Cape Town – Jaque Fourie does not have a standard players contract with the Golden Lions Rugby Union (GLRU) and that is just one of the reasons he believes his agreement with the union is not binding.
He is also believed to be tired of having to play above himself to carry the Lions along with a handful of team-mates, and is said to be tired of the losing culture of the union. Fourie wants to leave the Lions to join Western Province, so that he can play for the Stormers next year.
Arbitration in the dispute between Fourie and the GLRU ended in Johannesburg on Tuesday, but a finding is only expected early next week. Information at Sport24’s disposal suggests that Fourie has a strong case.
The collective agreement between the South African Rugby Players’ Association (Sarpa) and the South African Rugby Employers Organisation (Sareo) determines that rugby unions must enter into agreements with players on standard players contracts.
Sport24 can reveal the following:
– Fourie does not have a standard players contract with the union. He did, however, enter into an agreement with them on August 11, 2008.
– Sareo already on June 26, 2008 sent the standard players contract and new collective agreement to rugby unions, and there was no reason for the GLRU to not apply it to Fourie.
– The agreement that Fourie reached with the GLRU does not stipulate his remuneration for the second year of the so-called contract. Furthermore, the terms of his remuneration such as allowances, deductions, match
fees and bonuses have not been filled in.
– Fourie’s contract with the GLRU indicates that he has been appointed as a “professional analyst” and not a rugby player.
The Springbok centre believes his relationship with the GLRU has broken down because he was prevented from joining French club Clermont earlier this year and his salary for next season was not revised.
Fourie apparently followed grievance procedures, but talks with Lions chief executive Manie Reyneke and union consultant Jake White did not solve the problems.
He is tired of the losing culture at the union, which is preventing him from reaching his professional, personal and financial goals.
Sarpa chief executive Piet Heymans called on rugby unions and player agents to use the standard players contract.
“All the parties have to do on the standard players contract is to fill in the remuneration and the term. The rest is determined by a broad process of negotiations between Sarpa and Sareo. The provinces should take cognisance of the collective agreement, of which the standard contract is an attachment,” said Heymans.
Sport24 has learned that six Lions players do not have standard contracts. Willem Alberts and Louis Ludik are also among them. Both have offers from the Sharks.
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and the plot thickens..
The Lions are a joke. 😆
If Fourie wins this case the Sharks will be very difficult to beat with the likes of Alberts and Ludik added to their ranks! 😈
@wpw (Comment 2) : the result of the arbitration should be interesting I’m of the opinion if JF wants to leave so badly, the Lions should let him go and get compensation from WP
One could argue that if he and gatkramp Pretorius actually played a bit more then just maybe the Lions would’nt be in the prediciment they are in.
This guy really has a healthy self image –
“He is also believed to be tired of having to play above himself to carry the Lions along with a handful of team-mates”
and he did most of that while injured – amazing.
@Salmonoid (Comment 4) :
Nothing wrong with being confident in your abilities. 😉
@wpw (Comment 5) :
He is probably right though, after all there must be a reason that Province are fighting so hard for him.
@Salmonoid (Comment 4) :
There’s a fine line between confidence and arrogance..I think he has overstepped it just a tad bit..
I would know – I am an arrogant Sharks supporter after all!! 😉
@Salmonoid (Comment 6) :
Damn straight!!
We need someone to replace Captain Watermelon’s Ego!! 😆
@wpw (Comment 8) : 🙄
@wpw (Comment 8) : this was the same guy who called himself “the world’s best centre” when he wasn’t even in the Bok starting team! he clearly has faith in his abilities
@Salmonoid (Comment 4) : the lions always looked different team when he was playing.
but as a WP / Stormers supporter I would worry – cos it looks like he’s saying I don’t want to play like this anymore
@war1 (Comment 10) : Adi’s back! 😛
The only reason I could pick up that the Lions do not want to release him was that they are happy to release him to a foreign club, but not against a local one out of principle because he would be playing against them…
WTF?
@Morné (Comment 12) : there is some twisted logic in it – they’re afraid of him.
@rekinek (Comment 13) :
Well for a team who currently celebrates ending 6th on the log and marketing their season as ‘successful’ there is a lot of twisted shit that goes on there!
@Morné (Comment 14) :
BWAHHAAHHAAHHAAA
@Morné (Comment 14) : don’t kick a man on the floor – still sulking after sat?
@rekinek (Comment 16) :
Not at all the log ended up exactly as I predicted!
“professional analyst” Thats a self inflated opinion, Fouries strikes me as a good rugby player but i suspect his analysis amounts to single figure numbers….number of tackles and so forth. 😆
So i reckon the Lions deserve to lose him for such a stuffy title 😀
my reasons for wanting him released are, of course, completely selfish! I want LL and Big Vic 🙂
@robdylan (Comment 19) : why would you want Big Vic?
