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The MLR franchise hoovering up South African schoolboy talent
Major League Rugby’s Houston SaberCats are increasingly turning to South African talent to fill their roster – and it’s all thanks to their heavy-hitting director of rugby.
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Springbok coaching royalty Heyneke Meyer was unveiled as the franchise’s new DoR last year and it’s fair to say there’s more than a little hint of a South African lilt to the side. Placed fifth in the MLR, Meyer’s is a team that has come to rely heavily on recruits from the 54-year-old’s native lands.
A quick glance over their squad list would make most Gallagher Premiership DoRs blush, such is the reliance on the Rainbow Nation. There’s more ‘vans’ than a DHL depot.
Familiar faces like Willie Britz rub shoulders alongside players like Dillon Smit, Jaco Bezuidenhout, Gerrie Labuschagne, Wynand Grassmann, Marcell Muller, Louritz Van Der Schyff, Frikkie De Beer and Dean Muir.
Maybe most interesting is the development of Kian Meadon, Gideon van Wyk and David Coetzer, who are all in their early 20s and were highly rated products of the SA schools system. They’re a calibre of player that one would normally expect to pick up a contract with a South African franchise and stay in the domestic system, or potentially become project players in Europe.
Instead, they’re heading to rugby’s new frontier.
The SaberCats signing of Springboks U20s star 20-year-old Meadon, who went on a brief loan to Rugby ATL in March, is intriguing.
Meadon began his provincial age-grade rugby career with Western Province and played for the Sharks in the 2021 national U20 Cup. A product of the famed Paarl Boys High School program, he rose to prominence with South Africa Schools team in 2019 before playing for Baby Boks in 2021.
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Around the same time Meyer also signed fellow flyhalf David Coetzer, who has a similar impressive junior rugby resume to Meadon.
Coetzer had progressed through the Blue Bulls’ age-group program. In 2020, he led the Pretorians U21 team to a national title. He won the famous Varsity Cup last year with the University of Pretoria Tuks, where he played alongside another SaberCats recruit, Jaco Bezuidenhout.
No.8 Van Wyk, a product of Menlopark High School and latterly Paarl Boys High school also catches the eye as a young South African talent that one might have expected to have stayed within the SA system.
He repped South Africa at U18s level and the University of Free State, before winning caps for the Cheetahs. At 6’3 and 103kg, the native of Lichtenberg may have been perceived as lacking the bulk many South African selectors would look for in a No.8.
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It’s maybe no surprise given Meyer’s clout in South Africa that he’s been able to lure talent with the promise of game time and the bright lights of America and the MLR.
However, convincing young players that a stint in the still-evolving tournament would be a good career move might have taken a stronger argument. Meyer may well have argued that playing time at the MLR beats fighting for a Currie Cup place against more established players.
The players likely view MLR as a platform to prove themselves before potentially heading back to South Africa or Europe as more experienced operators, as opposed to an end unto itself.
A former Leicester Tigers, Stormers and Bulls boss, Meyer led the Springboks to a third-place finish at the 2015 World Cup in England. He went on to become head coach at Stade Francais, before taking up his current role. While his rugby nous is beyond reproach, clearly when appointing DoRs clubs also look at what they do with regards to recruitment, and the Sabercats are certainly getting bang for their buck with Meyer.
The question might be for South African rugby: is talent drain to the MLR a real long-term concern for franchises?
Comments on RugbyPass
Absolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
9 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
5 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
22 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
9 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
14 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
14 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
5 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
6 Go to commentsThe greatest Springbok coach of all time is entirely on the money. Rassie and Jacques have given the south african public a great few years, but the success of the springbok selection policy will need to be judged in light of what comes next. The poor condition that the provincial system is currently in doesn’t bode well for the next few years of international rugby, and the insane 2026 schedule that the Boks have lined up could also really harm both provincial and international consistency.
22 Go to commentsJake White is a brilliant coach and a master in the press. This is another masterclass in media relations and PR but its also a very narrow view with arguments that dont always hold water. White wants his team to win, he wants the best players in SA and wants his team competitive. You however have to face up to the reality of a poor exchange rate and big clubs with big budgets. SA Rugby cant compete and unless it can find more money SA players will keep leaving regardless of Springbok eligibility and this happened in 2015 - 2017. Also rugby is not cricket. Cricket has 3 formats and T20 cricket is where the money is at. When it comes to club vs country the IPL is king but that wont happen because the international calendar does not clash with the club calendar in rugby. So the argument about rugby going down the same path as cricket is really a non-starter
22 Go to commentsNZ rugby seem not to have learnt anything from professional rugby. Super rugby was dying and SA left before they died with the competition. SA rugby did a u turn on their approach to international players playing overseas and such players are now selected for Bok teams. As much as each country would love to retain their players playing in local competitions, this is the way the world is evolving my friends. Move with it or stay 20 years behind the times. One more thing. NZ rugby hierarchy think they are the big cheese. Take a more humble approach guys. You do not seem to have your players best interests at heart.
5 Go to commentsBeaches? In Cardiff? Where?
1 Go to comments