it might sound like a campfire story or an excerpt from the diary of a sour Bishops supporter…I assure you it is neither and this referee does exist!
Is he a member of the WP Referees association? I doubt it, as he was not wearing any jersey that might link affiliation. He was wearing a maroon jersey with a mustard collar! I sincerely hope that he is not an employee of Paarl Gym!?
For if he is, then the refereeing “act” witnessed yesterday, was nothing more than that…just an “act “ and another word with a far deeper allegation immediately enters the fray!
How is it possible that a premier league fixture between two of South Africa’s finest rugby schools can be marred by such a shocking display?
Who decides who will ref what game? Rugby and Paarl Gym were the losers yesterday, as a great game was played between two magical teams (the future 1st XV’s of 2016) and it was overshadowed by a refereeing disgrace. This referee stooped so low, that when challenged by some supporters just after the match had ended, as to the how and why, he made some of his decisions, his only retort was to throw the match ball at a Bishops parent!
The WP Rugby Referees association must look into this and it is imperative that this referee impostor is not allowed to officiate until he has been comprehensively reassessed, and then again!
Officiating a game of touch rugby during the lunchtime break of a Bakers mini cricket festival for U8’s, would prove challenging for this individual at this time!
You had to be there to witness this howling display…
Back shortly for the autopsy
@GreenBlooded:
@Grasshopper: Can only imagine your mates. Good luck for this coming Saturday.
@umbiloburger: Have a good dinner and best of luck for the day that follows. Look forward to the total results.
@umbiloburger: @Grasshopper: Have you ever seen a performance of any kind where there is no audience? Remove the audience, the performers would probably stop performing. Just saying…..
@Grasshopper: I concur that AG doesn’t represent the house oldies. I know him or rather of him. Definitely doesn’t fit the profile. See you at dinner on Friday.
@Anti Green: No we won’t, Beet manages his site how sees fit and by targeting a specific school with unwarranted degradation you bring it upon yourself……you certainly do not represent the Michaelhouse mates and Old Boys I know…so why you wearing the MHS red and white only you know…
@BOG: Be careful what you say about GW .Beet will hammer you and the GW Rangers will report you to Beet.
@Anti Green: Little town past Richmond. I think you know it well! @Grasshopper: Grey are such a classy outfit, but I suppose all good teams are allowed to have bad day.
@BOG: Wow OK, then either Grey were off the boil or Selborne played well. Usually Grey start with a 20 point advantage at home!
@Grasshopper: No, in Bloem
@BOG: wasn’t the game at Selborne? It’s a strong Selborne side this year so not a bad win.
@umbiloburger: Where is that? Glenwood way to strong for Porties. Those games are always scratchy.
@Grasshopper: From what I hear, despite the win, it was a bit scratchy- and their defense was ??
@Grasshopper: Glenwood too strong for Porties 1st won 65-3. Junior teams had big wins with U14A and U15A matches being stopped with 20 minutes left to play!!!!
@Grasshopper: I think anti green had a problem trying to decide which is his old school. I wonder if he has ever returned to Ixopo!!!!!
@Grasshopper: No Hops. Not me.
@BOG: yeah, I wouldn’t be surprised if it is Andre…nice win by your 1st side! Watching KES vs Affies, both seem quite average teams with one or two brilliant players..
@Grasshopper: The score was 25-26, I believe. if it happens, it happens. Sitting many miles away, Im hardly in a position to offer an excuse. The one score which surprized me, is the U 16 side which GCB won 55-3. Last year( U15), Selborne won 9-3. Other scores U 14: 33-8; U15: 34-7 and 3rds: 53-0 Maybe they should swop the Cherries and the Peaches. A Warning. Some suspect that “Anti Green” is Andre T
@Andre T: squeaky there for Boishaai!
@Grasshopper: Boishaai scores in last minute. 18 -14
@Grasshopper: Wonder what Bog’s excuse will be?
@Grasshopper: I believe so and BL leading Boishaai 14-13 with 3 minutes remaining
@Andre T: :-) huge upset, Cherries beaten 24-23 by Selborne 2nds!
@Grasshopper: Beet gave him the choice……….either change his handle to Anti Hopper or start giving compliments to Glenwood.
@Anti Green: wow, it’s like a complete turnaround, suddenly some compliments for Glenwood. No school is perfect and Glenwood have done a few things I don’t like, but in the end they just doing there best.
