Germany call Replacements as Top Players Strike

Germany has been forced to call a team of replacement players for their match with Chile this weekend after their top players made the unbelievable decision to strike earlier this week. Sparking the action is a dispute between the German Rugby Union (Deutscher Rugby-Verband – DRV) and billionaire backer Hans-Peter Wild. Also the chairman of Paris club Stade Français, Wild’s financial support enabled the creation of the full-time Wild Rugby Academy, which operates under the professional banner of Heidelberger RK in the European Continental Shield competition. The club, under the direction of management group GFR, currently employs more than half the current national side.

It’s not entirely clear what the disagreement stems from but DRV Director of Sport Manuel Wilhelm is clearly not impressed by the actions of the players, as illustrated in an official release on the DRV website.

“I am all the more irritated by this step because there is a written agreement with the GFR on the availability of their employees for the three friendly matches, which is now not being complied with. We take the concerns and needs of the players very seriously, and we have sought dialogue with the team in this regard. However, here the decision has been taken out of our hands.

Team Manager Volker Himmer called the refusal to play ‘unfounded’ and has been equally defiant. To overseas-based players have all pledged their support and further complicating matters is that national team coach Kobus Potgieter is also under GFR employment. As a result national sevens head coach Vuyo Zangqa and former Germany captain Clemens von Grumbkow have been called in to lead a makeshift squad against the Cóndores in order to fulfill their fixture commitment.

Wilhelm says the players will do their best under the circumstances.

“The team did not come together until Thursday, even though most of the players were able to complete a joint training session on Wednesday alongside the sevens program. The players are looking forward to the chance to represent their country, and the boys will certainly do their best on Saturday. On the part of the DRV, these young men enjoy our highest esteem that they were ready in such a short time to step in for German rugby.”

Of the emergency squad named only three – Wynston Cameron-Dow, Nikolai Klewinghaus, and Matthias Schösser – were part of the original extended training squad for the November tests. More than half the group are uncapped with Schosser one of just two forwards with prior test experience. How German rugby will recover from such a disaster is yet to be seen but one this is certain. Chile’s chances for an upset victory on Saturday have risen considerably.

Hannover 78: Todd Johnson, Kain Rix, Phil Szczesny
RG Heidelberg: Robin Plümpe, Tim Lichtenberg, Bastian Himmer, Carsten Lang
RC Rottweil: Robert Lehmann
RK Heusenstamm: Ben Sabinarz, Gino Gennaro
SC Frankfurt 1880: Marcel Becker, Senzo Ngubane, Wynston Cameron-Dow
SC Germania List: Stefan Mau, Daniel Koch
SC Neuenheim: Paul Weiss, Nikolai Klewinghaus
SG Odin/Döhren: Rafael Pyrasch
TSV Handschuhsheim: Felix Martel, Marcus Bender, Max Reinhard, Christopher Korn, Vincent Spies
TV Pforzheim: Calvin de Bruyne, Oliver Paine, Carlos Soteras-Merz
Limpopo Blue Bulls (SA): Luke Haynes
Nottingham Uni (UK): Rafael Dutta
Trinity College (IR): Sebastian Fromm
Aberdeen (UK): Matthias Schösser