THE SHARKS are keeping their options open after an arbitration ruling found that winger Lionel Mapoe has a valid contract with the Cheetahs following an ongoing dispute involving the three parties.
Article thanks to the Daily News “Craig Lewis”
Judgment from last week’s hearing into the matter was handed down yesterday, and was met with a considered and contemplative reaction.
Commercial manager Rudolf Straeuli said they were taking stock of the decision and considering the options available to them.
“We are looking at the ruling and all our legal options as we continue to digest the news. Once we have done this, we will issue a formal response,” he said.
After nearly three months in Durban, where Mapoe has undergone extensive rehabilitation for an injury at the expense of the Sharks, the ruling indicated he will have to return to Bloemfontein.
Believing the Cheetahs had been in breach of contract over a salary issue, the talented 22-year-old sought to terminate his contract and signed with the Sharks in May.
It now remains to be seen if there is any kind of recourse for the coastal franchise in order to regain the services of the highly rated winger, with Free State somewhat sardonically issuing a statement saying they “will welcome Mapoe back with open arms”.
Meanwhile, with several of the Sharks’ stars having been called up to the Springbok training squad this week, coach John Plumtree has made several changes to his starting XV for tomorrow night’s match against the Leopards in Phokeng.
Despite being involved in the Bok camp, Tendai “Beast” Mtawarira and Bismarck du Plessis have been made available and will play off the bench.
Otherwise the Sharks coach has taken the opportunity to hand former Montpellier prop Eugene van Staden his first start at tighthead, while Ross Skeate is elevated to the run-on XV to combine with Alistair Hargreaves for the first time this season.
In the backline, Springbok Odwa Ndungane returns from injury to start at wing, and at scrumhalf Rory Kockott replaces Charl McLeod, with Plumtree admitting it was a big game for the nuggety No 9 and “an opportunity to see what he can do since he last started against Griquas”.
Opposite number Michael Bondesio has been one of the real in-form scrumhalves so far this season, but has been battling with a groin injury and is in a race against time to be fit for the game.
Last weekend, the Leopards came close to recording their first win of the season against the Bulls, at Loftus nogal, and coach Chaka Willemse said it had provided them with a huge confidence boost.
“It’s never nice to lose but the way the guys played made me really happy and we’re building and getting some good continuity in the team,” he said.
Plumtree said they had certainly taken note of the threats the Leopards pose, particularly as they are up there with the top teams in terms of tries scored (18 in total).
“We don’t see them as easy beats. The players had an intense review of what the Leopards can bring to the game. They’re certainly pretty capable and we will have opportunities against them as we do against all opponents, but you have to execute them.”
So in other words, the Sharks are saying “O flok, ons dink nog hard hieroor!”
jeez, for the sake of the player … cant they just leave the whole bloody thing?
come-on, mapoe was supposed to be at his first training with the cheetah camp after months
…
and now this!! 😯
..
jeez man,
why cant we for once (and yes wp, this fuckin include you)
DO SOMETHING FOR THE COMMON GOOD OF SA.FUCKIN.RUGBY?
..
f*ck!! 👿
ok guys
i’m off
cheers
Lets hope another argument does not break out here 🙂 He’ll come to the Sharks,its just a matter of time.
Skelms…
carcharodon carcharias…circling….circling
Damn…no SA rugby on SKY this weekend….so the dogs will have a big one…probably go to the forest all day.
Mapoe bly ’n Vrystater, maar…
2010-08-12 01:14
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Lionel Mapoe moet vanjaar vir die Vrystaat in die Curriebeker-rugbyreeks speel.
Adv. Bertus van Rhyn het Dinsdagaand as arbiter in ’n toutrekkery tussen die Cheetahs en Haaie oor die Blitsbok se dienste beveel dat Mapoe hom dadelik by die Vrystaat vir Curriebeker-verpligtinge moet aanmeld.
Van Rhyn het ook vroeër vanjaar die skrumskakel J.P. Joubert se arbitrasiesaak oor sy kontrakgeskil tussen die Vrystaat en die Leeus hanteer. Toe het hy beslis dat Joubert, wat hom reeds voor die Super 14-reeks by die Leeus aangesluit het, daarop geregtig is om vir die Leeus te speel.
Mapoe oefen reeds van voor die Curriebeker-reeks sonder ’n amptelike sertifikaat van vrystelling van die Vrystaat in Durban saam met die Haaie en dié toutrekkery is ’n yslike terugslag vir sy aanspraak om die Springbokke in die Drienasie-reeks te verteenwoordig.
Mnr. Naka Drotské, afrigter van die Cheetahs, sê hy is verheug oor die arbiter se uitspraak en sal Mapoe met ope arms terugverwelkom. “Ons almal weet dit was nooit hy persoonlik wat agter die besluit gesit het om sonder vrystelling na die Haaie te gaan nie.
“Ek hoop dít dien as waarskuwing aan jong talentvolle spelers en hul ouers om mooi te dink voordat hulle hul eie of hul seuns se loopbane aan sommige agente toevertrou.
“Daar is agente wat optree en dink in die belang van die speler en ander wat dink in terme van geld. Laasgenoemde is nie altyd in belang van die speler op die korttermyn nie en kan ’n speler se loopbaan ongelooflike skade berokken,” sê hy.
Mnr. Harold Verster, president van die Vrystaatse Rugbyunie (VRU), sê die uitslag is baie positief. “Nie net vir Vrystaat-rugby nie, maar ook vir die hele land se kontrakteringsproses aangesien ons (soos die meerderheid ander unies in die land) van Sarpa-kontrakte gebruik maak,” sê Verster.
Verster meen dit is onseker of die Haaie nou sal besluit om ’n oordragfooi vir Mapoe se dienste aan die Vrystaat aan te bied.
“Ons sal egter langtand daaraan byt.”
Mapoe het nie gister saamgeoefen nie en is nie in die Vrystaat se Curriebeker-span vir Saterdag se belangrike kragmeting teen die Leeus in Johannesburg ingesluit nie.
In ’n dramatiese nuwe wending sê mnr. Jan-Harm van Wyk, Mapoe se agent, sy speler stel nie belang om sy loopbaan in die Vrystaat voort te sit nie.
– Volksblad
ag wat in daai geval skors hom ma en verbied hom n rugby veld hy is in elk geval n chillie clone hy kyk net vir sy toks dan skeur hy n hammy,die vrystaat het klaar sy punt gemaak en die thieves se bek bloed geslaan.ons kan hom gebruik vir clean outs by die rucks dan maak ons hom hendro se bunny
is dit mapoe of jan harm wat nie belang stel nie
lol smallies jou mal donner 😆 dagse maat
hoesit sharky hoe lyk dit
goed n jy smallies???
This to me says much about nothing…
What options are they keeping open ?
Why does the Sharks not buy Mapoe’s contract out from the Freestate, that way cheetahs get money and Mapoe is where he wants to be.
Isn’t that how the football contracts work when guys are moving clubs?
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