@umbiloburger: Umbiloburger you are absolutely correct, I have had a few cuppers at that coffee shop. The boys at GW have to be one of the most well mannered bunch of kids in the country. I don’t have a negative view of the school, it’s a great school. As indicated before it can be the Grey Bloem of KZN. All that concerns me, is the developed of the kids from start to finish. If you are playing a game and 2 captains have a group of kids to pick from. The strongest or best are chosen first, with the weakest last. That’s all you have, you make do and get on with the game at hand.The weaker kids, the stronger help and they then get better. Good luck today with the Porties game should be a great game.
@Andre T: Waaaaaaaaaaateeeeeeeerrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrkkkkkkkllloooooooooooooooooooooooooooof. As jy ware wenners wil join.
@Deon Pitzer: Nee ou Deontjie……vat die naweek af en gaan rus by Skipskop.
Ek is ook nou nie so verveeld om reaksie teenoor Glenwood uit te lok nie. Inteendeel ek het hulle kamp gejoin en doen bietjie konsultasies daar. Ek hou van kontroversie en daarom skaar ek my by hulle. Ek streef na die beste en nie na 2de beste…………Winning is everything……….coming second is the first loser……..Winners don’t think of losing.
Glenwood streef na die die beste………ek ook.
@Gungets Tuft: ha ha ha
@Anti Green: My kid finished at GW in 2012. It is a magnificent school with strong core values. I challenge you to take a walk through the school when the boys are there and have a cup of coffee in the Up & Under. The greeting and manners are something to behold, like the College of not so old. I worry that your impression of GW is based on what you have encountered by certain bloggers. Life must surely be more important and valuable than bad mouthing a school.
@Gungets Tuft: Bwahahahahahaha.
@Anti Green: No offense intended, but with another name you may have been more credible. Your name kind of signals that you have only one intention for participating, unlike the rest of us.
@beet: Beet, I think your article was quite radical. I don’t think my user name would have made any difference to the way the GW bloggers reacted to my threads. What you published in your article, I have seen happen first hand year after year at GW. At GW its not a winning culture that has been developed, but a win at all costs culture. Particularly in Rugby. The GW bloggers seem quite young to have kids in GW school at the moment, I trust they will put their kids in the school. Then maybe they will look back at your article and understand what was written.
@Gungets Tuft:
@Gungets Tuft: Brilliant!
@beet: As long as you don’t ask me to change my name.
And be forever grateful that there is a Meadows at Michaelhouse and not a Canal. I can just hear the outrage if ou Far Meadows had been forced to use that alternative …
@Anti Green: Hi Anti Green. Please can you check your inbox. I have emailed you.
@Deon Pitzer: Deon I think you have a point there about the name, considering the nature of the blogging.
@Deon Pitzer: Ek is lief vir jou Deon wat ‘n kompliment. Hoe het jy geweet
@Anti Green: You sure your surname is not Malema? You’re gonna give Greenbigot a heart attack.
@Deon Pitzer: Anti Green is against anything that’s healthy and good for you. It’s all how you want it to be.
@Anti Green: Perhaps you are actually André T. Although, after his last comment above, you seem to make at least a little sense at times-very little though. I am starting to doubt beet’s neutrality in allowing a blogger to have a name so specifically and unfairly targeting a specific school, and commenting on that school and its rugby style in a manner that is really now boring, repetitive and tasteless.
Well done Greenmachine old boys. When you are on the field,just try not to be outnumber by the Red,Black and White. Seeing its a home game, that will be a shocker.
@umbiloburger: Nope – won’t be going.
@GreenBlooded: Are you going to be there greenb?
@Grasshopper: one year after him. i was in Matric in 2000, 90th Anniversary Year
I am a bit torn in this matter. I am totally anti top schools poaching players from schools who play in a similar/same league as themselves, where the player is already getting good coaching and opportunities to be noticed by selectors etc. However if a talented player is at a school that is playing at a much lower level where the facilities and coaching and the potential to get recognition is not good, then I understand a top school poaching and developing the player further as it is in the players interest.
I can remember being upset a few years ago when a well known Boland school approached 2 black players from a Southern Suburbs school who had been selected for WP under 16 level to go to that school on a bursary. All they were doing was strengthening themselves against a weaker team that they played every year. I cant believe it was of benefit to the players to move (they did not move in the end). However a few years ago a talented youngster at under 14 level decided himself to approach one of the top Boland schools for a bursary to study/play rugby and the parents attitude was that he had a better chance of getting WP colours playing for the Boland school-I could understand that thinking – however he was not poached it was his decision which I respected.
