Opinion - SA's Super Rugby future: look on the bright side

South Africa’s future in the Vodacom Super Rugby competition may to some be seen as dark and gloomy but in essence the changes over the last year in the contracting system and the competition itself present a brave and calculated gamble that could pay off if used correctly.

There have been enough media articles highlighting the negative side of losing a plethora of stars overseas this year, but while it has been a significant core of the Springbok squad, the moves north are, in fact, less than in previous years.

What is different this year is that so many first choice Springbok players are heading overseas – either to France, England or Japan - and while that may be normal in a post-World Cup year, it does (at least at face value) present a case that SA Rugby has lost the battle to keep its top stars in the country.

But this shouldn’t surprise anyone who has followed the local market in recent years. While the currency has gone down, rugby unions have tried everything in their power to keep their stars in the country, often blowing their salary budgets to do so.

Players know their market value and as such, it hasn’t been surprising to hear that almost R80 million was spent by SA Rugby on Springbok contracts – a figure that was fast rising and unable to compete with the overseas market trends.

Blue Bulls president Willem Strauss remarked the other day that the difference between now and what the Bulls were faced with after the 2007 World Cup in trying to keep their stars was simple. Back then there were just as many offers for players such as Bryan Habana, Victor Matfield, Fourie du Preez and Bakkies Botha. The difference was the exchange rate was easier – the rand was R6 to the dollar, as compared with almost R15 to the dollar it is currently.

And while that makes for sombre reading, Rassie Erasmus’ decision to enforce Regulation 9 and place no limits on where Springboks play has been great for Springbok rugby, but possibly the opposite for Super Rugby franchises.

But with over 400 players playing overseas and there being no viable match for the big money contracts being offered to players by clubs in Europe and Japan, it is hardly surprising either. A second-division Japanese club now offers more than a Springbok can earn via his Super Rugby franchise and Springbok top-up contract combined.

This is why the change in the contracting system has become so important. Instead of trying to compete abroad at skyrocketing currency, the decision to look to a leaner, more focused system has more than enough merits.

For years now franchises have wasted resources – the Bulls contracted 203 players before the new CEO took over – with many of them wasting their talents sitting on the sidelines.

PLAYERS OF NATIONAL INTEREST

So what then of Super Rugby and facing the might of the New Zealand sides and the rising power of Argentina year for year when the best Boks are abroad?

This is where it gets interesting. Erasmus’ Players of National Interest (PONI) system, where the top three players in a position and two rising juniors will be offered top-ups by SA Rugby is an intruiging one.

The move, at the same time trimming squads to no greater than 45, will place the emphasis on targeted junior development, with teams needing to manage their squads better and contract with specific needs in mind.

There are dangers, and we have already seen a move by French clubs to start targeting school-going players to overcome the eligibility issues in France. But while some players may choose this route, it is also an indication that the cash-flush French clubs are no longer an easy bet for players wanting to play overseas.

Japan has similarly started focusing on imports that will play for its national teams while Ireland, Scotland and Wales have “project players” already that they bring in to bolster the national squad. While it is easy to argue the ethics of this, the point is that it is increasingly likely that unless a player is targeted to play test rugby for a foreign nation, the club sabatticals are likely to become less and less, especially for middle-tier players.

LIMITED BUDGET, BETTER FOCUS

This leaves local Super Rugby franchises with an option. While they may lose their top stars, they now will have a targeted budget to work within, and can identify the top players locally and look to build a squad over a number of years.

And top squads around the world have shown that while x-factor is a necessity, squads are built over time – something that Super Rugby franchises have been robbed of in recent times.

The next step would be to lure a few experienced veterans back to transfer their experience to the youngsters and to work as mentors within the squads.

South African rugby has always been a pool of talent encased in a system that allows for a bit of chaos, and over the years it has been easy to forget talent that has left because there has always been another candidate coming through the ranks.

But this isn’t a sustainable model, and results in Super Rugby have shown that. Contrast this to the powerhouse European clubs, or the Crusaders, who sign stars on five-year contracts and build squads around them. South African franchises haven’t had that luxury over the past decade.

It would be easy to write off the changes as a grim future, but if managed correctly, and if the planning is done properly and talent identification is specific and not a blanket affair at junior level, it may just work.

It should, if used correctly, usher in a Super Rugby competition where talent is targeted and squads are more even, and if backed up with good coaching, should be able to compete with the best Super Rugby has to offer.

The times of building up a squad of 15 Springboks out of 30 to take into Super Rugby are gone. Unless the currency gets an upswing, to chase it would blow the budgets of every franchise.

It’s time to be more targeted, more focused and to utilise the talent out there to the best of its ability. Ireland and Scotland have small talent pools and are succeeding. The Jaguares are proof that foreign cash can be countered if a targeted system is used.

South Africa’s Super Rugby future strength is unclear at this stage. It may look dark to some, but there is light at the end of the tunnel. It’s up to local franchises to find the perfect formula to make that happen.