'It will be fascinating to see how this plays out at the World Cup' - Hopley on South Africa's RWC player rep
Players chief Damian Hopley believes South Africa have stolen a march on their World Cup rivals by drafting a players’ representative into their management team for the tournament in Japan.
Eugene Henning, the chief executive officer of MyPlayers (the South African players’ representative body), has been added to the Springboks team management until the end of the World Cup in Japan to ensure the squad’s views are taken into account.
Henning will be quizzed about the ground-breaking move later this month at an executive meeting of the International Rugby Players, the umbrella organisation for players’ representative bodies throughout the game.
The Springboks’ initiative comes at a time of increasing concern over the pressures being put on top players and is in stark contrast to the Springboks World Cup preparations in 2003 under Rudolf Straeuli which featured time in the infamous Kamp Staaldraad (Camp Barbed-Wire) where players were ordered to climb into a foxhole naked and sing the national anthem while ice-cold water was poured over their heads.
While South Africa, under current head coach Rassie Erasmus, have embraced calls for player welfare to be given greater importance, England have told RugbyPass they will continue to rely on their established lines of communication while Ireland confirmed they have no plans to follow the Springboks lead.
(Continue reading below…)
England, like many international teams, use a senior group of players to take a sounding on training and playing plans. However, Henning will be able to argue his case at the very heart of the Springbok regime.
Hopley, CEO of the Rugby Players Association (RPA) which looks after English rugby’s professional players, said: “The Springboks decision to involve Eugene is a first for an international team and a very progressive step which has tremendous merit. Throughout the game people are looking at how they can get those one per cents, the small gains that can add up.
“It will be fascinating to see how this plays out at the World Cup. If it is successful I have no doubt other international teams will look at how they can replicate it. The International Rugby Players executive meeting takes place this month and it will be a chance to talk to Eugene about this.
Eugene Henning, the CEO of MyPlayers (the players’ rep body), has been seconded to the Springboks for the 2019 international season, joining the team management until the end of the Rugby World Cup in Japan.
Read the full article: https://t.co/CqlheuCcDF pic.twitter.com/of25Ur48X8— Springboks (@Springboks) April 1, 2019
“We [RPA] have had people working with the major England teams in terms of providing an independent sounding board but not specifically to address player welfare. That is a first. We wouldn’t interfere with any squad environment apart from operating in our role as the commercial agents of the England team.
“There is dialogue around Eddie Jones (England head coach), Richard Hill (England team manager) and the Professional Game Board. The general industrial relations in the English game are, we believe, robust enough to resolve anything that cannot be worked out at the coal face.
“This move by the Springboks does have benefits and they are looking at things in a progressive way. There is a feeling that while people talk about player welfare in rugby, a blind eye is turned when it doesn’t suit them.”
Want to know what to expect at the Rugby World Cup in Japan? ???
South Africans, who have played there, open up about the conditions, rugby & culture!
Read interviews ?? https://t.co/JP7788KtjV pic.twitter.com/MuFegE4ard— Springboks (@Springboks) April 30, 2019
Springboks coach Erasmus, who has driven the idea, said: “The coaches can manage the playing and training workloads, but we need to look after the off-field workload as well. The management of player wellness will be a very important focus area for us this year, and it’s great to have someone with Eugene’s unique insight and experience on board to assist.
“By the time the World Cup kicks off in September in Japan, our players would have been involved in pre-season training, a Vodacom Super Rugby campaign, various Springbok alignment and training camps, played in the Rugby Championship and have a comprehensive World Cup training programme under their belt.
“We also have to take into consideration a host of other important activities that happen in the background, such as medical and conditioning preparation, the various daily planning and preparation sessions, media, PR and commercial engagements.
“On top of that we have to take into account that they actually have their own personal and family affairs to look after at the same time. So Eugene will come onboard to essentially assist the players with their day-to-day task management and to serve as the first point of call on all player-related matters within the Springbok set-up.”
WATCH: Part one of the RugbyPass documentary on what the fans can expect in Japan at the World Cup
Comments on RugbyPass
Not sure exactly what went wrong for him at Glasgow but it’s pretty clear he ain’t Franco’s cup of tea. Suspect he would have been better served heading out of Scotland around the same time as Finn, Hoggy and Jonny!
1 Go to commentsBulls disrespected the Northampton supporters and the competition. Decide quickly, fully in or out.
24 Go to commentsI wonder if Parling was ever on England’s radar as a coach? Obviously Borthwick is a great lineout coach, but I do worry he might be taking on too much as both head coach and forwards coach.