@Dixon’s: Please remember to address them as Sir or Mr So-and-so in that case……
@Dixon’s: hahaha, you must have been in Ian Mellor’s year then I think….awesome athlete he was…
@Grasshopper: 1996 Old Timers!!! Class of 1996 was the Matrics when i was in 2nd Form!!!
@umbiloburger: I’ll be at the 1996 table…
@Grasshopper: May see you there. We have a family gathering but I should be there.
@Anti Green: Wide spread assumption that GW have moaned……please be specific and give references.
@Anti Green: iv missed maybe 5 or 6 Glenwood games over the last 10 years…. i see loads of Old Boys at Glenwood on Saturday! im not sure where you are getting your information from about poor attendance
@Anti Green: I’m actually going to the Old boys dinner next Friday and the rugby vs College on the Saturday and I will guarantee there will be plenty of Old Boys there…………
@beet: I think the difference is that with some you have to dig deep to find some poop, while with others you just have to find the poop to find them.
Hi Beet, awesome blog. By the way I’m one of a kind and don’t need to be somebody else. You are correct that the volcano erupts when it concerns Glenwood. Due to the fact GW over the years have moaned about every other school doing something wrong(especially when they came 2nd), when they themselves are just as guilty. When they were beaten by MHS or Hilton it was because of the Post Matric’s but Glenwood themselves had over aged kids(men), I certainly don’t want schools to do what Westville did and pull all the fixtures against Glenwood. But its going to happen. KZN needs Glenwood. They need to develop the kids in the school.
@star: Not too sure about the credible persona, but was good fun. Thought I was doing quite well on my own as well! Was actually an exercise to see if I could get the comments up to 50, as they hardly get any hits on SBR articles anymore. Mission accomplished
@Ploegskaar:
Haaa Ploegie.
I think that goes to serve one point the Glenwood folks are trying to make. When it’s bad news concerning Glenwood, its an active volcano that eventually erupts . When it’s other KZN schools it’s just an ant hill somewhere in the veld.
Somewhere above on this thread there is mention of 3 boys who moved from one local KZN school to another (ant hill) but guaranteed the news on the Kasselvlei boys (volcano).
@ Ploeg- I see you got into a bit of a battle on R365 with a few Bishops toffs :mrgreen:( Just like the old days) It was nice to see that some of your comrades from this blog rallied to your defence in support of your credible persona.
@ McCulleys- I would never stoop to such a thing.
( honestly not clever enough to juggle 2 let alone 3 balls in the air 
) I did pick up the use of kuk as opposed to kak though. Could that be a possible clue?
For future reference:
Kasselsvlei High School
Nick Kearn Avenue
Bellville South
Mimosa
Bellville
Western Cape
South Africa
Go House, had the same problem every time I told somebody I was from MHS- 400 boys 200 beds.
Grasshopper you are obviously not challenging enough. If I was an old boy of Glenwood I would be concerned, if I had kids at the school I would be irritated. Glenwood will be the best rugby school in Natal, by far. Which is awesome as they can challenge the best of the best in the country for Natal Schools. But at what cost- I don’t think or haven’t seen the masses of Old Boys gathering at the Reunion Day’s like you see at College or MHS. The next time you go to a Reunion day, just look around and see how many young Old Boys you see at Glenwood. To me that is more important than just winning.
@GreenBlooded: A bit like Jordaan who came out PRO Glenwood last year, anti us gay boys from Balgowan Tech, with shocking English, then evolves himself into a college supporter, anti Glenwood and his English and spelling improves. Must be the extra English classes at Town Hill. But in all honesty, I have run an algorithm (similar to the rhythm method) on Anti Green and Stars blogging style and there are similarities.
@Anti Green: bored…zzzzzzzz! Certainly not a teacher, they actually don’t particularly like me because I challenge them…..
To the Glenwood Supporters on this blog. You must be *** at the school and not the brightest. Never have I say GW is kuk, they play boring, bully and predictable rugby. From how they recruit players its a concern for the future of the school. Glad that you mentioned the drug issue as *** 10-15 boys caught last year for the use of steroids. From grade 10-12 the kids are also still playing rugby. ***. So you have been true to the *** system blame everybody around you and don’t worry about your own house first. Sometimes blogs need trolls to keep idiots like yourselves in line. Wave as much as you want,I will wave back.
