Something SA Rugby does really well

In a perfect world South Africa would quite easily be able to field a sixth side in an enlarged Super Rugby tournament.

In fact, but for the realities of the Rand’s weakness against most other currencies, South Africa could quite easily put out even more teams if the tournament were to be made in bigger.

This was brought home to me by the discovery of an amazing fact. Did you know that last year 228 South African players were contracted to various clubs abroad?

I had always know that great numbers of our players travel overseas but I had no idea the number was that big or that it included no fewer than 37 internationals!

In 2008 World Cup winners such as Victor Matfield, who has since returned, Butch James and CJ van der Linde were among them but there were also some outstanding players, who might have been able to make a telling contribution to one of our Super 14 squads, such as BJ Botha, De Wet Barry, Gary Botha, Michael Claassens, Neil de Kock, Marius Joubert, Faan Rautenbach, Joe van Niekerk, Wikus van Heerden and Cobus Visagie.

It was one thing to talk about the player drain but another to appreciate to what extent local players are going overseas.

The statistic is just one of a myriad contained in the 2009 edition of the Sasol SA Rugby Annual which recently became available.

The annual, an official review of the rugby year, was brought into being through the efforts of the late Quintus van Rooyen and is now, thanks to the dedicated ministrations of Andy Colquhoun, the award-winning rugby writer who these days oversees SA Rugby’s energetic communications team, in its 38th edition.

And I can say without fear of contradiction that the annual is one of the best things SA Rugby does – a superbly produced record of our game that is unmatched by any other union in the world.

Rugby’s “bible” has grown in size over the years and is now in glossy and vibrant full colour – with the 2009 edition crammed full of an incredible array of truly excellent photographs.

The latest edition was co-edited by Eddie Grieb and Duane Heath (obviously to allow Andy the time to beat out the many fires that constantly break out on the SA Rugby landscape!) with the usual contributions of those loyal and dedicated servants to keeping the records straight – Piet Landman, Kobus Smit and Paul Dobson.

The annual, containing records of every aspect of the local game from the players of the year to players of times gone by, and is an indispensable tool of my trade.

Many has been the time, when pondering over an article, I have sent a silent vote of thanks to the editors for helping me find a player’s number of caps or the right score in a long-forgotten match.

Every rugby fan should have one and if there is a criticism it is that SA Rugby has over the years done such a poor job of marketing such a fine piece of work to the general public.

I have spotted them tucked away in some of the bigger stores, but if you can’t find one, and I think you must, go to www.sarugby.co.za to have one delivered because, as the editors say, it’s essential reading for anyone who thinks they’re serious about rugby.