Super Rugby’s newcomers the Southern Kings have announced that their backs and attack coach Brad Mooar, has left the franchise and will be returning to New Zealand for personal reasons.
rugbyweek
“I can confirm that Brad has left the Southern Kings and will be returning home; I wish him well,” said Director of Rugby, Alan Solomons.
EP Kings President, Cheeky Watson, said Mooar, who played at flyhalf for various Canterbury teams before turning to coaching and has been a Performance Analyst for the Canterbury ITM Team, the Canterbury Colts Assistant Coach, the Crusaders Development Resource Coach and the Canterbury Colts Head Coach, would be missed.
“The Kings would like to thank Brad for his contribution to the Southern Kings, and wish him all the best for the future,” said Watson.
Meanwhile Solomons has been linked with a move to Edinburgh as head coach but he says that his sole focus is ensuring that the Southern Kings remain in Super Rugby by winning their promotion/relegation battle with the Lions next month.
“My total focus is on the Southern Kings and ensuring that they remain in the Super Rugby competition next year,” he said.
Solomons said his commitment to making the franchise a success had not waivered since coaching them in their inaugural match against the British and Irish Lions on 16 June 2009.
“I’ve been a part of the Southern Kings campaign since the formation of the team in 2009,” he said.
Rats…. leaving a sinking shippie…
Are the cracks beginning to show? Mooar and Solomons now leaving. Interesting times.
@ grootblousmile:
@ Lion4ever:
Have to find a new job for next year, so may as well do some future planning?
Personally, from a Rugby viewpoint, I’ve quite enjoyed watching the Kings.
That doesn’t mean that I don’t get a “brasso gevoel in my hol” (to quote Satff Seargeant Henry Vercuil) when they take a hiding, but their commitment and “gees” has been second to none.
It’s a pity the spineless ones at SARU don’t have the testes to take on SANZAR and force the issue to change SR before the current dispensation ends.
I think the current injury list(s) show that there is just too much Rugby being played by the top players.
A total re-vamp of the competition could result in less games per player, without reducing the total number of games played.
Still, AR are the custodians of the game here on RSA, so we should all bow down to their superior knowledge and, well, just knowledge I guess.
I nearly said wisdom, but was reminded of a saying:
“To know that a tomato is a fruit is knowledge, to know not to put one in a fruit salad, is wisdom.”
Guess there’s not too much wisdom in the organisation.
4 @ Scrumdown:
Just hypothetically… it will never happen.
If one had to combine the Lions players and Southern Kings players to form a Super Rugby side, how would the constitution of the side look?
Lions props, Maku from the Kings as hooker
Sykes, Franco van der Merwe & Bulbring as locks
Loosies would probably be Wimpie van der Walt, Cornel du Preez & Vleis Engelbrecht… Minnie on the bench
Scrummies… Shaun Venter & Michael Bondesio
Demetri Catrakilis as flyhalf.. with George Whitehead as backup
Alwyn Hollenbach, Stokkies Hanekom & Andries Strauss as centres
Sergeal Petersen, Anthony Volminck, Deon van Rensburg as wings
SP Marais & George Whitehead as fullbacks
Something like that….
So, about the same representation both ways…
Will be interesting to see the Promotion / Relegation games if they do happen!
@ Scrumdown:
I have to agree with you, Scrumdown. Their gees has been great, and they won far more games than I expected of them, and in a lot games were not disgraced. If they had been brought into the comp in a different way, then I would have supported them against overseas opponents.
Why can’t SANZAR bring in a Heineken Cup format? Far better for the players, and domestic competitions. Oh, wait, Australia does not have a domestic competition.
@ grootblousmile:
I would add a few more Lions names here, but that is me. I would have Whitely and Kriel in for the loosies, Boshoff is having a good season, and Andries Coetzee and Combrinck in the backline.
7 @ Lion4ever:
You would yes… because they are Lions and you are a loyal Lion.
Andries Coetzee is still crocked and one has to be careful, because in choosing one has to consider and measure the opposition the Lions have faced this season.
After this Friday night, we might add or take a few names away, having seen them play against better opposition.
The Southern Kings loosies (excluding Watson) have done bloody well this season, in fact Wimpie van der Walt and Vleis Engelbrecght have astounded me. Having watched all the Lions Challenge matches too, I can’t say the same about Whiteley or Kriel… and Derick Minnie comes closest, us having had the opportunity to see what he did at the Sharks (he is a hard man), apart from giving too many penalties away. Chaps like Warwick Tecklenburg at the Lions, who did duty for Tuks and the Bulls Vodacom Cup side last season, now gets regular starts for the Lions, so go figure…
Marnitz Boshoff… well he did not come close to selection for Super Rugby at the Bulls, played well this year for the Lions in what mostly was Vodacom Cup quality games and other similar opposition. On the other hand Demetri Catrakilis really took charge even for WP in the Currie Cup (remember the Currie Cup final?) and then again the whole Super Rugby season. George Whitehead played well all season whether it was at flyhalf or fullback against ALL Super Rugby sides, home and away. So, basically what I mean is that Marnitz Boshoff is a big fishy in a small pond, but a small fishy in the big pond, whereas both Catrakilis and Witehead were big enough fish in the big pond of Super Rugby… which counts much more for me.
One can put whatever spin on it, that’s the reality… and Friday night will enhance or destroy some impressions you guys garnered this year.
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