Rugby...

[Greybeard]

Perhaps he is following some good advice regarding his future physical well being. ( And financial)

Its surely not all about cracking records regarding numbers of appearances like certain other players seem focused on.

How many of you out there have the same problems that I now have with knees and ankles, even elbows and wrists which are directly attributable to my rugby days? And then there seems to be a profusion of head and neck injuries that hold serious implications for the future.

 

My list directly as a result of "Rugby trauma"

Both knees - cartilage and right knee meniscus

Right ankle - Broken and now seriously arthritic

Right wrist - Broken and seriously arthritic

4 stage neck fusion, mal alignment due to trauma. Never in an accident but horribly distorted during a club game back in the old days.( A few Voltarens and a massage )

 

At least the medical care to-day is immediate and good but will not necessarily hold back long term effects.

One of the reasons why, with respect and a certain amount of admiration, I question Schalk Burger returning to the game.

[JGR]

Its all about the money money money money money money

 

http://www.sport24.co.za/Rugby/Springboks/Steyn-SARU-in-money-dispute-20140611

 

One would have thought the millions he has already earned would have been enough .... but like the old saying goes

 

How much money does one man need ................. a little more than he has

[JGR]

http://www.sport24.co.za/Rugby/Bulls-ref-assaulted-after-game-20140610

[Stretch]

if this is true then I have lost a little bit of respect for him

[Greybeard]

Its all about the money money money money money money

 

http://www.sport24.c...ispute-20140611

 

One would have thought the millions he has already earned would have been enough .... but like the old saying goes

 

How much money does one man need ................. a little more than he has

Can you cut your earnings by half and then stop working at 35?

[kjind]

This will open the door to Serfontein to make inside centre spot his own. It's a pity that money can change someone so much.

[JGR]

Can you cut your earnings by half and then stop working at 35?

If I had been earning millions from 21 - yes. Secondly many rugby players move into other occupations or even within rugby. So his career is certainly not over.

 

Other rugby pro's do very well for themselves and don't hold their countries unions to ransom. Each to their own - if he wants to earn big bucks then so be it but you cant have your cake and eat it, which is what he wanted to do and now to drop the boks mid tour? A little tacky imo

 

I don't begrudge people earning money and doing well for themselves, far from it. But to play for the boks is a privilege and honour and if he didn't want to be considered because of x,y,z he should have said so from the onset and given the team time to train with other players, other combinations ect. Now he has left them in the lurch and we take on Wales with a new centre combo ....pretty selfish tantrum

[Skubarra]

Other rugby pro's do very well for themselves and don't hold their countries unions to ransom. Each to their own - if he wants to earn big bucks then so be it but you cant have your cake and eat it, which is what he wanted to do and now to drop the boks mid tour? A little tacky imo

 

He was available and playing for the Boks when he was playing for Racing Metro, so he was having his cake and eating so to speak.

 

Not sure why he would return to the Sharks for half the money, unless SARU made some promises as stated - so I tend to believe the broken promises story.

 

SARU, broadcasters, administrators, sponsor etc making millions of dollars from rugby, its big business for everybody, unfair to expect the players to only do it for "privilege and honour" while everybody around them is pocketing.

[GLuvsMtb]

Can you cut your earnings by half and then stop working at 35?

I remember reading on a rugby forum some time ago about this. Here are some stats (quoted from memory, so don't shoot the messanger) , there are about 150 000 registered rugby players in SA (most are amateur). Roughly 0,5% of these are able to make a living out of Rugby alone. The average rugby career is no longer than 12 years. Only about 0.1% of players earn more than R1 million a year from rugby. Of these players, if you can stretch your career by another 2 years earning R1 million per year, you would be in a position to draw an additional R180 000 per year if all the proceeds are invested in an investment that yields a 9% return per year.

 

It is further estimated that no more than 0.1% of the rugby players registered in SA at present will be able to make a living from the game once they retire.

 

In the professional era very few of these players qualify themselves outside of having a career in sport. Gone are the days that Doc Craven had a school teacher, police man, doctor, dominee and attorney in his side, so the bulk of these guys ends up selling insurance or running their own small business when they retire.

[JGR]

He was available and playing for the Boks when he was playing for Racing Metro, so he was having his cake and eating so to speak.

 

Not sure why he would return to the Sharks for half the money, unless SARU made some promises as stated - so I tend to believe the broken promises story.

 

SARU, broadcasters, administrators, sponsor etc making millions of dollars from rugby, its big business for everybody, unfair to expect the players to only do it for "privilege and honour" while everybody around them is pocketing.

He was not selected for the boks during his time at Racing Metro 2009-2012 furthermore I was referring to playing in SA and earning European money .....

