Less than a month ago the Springboks lost out in the Butch James club-versus-country battle. Now, on the eve of South Africa’s Tri-Nations tour to Australasia the roles are reversed.
This time the Boks, on the back of a clause in James’ contract with his club, can hold onto the 2007 World Cup winner and Bath has to find a replacement for the star flyhalf.
Courtecy of rugby365
The saga surrounding James started earlier this month, when he was recalled to the Bok line-up for the first time in nearly two years – for the one-off clash against Wales in Cardiff on June 5. However, James, unwittingly, found himself in the middle of a tug-‘o-war between his country, his club and Premier Rugby.
Premier Rugby, the umbrella organisation responsible for managing the 12 professional clubs in England, eventually won their ‘dispute’ with the South African Rugby Union over the services of James – but not before both SARU and Premier Rugby threatened each other with the IRB.
While James was withdrawn from the Cardiff encounter and also sat on the sideline when the Boks beat France at Newlands a week later, he returned to feature in the two Test against Italy in the past fortnight.
That was enough to earn the 30-year-old a spot in South Africa’s Tri-Nations squad for the away leg in Australasia.
The Bok squad departs for New Zealand later this week – with the opening match of their Tri-Nations defence against the All Blacks in Auckland on July 10, followed by a second clash with New Zealand in Wellington on July 17. The third Test on tour is against Australia in Brisbane on July 24.
South Africa then have a month-long break, as the All Blacks and Wallabies slug it out for a couple of weeks, before the Boks tackle New Zealand again in Johannesburg on August 21, followed by back-to-back encounters with Australia (Pretoria, August 28 and Bloemfontein, September 4).
If James, who has publicly stated his desire to secure a spot in the Bok team for next year’s World Cup in New Zealand, is retained for the home leg, Bath may have to start the season without his services.
South Africa also embark on a four-Test tour of the Home Unions – Ireland, Wales, Scotland and England – in November, which means James could be away from his club for a substantial chunk of the season.
Bath Chief Executive Nick Blofeld and head coach Steve Meehan are both on record as having said they are willing to assist James in regaining his place in the Bok side and will release him for international duty – even though he has another two seasons to run on his contract with the English club.
The Premiership season gets underway early in September, which means Bath may now have to lean on new recruit Sam Vesty, signed from Leicester Tigers in the off-season, or opt to move Olly Barkley from his preferred inside centre spot to No.10.
It is conundrum that Bath will have to deal with, while the Boks will have the luxury of two world-class match winners in their squad – James and Morné Steyn.
My family came to Natal from Bramsche in Prussia via Bremerhaven on the ship Beta in 1848, I am 6th generation. My Mom is a 1820 Scot and French Hugenot mix.
59@ 4man:
No man, that’s a Steinway… hehehe
61@ 4man:
I’ve even got all Oupa Steinbach’s German names… 3 of them!
GO SPAINNNNNNNNNNN
Night gents
64@ Treehugger:
Goeie Nag Boomninny….
My Oupa was a Voortrekker in die Groot Trek.
My Old Father was a front puller in the big pull.
Hy het kameelperde gejag met sy tweeloophaelgeweer
He chased camel horses with his two walk hail gun
etc
GBS is this your voorvelvader that you were talking about?
Incidentally.
How do you circumsize a whale.
You send down FOUR skin divers of course.
Living proof that Osama Bin Ladin is alive.
He sent a message to the BBC yesterday saying that “the English football team was absolute cr*p”, the BBC declined to take this as proof as they said “that statement could have been made anytime in the last 40 years”
@ grootblousmile:My Grandad was Johannes Theodoor, my brothers second name is Theodore. My first name is my maternals Grans maiden name…as there were no more male heirs, my second name is my Dads name, Edward and coincidentally also named after the British King.
My first antecedent in the country was “Wilhelm Friedrich”…no one has the name amongst my cousins that I know of….but there are some who ended up in the Melkrivier district and they pretty much kept the traditions, but we didnt see that side of the family much (mores the pity)
66@ 4man:
Eventually, at the time of the Groot Trek, there were 5 families of Geldenhuys… and they all trekked.
One lot went and settled in the Western Transvaal and became rich horse breeders.
One lot, the “Wit Geldenhuyse” went and settled near Memel and became rich farmers.
One lot, the “Goue Geldenhuyse” went and settled in Joburg area, from there the Louw Geldenhuys school, the Geldenhuys interchange etcettera… also became quite wealthy.
One lot went and settled in the Free State and became wealthy Rooi-Afrikaner Cattle farmers…. I stem from that lot.
The last family was led by “Jan Hannetjie” Geldenhuys, he was married to Hannetjie…. their children had curly hair and most of them became policemen and speedcops…. hehehehe
@ grootblousmile:I am actually just re-reading the history of Zululand from 1780 to 1978, a book that I picked up recently (I forget the authors name now, but he is from Zululand), someinteresting stuff and stuff I didnt know before…the first missionaries in Zululand who were given land by Dingane and asked to stay after he attacked the British, were Americans, but they bailed, the mission station is in ruins now. Next time I’m there I am going to have a look. Naledi mission station.
