Bath flyhalf Butch James. An apparent oversight by South African Rugby Union officials may well cost Butch James his chance of pressing for a place in next year’s Springbok World Cup squad. James has been named at inside centre in the South African team to play Wales in a one-off Test in Cardiff on Saturday. However, SARU and James’s club, Bath, are now in a stand-off over the World Cup-winning Bok’s availability – the sticking point being whether this match falls inside or outside the International Rugby Board’s window for June Test matches.
The Article thanks to Louis De Villiers and Rugby365
Following rugby365.com’s earlier report that Premier Rugby, the umbrella organisation responsible for managing the 12 professional clubs in England, instructed Bath to pull James out of the Bok team, this website can now also reveal that SARU may have erred when they suggested the Test was inside the IRB’s June window. Simon Lewis, the media spokesman at Premier Rugby, was adamant that the Boks and SARU were in the wrong. “This Test match is outside the IRB window and we have instructed Bath to call him back,” Lewis told rugby365.com.
He added that it has always been their protocol to work through the clubs and directed this website to IRB Regulation 9.7 (a) – for Global Release Periods. The regulation, on the IRB website, reads: “9.7 Global Release Periods. There are two Global Release Periods.
(a) The June window: “The Right to Release for Matches shall apply to each of the senior National Representative Team, the next senior National Representative Team and the Under 20 National Representative Team of a Union in respect of all International Matches, International Tours and International Tournaments played over a period of three weekends in June each year, save in a Rugby World Cup year, during which year the June window shall not operate in respect of Unions that qualified for the Rugby World Cup. Unless Council approves otherwise the three weekends in June shall be the second, third and fourth weekends.
” It may well have been an oversight on behalf of SARU, who may not have noticed the “… the three weekends in June shall be the second, third and fourth weekends.” Andy Colquhoun, the Strategic Communication Manager at SARU, confirmed that they received communications from Bath suggesting that James is not available for the Test in Cardiff. “However, we’re happy he is eligible to play,” Colquhoun told rugby365.com, adding that communications between the two groups are ongoing. James, despite the drama surrounding his selection, made it clear that he wants to play for South Africa against Wales.
James, who has not played for South Africa for more than two years and is looking to put himself in contention for next year’s World Cup, said he was “hungry” to play for the Boks again and has left the matter in the hands of the South African management to resolve. Scotland head coach Andy Robinson has also voiced his disappointment over Premier Rugby’s decision to bar four of his players from taking part in Scotland’s warm-up game against a Japan XV at Murrayfield.
Gloucester was happy for Rory Lawson, Alasdair Dickinson, Alasdair Strokosch and Scott Lawson happy to take part, but Premier Rugby ruled them out under a regulation which Robinson hopes will soon be re-evaluated. The hardball stance of Premier Rugby and Bath over the James issue has been questioned. England received to all clear to name all of their frontline players – with the exception of those who played in the Premiership[ Final between Leicester Tigers and Saracens – for the encounter with the Barbarians at Twickenham last Sunday.
However, it has been pointed out that that was an “internal arrangement” between Premier Rugby and the Rugby Football Union. The other overseas-based Boks named in the side to face Wales on Saturday – Frans Steyn, Joe van Niekerk, BJ Botha and CJ van der Linde – are based in Ireland or France and their clubs don’t fall under the jurisdiction of Premier Rugby.
Quite amusing.
In the beginning there was six. Frans was unhappy.
The answer is play local based players.
Totally unrelated but anyway , we moan about refs, the Soccer guys about the ball even before the SWC.
‘Jabulani’s trajectory is unpredictable’
June 01 2010 at 07:47PM
Sestriere, Italy – Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon joined the chorus of players criticising the World Cup ball.
“Usually you get used to it, but in this case every touch comes with the unknown,” Buffon said on Tuesday at the Azzurri’s training camp in the Italian Alps. “The trajectory is really unpredictable.”
