The Super 20

Adrian Cashmore’s surprise return to Super 12 rugby when he came on as a replacement for the Chiefs in their semi-final against the Brumbies provoked an interesting meander down memory lane.

Cashmore, of course, is the Auckland Blues fullback who was the third highest points-scorer in the Super 12, before being displaced by Tony Brown this season, with 619. He was one of those unsung heroes of the tournament before getting a yen for playing in Japan and his return to the Chiefs was entirely unexpected.

His appearance, however, sent me delving into the record books to search for players who have been around since the start of the Super 12 in 1996.

I had thought there would be but a handful, given the attrition rate in modern rugby, but was surprised to discover that there are no fewer than 20 players who were in one of the teams in 1996 who are still there today.

Significantly both Australia and New Zealand have nine players who have “stayed for the long haul” while South Africa has just two – although some are now pounding it out in the UK.

So here they are, the real Super Heroes of the Super 12.

Australia’s nine are George Gregan (Brumbies), Matt Burke (Waratahs), Brendan Cannon (Reds & Waratahs), Nathan Grey (Reds & Waratahs), Nick Stiles (Reds), Owen Finegan (Brumbies), Justin Harrison (Brumbies & Waratahs), Stephen Larkham (Brumbies) and Joe Roff (Brumbies).

The fact that the list contains five Brumbies is astonishing given that the team based in Canberra were, at the start, made up of discards and “unwanteds” from the NSW Waratahs and the Queensland Reds.

The Mighty Nine from New Zealand are Mark Hammett (Crusaders), Justin Marshall (Crusaders), Tony Brown (Highlanders), Kees Meeuws (Highlanders & Blues), Anton Oliver (Highlanders), Tana Umaga (Hurricanes), Slade McFarland (Chiefs & Crusaders), Adrian Cashmore (Blues & Chiefs), Carlos Spencer (Blues).

South Africa possesses just two players – Pieter Rossouw of the Stormers and Johan Ackermann of the Sharks (and Bulls) – who appeared in team-sheets in 1996 and who were still playing in 2004; although, to be fair, it has to be said that Ollie le Roux (Sharks), Robbie Kempson (Sharks & Stormers), Percy Montgomery (Stormers), Louis Koen (Stormers, Cats & Bulls), Braam van Straaten (Bulls & Stormers) and Mark Andrews (Sharks) have, to a greater or lesser extent, remained active.

Nine successive years of what has been described as the toughest competition in world rugby is some achievement and it certainly is significant that when it comes to longevity the New Zealanders and Australians have stood the pace better than have the South Africans.

There will be those who will take this as evidence of the contention that South African players have gone ‘soft’, but it may well be proof positive that the demands on local players are just too great.

An interesting aside in hauling out the 1996 “Sanzar Rugby Super 12 Media Guide” is the discovery that no fewer than four players from then, Ewen McKenzie (Brumbies & Waratahs), Ian Foster (Chiefs), Kevin Putt (Sharks) and Chester Williams (Cats), are now coaching the sides they used to play for.

The modern phenomenon of players butchering the language, the laws, the facts and good diction is evidenced by the large number – among them Phil Kearns (Waratahs), Jason Little (Reds & Waratahs), Joel Stransky (Sharks), Ian Jones (Chiefs), Matt Cooper (Chiefs), Jon Preston (Hurricanes), Hennie le Roux (Cats) and Kobus Wiese (Cats) – who now commentate on television.