@umbiloburger: Yeah, but I think if it was made public if would help clear Glenwood’s name. I really do think schools need a proper PR & Communication’s person these days, it just helps quieten down the likes of Tony Stoops and the other ‘haters’…..by keeping things so private and too one’s chest it creates doubt and grapevine stories. Open and honest is always the best policy. I simple statement not mentioning names would suffice….
@umbiloburger: Just smile and wave mate. It makes them go away.
@Grasshopper: Not sure why it isn’t public but personally I don’t think there is a need for it to be public. Perhaps we should show faith in the Controlling body as they definitely would have looked into the matter. Maybe it’s the same reason why the drugs issue was not public knowledge.
@Grasshopper: Indeed. I stopped (or rather didn’t start) taking him seriously at the “Anti Green” bit. Oke pitches up here from nowhere with a name like that it’s quite clear what his intentions are – and no, it’s not to objectively shoot the breeze about rugby matters. You will find it’s a regular blogger who doesn’t want to grind his axe under his normal personna. Give him a few more posts – normally quite easy to work out who.
@All Black: Hayibo!!!!!
It’s going to be very interesting to see if they get their way. If they do ….. then all the conspiracy theories will be theory no more.
@kcob: Never going to be any doubt that College is a “tough” environment to start out in, but positive developments in the last year have turned that on it’s head. Pity I could not make the drinks last night but if you feel like dropping me a mail to gungetstuft(at)gmail(dot)com, I wouldn’t be averse to sharing that with you.
I don’t know it College still has a reputation for being a hard place, but the perception is incorrect. There’s no pampering, so the hot stone massage on Wednesday afternoons is probably not going to happen, and pedicures don’t buy you street cred, but for the rest .. it’s just going to put hairs on your chest.
@umbiloburger: The statement is news to me, where is it? Is it public?
@Gungets Tuft: Lost all numbers on my phone. Please send me message so I can reply.
.
@Anti Green: Please be clear on what levels GW are stooping to? The matter you are referring to has been investigated by the highest powers and resolved. The parents of the boy have written a statement confirming what transpired. GW did nothing wrong and nothing no other school would have done. It is just so sad that people like you only target GW!!!! Nothing said about the other schools……like a certain school that had no fewer than 6 players test positive for performance enhancing drugs, only to have the case challenged in court due to a process flaw!!! Good outcome for the six players as they are now playing…..But they were positive. It just doesn’t make sense. I guess it’s the tall trees that catch the wind.
@Gungets Tuft: Nope, the way to deal with trolls is agree with them, takes the fuel away from the fire. Kilkenny sounds great!
@Gungets Tuft: my son was one Gungets in 2009, College were amazing and he was offered a wonderful bursary. We we worried about his brother making the tough grade at college in 2013, not that we should have worried as he is thriving in the boarding school environment. We did let college know by the way
, but Kearsney was always going to be a wish for them as a 4th gen. Huge respect for college; and having drinks last night with the guys at Kearsney showed the amazing rugby family that is forged over the years. Good luck all the boys.
@Grasshopper: Having a bad week?
Medicate – it’s Friday. Mine will be a Kilkenny at the Shamrock, suggest you do the same.
@Anti Green: Here we go, just for you. Glenwood is the kak’est school in the country, they cheat, buy and steal players because they have a win at all costs mentality. They can’t coach and their teams play a boring bash bash style of rugby. They don’t produce their own players and all schools should withdraw from fixtures with them. They have absolutely no morals, ethos and don’t produce good young men. Why parents even consider the school is a mystery to me. They only get about 800 applications for 250 positions in grade 8 and cannot attract any academics or sportsman…..all bought by Old boys. They have unlimited funds from old boys like Ivan Clarke……absolute rabble down there in scumbilo and the harbour……..such a waste of an educational institution……….104 years of wasted education and history….
@beet: I have no knowledge of this exact case, but it is very common for kids to apply to more than one school. I did for my son, 3 school to be exact, it’s just sensible. Then the boy has a look at all 3 and makes a decision, two applications are withdrawn (if you have any manners) or just not taken up by the deadline (if you have no manners – and just don’t bother telling the schools not chosen).