Buffon knows a thing or two about ball trajectories. He allowed only two goals over seven games when Italy won the World Cup in Germany four years ago – an own goal from Cristian Zaccardo against the United States and a penalty kick by Zinedine Zidane in the final against France.
The upcoming tournament in South Africa will be his fourth World Cup.
Buffon said he realised there was a problem with the Adidas “Jabulani” ball the first day he encountered it, adding that all players – not only goalkeepers – will be affected.
Buffon suggested that when midfielder Andrea Pirlo makes a bad pass, he’s usually off by 10 centimetres (4 inches), “but with this ball he risks missing by three meters (yards).”
Buffon’s counterparts, Spain’s Iker Casillas and Brazil’s Julio Cesar, have also criticised the Jabulani, comparing it to balls on sale at a supermarket.
Adidas spokesman Thomas van Schaik told The Associated Press on Monday that balls had been distributed to all the qualified teams ahead of time and that the teams “had not taken advantage of that if we are only hearing this criticism now.”
Buffon suggested the ball design should be considered with more attention in the future.
“There’s a lot of talk about stadiums, infrastructure and TV and that’s nice and all, but first we’ve got to worry about balls, spikes and jerseys,” Buffon added. – Sapa-AP
Another question. Was this a blunder by SARU or PdV. PdV had a stated policy of not using overseas based players. For this match (end of last year as well) he deviated from his policy.
To me it seems the wrong people is criticized.
More news:
Matfield received a SOS and Zane Kirchner is placed on standby.
Still more news:
Stormers coach Allister Coetzee and captain Schalk Burger will not face a hearing for their criticism of referee Craig Joubert in the wake of Saturday’s Super 14 final.
If it was from the Bulls the decision would have been different.
Quite amusing:
Danny Jordaan, chief executive of the local organising committee, said in Sandton on Tuesday that the vuvuzela would be Bafana Bafana’s Player 12 at the World Cup.
Last week Jordaan complained about the noise levels at stadiums and said people should not make a noise when the national anthems are sung.
“The Bulls did not just come in their blue jerseys, but also with blue vuvuzelas. Soweto’s heart and blood is blue. Vuvuzelas will be part of this World Cup,” said Jordaan.
He said that the vuvuzela is now an international instrument.
The Bulls was not afraid. They went and conquered.
Who cares about Butch…he is over the wall. Screw him, he chose Bath, so let him sizzle in his own stew.
@ superBul:
If one of those French pansies REALLy makes a bad pass, they might be going out with a man.
Butch should never have signed with Bath for 3 years. Crazy.
#5,6 dWeePer, it must be tough being a Bull: seems the whole world is against you 24/7. Of course, and as you’ve demonstrated here, the “nice” thing is you get to bitch and moan even after you win! 😉
fender @ 10
lol
Had been wondering whether this game was inside the so-called international window having being arranged at such short notice, but with the English season over thought that it wouldn’t really matter if it didn’t. But Premier rugby decide they rule over all in England so even though the clubs themselves don’t seem to mind the guys can’t play – seems crazy to me and I guess some justification for the initial idea of not picking overseas Boks as well as supporting the All Blacks stand on this. The headline though is a bit over the top someone has to bash SARU for whatever reason, first of all the Welsh must have started the idea of arranging the game for their celebrations so why no mention of them at all and it isn’t a situation that is only affecting the Boks but also Scotland, so maybe the headline should have been taking a swipe at Premier Rugby’s pettiness.
@ dWeePer:
@ fender:
Thought we were moving on to the international season now…
Do you pansies still want to talk about the S14 ? 👿
#13 Blouste, I have no problem discussing the S14 or any competition for that matter. But it looks like you want to share something with me – spit it out, Blouste. What’s bothering you?
@ fender:
The consistency in fining Schalk, for one. I think it was or still is a disgrace !!! 😯
Other than that – no complains from me…
The mighty BULLS have retained their well deseved crown of S14 CHAMPIONS !!! 😆
Best team in the S14 ever !!!
