The Emirates Western Force recruitment drive for the 2013 season is in full swing with the signing of Cheetahs flyhalf Sias Ebersohn to the squad on a two year deal as the club’s foreign developing player.
Western Force
Ebersohn is a natural talent in the playmaker role and has been part of the Cheetahs set-up for the past three seasons. His tactical kicking, communication on the field and confidence in directing play will be a welcome asset to the Emirates Western Force in the seasons to come.
RugbyWA CEO Vern Reid said the club had been watching Ebersohn develop as a player over the past two seasons and had made contact with the young flyhalf during the side’s recent visit to Bloemfontein.
“Following our meeting, Sias has agreed to accept our offer to be the foreign developing player for the Emirates Western Force in the 2013 season,” Mr Reid said.
“The agreement is now before the Australian Rugby Union as they need to approve any foreign developing player contracts under the contracting guidelines.”
Foreign developing players are signed on a two year contract with a Super Rugby franchise and must exhibit potential to play for the Wallabies to be approved by the ARU.
“In our view, Sias has great potential to make a significant impact for the Emirates Western Force in the Super Rugby competition and at an international level and for the past couple of seasons has been touted as a future Springbok,” said Mr Reid.
“We are delighted he has accepted the offer to play for the Emirates Western Force and look forward to welcoming him into the programme.”
Emirates Western Force captain David Pocock met with the promising playmaker following the game against the Cheetahs in round 11.
“I met with Sias when we were in Bloemfontein and he was excited about the prospect of moving to Perth,” said Pocock.
“We’ve been watching him for a while and he is a very skilful player and will bring some much needed energy and experience to that position.
“I’m sure he will fit in well with the playing group at the Emirates Western Force and will enjoy his time in Perth.”
Charles Mountifield, General Manager Rugby Operations (Australia) of the Essentially Group said Ebersohn was looking forward to the opportunity to play for the Western Australian franchise.
“Sias is a promising young rugby player and is looking forward to proving his rugby abilities at the Western Force and eventually at an international level,” Mountifield said.
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May 29th, 2012 at 11:35 am
Is this the one that shields rates or the other one?
I can see shields reckoning that playing in Australia would actually suit this kid…
May 29th, 2012 at 11:40 am
Reply to DavidS @ 11:35 am:
Haha… well he’d get game-time at 10… and they have very good centres…
Force have been fairly good this year without a playmaker at 10 since losing one OS, one to injury and their incumbent for thieving… and it seems the future remains blinking with Pocock staying and giving the Rebels scouts the middle finger…
I thought him and his broer were like Dup’s… and could not be parted?
May 29th, 2012 at 11:41 am
Reply to DavidS @ 11:35 am:
Shields’ love child. Watch this space:
He may be moving to Perthoriafontein
himself.
So the tours here are becoming shopping trips.
May 29th, 2012 at 12:07 pm
Reply to Boertjie @ 11:41 am:
Nah Robert is his love-child… well I suppose they must both be then…
Robert is the better player IMO… Sias is great but I could never imagine him playing test rugby where I could envisage Rob there some day at a push…
May 29th, 2012 at 1:37 pm
Reply to bryce_in_oz @ 12:07 pm:
Jantjies has gone to pieces – maybe because
the team he plays with?
He struggled to find touch an many occasions.
And then there was the side’s handling . . .
May 29th, 2012 at 6:53 pm
On Sport24:
Cheetahs flyhalf Sias Ebersohn has voiced his frustration at coach Naka Drotské’s apparent lack of faith in him as No 1 flyhalf.
——
Well Boet, with Goosen there you were
a distant No2. Sorry.
May 29th, 2012 at 7:00 pm
Reply to Boertjie @ 6:53 pm:
True, but I also agree with a lot he says.
May 29th, 2012 at 7:10 pm
Reply to Morné @ 7:00 pm:
“Morné has had – by his standards – one of the poorest kicking seasons of his career but he still plays and the team still backs him. I never played enough to get my selfconfidence on a high and without those opportunities, you get rusty, you get “vrot”. You need to play to keep in form.”
——
Steyn underproduced to posts in two games.
Since then he’s been 90%-plus.
And after all: Who can the Bulls fall back onto?
Poor comparison.
May 29th, 2012 at 7:14 pm
Reply to Boertjie @ 7:10 pm:
Point is he has been in the system for many years now. By all accounts he was 2nd choice after Goosen who is a freak and rightly so.
It just seems Sias was dropped for one poor showing against the Highlanders and where his team and coaches should have rallied around him, they basically pushed him aside.
That is not how you treat a 3-year investment of a player who obviously has the potential but is mentally frail.
It is bad coaching and bad business.
May 30th, 2012 at 4:47 am
Reply to Morné @ 7:14 pm:
For sure… Sias is spot-on… one missed PK after a sublime one straight off the wood and he’s now behind Rian Smit who is his under-study… shocker by the coach…
But does he need to come out and state this in the media?
Aggh why the hell not… besides… swopping Bloem for Perth earning Australian Dollars… what’s not to like?
May 30th, 2012 at 5:00 am
A lot of players are treated like kak in South Africa but Sias is behind the goose, no matter what.
The question is will Robert wilt without his twin?
Welcome to Perthfontein boet.
May 30th, 2012 at 6:01 am
Reply to Kevin_rack @ 5:00 am:
“but Sias is behind the goose, no matter what.”
That’s not the issue is it… for 3 yrs the lad has been the back-up 10 (nothing wrong with that you need at least 3 in the squad for S15)… he misses one PK after nailing a blinder straight off the bench and now he’s number 3 in the queue!
That’s the issue… how do you further your game/career with manager’s like that above you… well clearly he’s had some good advice… you move to a union that will pay you more money and give you more opportunity, more than likely has more professional support and if it happens to be one of the worlds most liveable cities then… pack your bags sharpish…
Robert would be handy back-up for up-n-coming superstar Tupou and Nick Cummins… but they’ve already recruited their second OS player in the beat wing Nalaga…
May 30th, 2012 at 12:24 pm
Reply to bryce_in_oz @ 6:01 am:
manager’s bryce
how do you further your game/career with manager’s like that above you
IT’S A PLURAL!!!!!!
AAAARRRGGGHHH
Like Morne you are now on my Grammar Nazi execution list….
The plural DOES NOT use an apostrophe
May 30th, 2012 at 1:38 pm
Reply to DavidS @ 12:24 pm:
Haha… I touch-type on a laptop in front of three live data screens doing about 3 or 4 things at once… there’ll be the odd speed-bump…