College had applications from almost every rugby player of significance for the 2009 grade 8 year. The list might (or not) surprise this forum, but they decided to go elsewhere. Most of them were offered scholarships, but a R75K scholarship to College was not seen as comparable to a R120K scholarship somewhere else, so off they went. No harm, no foul. If Khubeka was one of those, such is life. If he did actually arrive at College and then left once offered from KC, then it would have cost someone the deposit (about R5k with school and BE deposits in there).
The downside of that sort of withdrawal is that another boy would have been denied a “starting” spot at College (due to limits on BE space), missed the integration week and all the team building that goes along with it. It affects some other lightie who definitely missed out on a big part of his school integration in that first 3 weeks. Forget about the pure rugby side of it, there is a bigger issue at play.
@Anti Green: Ah it’s Old School back to cause kak! I do worry about all the teams from 1st to Under14G and so does the school, hence the Under14E & F sides being coached by Rob Hutichison and Kevin Jordan with great records. I think it was Kearsney in 2013 who had the most provincial reps in their Under14A side. Grey Bloem gets about 20 boys who played provincial primary schools level. I reckon you catch up with the happenings at schoolboy level, all schools recruit heavily at under14 level…..
Shame the Green Machine have taken this article very badly. Yes all schools pull certain players, that’s agreed. What I’m trying to understand is why does Glenwood have to stoop to this level in the above article. The school collects(fully paid bursaries)a complete u14 side that have all played provincial rugby at junior level, they then end up with 2 junior sides that are unstoppable. When this side progresses to higher levels the kids disappear and end up playing for lower teams. Glenwood suddenly have a problem and then buy more players. WHY has been my question the entire time. I will ask again WHY. They have over 1000 boys don’t they worry about the remaining kids at the lower levels, surely if you can field u14A all the way down to u14Z through your own school development system the school can develop this pool talent to greater things. Why do what this article had indicated they have done. I would love to know how Grey Bloem keep it so successful. Grasshopper get off your Glenwood High Horse and try understand what the concerns are, if you are a true Green-machine supporter you would be concerned about the future of your schools development not just your 1st Team winning because around 5 guys are really GW boys and the rest are imports. I also suppose it’s your money the school spends on the purchase of this kids.
@beet: I am sure Greenblooded or gungets can confirm this but I believe it had something to do with his mother signing 2 application forms.
@kcob: I heard Kubeka story told from the Kearsney point of view, the one that suggests he was all set to go to Kearsney after Glenwood Prep and somehow ended up at College, that’s why they went to fetch him but I would like to hear what College have to say about it to see if there is a conflicting view on this.
Kubeka; college???
@umbiloburger: the two Hudson Park kids at Westville and the star GW under 16 fullback ending up in white….Westville scrum half in white too….remember only Glenwood brings in new players…
@GreenBlooded: And who can forget when Kubeka was apparently picked up from outside of College in Grade 8 and appeared in Bothas Hill…….or Smith and Gouws that were chosen for GK whilst at GW that ended up in the mist at Hilton…..Coffee Apiah and Claud Dryer that arrived in the sleepy hollow…..and the names can keep on rolling…..the Dale contingent that arrived at the other place. Sorry..got on a roll. The bottom line is that all schools will accept anyone if the individual offers value.
@umbiloburger: You must be mistaken. That only happens at Glenwood.
@GreenBlooded: Just heard today that 3 U14A players from Port Natal started at Westville at the start of term 2. How’s that for a blow!!!!
@Anti Green: Please can you tell me what school has not accepted other pupils from other schools, whether they be in grade 81 or grade 10? I have been around for a few decades now and I would to hear your answer and perhaps I may prove you wrong!!
@Anti Green: I am boet, played 10 won 8, not a bad start for a kak team….
Grasshopper, wake up. Seriously. This is 2014.
@Anti Green: what you about, you mixing years up….seems you a year behind….
Stop dancing around my questions, answer them. Why does Glenwood do what the do. 1000 plus boys, the best in the province and they can’t field a 1st Team with players that come through their own system. Why??? Coaching at 1st Team level and A team level is awesome. How many of the final players in the 1st will become true Glenwood Old Boys and not run back to their real OLD SCHOOL.
Thanks Greenblooded. KERF been the Kearsney Festival. Glenwood had a great festival. Didn’t see the final day, think Glenwood just scrapped a win against Framesby. Yes and then again against Dale. Wait there is more, what about the game against MHS before the KERF Festival, the tries Glenwood scored were classic schoolboy running, good hands and pace on the outside. BS,bully no skill rugby.
