The Emirates Lions / Xerox Golden Lions have made a number of media releases in the last few days relating to player movements and news.
Herewith a summary of those releases:
New Players Announcement: 24 October 2016
The Lions Rugby Company (Pty) Ltd is proud to announce the following procurements at senior and junior level as well as to wish the players leaving all the best for their future endeavours.
“I would like to express gratitude to the players leaving us, for giving 100% of their efforts to the game, the team and the organization. Good luck. In the same vein we welcome all the newcomers in our fold and we hope that you will prosper under our banner,” said Rudolf Straeuli, CEO of the Lions Rugby Company (Pty) Ltd.
To those joining the Lions we extend a warm welcome and know you will reach new frontiers in the Den.
Seniors players joining the GLRU:
- Marvin Orie (lock, Bulls)
- Sti Sithole (prop, WP)
- Johannes Jonker (prop, Border)
- Aphiwe Diyantyi (wing, UJ)
- Dean Gordon (wing, Raiders)
Under 21 players who will make their way to the Lions:
- Ruan Brits (hooker, WP)
- Nyasha Tarusenga (flanker, WP)
- Bheki Shongwe (prop, Leopards)
- Cyprian Nkomo (centre, WP)
- Jaco Willemse (lock, WP)
Senior players leaving the union:
- Marnitz Boshoff
- Martin Muller
- MB Lusaseni
- JW Bell
- Stef de Witt
- Ruaan Lerm
- Ramone Samuels
Kriel to miss end of year Springbok tour: 27 October 2016
Jaco Kriel sustained a grade 2 tear of his left MCL in Japan at the weekend.
He has returned to Johannesburg for treatment.
He will be out of action for approximately 4 weeks, so he not be available for the End Of Year Springbok tour.
Three Lions Invited To Barbarians: 28 October 2016
The Golden Lions Rugby Union is proud to announce that 3 of their Super Rugby stars, all of whom are forwards, have been invited by the Barbarians for their 3 matches against the Springboks, the Czech Republic and Fiji.
Akker van der Merwe (hooker), Kwagga Smit (flank) and Ruan Ackermann (loose forward) will all be in the Barbarian squad.
The official Barbarian website report that Super Rugby champions (the Hurricanes) and some of New Zealand’s most talented up and coming stars will join the Barbarians to take on South Africa in the Killik Cup match at Wembley Stadium on 5 November 2016.
Forwards Brad Shields, Michael Fatialofa and Reggie Goodes helped the Hurricanes end a 20-year wait for the title and will be accompanied by Richard Mo’unga and Jordan Taufua from the Crusaders and Matt Faddes and Luke Whitelock from the Highlanders.
They join New Zealand’s Andy Ellis, and Australia’s Taquele Naiyaravoro and Will Skelton in the squad being put together by coaches Robbie Deans and Will Greenwood as the famous invitation club targets a hat-trick of wins over the side ranked No. 4 in the world, the Sprinboks.
After taking on South Africa at Wembley, the Barbarians play the Czech Republic in Prague on 8 November before facing Fiji at the Kingspan Stadium in Belfast on 11 November.
Deans said: “This is a talented group of young men with the potential to play at the very highest level and they will all be hungry to impress in their time with the Barbarians. Alongside the more experienced players in the squad we should have a very competitive group.”
The Barbarians take on South Africa for the 8th time since 1952 and lead the series 4-3 after victories in 2007 and 2010.
The 125 year-old club won 26 / 20 in 2010 when tries from Australia’s Drew Mitchell (2), James O’Connor and Italy’s Quintin Geldenhuys secured victory.
In 2007 the Barbarians were the 1st side to beat the newly-crowned World Champions with a 22 / 5 win that saw Australia’s Matt Giteau and Rocky Elsom, and Wales’s Martyn Williams touch down.
Lions seem to be boxing clever in the players they are keeping and buying. For example, Ramone Samuels was only with them for 1 season and got very little game time. They have Marx, Akker and Robbie Coetzee, so why keep another fringe player?
I’m a little concerned about Martin Muller leaving, but with the youngsters coming through in the second row, maybe there is no need to keep him in the group?
Ruaan Lerm seemed quite a decent loosie, but his leaving may be something to do with Kwagga announcing that he will concentrate on the 15 man code with only limited 7’s game time next season.
Pleased for the Lions that will be joining the Baabaas.
Marx v Akker at Wembley? Akker will relish that I’m sure.
I like the signings, but we do seem a little thin at 3. Unless some of the juniors are showing potential. Scholtz will probably get some game time as back up to Dreyer. We have good cover at 1.
Don’t know too much about the players joining to know whether they will turn out to be shrewd signings for Lions or not although from what I saw of him a few years ago I thought Marvin Orie looked to have a lot of potential so am disappointed to see he has left us Blue Bulls, just a pity he suffered such a nasty injury and was out for a while so haven’t seen enough of him since to know if he has been back at his pre-injury level?
@ Scrumdown:
@ Lion4ever:
Hi there, do you guys know the story behind Marvin Orie leaving the Blue Bulls and signing for you guys? Were his services no longer required by Blue Bulls or did he chase a better contract at the Lions? I know when a player gets injured playing for a club (i.e. in the course of doing his job) they are obliged to nurse him back over it but it seems odd that having had Orie on our books for quite a while during injury that he will now be turning out for you guys next season.
@ Bullscot:
I think it was more a question of Orie feeling he was somewhat surplus to requirements in PTA.
The Lions are a bit thin on locks, and I’m sure that the way in which the LIons now run their organisation must have had an influence on his decision to “cross the Jukskei”.
Under Straulie, it seems that the Lions are a lot more shrewd in their signings and whom they let go and under what circumstances.
3 & 4 @ Bullscot:
Marvin Orie got quite a lot of game time in the Currie Cup, with both RG Snyman & Jason Jenkins injured on occasions. Orie ended up playing almost every Currie Cup game.
Whereas he played, to me he is just an average lock, good enough in the lineouts but lacking heavy grunt in the other phases of play. He is NO ENFORCER lock and also definately not one of the prime No 5 locks in the country. He would in my estimation always have been behind both RG Snyman and Jason Jenkins in the Bulls pecking order, so it is maybe a good thing that he joined the Lions…. where even there I would expect him to be lower down in the pecking order.
I wish him well at the Lions.
@ Scrumdown:
Hi Scrumdown thanks, I suppose we may never truly know (and are certainly not entitled to know) all the reasons a player moves it is good to get your perspective.
@ grootblousmile:
Hi Gbs you would have seen a lot more of him play as you say with this Currie Cup where there were injuries. Was basing my assesment on the bit I saw of him before his injuries and think he showed a lot of potential as a mobile lock but it seems he may not be doing that potential justice at this stage.
@ grootblousmile:
Regarding where Orie may be in the pecking order I just hope that in addition to the two you mentioned we have at least 3 other locks for next season who are better than him. Guess Lood would be one of them. I reckon with all the games and travelling a top team these days needs at least 5 top locks in the squad with little if any drop off in ability from 1 to 5.
Listening to Tuks FM this morning sounds like the Boks are struggling for openside flanker but why did they refer to Roelof Smit as a former Bulls player where is going to?
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