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larry1232
Guest
I've Heard Bath r ment to be signing Butch James - The Springboks Fly-half, anyone no anymore than that?
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jgough
Guest
hope not. he's a great shark.
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getofmeland
Guest
I haven't heard that but that's worth knowing... be interesting to see whether they do... Bath need to gain supremacy again in the Rugby World, they have been lucky the last couple of seasons to stay up, so it about time for a top 4 finish for Bath...
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Bullitt
Guest
That won't be breaking a habit of so far only signing utter shite... Such as Daniel Browne.
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Prestwick
Guest
Yeah, I don't think Bath should go down the route of importing talent when they have such a nice home grown system going on in the peat bogs of the REC.
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larry1232
Guest
I found this info on the SA Rfu website
James's contract with the Sharks ends this year and it is believed he has been offered £200 000 (R2.8 million) for a year's contract with leading English club Bath.
Sharks CEO Brian van Zyl confirmed last night that James had been approached by Bath and admitted keeping him would not be easy.
"We are meeting with Butch and his agent in the morning. We obviously want to keep him in Durban and we will do everything possible to contract him again. I'm not certain how much Bath have offered but it is difficult to fight against the pound."
That was on the 5th of June
http://www.sarfu.org.za/default.asp?id=217632&des=article ://http://www.sarfu.org.za/default.asp...mp;des=article ://http://www.sarfu.org.za/default.asp...mp;des=article ://http://www.sarfu.org.za/default.asp...mp;des=article ://http://www.sarfu.org.za/default.asp...mp;des=article
Since when have Bath been a leading English club! <_< Well, at least not for a good couple of years now
James's contract with the Sharks ends this year and it is believed he has been offered £200 000 (R2.8 million) for a year's contract with leading English club Bath.
Sharks CEO Brian van Zyl confirmed last night that James had been approached by Bath and admitted keeping him would not be easy.
"We are meeting with Butch and his agent in the morning. We obviously want to keep him in Durban and we will do everything possible to contract him again. I'm not certain how much Bath have offered but it is difficult to fight against the pound."
That was on the 5th of June
http://www.sarfu.org.za/default.asp?id=217632&des=article ://http://www.sarfu.org.za/default.asp...mp;des=article ://http://www.sarfu.org.za/default.asp...mp;des=article ://http://www.sarfu.org.za/default.asp...mp;des=article ://http://www.sarfu.org.za/default.asp...mp;des=article
Since when have Bath been a leading English club! <_< Well, at least not for a good couple of years now
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phoenix
Guest
Well it would make sense, with michalak going to the sharks next year who would of had way too many 10s otherwise as styen, pienaar, ect can all play 10
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astimas
Guest
I hope he stays in South Africa, but if michalak also reaches the sharks...
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Prestwick
Guest
Why in the hell would you want to swap Butch James for the timid mouse from France?!
Do you want any other mediocre fly halfs with serious confidence problems? We've got Charlie Hodgeson for you if you want! Italy have Ramiro Pez and Andrea Scanavacca.
OOoooh! You guys really are missing out on Dan Parks! He's a real (absolutely awful) gem in terms of crap-ess and general attitude. Have you guys simply told your talent scouts to "search for the most dodgy fly halves available."
So, to cap it off. The Shark's shopping list for Fly-half:
Frederick Michalak
Charlie Hodgeson
Ramiro Pez
Andrea Scanavacca
Dan Parks.
Are you Sharks really that hell bent on sabotaging your Super 14 chances next year?
Do you want any other mediocre fly halfs with serious confidence problems? We've got Charlie Hodgeson for you if you want! Italy have Ramiro Pez and Andrea Scanavacca.
OOoooh! You guys really are missing out on Dan Parks! He's a real (absolutely awful) gem in terms of crap-ess and general attitude. Have you guys simply told your talent scouts to "search for the most dodgy fly halves available."
So, to cap it off. The Shark's shopping list for Fly-half:
Frederick Michalak
Charlie Hodgeson
Ramiro Pez
Andrea Scanavacca
Dan Parks.
Are you Sharks really that hell bent on sabotaging your Super 14 chances next year?
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Substitute
Guest
Still not on the Bath site but as fans will know he might well have left before it appears.
Anyway the signing of James is great news. A half-back pair is vitally important and after the world cup Bath will have one of the best in the GP.
Anyway the signing of James is great news. A half-back pair is vitally important and after the world cup Bath will have one of the best in the GP.
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Substitute
Guest
It's now on the site officially. What a cracking signing - we now have one of the best HB pairing in the leagues.
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rule brittania
Guest
All I can say is Bath and Butch James deserve each other.
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mclaren
Guest
I think butch will go, because the sharks had sign F.Michalak and with the young F.Steyn butch will not be needed.