1 Go to commentsJason Jenkins has one cap. When Etzebeth was his age he had over 80 caps. Experience matters. He will never amount to what Etzebeth has because he hasn’t been developed as an international player.
1 Go to commentsSays much about the player picking this gig over the easier and bigger rewards offered to him in Japan. Also says a lot about the state sanctioned tax benefits the Irish Revenue offers pro rugby players, with their ten highest earning years subject to an additional 40% tax relief and paid as a lump sum, in cash, at retirement. Certainly helps Leinster line up the financial ducks in a row to fund marquee signings like this!!! No other union anywhere in world rugby benefits from this kind of lucrative financial sponsorship from their government…
5 Go to commentsTrue Jordie could earn a lot more in Japan. But by choosing Leinster he’ll be playing with 1 of the best clubs in the world and can win a champions cup and URC…..
6 Go to commentsThanks for that Marshy, noticed you didn't say who is gonna win it. We know who ain't gonna win it - your Crusaders outfit. They've gone from having arguably the best Super Rugby first five ever, to having a clutch of rookies. Hurricanes all the way!
1 Go to commentsGeez you really have to question the NRLs ability to produce players of quality. Its pathetic. Dont the 25mil in Aus produce enough quality womens players. Sad.
1 Go to commentsBulls fan here, and agree 100% with the conclusion (and little else) of this article. SA sides should absolutely f-off from the champs cup until we get fair scheduling, equal support for travel arrangements and home semis. You know, like all the european teams get.
24 Go to commentsI’m yet to see why Grace would be an ABs contender. He’s pedestrian and lacks the dominance required of a top flight 8.
11 Go to commentsGee my Highlanders were terrible. They have gone backwards since the start of the season. The trouble began when we left Millar behind to prep as the 10 against the Brumbies and he was disconnected from the team that came back from Aussie. We rested Patchell for that game and we blew an avalanche of ball in good attacking positions in the 1st half. Against the Rebels we seem to of gone into a pod system with forwards hanging off from the breakdown leaving Fakatava to secure our ball!
80 Go to commentsPot Kettle, the English and French teams have done it for years.
24 Go to commentsHas virtually played every minute of previous games. Back row of Li Lo Willie , Grace and Blackadder would be the 1. Crusaders issue is a very average 1st 5 who cannot run. Kicking in general play is also below par They need to put Yong Kemara in. He must have so.e talent for them to bring him down from Waikato. Hoehepa would struggle to play in so.e club sided
11 Go to commentsI hope this a good thing making all these changes!
3 Go to commentsThe Hurricanes are good, especially with a decent coach now. However, let’s be real, the Crusaders and Chiefs are clearly a good degree weaker without the players they’ve lost overseas now. The Canes lost one player. It’s also why the aussie teams ‘seem’ to be stronger.
9 Go to commentsOr you could develop your own players instead of constantly taking from the SH competition and weakening it in the process? With all the player and financial resources these unions have compared to SH countries you’d think they could manage that, or is weakening the SH comps and their national sides an added bonus? Probably.
3 Go to commentsNot so fast Aaron, we might need you in black yet lol. God knows he’d be a lot less nerve-racking than hot and (very) cold players like Perofeta. It’s really a shame Reuben Love isn’t playing 10, we’ve got enough 15 options.
4 Go to commentsAnd those from the NH still seem to be puzzled (and delighted) why NZ’s depth isn’t what it once was. Over 600 NZ players overseas, that’s insane. This sort of deal is why Super Rugby coaches have admitted they struggle now to find enough quality to fill out their squads.
6 Go to commentsArticle intéressant ! La question devrait régulièrement se poser pour les jeunes français originaires de Nouvelle-Calédonie, Wallis-et-Futuna et de Polynésie entre la Nouvelle-Zélande et la Métropole… Difficile pour la fédération française de rugby de se positionner : soit le choix est fait de dénicher les jeunes talents et de les faire venir très tôt en Métropole, au risque de les déraciner, soit on prend le risque de se les faire “piller” par les All Blacks qui, telle une araignée, essaye de récupérer tous les talents des îles du Pacifique… À la France de se défendre en développant l’aura du XV de France et des clubs français dans ses collectivités d’Outre-mer !
3 Go to commentsWrong bay. He needs to come to the REAL BAY which is Bay Of Plenty and have a crack at making the Chiefs.
3 Go to comments