Former Bulls, then Cheetah, then Bulls again flyhalf Jacques-Louis Potgieter may well be on his way to the Sharks after the 2010 edition of the Currie Cup.
Yesterday, Blue Bulls Company High Performance manager Ian Schwartz confirmed that the former Affies star had approached his current employers to inform them that the coastal union has shown an interest in his services, and that he was seriously considering the move.
The reason that the flyhalf was unhappy at the Bulls came after Springbok flyhalf Morne Steyn extended his contract at the Bulls, shutting out any hope of decent game time at next year’s Super 15.
“Jacques-Louis has spoken to us about the possibility of him leaving to join the Sharks but we haven’t heard of anything concrete yet. I can understand why he would want to leave because he is not getting enough game time but there is nothing we can do about it because he is playing behind the world’s best flyhalf. He probably feels that he will remain number two for as long as Morne is here and he wants to obviously play as a number one. I can understand that and that is why we signed him because we believe that he is a very good player,” said Schwartz yesterday.
Potgieter, who played extremely well for the Cheetahs last season, only signed a one year contract with the Bulls, and will thus be free to sign with any union come end October 2010. This signing could be crucial for the Sharks who lack quality depth at both the flyhalf and centre positions. Potgieter has played a lot of his rugby at both 10 and 12 and could be exactly what the Sharks need.
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Nooit, you can never want to sing a dude that changes unions that often
@provincejoulekkading (Comment 1) :
As long as the Sharks play him as their first choice 10 he probably won’t leave.
AND with no Pienaar around he might just make the Boks squad after all!! 😕
This will be a damn good signing if it becomes a reality!!
Not a half bad centre. scored against us in the Super 14. can provide flyhalf cover. Hope we pull this one off…
@provincejoulekkading (Comment 1) :
He seems like a mercenary… Someone who doesn’t like competition doesn’t bode well for team dynamic… He is a good player, but he is not my choice for a pivot…
He also battled in the S14 at outside centre… Which means he is not a thoroughbred 13 and with Meyer Bosman coming to town, 12 is booked with him and Swannie… Seems he is not number one here… But if he is loyal, he can be a useful utility back… He is not a Springbok, so as soon as he becomes a team man, he can become an assest…
@wpw (Comment 2) : Agreed , he is also definately not a ” has been ” so it would be a great signing for the future . He wont be looking to leave us as there is no obvious 10 knocking the door down and if we do sign him , hopefully Petoors will be on the next plane out of durbs!
why call jlp a ‘centre’ when is flyhalf? He played pivot the whole year last in ’09 for the cheetahs, was cover for morne @ the bulls – that prompted francis to leave to the lions – now why on earth would you call him a centre? Was he in competition with wynand olivier? 🙄
@King Deysel (Comment 5) : He would be a good signing for the Sharks, better than Sick Note.
If this comes off its a real win for us, the guys good, very good.
@Megatron (Comment 6) :
He played mostly at 13 during this year’s S14. 🙄
@King Deysel (Comment 5) : plane or ambulance?
@Megatron (Comment 6) : cos AWESOME headlines get us hits. Duh!
@wpw (Comment 9) : because pretorius was always injured and stephan dippenaar was kak!!!! What part of that dynamic did you miss? 🙄 it’s like all of sudden saying stephan terblanche is a centre just because he played there in a crisis. You’re not that daft…
@Megatron (Comment 12) : close, but not quite 🙂
@lostfish (Comment 7) : Will he be a first choice inclusion is my question?
@Megatron (Comment 6) :
Maybe because… (wait for it)… he is better than our present centres?
Fantastic news….I really rate JL Potgieter as a Flyhalf…now the Sharks might have a problem if Steve Meyer starts playing well. I really hope this signing happens. I recon in last years CC JL Potgieter was easily the 2nd best no 10 in SA.
Go Rudi don’t let this one slip.And please don’t give Petoors a contract.