 

Promises? No - there would be a contract and im sure he could have gone the legal route if they had broken their obligations. The fact that he is dropping them mid tour is the disgusting part ...he kept other promising players out only to give his team mates, countrymen, fans ect a slap in the face.

 

The KP of rugby ...............

[JGR]

I remember reading on a rugby forum some time ago about this. Here are some stats (quoted from memory, so don't shoot the messanger) , there are about 150 000 registered rugby players in SA (most are amateur). Roughly 0,5% of these are able to make a living out of Rugby alone. The average rugby career is no longer than 12 years. Only about 0.1% of players earn more than R1 million a year from rugby. Of these players, if you can stretch your career by another 2 years earning R1 million per year, you would be in a position to draw an additional R180 000 per year if all the proceeds are invested in an investment that yields a 9% return per year.

 

It is further estimated that no more than 0.1% of the rugby players registered in SA at present will be able to make a living from the game once they retire.

 

In the professional era very few of these players qualify themselves outside of having a career in sport. Gone are the days that Doc Craven had a school teacher, police man, doctor, dominee and attorney in his side, so the bulk of these guys ends up selling insurance or running their own small business when they retire.

Same could be said of many industries and I would guess less than 0.1% of people in their respective trades earn more than a million a year either.

 

The issue for me as I see it is not about the money but the timing of his departure because of money. If there was a dispute, there surely is a contract to dictate the outcome but to leave your team mates and country men in the lurch ... well .....

[Greybeard]

He was available and playing for the Boks when he was playing for Racing Metro, so he was having his cake and eating so to speak.

 

Not sure why he would return to the Sharks for half the money, unless SARU made some promises as stated - so I tend to believe the broken promises story.

 

SARU, broadcasters, administrators, sponsor etc making millions of dollars from rugby, its big business for everybody, unfair to expect the players to only do it for "privilege and honour" while everybody around them is pocketing.

You have put it completely in context! Suddenly a flood of All Blacks are converging on Europe, I wonder why?

[GLuvsMtb]

Same could be said of many industries and I would guess less than 0.1% of people in their respective trades earn more than a million a year either.

 

The issue for me as I see it is not about the money but the timing of his departure because of money. If there was a dispute, there surely is a contract to dictate the outcome but to leave your team mates and country men in the lurch ... well .....

and you quote news24 on this?! That's worse than quoting something out of this week's You magazine. I certainly would not base my view on this on 1 article in what is essentially a tabloid site in search of as many hits as possible without cognizance of balanced reporting or even all the facts.

My point is that out of 150 000 people playing rugby, if you combine the physical nature, short career prospects, high attrition and limited employment once you are done, it can put decision-making into perspective. Its not like the old-timers of rugby have an IPL type competition where they can work for a few seasons after their international careers end to make up any shortfalls on their retirement planning. I mean, lets face it, once you have retired, and sold a few copies of your biography, and did a documentary on TV with a TV crew all you have left is the memories.

[JJDT]

This is my gripe also just playing for money. If you want to earn a few $$$ from rugby you need to play outside of SA. I do not have a problem if they retire from local rugby in order to fill their pension fund out of SA and they make it into those teams.

But if you opt to play rugby outside of SA and earn your $$$ you need not to selected for the national squad, their is enough talent in SA to fill the shoes of those who left. If you always rely on the same players overseas to play we will come into a situation that there is no backup. This is happening now with the current locks, we did not grew the latent on lock position enough, the current locks are all injured and now we have to rely on these players.

The message is clear for the younger guys play overseas earn your $$$nand if you are good enough their you will be selected for the boks.

[Skubarra]

He was not selected for the boks during his time at Racing Metro 2009-2012 furthermore I was referring to playing in SA and earning European money .....

 

Promises? No - there would be a contract and im sure he could have gone the legal route if they had broken their obligations. The fact that he is dropping them mid tour is the disgusting part ...he kept other promising players out only to give his team mates, countrymen, fans ect a slap in the face.

 

The KP of rugby ...............

 

He played 26 tests between 2009 and 2012....

 

Not sure if the link work but you can look it up on espnscrum

 

http://www.espnscrum.com/statsguru/rugby/player/15421.html?class=1;template=results;type=player;view=match

 

I actually kind of agree with your last throw-away comment (KP) - he does seem to be a complex character and this is not the first time he had issues with the national coach.

[Benjamin]

There are going to be 2, or even 3 sides to this story. Until we know all the facts ( if we ever do ), then got to take it at face value. Frans has withdrawn for undisclosed reasons. End of! No point speculating, or making sweeping comments or judgements.

 

Will we miss him on Saturday, and going forward ? For sure we will.