News
Erasmus' Bok shopping list
May 21 2008
Stormers and Western Province fans alike could be seeing familiar faces old and new in the form of John Smit, AJ Venter, Percy Montgomery, Ollie le Roux and Willem de Waal if coach Rassie Erasmus gets his way.
These are the names that during the past three days have been linked to Western Province's 2008 Currie Cup and to next year's Stormers Super 14 challenge.
Erasmus, who now moves into his role as Western Province senior professional coach until preparations start for the next Super 14 season, has completed the stock-take that he busied himself with at the start of the competition.
Most of the Stormers combinations benefited this season from Erasmus' recruitments, with Brian Mujati, Adriaan Fondse, Ricky Januarie and Gcobani Bobo all proving astute buys, but there are areas that require further bolstering.
Prop is one area targeted, and it has been confirmed that there could be some exciting signings between now and next year.
Springbok captain Smit is of course a front-row forward, and he has played prop before, and if he does not work out a deal with the Sharks, he could well be headed to the Cape next season - or even during the Currie Cup.
Smit will be returning home to pick up the reigns as South Africa's captain as early as next week Monday (May 26) after a short stint with French Top 14 side Clermont.
But he will need a rugby home while captaining the Boks and whilst Durban is his preferred choice having played there for the last ten years, his return will throw a spanner in the works after the Sharks guaranteed Bismarck du Plessis the first-choice hooker role on Smit's departure to France late last year, and now fear Du Plessis could be looking elsewhere.
Former Springbok prop Ollie le Roux (a good mate of Erasmus) is already in Cape Town and it is believed that he will wear the Western Province jersey in the Currie Cup after a very successful stint with the Irish side and Magners League winners, Leinster.
Montgomery wants to return to his roots in his final year of top-class rugby, and while Conrad Jantjes performed out of his shoes in the Super 14 this year, Montgomery could fulfil the same mentoring role to the younger Stormers backs that Tony Brown did this season.
De Waal's apparent move to the Cape was announced on OFM Sport - a Bloemfontein radio station earlier this week.
Should the former Cheetahs pivot -currently playing for the French second league outfit Narbonne - sign for Western Province, he will be re-united with Erasmus and former Free State fitness trainer Jacques Nienaber.
Venter - currently preparing towards the Super 14 semi-final with the Sharks - has indicated he wants to move to Cape Town for personal reasons and wants to play for Western Province.
Like Smit and Montgomery, Venter brings utility value with his experience, and all three would be valuable members of any matchday 22.