@Anti Green: No – you are quite right. No exciting games at all. Glenwood are crap. And Sparks always drops the ball – how he stays in the team Lord only knows. Thanks for pointing all of this out to us dummies. You da man!!
@Anti Green: Selborne College at KERF 2013…..boring, same old rabble rouser every year….Beast, Red Army etc…..so predictable…
Was that the same tournament that Glenwood hired that player from the Cape. Oh yes and Sparks has great hands. Get the ball to Sparks and he will predictably drop the ball.Get with the program, read what I wrote about. Greenblood, are you a Tranny because you dress confused. If Glenwood was so awesome why do they purchase players in Grade 11 and 12. Please inform me which game besides the College game last year, you can say Glenwood played exciting school boy rugby. Please list your games so I can have a real good laugh.
@GreenBlooded: yeah, shocking coaching
@Grasshopper: I think he’s right. It’s the weak coaching.
8)
@Anti Green: Bwahahahahahaha. You’re a funny guy. Did someone send you here just to P1$$ Grassy off? Predictable rugby?? Bwahahahahaha. Ask those okes at KERF how predictable they found Sparks.
@Anti Green: you obviously have not watched a Glenwood game in a while, no bashing rather silky passing and pace out wide…..
Over the years Glenwood have complained about various schools having Post Matrics(when they themselves had men with families and old enough to go on pension)especially when these schools beat them. If I’m correct Glenwood was instrumental in Post Matric in KZN been done away with. Glenwood has over 1000 boys and has the biggest pull in the Province, therefore why can’t Glenwood develop what they have right in front of them. Is their coaching that weak that they have to stoop to that level to get a player or players. How do the up and coming kids feel about this? If it was me I would look at going to another school. By the way Glenwood’s rugby is so predictable and it’s like they are the bullies of the park and smash their way around the field. “Dom koppe”
@Duppie: Het jy jou kop beseer in n ongeluk of was dit doelbewus toegedien ? Moenie oor die geesteswereld grappies maak as jy duidelik niks daaroor weet nie.
@BOG: Hansie het vir Grietjie gelieg want die duiwel het hom verlei.
@Vin: I don’t know what determines the phonecall – no phonecall divide
. I do however remember one of the KZN over age cases from a few years back. Long before a player got caught media indications were that he came from a particular school in the E/Cape. After he got caught I contacted the coach of that E/C school. Amongst other things he pointed out to me that the player had already left the E/Cape school before the KZN school recruited him. So there was a gap – an unaccounted for time, which had there been communication between the two schools at the time of the transfer, would have brought this to light. The point of my story is that when school A accepts a new player without communicating with school B, it’s usually because they don’t want school B to know what’s going on. One of the key ingredients of a poach is silence.
Look I listed a few tell tale signs here:
http://blog.schoolboyrugby.co.za/?p=6220
So for me if SACS do accept a boy with or without a scholarship, their intentions would be spelt out by their willingness to communicate with the boy’s previous school. The same would apply to KES.
With regards to the mother’s work and home, I received this info from both SACS and KES people
@Duppie: Can you please translate that into English? If you are in ICU, you may ask the sister for assistance
@Pinotage: But Pinotage they must use the age old excuse from the Boys from Bloem. And I quote from a well known pupil of that Greyt school in Bloem ” The devil made me do it”. But I must warn after the third time I was caught my no 2 shouted to me It was not the devil who made you do it, you are the blerry devil.
@Tang:
It would be difficult in Law to stop any boy to move schools. Recruited or not. We supposedly live in a democratic society where freedom of is choice is generally accepted. BUT, I have a serious problem where some schools are deliberately cheating or bending the rules with older players in particular age groups.
It is really not that difficult. Just stick to the Boksmart rules.
With regard to recruitment, we might have reached the point where the Unions should sit down and draw up a Code of Conduct to regulate the recruitment of players.
So, the boy did start in grade 8, but had been held back at some point earlier in his school career, which is why he only spent 2 years at SACS despite playing open rugby this year.
That said, I think that SACS are coming across as petulant, hypocritical and arrogant. According to SACS, it’s OK for a boy to escape the doom of B-League rugby by dumping his school (“who nurtured him for 2.5 years”) and moving to SACS, but it’s not OK to leave SACS to further his rugby career at another school. I wonder how SACS would like it if Paarl Gym changed their policy to: “There are boys who make the “U16” WP squads who are at co-ed schools and play in the B-League, or who play A-League for schools that lose by 80 points, but have the talent to be awarded scholarships at Gimmies to further their career. We accept these boys.”
