Bulls flyhalf Burton Francis has been released to join the Lions, potentially ending the speculation about who the Union will select as their first-choice pivot in 2010.
Francis, at one stage a clear second in the Bulls pecking order behind Morné Steyn, has seen his shares fall after an ordinary Currie Cup campaign. The acquisition of Jacques-Louis Potgieter from the Cheetahs and the emergence of Francois Brümmer as a player of genuine quality have somewhat dented Francis’s ambitions and his major reason for moving to the Lions is that he’s been promised regular gametime as the first choice.
The Lions are apparently hellbent on signing anyone that isn’t physically tied down at the moment and have been linked with a move for Sharks understudy Monty Dumond as well. They already have another former Sharks pivots on their books in Herkie Kruger, who has not done badly this season, although he’s arguably not Super 14 quality. Francis too is untested at that level of the game, though.
Ruan Boshoff is another young flyhalf from the Bulls who was lured to Johannesburg at the beginning of the season by the promise of more regular gametime. His opportunities have, to date, been limited.
Francis will join the Lions at the beginning of November, once his Currie Cup commitments with the Bulls have come to an end.
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kinda hoping this puts paid to the Monty discussion. There’d be no reason for him to move to the Lions unless he’ll be first choice
Yeah, i was happy to hear this news, hope monty stays now, wat r the chances of poaching brummer?
@war1 (Comment 2) : it would be a little unfair to Guy, don’t you think?
Question:
Who is the better player, JPL or Burton Francis??? 😐
@wpw (Comment 4) : Who’s J-P-L ❓
@wpw (Comment 4) : JLP by a country mile
@robdylan (Comment 6) :
I thought you’d say so!!!
Speaking of JP’s, how good was Duminy yesterday. 99* from 50 odd balls to take the Cobras to victory. 😎 😎
Finally not a has-been, I really rate this guy. I just hope he has made the right choice, because the lions could be good for him or it could backfire!!
@wpw (Comment 7) : wes – have you actually watched both players this season, or are you just stirring as usual?
Morné Steyn Weird name…is it Afrikaans?
Good luck to The Lions – more rebuilding ahead for them…
JLP…JPL…JP…???? Dont you mean IPL 😉 …thats finished
Any ways so whats gonna happen at the cheetahs…Meyer Bosman at 10 again? They could do a cheapie deal with Earl the pearl…I’d like to see Danré Gerber on a more regular basis(meaning not at Boland)
@blackshark (Comment 11) : I think its a case of starting from scratch, there biggest problem is to get some quality players to join them nobody wants to be accosiated with a losing team and these guys have done nothing for ages
Associated, spelling not always the brightest 😳
@blackshark (Comment 11) : Not sure but he certainly are. Legend has it Morné was an extremely rare name in SA until a certain Morné du Plessis arrived on the rugby scene.
@Volstruis (Comment 12) : Wie ? Wat ? Hoe ? Praat jy van Oom Danie se klong ❓
@Charlie (Comment 16) : daaasy
Did you hear Allistar Coetzee might apply for the position of DOR at the Lions??
According to reports he might just get it as he wants to coach at S14 level. 😯
@wpw (Comment 18) : that would be a good move for him. Bloody good coach, that
@robdylan (Comment 3) : too true, maybe i was getting carried away, but we will need depth in the future wen jmh has finished his contract, tho we need a fetcher even more