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Bye Zane, no loss to Boks?

Cape Town - Sport24 readers believe Zane Kirchner's decision to play abroad could be a blessing in disguise for the Springboks.

Bulls fullback Kirchner is to take up a contract with Irish side Leinster later this year, worth a rumoured R3.6m per annum.

He joins a growing exodus of Springboks this year who have decided to ply their trade abroad, including Andries Bekker (Kobelco Steelers), Bryan Habana (Toulon), Morne Steyn (Stade Francais), Juandre Kruger (Racing Metro) and JP Pietersen (Japan, unspecified).

The majority of Sport24 readers believed that the Springboks would be enhanced by Kirchner's absence, despite the injury to Jaco Taute, the poor form of Francois Steyn and the lack of any Test-hardened alternatives in the fullback position.

Here's what Sport24 readers had to say about Kirchner's departure:

"Blessing in disguise."
- Pietskiet Springbok

"It might be a loss to the Bulls more than the Springboks."
- Rynier Potgieter

"Why Meyer persisted in using him, only he knows."
- Roy Wadhams

"Not really a loss for either the Bulls or the Boks, but SARU should really limit the amount of overseas players eligable for Bok selection, or something along those lines, to try and reduce our extreme player exodus! We've lost like 15 decent players in the last 8 months to Europe and Japan!" - Sean Read Crispy

"Now attacking fullbacks will get a chance in the Bok team." - Vaughan Campher

"Zane played very well during is stint with Griquas and took time to fit into the Bulls set up. He played well during the period 2008 - 2010 but has suffered from a slump in form." - Marco Miladinovic

"There's a time to play and then a time to go... Zane has been off his game for a while now (hot, cold and somewhere in between) He has done is time. Give the young guns a turn, Blommetjies, Visser, Beyers. I wish you well Zane, you've done our supporters proud!"
- Rene Muller

"R3.6 Million? That's cheap compaired to what our top guys are getting in Japan...A certain Bok was on 12mil and only played 8 games on his contract." - Jaco de Villiers

"Thanks for leaving Krusty - you've made my day!"
- dewaldmarais

"R3.6 mill, wow that's a lot of Nik Naks!"
- John Comyn

"Sad, but he has provided the Bulls with years of good service, and know it is time to make real money."
- iYesss

"He tried and I'll give him that, he was good under the high ball, could kick out of hand pretty well and occasionally he would drift into the line and was pretty effective. Why he didn't do it more often probably has something to do with his coach and the Bulls and Boks game plan, for that he cannot be blamed too much, however he was no Rolls Royce and I thinks it’s time we had a fresh look at someone new especially for the Bok 15 position. I'm sorry but if you have to compare him to Bok 15's over the last 20 years he was certainly at the bottom of the pile, sorry but it’s the truth."
- Maestro Xana

"The boy from the tiny school of Kretchenshoop in Blanco, George became a Springbok and he served his country with everything he had. It is frustrating to see people that had neither the skill, perseverance or the courage to play the game at this level trashing his legacy here."
- Faan Roetz


Zane Kirchner's label as a 'one-dimensional', 'kick-and-chase' fullback, had people calling for his exclusion from the Springboks squad, and a more attacking alternative. (Gallo Images)
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