Lions to fork out for Smit?

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John Smit (Gallo Images)

Stephen Nell

Pretoria – The Lions are desperately looking to recruit senior players to strengthen their squad and avoid a disastrous Super 15 campaign next year.

Sport24 understands that the Johannesburg-based side are hoping to sign Springbok captain John Smit and wing JP Pietersen.

Both players’ contracts with the Sharks run out at the end of the year.

Sharks commercial manager Rudolf Straeuli said that the union was negotiating with Smit and Pietersen to stay in Durban, but that neither had signed as yet.

It is believed that a massive deal worth millions could be in the offing for Smit.

Smit and Lions head coach Dick Muir go back a long way and it’s no secret that Muir is looking for a strong leader to lead his pride.

However, the Lions are facing competition for Pietersen’s signature, with the Blue Bulls also apparently keen on luring him to Pretoria.

Straeuli was nevertheless convinced that the Sharks would succeed in keeping Smit and Pietersen at the union.

Other experienced players who are being linked to the Lions are Springbok players Butch James, Joe van Niekerk, BJ Botha and Ryan Kankowski.

However, Van Niekerk’s agent told Sport24 that the Toulon captain was not planning on returning to South Africa.

“The Lions are interested, but Joe is still contracted with Toulon until June 2012,” said Cathy van Niekerk, who is his mother and agent.

James and Botha have contracts with Bath and Ulster respectively. Any possible move to Johannesburg will therefore require substantial transfer fees to be paid.

Golden Lions Rugby Union president Kevin de Klerk said it was premature to start talking about signings. He did not want to name players on the union’s shopping list.

“We have to strengthen the team with senior players that can help the young ones. We hope to bring in five or six new players next season. We are going to target big names and find out what their availability is,” said De Klerk.

The Lions’ lack of experience and quality was obvious in this year’s Super 14. They lost all 13 their league games. The disastrous campaign followed on the loss of stars such as Jaque Fourie, Louis Ludik and Willem Alberts.

The Lions are also struggling in the Currie Cup and it appears unlikely that they will make the semifinals.
 

would be great if the lions did manage to get a few "senior" players to mix with there up and coming youngsters, but they will need to plan this properly
no good buying "duds" that are just there for the pay cheque
but they need to get players that have the experience and are still good and hungry enuff to play rugby in sa..

overseas players that come to mind (some nearing the end) are faan rautenbach, daan human, robbie diack, gerhard vosloo, justin melck, danie coetzee, derrick hougaard, ronnie cooke, maruis joubert, shawn sowerby
maybe look closer to home, there are some players deemed not good enuff or cant make there provinicial teams (check bigger and msaller unions, some stars running around there) but would be a great asset to lions rebuilding phase  etc etc...
blend this batch with the current crop, pick a solid leader in wickus can heerden, and plan the next 3 years with this team , coaching staff etc
firstly they should hold onto john mitchell, he has done wonders with this young lions team...similar players different coach, beter gameplan..wow

players like jano vermaak, franco vd merwe, elton jantjies, burton francis, jaco taute, maruis delport, cobus grobbelaar and wandile need to be looked after ....this is going to take money and time and lots of patience (rebuilding always tuff and especially for the fans)...can the lions afford the time and money for this batch..????
are the public patient enuff...are they going to revamp there whole image and will they move to soccer city permanetly..??
lions can only go up...ep and the super kings are watching and waiting to take over as 1 of the big 5 again...