UNITED RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP: Player retention is key to South Africa’s success

The United Rugby Championship has highlighted several of South African rugby’s weaknesses and shortcomings. As experts lament a shortage of experienced players across the Bulls, Lions, Sharks and Stormers squads, a closer look at the player rosters of premier league clubs in Europe and Japan reveals that nearly 200 of SA’s best players are currently plying their trade overseas.

Even more depressing to note is that these numbers don’t take into account those plying their trade in second- and third-divisions overseas, or in the less-prominent club rugby regions of North America and eastern Europe. Some might point to the success of the Springboks during this period and declare that the problem has been blown out of proportion. The Bok coach is free to select as many overseas-based players as he wishes. Since 2018, the national side has enjoyed one of its most successful runs in history, winning the 2019 Rugby Championship, the 2019 Rugby World Cup and the recent series against the British & Irish Lions. SA currently sits at the top of the World Rugby rankings.

Cheslin Kolbe of Toulouse runs with the ball during the Heineken Champions Cup final match between La Rochelle and Toulouse at Twickenham Stadium on 22 May 2021 in London, England. Schalk Brits began his career at Western Province and later went on to play for Saracens in England for nine years. He represented the Boks at two World Cups, and hung up his boots after the team’s success in Japan.

Although SA boasts outstanding junior structures and evidently a top Test side, there is a concern that the franchises don’t retain more of their best players. “If all of those players were available for an SA team, it follows that they would improve that team,” Brits said. “South African rugby has lost a number of players to overseas clubs – and you can understand why, given the money on offer abroad.”The four SA franchises competing in the inaugural URC are almost completely unrecognisable from the teams that did duty in the 2016 Super Rugby tournament.

Hahahaha quota system!

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