New contracting system and draft a boost for smaller unions
JOHANNESBURG: South Africa’s rugby leaders will finalise the number of players each Super Rugby franchise will in future be allowed to contract when they meet in Cape Town today.
It is expected that each of the eight franchises under the SA Rugby Union umbrella - the Bulls, Lions, Sharks and Stormers in Super Rugby, and the Cheetahs, Kings and two other teams - will opt to have on their books between 45 and 50 senior players, with the rest going out on a draft to help strengthen the weaker teams.
This is according to Saru president Mark Alexander, who was speaking at the launch of the 2018/19 Guinness Pro14 competition yesterday. He said two more franchises – most likely Griquas and the Pumas – would hopefully join the Cheetahs and Kings in the Pro14 from next season.
“Once we bring in the draft system, and limit the number of professional players on the books of all the franchises, these teams will benefit by being able to select players that would ordinarily not get game time,” said Alexander.
Salaries wouldn’t be capped as they would depend on the individual franchises’ budgets.
“We want to roll out this new contracting model and draft system as soon as we can so we can help the Cheetahs and Kings in the Pro 14,” said Alexander.
South Africa currently has 990 professional players, who’re all on contract at some union, and this was far too high to be sustainable, according to Alexander.
“In the new model, all the best players will be playing all the time. You won’t have the third and fourth choice guys sitting in the store-room. Also, some players will have normal jobs and work in the day, and earn a salary, then play on weekends and receive a game fee.
“What’s been happening is that a union has contracted six locks, for example, straight out of the Craven Week, but they don’t all play. You can’t have that,” said Alexander.
“This new model is going to be the key for the success of Saru going forward, from a financial point of view and a player point of view. There’s a false market out there of professional players; we need to be responsible. Young players must be able to go and study but still play their rugby.”
Turning to the start of the Pro14 this weekend, Alexander said the “long-term” investment in getting involved in the competition, even though at great expense, would benefit SA rugby in future.
“It’s a long-term investment. We have options now and in future. At some point, if we don’t want to stay in the south (in Super Rugby), we can move north,” he said. “Also, the Pro 14 is a good competition for the players and coaches who’re playing against tier one nations (players) each weekend, except for England.
“When we become a full Pro14 member next season, we’ll be the only nation who plays in the north and south, and the major benefit of playing in the northern hemisphere is the players are better off. With the structure of the Pro14, it’s easier for travelling, with distances between places less than in the south, and the time zones are also better. When you consider player welfare, the north is better.”
The Pro14 starts on Saturday with the Cheetahs taking on Munster, while the Kings are also away first-up, to Zebre.