Jake White renews calls for Springboks to be forced to play from home

Ex-Springbok coach Jake White has called for SARU to change the Springbok eligibility rules in order to bolster the competitiveness of the URC sides.

White knows first hand the challenges South African sides face as coach of the Bulls from 2020-25. The rules were changed in 2018 to allow Springboks to be picked from overseas.

He has been vocal on this issue in the past and continued his stance, saying that the players should be “forced” to play locally again to boost the competitiveness of the Bulls, Sharks, Stormers and Lions who have struggled in the Champions Cup.

The disparity in budgets between the French & Irish teams and South Africa clubs is too big a hurdle to overcome without the best international players.

“We are going to have to think about this differently,” he told Netwerk24.

“We are going to have to force the Springboks to play locally.

“That requirement was in force in our rugby before and I understand all the other arguments about players being allowed to play overseas but our franchises are getting the short end of the stick.

“I have referred to it often and I stand by it. There is no way a South African team, given the current budgets allowed, can win the Champions Cup.”

While a number of Springboks have returned back to South Africa after plying their trade abroad, this tend to be at the tail end of their career not in their prime.

Some of the best players in South Africa reaching their mid-20s could soon move offshore in search of riches.

White still believed that New Zealand and Ireland had the best operating models which require home-based players.

“We are developing players like Cameron Hanekom and Kurt-Lee Arendse who will be playing overseas soon,” he continued.

“Cheslin Kolbe is coming back to the Stormers at 32, which is great but the reality unfortunately is that he played his best rugby overseas (in France and Japan).

“That’s why I respect countries like Ireland and New Zealand. New Zealand has no intention of deviating from its overseas policy. It’s simple: If you want to be an All Black, you have to play in New Zealand.

“We are also going to have to find a way to keep our top players here.”