Glenwood no.8 Jaco Coetzee has decided to join Western Province on a contract after school. In so doing Coetzee turned down an offer to stay in Durban and play for the Sharks junior team in 2015.
Coetzee has been one of the best players in Kwazulu-Natal in 2014 and stands a realistic chance of being selected for SA Schools after Craven Week and trials. KZN is by no means the school rugby talent hub of South Africa. Of all the capped Springboks of all times, roughly only 6% were once at schools in the province. As a result the Sharks, who are currently the top SA franchise in Super Rugby are dependent on bringing in matriculates from schools in other regions to make up the numbers needed to keep producing quality outfits down the line. Also when it comes to retaining the services of their best local school players, the Sharks have generally had a very good track record. However in recent seasons, rival big rugby unions have upped their recruitment game significantly and managed to lure one or two of the best schoolboys away from the Sharks’ KZN home base. In 2012, the acquisition of then SA Schools fullback Jesse Kriel by the Bulls created a few waves in the local rugby loving community and if Coetzee goes on to achieve the highest award in SA school rugby, his move to the Western Cape is bound to cause a similar uproar, with new inexperienced Sharks recruiter Butch James possibly becoming one of those in the firing line.
It would be interesting to know how many boys are going overseas to see if they can crack tue whip, especially if cognizance is taken of our young Super 15 players that is targeted by european clubs….paul willemse, cj stander comes to mind.
@Ploegskaar: Do not discard the Sharks they only contract a few players and look at all the other boys from either their academy, for which the parents pay, or other boys in the club system. I like their attitude that size is not the alfa and omega, when picking sides. Mind you if they are paying customers also do not think that they will show you the door even if your son is a dwarf.
@BoishaaiPa: I hear you
I heard another 2 of the KZN players were offered contracts to Western Province at the beginning of the season after being watched at various tournaments. Not at the calibre of Jaco in terms of talent, but still good players
Maybe Jaco wants to study at UCT or Stellenbosch, anyone thought of that. There are a few Glenwood boys at Maties…
@RBugger: The WP Union takes a gamble of sorts by contracting players and drafting them into the WPRI, standard one year for most as far as I know, maybe more for specific individuals. Players are aware of the odds and basically have to hit the ground running in the space of a season to show that they have what it takes. Most of these boys obviously get offers elsewhere as well, so they decide where they end up.
Interesting to note that we also have a WPRA in Tokai that boys attend that did not get into the WPRI or are not contracted elsewhere, mostly paying out of their own pockets and some on some form of sponsorship. Maybe everyone just wants to live in the beautiful Cape of Good Hope!
For the record, if I had boys that played a half decent game, I would have sent them off to FS or the Lions. But that just me.
@RBugger:
Injured.
@RBugger: That is the whole point…You need the numbers because not all of them will make it in the end…You need depth at u/19 and u/21 level because after that, only 1 in 10 makes it to the top tier!..For the rest there is Varsity Cup, Vodacom etc..That is the best they will ever going to get.
@Ploegskaar: hahahha, of course, same thing, not saying it is any better. In my personal oponion, Swiel has not been ready to run the ship at 10 this year and should play Full Back, he looks more comfortable and lively there.
What I am getting at, is that all Unions, not just WP, should not contract more than 2 players per position, just my oponion. I would far prefer it, if all players can get on the field at this age level, whether it be for WP or the Leapards, Border, EP KIngs etc etc
I just feel guys are going to go MIA – I mean, 4 number 8’s fighthing it out causes great competition but at the same time, the guys who miss out, may throw in the towel feeling they will never make it.
Do you maybe know what has happened to Dion Koen – SWD 8 last year? I thought he was a decent hard running player, but he seems to have gone missing?
@RBugger: That’s a bit unfair coming from a union that has contracted Pat Lambie, Fred Zeilinga, Tim Swiel and JL Du Plessis in one position, don’t you think?
@Beet: You must be joking??? So WP have done it again..? I ask, what is the point? Someone is going to vanish, when they could be playing ar another Union!
What the fnucks does these kids see in Cape Town to want to go to that God forsaken, wind swept, place. Much better places to play rugby at…
@RBugger: Like Charl-Francois du Toit, Daniel Maree and Michael Meyer?
This is a pity, Coetzee is a very competitive and motivated player who would have been a great signing for the Sharks.
I just hope Province do not go and sign another 4 U19 8’s, all it does is lead to players falling out of the system