Boks blame Covid impact for withdrawal

CAPE TOWN: Player welfare concerns, unclear Covid19 restrictions and potential difficulties in securing overseasbased players were the key factors in pulling the Springboks out of this year’s Rugby Championship, South Africa Rugby said yesterday.

The world champion will go the course of 2020 without playing a test after withdrawing from the competition in Australia.

Top of the list of concerns was a lack of game time for players — the South African domestic season began only last weekend after 29 weeks without competitive action.

‘‘We worked out that the players needed a minimum of 400 minutes of game time before they could be ready for a test match,’’ director of rugby Rassie Erasmus said.

‘‘The overseasbased players had started playing before us and they would have been getting close to that.

‘‘But many of those have had Covid outbreaks [at their clubs] which has interrupted the planning. The Japanbased players haven’t played any rugby at all.’’

SA Rugby chief executive

Jurie Roux also pointed to the complexities of securing the 24 overseasbased players in line for selection.

‘‘Players in England, Ireland, France and Japan are subject to differing local regulations and travel protocols and potentially imminent renewed lockdowns in some territories,’’ he said.

‘‘It was unclear when they would be able to become functioning members of the Springbok squad in Australia.’’

There was also a lack of clarity as to whether players would have been allowed to leave South Africa’s shores as Covid19 protocols stipulate national teams may not take part in international competitions abroad. — Reuters