@DarkDestroyer (Comment 14) : I’m yet to see Steve Meyer play….so let’s see tomorrow but I really rate JL Potgieter
@robdylan (Comment 10) : i guess so, rich coming form one who trawls other websites pointing out ‘poorly-researched tabloid sh.t journalism’ 🙄
@Big Fish (Comment 15) : hahahaha true, true… 😛
Does anybody know what happened in the Lions Leopords game??
Pretorius injury horribilius can stay at The Sharks if he is paid per game, as per current agreement, also he has a helluva lot of knowledge, which is always useful, he may be injury prone, but he can impart with good wisdom… No problem with Andre Pretorius in the mix, but agreed, NO CONTRACT!!!
@Pokkel (Comment 17) : Fair…
@Pokkel (Comment 20) : The game is only at 19h00 😉
This will be good for us! It is nice to see some depth at 10 and 12!
@Megatron (Comment 19) :
Dont laugh man. 🙁
@Pokkel (Comment 20) :
Kick off is only at 7pm this evening!! 🙄
@Big Fish (Comment 25) : swannie & dries strauss are a joke 😆
heeeaaaahhhhh
the guy that made us loose to the Cheetahs in the CC 2009 i think mmm might be coming to the sharks great sign him give the Cheetahs their own medicine back, this is great news he is a good center
@billy (Comment 8) : agree good very good 😆
isn’t he a flyhalf – or are we getting another confused player 😐
he should have figured out that Steyn will be staying during Wc year at least.
@Pokkel (Comment 16) : i think we must sign a petition that we don’t want Petoors at all 👿 😉
@rekinek (Go Podolski!) (Comment 30) : hey sorry about your WC2010 team that was bad i really thought they would of got 3 /2 but [email protected] happens 🙁
@diablo (Comment 23) : @wpw (Comment 26) : For some reason I thought it was at 12 this afternoon and I did think it sounded a bit strange 😳
@Pokkel (Comment 33) :
@chaz (Comment 32) : appreciated 😛 as a second prize i’m holding thumbs for Klose to score 2 more goals 😉
@Megatron (Comment 18) : ice cold…
@rekinek (Go Podolski!) (Comment 35) : i’m going to go by Netherlands for Finals, 😉
but on the other hand i’m hope that Spain take the WC2010 😳
@rekinek (Go Podolski!) (Comment 35) : it looks like the big head HH is going to win yet another comp 😥 😉
@chaz (Comment 38) : pssst … but not the cup…. – oops, my mean side is coming out again. Very difficult to contain 😆
@rekinek (Go Klose!) (Comment 39) :
This wont be a bad signing, this dude cost us 2 games thus far. Remember last years CC semi and a drop goal.
@rekinek (Go Klose!) (Comment 39) : Why dont you just say Go Germany 😈
@chaz (Comment 37) : Stop sitting on the fence
@JarsonX (Comment 41) : a good sighning me friend and its time to give us those 2 faults he made 😆 so it pay back time
@Farlington (Comment 43) : 😳 but i really have feelings for this Spanish 🙄 they worked hard to get to where they are and 1st time in the finals thats hard work but what are to odd who’s going t o take the WC 2010 😉
@JarsonX (Comment 42) : cause I fancied Klose more 😈 I’m accentuating the Polish elements 😆
@chaz (Comment 45) : let’s wait for Paul the Octopus to speak
@chaz (Comment 45) : It might have been great for SA, but to be honest I really don’t care. Why don’t I care??? Well because it is the start of the CC and Tri Nations… any other sport will have to take a distant second place. (Even the SWC final being played in our own back yard.)
‘….because he is playing behind the world’s best flyhalf.’
Well we will see on Saturday but my gut feeling is he is playing behind the second best fly half in the world.
@rekinek (Go Klose!) (Comment 47) : oh my the Octopus is going to the CTFM after the WC if he gets this wrong now i heard over the radio he wants money money in the soccers world
@Farlington (Comment 48) : true its a shame the SA was out in the 1st round but we knew it would happen but it was good to do the WC 2010 comp Bufanny Bafunny it got us busy while we were waiting for the CC and Tri Nations
http://www.stuff.co.nz/3898682/Boks-coach-declares-I-love-myself
“I’ve got a job to do. I think I’m a strong individual with a strong character. I don’t care what people think about me, I don’t care what people say about me.