Just because a “B-League” school does not have the history, pupil numbers, cash or facilities of an “A-League” school does not mean that they are irrelevant in the bigger scheme of things.
@beet: What if the boy didn’t apply for a scholarship, would the headmaster still call the corresponding headmaster?
Mom lives in the Cape and works in PTA that is a hell of a commute.
So if kids from B-league schools apply they dont phone the headmaster? Nice. Glad you guys lost by 80.
After being made aware of the SACS Rugby Scholarship which appears on their website and which uses u16A as an example of what an applicant should disclose as his highest team played, I asked an official what would happen if a good KES u16A player that met their scholarship requirements applied. Here is the response:
“The scholarship page is there to let boys know that we do offer scholarships and that they can apply. We will get applications from boys who play for clubs as their schools don’t offer rugby, or they are from a co-ed school. If a boy applies from another boys schools like Boland Landbou, Paul Roos etc, the first thing our Headmaster does is phone that applicant’s headmaster and inform him that the applicant has applied to SACS. It very rarely happens that we get applications from Boys High Schools’. There are boys who make the “U16” WP squads who are at co-ed schools and play in the B-League, but have the talent to be awarded a scholarships at SACS, hence we need to know what team they played. You can’t always assume they are playing in the correct age group according to Grade. A Grade 10 boy can be playing U19 rugby, as is the case with (the player now at KES) as he turns 17 this year.”
If a KES boy applied to SACS, our Headmaster would follow the same procedure immediately. If the KES Headmaster had said that he does not approve, SACS would inform the applicant that SACS cannot accept him.”
Sorry guys. One correction. The player’s mom actually lives in the Cape but works in Pretoria.
@BuffelsCM: Maybe he is upset because according to him (SACS headmaster) he requsted that St John’s and KES don’t accept the boy but isn’t that just as bad. Almost like holding the boy under duress.
@Vin: I can’t argue with you but why would a principal (of SACS) react like that without any valid reason ? BTW it is a rhetorical question
@BuffelsCM: The KES headmaster was at pains to deny that his school had made any approach whatsoever to the learner concerned, stating that the learner had decided to attend KES for entirely his own reasons after a discussion with his mother and that his mother was taking full responsibility for paying her son’s school fees, as was apparently also the case when he attended SACS. – from stoopstats.
@BuffelsCM: The boy has not been offered a scholarship from KES….for those of us with children we know how the stories spread around a school and how often they are far from the truth.
@tandemfitarborsurculus: Dit bly steeds interessant dat sy klasmaats sê dat hy wel ‘n beurs by KES gekry het.
@Vin: Thanks for that !
@Tang:
1. I have no idea
2. He is actually in grade 10
3 and 4: I don’t know
dit is die beste van hierdie blog. alles word uitgesniffel en dan kan n man met die feite werk. klink vir my maar na n heel benigne en n bol misverstande oor die spelers se omstandighede …
A few devil’s advocate questions:
1) If the mum is already paying for his school fees and she lives in Jhb, then doesn’t the whole scenario change drastically? Are SACS saying that they’d prefer to keep this boy separated from his mom?
2) The Lions and WP have recognised this boy’s talent as being exceptional, but SACS (who shipped 80 points v Bishops a few days ago) think that he is worthy of 2nd XV status. Is that how they planned to keep him loyal – are there perhaps a few ‘old school’ types that want to show who is in charge?
3) Based on the SACS report, this boy did not join SACS in grade 8, but rather, in grade 9, so did SACS poach him from another high school in the first place?
4) Are SACS confusing a Lions Rugby Union scout with a KES scout?
5) Didn’t SACS suspend rugby relations with Drostdy this year because they did not like the refs in that neck of the woods? So, have SACS shown past form in being a bit quick off the mark re ending relations with other schools?
Honest answers to the above questions might shed more light on the matter.
@Andre T – Your analogy of comparing a school boy rugby player to an adult in the work place is disappointing.
You are basically saying that any school boy rugby player should always be on the look out for a better option than he currently has. In other words let us just make school boy rugby professional and have transactions out in the open.
The recruitment of players is getting so out of hand as there are no rules or guidelines in place. School boy rugby players should not be recruited under any circumstance.