Most successful SA super rugby team to date…
Lekker om ‘n BUL te wees…
What did I forget ? 🙄
Oh…yes, cheap shots at Stormers supporters, nah why, they allready got more than enough to keep themselves busy with ala posts above… 😉
complaints…
Aan alle Stormers afrigters, spelers,ondersteuners en veral kapteins, woon gerus die volgende kursus by:
http://thebulls.co.za/article.aspx?headline=Coaching%20clinic%20with%20a%20difference&id=351627
Let veral op na die tema van die kursus.
That’s what friends are for, keep smiling … 😀
#15, 16 That’s it Blouste – I bet you feel better now that you’ve got that off your chest, hey?
dbd, sorry man – won’t be able to make it. But thanks anyway…
19: hallo fender, hoe gaan dit vanmore ?
Hi Fender, I just feel i need to comment as I read the blog every day. I am not commenting as it is a struggle to type after my op, but it is blatantly obvious that for some or other reason you, who I have always thought was a level headed guy, have decided to target blouste and as you go on your comments are becoming more and more personal. I do feel there is nothing wrong with hedging one another but at some time one must know when to draw the line. In the spirit in which this blog was started I would like to request that you please just tone it down a little.
please don’t see this as an attack on you as that is not the way it is meant.
Snorre se oggend en aandpraatjies stem nie lekker ooreen nie. Eers sê hy geen oorsese spelers nie, dan skielik is sy span vol van hulle. Eers sê hy geen Bulle en Stormers nie, dan die volgende oomblik is daar 8 van hulle in die span.
Ek hoor Matfield en Zane is ook nou oppad Wallis toe. Nee man, die manne moet nog rus, nou word hul gespeel in hierdie onnodige wedstryd.
21@ Tripples:
Hallo Tripples, hoe gaan dit met die hande ? Nog geluk met jou span se oorwinning, hulle het baie mooi gespeel. Ek sien HM het reeds in sy onderhoud gesê hul moet nou beplan om die trofee 3 jaar in ‘n ry te wen. Klomp vrate, gee die ander spanne nou bietjie kans ! 😉
hy BDB, nee is maar seer jong, regterhand se wond het infeksie gekry en dis die een wat ek kon gebruik meer as die ander een, so ek sukkel maar om te tik hehehe.
bulle was net fantasties gewees!!!!!!!
ek dink ons moet maar die eerste span wees wat die s15 wen!!!!!
#21 Hi Tripples,
Thanks for your input.
I am surprised that you view my intercation with Blouste as a personal attack on him. As far a I’m concerned it is just one Stormers supporter batting againsts what Blouste himself refers to as cheap shots (see post #15) against us.
You’re going to have to show me where I have climbed into Blouste’s character or abused his person in any way, or reverted to calling him names. At the same time, you might want to go through some of Blouste’s posts to see whether he has done the same. Though Blouste’s “cheap shots” don’t generally bother (many of them are actually quite entertaining and give me some insight into the guys’ way of thinking), I do believe that if you feel so strongly about the level of interaction, you might want to check out some of his posts. You are also welcome to let me know what your findings are.
In the meantime, I trust that those hands of yours heal quickly and are soon as good as new.
Groente
@ Tripples:
Thanks, but not to worry…
I donk think there is any “bad blood” between me and fender 🙂
@ fender:
Kitaarsnaar
Jy moet my laat weet as daar is dan stel ek dit reg…
Ek weet jy is nog redelik emosioneel na die final, so ek sal probeer sensitief wees 😉
Steak 😆
ok ok guys, my bad!!!!!! didn’t mean to offend at all!!!!
ek beskou dit dan as afgehandel hehehe
banter away!!!!! 😆
* Hoe hou jy drank weg van die Stormers?
Gooi dit in die Super 14 beker. 😉
#28 hahaha
het jy gesien die ‘ash cloud’ het ook gaan lê? Die stormers het weer hulle trofeekas toegemaak
Stormers kry ‘n nuwe borg volgende jaar: Huggies, omdat hulle hul broeke so nat maak as hul verloor. 😀
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