1
What the Springboks' World Cup win means for full-scale centralised contracting
South Africa are a groundbreaking team for many reasons – the first side to win the World Cup after losing a pool match, the first side to win the World Cup and the Rugby Championship in the same year.
ADVERTISEMENT
A lesser talked about factor, but an important one, is that the Springboks were the first side to win the World Cup with overseas-based players.
Each World Cup winner in the past did so under the requirement that players must play their club rugby at home. South Africa has broken that mould, proving it can be done another way.
Continue reading below…
SARU still retain majority ownership and control of their domestic teams under a centralised model, but under Rassie Erasmus they abolished the rules around selecting overseas-based players.
No longer would they prevent players from representing the Springboks due to playing abroad without being contracted to a SARU-union.
The move opened the door for some of the world’s best players to return to the national fold, including Faf de Klerk, Willie Le Roux, Duane Vermeulen (before officially returning to the Bulls), Cheslin Kolbe, and experienced veterans like Frans Steyn, Francois Louw.
The impact was almost immediate as De Klerk, Vermeulen and Le Roux were integral to winning the first home series under Erasmus against England 2-1 in June 2018.
ADVERTISEMENT
De Klerk and Le Roux were also critical to securing the first win on New Zealand soil in nearly 10 years during The Rugby Championship later that season. South Africa rose to the challenge of the All Blacks over the two tests to highlight the promise within the squad with a full complement of stars.
The Springboks continued that trajectory in 2019, tightening up their defence even further on the way to a Rugby Championship title before pushing onward to demolish England in the World Cup final.
Vermeulen was named man-of-the-match, while Kolbe put the cherry on top with a wicked run for the final try, two players that benefitted from the change of eligibility rules.
Opening the doors to overseas-based players, it has to be said, has paid off for South Africa.
Whilst the Springboks’ success cannot solely be attributed to this move, it does throw further doubts over the notion that full-scale centralised models are critical – or even highly correlated – to the success of a national side.
ADVERTISEMENT
It didn’t matter that the Springboks all play around the world with different coaches from different nationalities, playing different styles of rugby. They came together as one under the right coaching and support staff with under two years to shape them.
The other World Cup finalist, despite not allowing overseas-based players in the national side, has a privatised club model and again isn’t a full-scale centralised union.
The RFU does not have the level of control over the national playing base that the other unions have, but they were able to field one of their best ever teams and deservedly made the final.
South Africa’s World Cup win proves that the weight put on this operating model is probably overblown and that ‘control’ doesn’t necessarily correlate with success.
Springboks’ trophy tour in South Africa:
Comments on RugbyPass
I 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…
4 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.
23 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.
23 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 commentsIs Barrett going play full back??? They already have all the centers…
16 Go to commentsForgive my ignorance, I might not fully understand so would appreciate clarification: Didn’t the Bulls have to fly with three different carriers, paid for by the South African Rugby Union, whilst Edinburgh got a chartered flight sponsored by EPCR? Also, as far as I understand it South African teams don’t yet share in the revenue from the competition and are not allowed to host Semi-finals or Finals at home. Surely if everyone wants South Africans to “take the competition seriously” then they must make South Africans feel welcome, allow them to share in the revenue, and give them the same levels of access as the teams from the other countries. Just a reminder that South Africa has a large and passionate Rugby audience. Just by virtue of our teams being a part of these competitions means that more of us are likely to watch the knockout games, even if our teams haven’t qualified. It would be silly to alienate such a large audience by making them feel unwelcome.
23 Go to comments