I think I knew the Geldenhuyses from the W Tvl, my oom Jan Swart also bred racehorses, he was in the Brakloof area near Lindleyspoort (close to Swartruggens) and those horse guys tended to stick together. The other one I remember is Oom Hans Richter…he had (and his family still has) one of the original ZARP licenses to stook issued by President Krugers government. Herman Charles Bosman country, near Groot Marico.
69@ 4man:
Well, you know one of my family… Oom Jannie, my dad, GBS Maksimus’s 1st cousin… hey sammajoor!
@ grootblousmile:yes, we have discussed him many times before…but I’ll forgive you, I know how you young ou’s battle to remember things! 😉
71@ 4man:
I know we did…
By the way, did you ever know his (Jannie’s) brother… also became a Brigadier?
I am going to Gibraltar or Malta in July £28 and £48 respectively. Gibraltar my buddies Dad lives there, they ahve an apartment for us…gonna checkout Morocco too.
@ grootblousmile:No, I didnt know that.
I worked with The Colonel in charge at Hooper and Packer a lot, he was GOC Natal command and then E Tvl, he became a Lieut General….hell, I cant remember his name….I’m sure his callsign was “falcon”
I must go and have a think again, all that info is archived in the sub concious somewhere. (He died of cancer)
74@ 4man:
Jannie’s brother might have died from cancer.
Did you ever know a Louis Heep… he was OC Natal command at one stage, I believe… friend of my dad’s… they were in the Military together…
Breaking News: England have a new coach…. it will pick them up from Heathrow tomorrow morning.
What’s the difference between the England football team and Viagra? At least with viagra you’re guaranteed a semi
Severe weather warning. Monday 28th June 0700 hrs – North of England at risk of severe flooding as the whole of Scotland pisses itself
What’s the difference between the England football team and a tea bag? The tea bag stays in the cup longer.
After being eliminated from the world cup, Nigeria, Cameroon and Algeria are expected to arrive home back in England tomorrow.
Oxo are introducing a new white oxo cube with a red cross on it in support of the England football team. It’s called the “Laughing Stock”
All future England football matches will be moved to the gay channel… Apparently watching 11 arseholes get hammered for 90 mins is far too explicit for BBC/ITV.
I heard that guy on death row in Utah got to choose his own firing squad. He chose Heskey, Gerrard, Lampard and Rooney.
@ grootblousmile:I knew colonel Heep very well, ex spes.
Also ex para Col Pretorious who was GOC Natal at the time Heep was there.
Col Heep was very involved with us at the time of all the troubles in Richmond and Table Mountain (1000 hills) and that warlord that eventually got taken out. Dennis de Beer (Mr clean hands) had a clear shot on this dude and decided to shoot it past his ear about 2 years before this guy became a real problem, this was at Tugela Ferry….I can tell you plenty!!!
They even had guys with AK’s manning the bridge at one stage charging a toll fee…what a joke, but the minute we were allowed to do something about it, the problem got sorted.
Louis Heep…a hard man, but fair.
@ grootblousmile:No GBS this guy didnt have your family name….it will come to me. He is famous for stopping the guys shooting when the MPLA was in full retreat across the river in 1986? Hooper, Packer or Modular. Even the Dominie was saying to him “smite the enemy the Lord has delivered them into your hands” and he said “no, they are running away, let them run, I still have to sleep at night”. this is when that CF troepie shot 3 T55’s with his 90mm Ratel…you must know him, hell I can even picture him, dark clomplexion, bit of a hook nose, about 5’8″, softly spoken man, but a master tactician.
OK I’ve remembered, his name was Ferreira.
78@ 4man:
My dad had strange friends…. Coen Upton, Jan Breytenbach… ect.
Whenever we went to Deben, we used to go kuier at Oom Louis Heep’s place….
alright I have cemented 27.
I’m out
@ grootblousmile: Ja…Jan Breytenbach (the brown man), we all know him well. He had open heart surgery not so long ago.
82@ 4man:
I wonder if Oom Louis Heep is still alive…. want to phone him… I do not even know if he knows my dad died.
@ grootblousmile:Do you want me to find out and get his number? Its not a problem?
84@ 4man:
Yip, do it for me!
@ grootblousmile:OK, I have already put out the word to the contacts…RSM 44 Para ex no 1 and Int, my best mate in the world.
I have assured them you are ok and have told them you are Jannie’s nephew, because they will want to know. I have a feeling the old man is gone though….something I heard.
86@ 4man:
Grand…. yip, I’m safe… hehehehe
86@ grootblousmile:
Oom Lous, if alive, should be close to 80.
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