Try-scoring Springbok replacement Ruan Pienaar has turned down a big money offer from cash-flush and ambitious French club Toulon, because he wants to specialise at No.9.
Pienaar, who came on at flyhalf in place of Butch James and scored a try during the final quarter of South Africa’s record-breaking 53-8 victory over Australia last Saturday, was at the top of Toulon’s wish list.
Toulon has also confirmed that it will not pursue the services of England’s World Cup-winning No.10, Jonny Wilkinson.
The club’s owner, comic book magnate Mourad Boudjellal, will now have to continue searching for a world class flyhalf, after his current crop – Sébastien Fauqué and Ramiro Pez – failed to live up to their pre-season promise.
It was confirmed, in a brief statement, that Toulon had indeed made Pienaar an offer, but the Sharks and Bok utility told the club’s coach, former All Black captain Tana Umaga, that he prefers to play at No.9.
“As a result we will not recruit him [Pienaar],” the statement said.
Pienaar, who has made it clear that he is looking to specialise at scrumhalf, is also on the shopping list of other unnamed French clubs, although the player is not looking to leave South Africa.
The nuggety No.9, who scored his fourth try in 24 Tests against the Wallabies last Saturday, made his Bok debut as a replacement against New Zealand in 2006 and has often been used as a utility off the bench – both at provincial and international level.
He burst onto the scene in 2005 and immediately set the rugby world alight. The son of former Springbok fullback Gysie Pienaar, Ruan is one of the most naturally-gifted players in the modern era, a versatile player equally at home in his familiar scrumhalf role as well as flyhalf and fullback.
He is now looking to get more game time at No.9 for the Sharks and in the process hopefully secure a more regular spot in the Bok squad.
Toulon, who initially chased the signature of star All Black Dan Carter, also confirmed that they are not going to sign Wilkinson.
“Further to the numerous rumours, Rugby Toulonnais deny in the strongest possible terms that it will sign Jonny Wilkinson to reinforce its flyhalf resources,” the club’s statement said.
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Maybe Toulon should sign a new coach?
Anyone watch them play so far this season?
Still cant believe they have Norman Jordaan as their scrummy
hmmmm…. seems the first team that can guarantee Ruan the number 9 jersey will snap him up.
@PJLD(RIP Bernie Mac) (Comment 2) : didn’t you?
ja but wanted to hear who else
@robdylan (Comment 4) : Boland 🙄
@robdylan (Comment 4) : Well Thats probably the Free State, Lions, Valke or Griquas
Bulls[hit] – Du Preez
WP – Ricky, Bolla
Of course the Sharks could wake up to the fact they have a class player and that Krocket is more journeyman than star player
Lions – Vermaak
‘He burst onto the scene in 2005 and immediately set the rugby world alight.’
Isn’t this overdoing it just a bit??? 😯 😯
@Sauce (Comment 8) : dude – did you actually WATCH Rocket this Super14? He was arguably the form SA scrummie… definitely no journeyman
Yea i watched the semi and watched him throw 13 weeks of luck away single handedly. You are only as good as your last performance – i believe the cliché goes…..
I am just winding you guys up. But in reality would you rather let Ruan leave or pick someone who had one good season ?
http://www.sportsleader.co.za/shaunoakes/2008/09/02/peter-de-villiers-not-as-bad-as-media-would-have-us-believe/
For you Sauce 😉
@Sauce (Comment 11) : we rather want both to play in the starting team…
@robdylan (Comment 13) : You gonna have to convince Ruan of that, not me.
@PJLD(RIP Bernie Mac) (Comment 12) : If he thinks Rich is a chop, he cannot be to bad… 😀
@PJLD(RIP Bernie Mac) (Comment 12) : I enjoyed that
@Sauce (Comment 14) : exactly
@PJLD(RIP Bernie Mac) (Comment 12) :
Hell, but these journalist can be real bitches if need be.
@Salmonoid (Comment 18) : oh yeah
guys the good news is ruan is staying and so is cockott
just hope we can keep mcCleod as well
@sharks_lover (Comment 20) :
The article says he is chose number 9. According to a PV Sauce (Not our sauce) he is also being courted by the Western Force.
Unless of course your comment that he is staying has info that we don’t have here 😉
According to the Top 14 team sheets released a short while ago, Jean-Jacques Crenca is the Toulon coach not Tana Umaga.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 21) : i almost asked what PV stood for 🙂
@robdylan (Comment 23) :
😆 don’t ask and I won’t need to tell. 😆
I’m so out of the CC this season. Busy, busy. Thankfully the Sharks have been doing well without me. In fact, when I was being supportive at the start of the season and we were getting thumped! 😯
i still can’t believe ruan wants to stay at 9 after yet another great try at 10. but some guys would rather pass up opportunities to be legends to stay where they are. this country needs flyhalves, we have a huge whack of decent scrumhalves. talk about poor decision making off the field. good thing though he makes good decisions on the field.
@PJLD(RIP Bernie Mac) (Comment 12) : Excellent article.
@try time (Comment 26) : You must commend his stance,but I think he should at least give it a go. We have a lot of talent at no 9 and I think with a bit of actual game time at 10 he could really be the next Larkham. He is currently at no 3 or 4 in the pecking order for the Boks. Come-on Ruan be brave and at least give Flyhalf a go.