Faf ’s exit prompts Straeuli to moot transfer fees in rugby

JOHANNESBURG: While Faf de Klerk scoffed at suggestions he is moving to England only for the R20 million he will reportedly earn over three years, Lions CEO Rudolf Straeuli conceded South Africa can simply not match the offers being made from abroad.

Straeuli yesterday confirmed Lions and Springbok No 9 De Klerk will leave the union at the end of the current Super Rugby campaign to take up a three-year deal with Sale Sharks in England.

De Klerk said the offer wasn’t as big as had been reported, but Straeuli said: “We can’t match the offers from overseas… they are up to five times more than what we can offer here,” he said.

“That’s all a player (like Faf) has got… rugby is his career.”

Straeuli added SA rugby bosses had to look into how they go about contracting players in future. He said it wouldn’t be a bad idea to bring in something like football’s transfer fee so that unions also benefited from players moving around.

“It’s something we need to look at.

“The offers are just so much bigger than in South Africa.”

Straeuli said he hoped a player like De Klerk could go to England and learn more about the game and hopefully come back and again play for the Lions one day.

“I don’t think we must look at it as losing a player… but that a player is going abroad to grow his game and then he’ll come back,” said Straeuli.

The No 9 said the opportunity to play abroad was too good to turn down, and his decision to move had nothing to do with his being left out of the Bok training groups.

“I can’t influence who gets selected and who doesn’t,” he said yesterday.

He assured Lions fans he will give his best to the team’s Super Rugby campaign in the coming weeks and months.

“I am glad the decision is behind me so I can focus on the job at hand.”

Lions captain Warren Whiteley said the players had put behind them the news that De Klerk and coach Johan Ackermann would be leaving in a few months’ time.

“As a player you never know when things are going to change… so you have to cherish every moment,” he said.

“Great friends of mine have moved elsewhere… in 2014 and in 2012, so you can’t take anything for granted.”

Ackermann will join English Premiership side Gloucester after the current campaign and Straeuli said plans were in place to ensure the hand-over to a new coach went smoothly.

“We’re on track regarding what we want to do.

“We have discussed the succession plan but won’t announce anything until after Super Rugby. “