“It’s what I think about me and myself and I love myself a lot.”
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Oh my Div. You are truly a precious guy! LMFAO!!
@klempie (Comment 52) : 😯
oh well give him that 😕
but some of us don’t 👿
😉
@klempie (Comment 52) : That is stuff that legends are made of. 😀
@Farlington (Comment 54) : More like folklore. 😛
😯 😯 😯
If we can arrange a deal where the Bulls take Pretorius I will be smiling…
JLP has talent and could be a huge asset to the Sharks…
ok – so let’s just look at this.
If we get JLP and Meyer Bosman, we suddenly have a lot of depth… maybe too much?
9: Kockott, McLeod, Cronje, Reinach (SUPERSTAR!) and maybe even Vermaak
10: Meyer, Dumond, Potgieter, Cronje, Lambie, Pretorius
12: Bosman, Swannie, Strauss, Potgieter, Jenner
13: Jacobs, Lindeque, Richards?, Mapoe? Maybe even Ebersohn
11/14:Mvovo, Pietersen, Ludik,Ndungane,Mapoe,Sithole
15: Lambie, Ludik, Richards
we’re suddenly starting to look just a little crowded at 10/12… and still quite thin at 13 and fullback.
@Mole (Comment 57) : gee now some is talking didn’t think of it that way but i don’t think they want him either 😕
@robdylan (Comment 58) : a good lot od reseves 😆 😳
@robdylan (Comment 58) :
…and no one decent ! 😆
@Hertford Highlander (Comment 61) : rich coming from a ‘landers fan 🙂
@robdylan (Comment 62) : Very Rich…
…. we can’t name 7 backs at the minute.
……however that list of players may just highlight where the Sharks are going wrong….it looks ridiculous.
What’s the wage bill ?
OK this is would be a good move if they don,t mess him around his not an inside center not all if he moves just leave him at flyhalf.I,d love what they tell these young players at the bulls there so many great players in the vodacom cup not all of them will secure a place in the super 15 team ,they lions and sharks need to go raid the nest
He is a better option than Andre Pretorius. Way better. But alas Rob, in Shark country you can name a list of 10’s (or any other position for that matter) of youngsters/incumbents, who will never been shown the faith by coach Plum to pick them in any line up at all. I think that the academy should be looked at as a farm, where youngsters are “grown” and “beefed” up and sold for a handsome profit. Because the Sharks are only interrested in ‘other’ players that they want to buy. (imo)
@Pokkel (Comment 20) : I saw that as well, it was originally for 12 and then moved to 1900
@klempie (Comment 52) : Being in his position, perhaps it is the right attitude hey.
@robdylan (Comment 58) : this is becoming a cheetah by the sea side
I still say, we need Walter Venter, he scored 3 tries yesterday for UJ, and made 4 more, the man is out to prove a point.
@robdylan (Comment 58) : This is what happens when you have no clear strategy, and instead make an offer to anyone even remotely available in the hope that at least one or two take the bait… and then they all bite at once!!!
@CS (Comment 70) : It’s going to cost us a fortune… and we’ll just end up with an unhappy underperforming team, because no doubt everyone was promised that they’d be number 1 in their position! Not expecting they’d ALL take up Strauli’s offer!!! 👿
@Gerhardt (Comment 66) : Thanks goodness I thought I was going crazy
@robdylan (Comment 58) : I reckon Bosman will be disappointed with JLP;s signing… I’m sure he would’ve had aspirations to play flyhalf for the Sharks (It’s what he’s listed as on FL afterall)
@Pokkel (Comment 72) : Crazier?
@CS (Comment 74) : I didn’t think it was possible 😳 😳 The way the Sharks are going at the moment I might be in Town Hill by the end of the CC 😆