@rekinek (Comment 20) : “Big Vic” is Willem Alberts’ nickname.
@robdylan (Comment 21) : are you trying to confuse me 🙄
BTW how old is alberts?
@rekinek (Comment 22) : yes 🙂
I think he’s 25
@robdylan (Comment 23) : @robdylan (Comment 23) : that he is, could not understand the big vic nickname either
@war1 (Comment 24) : c’mon, guys… work with me here 🙂 Do your background reading! There’s a whole internet out there waiting to be discovered
@robdylan (Comment 25) :
enlighten us rather, wont you? Pretty pleasssee! 😀 😉
@robdylan (Comment 25) : Time, time time….. 🙄
@robdylan (Comment 25) : That’s why we have you 😉
@Pokkel (Comment 27) : look what’s become of me
@robdylan (Comment 29) : ah, you’ll be fine
@war1 (Comment 30) : it’s the next line of the song that Pokkel started 🙂
@robdylan (Comment 31) : hehehehe 😆
@robdylan (Comment 31) : im still a youngster, i dont know all ur old songs 😉
@war1 (Comment 33) :
😈
@war1 (Comment 33) : Hazy Shade of Winter… Simon and Garfunkel
@war1 (Comment 33) : and the old ones are the best 🙂
@robdylan (Comment 36) : Oh! my bad, I know that one “look around, leaves are brown and the sky is a hazy shade of winter”
@robdylan (Comment 36) : oh yeah, for sure, especially simon and garfunkel, legendary
Okay – It’s official – Jaque is officially now a WP / Stormer….
@GI Ice (Now its WAR!) (Comment 39) :
BRILLIANT News!!!
😆
@wpw (Comment 40) : Oh well, the world’s best 13 is yours now…
@wpw (Comment 40) : Is it?Really?
@provincejoulekkading (Comment 42) :
Jaque Fourie has broken ties with the Golden Lions and will be allowed to play for Western Province next season.
According to Die Burger, Fourie’s lawyer Frikkie Erasmus confirmed that the Springbok centre will not be committed to Golden Lions Rugby Union in 2010 after several weeks of contractual conflicts.
‘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,’ he said.
Manager Peet van Zyl added that Fourie will now be able to sign a two-year contract with Western Province, that will run from 1 November 2009 to 31 October 2011.
‘Jaque will now be allowed to join Western Province and that is where he wants to be. I’m am happy that this has worked out for him,’ said Van Zyl.
Fourie will become WP’s second big signing, after the Cape Town union secured the services of Springbok wing Bryan Habana for next season earlier this year.
Meanwhile, GLRU president Kevin de Klerk said the union will not allow their other players to leave in a similar manner.
‘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.’
@wpw (Comment 43) :
I think he meant ‘is it really BRILLIANT news” …not if it was true…you should know my sauces are always reliable.. 🙄
@GI Ice (Now its WAR!) (Comment 39) : Sweet deal.
@Worcestershire Sauce (Comment 45) :
I am happy if yo are happy… 😉 😆
@GI Ice (Now its WAR!) (Comment 46) :
Hey!! 👿
Stop flirting with Sauce!! Jy getroud jong… LOL
@GI Ice (Now its WAR!) (Comment 44) : 10 points for the aunty
read an article saying that The lions will have a tough job keeping their other senior players, as they are also on this toiletpaper contract, and that if they receive offers from other unions, they should be free to go… (Is that meant for Ludick and Alberts??) 😛 😀
@wpw (Comment 47) :
THAT, my dear, is not remotely close to flirting… 😉
“We will not let players go like we have allowed in the past.”
Try contracting them properly you clowns.
and while were at it, why dont we take baywatch aswell?? playing with the sharks, he could be pretty good…
@wpw (Comment 47) : Sheeesh you on a short leash ? 😆
@Worcestershire Sauce (Comment 51) :
😆
@VanWilder (Comment 52) :
I have an idea that with Muir around, the guys might actually consider staying…
@GI Ice (Now its WAR!) (Comment 55) : i hear what your saying, but i think at the lions, it will take about a year or 2 to get them on the map again.At the sharks they will step in to a pretty good side. and i think, for their springbok aspirations it would be better at the sharks?
@GI Ice (Now its WAR!) (Comment 55) :
Did you hear the ‘Jake and Eddie show’ has left the Coke Tin?? 😐
@wpw (Comment 57) :
I did yesterday on the radio on my way to work…
@VanWilder (Comment 56) :
Truth in that too yes..but I think the Lions’ “shares” have just climbed a bit with that decision..