Return to the glory days: 5-strong Christmas wishlist for domestic rugby in SA

A curious disparity exists within South African rugby. At the elite level things have never been better. The men’s Springboks have forged one of the greatest dynasties seen in any sport and the women’s Boks are one of the fastest improving outfits in the game.

And yet, one rung lower on the pyramid, all is not well. The club ecosystem in the women’s game is lopsided with a single team doing all the heavy lifting. The men’s game is in better health with the Stormers currently top of the URC having won the competition in 2022. But it’s a pretty underwhelming picture elsewhere.

The Bulls have lost three URC finals and, along with the Stormers, have failed to bring their domestic form to the European Cup where South African teams have largely stunk the place out. The Sharks lifted the Challenge Cup in 2024, but they’ve stumbled from one crisis to the next as an expensively assembled squad has proved to be less than the sum of their parts. The less said about the Lions the better.

But it is the season for miracles and fresh starts. And as we approach a new trip around the sun, let’s send a collective wish list to the North Pole and hope Santa’s elves can pass this along to the boss.

SA sides must prove their worth in Europe

Whenever a French, Irish or English pundit, player or fan makes the case that South African clubs don’t belong in Europe, that their presence is the reason why this one noble competition has lost its sheen, South African supporters get their back up. These zealous Saffas will cite four World Cups, will speak of TV audience figures and point out that the title sponsor is a South African bank. But there’s no denying that one the field the franchises have not come to the party.

Since 2022, South African teams have played 47 matches in the European Cup, winning just over half and have never reached the semi-finals. In the less competitive Challenge Cup things have fared a little better thanks to the Sharks’ triumph three years ago, but overall the win-rate for South African teams sits at 51%.

It’s not good enough. It is not a consequence of ability but of mindset. Too often coaches travel to Europe with depleted squads, choosing to rest players for URC games. This is an inversion of priorities and a gross misunderstanding of what matters most. I hope that 2026 sees a recalibration though I won’t be holding my breath.

Fans to flock to grounds

Do crowds need to turn up in greater numbers before the coaches take games against European teams more seriously? Or do coaches need to field stronger teams and emphasize the importance of international rivalries before fans turn up?

Empty stands are more than just an eyesore; they’re a physical representation of an ennui that has calcified. South Africans love their rugby. Selling the sport to them shouldn’t require a marketing degree. And yet beyond local derbies that stir deep passions, yawning stadiums have made the local game both a laughing stock and a source of ire from abroad.

Whether it’s a change to ticket prices or a shift to smaller grounds – surely the Lions need to move away from Ellis Park – something has to change.

Boks need to step up for their clubs

I’m directing this mostly at the Sharks but they’re hardly alone. The only team that seems to get a tune out of their Boks on a regular basis is the Stormers. Perhaps this is because John Dobson has deliberately connected his team with the city of Cape Town, giving them a higher purpose that they feel with the Springboks. Maybe there are more pragmatic rugby reasons why World Cup winners at the Sharks and Bulls have not produced the same performances they regularly put out in green jerseys. Whatever the reason, it’s time the big boys stepped up.

Either that or coaches must show some bravery and jettison costly dead wood. Fans want to see household names but they would surely prefer to see their team win and provide some entertainment on a Saturday afternoon. Managing a professional rugby team is incredibly complex. I certainly couldn’t do it. But those in charge are paid a lot of money to make big decisions. This upcoming year provides an opportunity for bravery.

More fully professional women’s teams

Since 2023 the Bulls Daisies from Pretoria have won 37 of the 38 games they’ve played across three dominant seasons in the Women’s Premier Division. They’ve lifted three trophies without breaking sweat and provide the bulk of the players who impressed at the World Cup.

That would be all well and good if the teams they were beating – by an average of 61 points per game – were just as equipped as they are. But they’re not. The Daisies are the only fully professional team in South Africa. And though players from other sides with Springboks contracts receive additional support in terms of training, recovery and nutrition, the Daisies are effectively swatting aside amateurs.

Their own players are crying out for better opposition. “We really need other teams to step up,” Jackie Cilliers, the Springboks utility back, told us earlier this year. “It’s nice to be part of a professional group where you can just go out and have everything set up for you, but if I’m honest, there’s nothing that challenges you on game day.”

The Bulls union deserves credit for taking the leap of faith and adequately supporting their women. It’s long overdue that other franchises follow their lead.

The Lions return to the glory days

I’ve been privileged to cover the Springboks around the world. I’ve seen them win World Cups, lift Rugby Championship crowns and climb to the summit of this brutal and beautiful game. But the most joy I’ve ever felt in rugby came from the stands of Ellis Park, surrounded by close friends, watching on as the Lions tore Super Rugby a new one.

Before 2013 the Lions were an embarrassment. Then Johan Ackermann took the wheel of a sinking ship and gave the team a new identity. I lost track of the number of times my buddies and I would leave the stadium in awe as the likes of Elton Jantjies, Faf de Klerk, Malcolm Marx, Franco Mostert, Rohan Janse van Rensburg and captain Warren Whitely cut teams to shreds.

The 42-25 dismantling of the Crusaders – the Crusaders! – in the 2016 quarterfinals was bettered only by the 42-30 shellacking of the Highlanders in the semi-finals a week later. Though they lost the rain-soaked final to the Highlanders, and lost two more finals in the next two years, it didn’t matter. That unbridled joy stayed with me.

In truth, I’d give up all the other points on my two wish lists to see the Lions roar once more.