I like Butch and he is great but he is not the best :wacko:
I like Butch and he is great but he is not the best :wacko:
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Substitute
Guest
Sorry McLaren but it's official.
I have to admit I was a bit disgusted with the report on your site - basically saying Butch was selfish to leave and that Bath won't see the best of him because of injuries. We at Bath know exactly how it feels to pay an injured play and lose him, we lost Gareth Delve. Even worse with him it was to our local rivals.
I have to admit though I'd rther Butch James anyday to Steyn and Michalak. Both can not handle the pressure of having to control a game and I tink next season the Sharks might struggle because of this. But hey; that's just my opinion.
As for Bath I think its a great signing. With players returning from injury we should go back to having one of the stronget packs (if Bakewell pulls his finger out) and now with a international-class half back pairing we should be able to control games better. Also Butch should be able to provide a physical component to our defence that we lacked last season. This is obviously after the world cup has finished. Now to sign someone to play wing who is actually a winger! :wall:
I have to admit I was a bit disgusted with the report on your site - basically saying Butch was selfish to leave and that Bath won't see the best of him because of injuries. We at Bath know exactly how it feels to pay an injured play and lose him, we lost Gareth Delve. Even worse with him it was to our local rivals.
I have to admit though I'd rther Butch James anyday to Steyn and Michalak. Both can not handle the pressure of having to control a game and I tink next season the Sharks might struggle because of this. But hey; that's just my opinion.
As for Bath I think its a great signing. With players returning from injury we should go back to having one of the stronget packs (if Bakewell pulls his finger out) and now with a international-class half back pairing we should be able to control games better. Also Butch should be able to provide a physical component to our defence that we lacked last season. This is obviously after the world cup has finished. Now to sign someone to play wing who is actually a winger! :wall:
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Bull
Guest
Goodbye turd!
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lewseys got it covered
Guest
To be honest i think the whole foreign transfer market in the UK and in some areas of the french leagues is out of hand. The english team is bad enough, more foreign players means less game time for homegrown talent. I will also miss watching players like Rico Gear playing on the iunternational scene. Do they have no national pride? players are leaving before there time.
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Bull
Guest
It's all about the money, no pride or love for the game anymore.
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Substitute
Guest
Sadly after years of being underpaid (or not paid at all in the amateur game) Rugby Union has looked at football and said "I want that."
And as football wages increase I think Rugby Union will follow behind. I don't think this is quite true with Butch - Gloucester offered more and Steyn and Michalak will be at the Sharks next season - but money will be a big factor.
And once the first big moves were made everyone else has to follow, just to keep pace. Simple economics sadly - we go where the money is. I have no concern for the SH game - there will be plenty of talented players to fill their spots but internationally they will suffer and this will undermine the international game - unless of course the selection policy changes to allow overseas players.
NH rugby is my concern. Soon teams will have to buy in a team of the best players just to compete. And that will create huge schisms of the like we see in the English football premiership. The rich teams will buy good sides and outcompete everyone whereas the poorer teams will never have a hope in hell of competing. It's even worse in France where this has occured already.
The only way to stop this: the salary cap. And while noone adheres to it (with perhaps the exception of Bath, Leeds and possibly others) it's not going to stop it. And I'm sure on paper noone breaks it but while Northern Rock are paying Hayman, Newcastle appear blameless. After all it's run by PRL - can you really see Peter Wheeler giving his club, Leicester, a points deduction? It's rapidly losing control and, honestly, it worries me.
And as football wages increase I think Rugby Union will follow behind. I don't think this is quite true with Butch - Gloucester offered more and Steyn and Michalak will be at the Sharks next season - but money will be a big factor.
And once the first big moves were made everyone else has to follow, just to keep pace. Simple economics sadly - we go where the money is. I have no concern for the SH game - there will be plenty of talented players to fill their spots but internationally they will suffer and this will undermine the international game - unless of course the selection policy changes to allow overseas players.
NH rugby is my concern. Soon teams will have to buy in a team of the best players just to compete. And that will create huge schisms of the like we see in the English football premiership. The rich teams will buy good sides and outcompete everyone whereas the poorer teams will never have a hope in hell of competing. It's even worse in France where this has occured already.
The only way to stop this: the salary cap. And while noone adheres to it (with perhaps the exception of Bath, Leeds and possibly others) it's not going to stop it. And I'm sure on paper noone breaks it but while Northern Rock are paying Hayman, Newcastle appear blameless. After all it's run by PRL - can you really see Peter Wheeler giving his club, Leicester, a points deduction? It's rapidly losing control and, honestly, it worries me.
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Bullitt
Guest
How did you arrive at that conclusion?