@BuffelsCM – I have a few questions.
1) Why was the boy given a choice of schools (KES or St Johns) if his mother had allegedly decided on KES?
2) Why wait until grade 11 to decide on the move?
3) Is his mother paying for him at SACS?
4) Have KES made an official response?
if the allegations are true, I hope SACS stand by their decision to suspend sport against KES.
@BuffelsCM: I have heard the following:
1. He was approached by Chulumanco Macingwane in his capacity of vice-chairman of Wits Rugby.
2. He was told if he wants to come to JHB he should either apply to St John’s or KES he chose KES.
3. His mother works in JHB.
4. His mother was taking full responsibility for paying her son’s school fees, as was apparently also the case when he attended SACS.
@deecee: You are correct that they have scholarships available but I think the difference in this case is that the rugby player in question was allegedly “pursued” by an agent etc. The way I see it is that children (or their parents) can apply for scholarships but that they (SACS) don’t go about headhunting rugby players from other high schools.
I have actually spoken to a couple of SACS’ boys that were in the same grade as the boy (he has already left during the previous weekend). According to them he was offered a contract by the Lions for “after school purposes” and that KES stepped in and offered a scholarship to the boy.
BTW, the boy might have been in the 2nd XV but he was part of the WP Elite squad during the past summer and is clearly talented.
@BoishaaiPa: Dit kom heel natuurlik en hoe meer hy met sy Russiese edelman, Count Pushkin, slaags raak, hoe makliker vloei dit. Maar dit wil tog voorkom, sedert sy opname in die huis vir bejaardes op Klerksdorp, daar nou en dan tekens is van erns. Miskien is daar n (baie)oujongnooi op die horison .
@Andre T: Oefen jy of is dit n natuurlike talent om soveel stront te kan praat?..
An interesting bit of reporting from sacs, appears biased if you consider the scholarship icon on their own rugby web page. They clearly have scholarships available themselves and would appear that they are on offer to boys presently enrolled in high schools.
@Dale College Per Ardua Ad Astra: No, its not Spilhaus or VD Merwe or whoever- its the ones who insist on quotas. To deny this, would be like discussing lung cancer while avoiding a discussion on cigarette smoking. How many kids who do not compliment the quota numbers, are recruited? Only exceptions.@vatikaki: Id go along with Grey, but no person recruits in Bloem to make up quota numbers. LB might be the exception, but many of the kids there, come from elsewhere.(rugby players)@Andre T: Ek was onder die indruk dat 60% vd leerders, dagskoliere is en 40% koshuisgangers, waarvan baie in lg groep,naby Bloem woon. Kan jy my dan hier reghelp met FEITE asseblief? Soos jy dit stel, moet 80% + loseerders wees.
@vatikaki: Okay maar evalueer die volgende 2 punte
1) 85% van die 35% Greys kom van buite Bloem en suid van Colesberg
2) In die Kaap is daar niks anders om te doen as om rugby te speel, n gangster te word of skeef te word. Om n gangster of skeef te wees benodig mens n talent. Baie kinders wik en weeg nou met hul talente en lyk my begin al hoe meer rugby te kies. Ek hoor ook nou baie van Seepunt se transvestiete begin nou oefen by klubs soos Hamiltons en Belville. so ja die talent begin ‘uitpeul’ daar.
@BOG:
Take the 5 current Super Rugby teams… then write down who you think would be the coaches first-choice in every position (of the starting-15) if nobody were injured.
You’ll probably find that about 35% of the players are from the Western Cape, another 35% Free State (and almost all Grey), and the other 30% are from the rest of the country.
WP & Grey College DO “have more talent than most of the other regions”.
Glenwood seems to be pushing things a little to far as per above article read.’ Short term recruitment’. Winning at all cost factor is taken to the extreme here.
If the boy is paying his own school fees then what is wrong with that. If someone else offers met a better job and I have to pay my own salary there then who is to blame?
Sure SACS have that good man Spilhaus to thank for this
I dont believe that the Western Cape have more talent than most of the other regions. They may have more players “of colour” who have talent and whose first choice of sport is rugby. Other regions, where this is not the case, have no option but to “recruit” there and this situation will continue until the requirement of quotas in representative teams, stop. If it does stop,then 95% of the “recruitment” will stop. That will also be the day that I stop repeating myself on this issue. Its actually that simple.