John Bishop
Durban - While Western Province were on
Monday celebrating the landing of another big fish, both the Sharks and
the Free State Cheetahs have had their locks cited following their
weekend’s semi-final at King’s Park.
World-class centre Jaque
Fourie has been cleared to freshwater pearl jewelry leave the Lions and join Springbok team-mate
and wing Bryan Habana in Cape Town for next year’s Super 14 while the
Sharks’ Johann Muller and the Cheetahs’ David de Villiers are both
facing disciplinary action following incidents in the semi-final.
After
weeks of squabbling with the Golden Lions Rugby Union, and following
arbitration, Fourie’s lawyer Frikkie Erasmus has confirmed that the
burly centre has been cut free of his contract and had become a free
agent.
“The arbitrator has decided that there is no forced
agreement between Jaque and the GLRU and he will not be forced to play
professional rugby for the Lions in the 2010 season,” Erasmus told
Sport24.
Advocate Schalk Burger, who headed the arbitration
hearing, ruled that Fourie did not have a standard players' contract
with the GLRU and he was free to move to pearl necklace Cape Town.
Western
Province manager Peet van Zyl said that Fourie will now be able to sign
a two-year contract (November 1 2009 to October 31 2011) and he would
fill the huge hole left by the experienced Bok Jean de Villiers in the
midfield.
Lions president Kevin de Klerk reacted angrily to the news.
“I
hope that Jaque will reconsider now that Dick Muir has become our
coach. He must now live with himself, knowing he is one of our sons and
we have nurtured him,” he said. “We will not let players go like we
have allowed in the past.”
The ruling could benefit the Sharks
who have the Lions’ powerful number eight Willem Alberts and fullback
Louis Ludik on their shopping list. The pair have a similar contract to
Fourie with the Lions and they could become available to offers from
the Sharks from November 1.
Meanwhile Sharks lock and former
captain Johann Muller, who has had a disappointing season disrupted by
injury, ended the Currie Cup with freshwater pearl earrings another injury and, reportedly, a
citing for high tackle on Free State hooker Richardt Strauss.
The tackle, shortly before half-time in the semi-final, forced Strauss to leave the field at half time with a closed eye.
Muller
himself left the field early in the second half with a leg injury but
any suspension could prevent him being considered for the Springbok
tour of Europe next month. However, his limited action in the Currie
Cup following on-going problems with a broken arm would probably count
against his selection anyway.
The repercussions of the citing of
Cheetahs lock David de Villiers could be far more damaging. De Villiers
is alleged to have elbowed Sharks replacement flank Keegan Daniel late
in the game and Free State’s lineout specialist could miss the Currie
Cup final against the Blue Bulls at Loftus on October 31.
De
Villiers is to face a disciplinary hearing in Cape Town on Wednesday.
If banned, reserve lock Izak van der Westhuizen is likely to move up
from the bench to silver pearl necklace face the two best locks in world rugby, Victor
Matfield and Bakkies Botha.
Cheetahs forward coach Barend Pieterse said it would be a major blow.
“It will be a big loss to play without a recognised lineout lock,’ he told reporters, “and it will disrupt our preparations.”
Pieterse
again highlighted the inconsistencies of the citing process and said
that Bakkie Botha had not been charged following his yellow-card at
Newlands.
“It is disappointing to see David called in and
Bakkies being cleared. I don’t even think David’s incident was big
enough for this whole investigation,” he added.