Cull starts for leaner and meaner SR squads
Drive to make the kraal bigger may just be a load of bull
● How much does a Super Rugby franchise need to remain competitive, and keep their players happy?
Bulls coach John Mitchell seems to think R90m is the magical figure but the reality is that the Lions, SA’s standard-bearers in Super Rugby over the past three years, are only using two thirds of that amount.
Besides, South African Rugby is in the process of weighing up a new contracting model that will see the number of professional players slashed from 990 to about 432. The bulk of the culling will come from the semiprofessional and junior ranks.
Peer pressure
England have the highest number of professional players with just over 900, New Zealand have between 440 and 500, Australia have 225 and Ireland have between 180 and 200. The private ownership of clubs allows England to have a high number of pros but in the South African context, SA Rugby has to carry a huge financial burden.
According to recommendations tabled by the South African Rugby Employers’ Organisation (Sareo), Super Rugby franchises will be restricted to contract only 45 players. Mitchell may not necessarily want to make his kraal bigger, but his request for a larger budget comes at a time when belts are generally being tightened.
The Lions have a total player budget of R66m, of which R60m goes to senior players. The Sharks are expected to make do with about R54m in their players’ budget.
Minnows’ pocket money slashed
The country’s non-franchise entities, in particular, will feel the pinch. Their contracting budgets are about R9m and need to be cut to R5m. In future they will only be allowed to contract 17 professional and 23 semiprofessional players.
“I see John Mitchell wants R90m at the Bulls. We’re not there,” said Lions CE Rudolf Straeuli.
Straeuli was vague about the number of senior players that will in future be required in Super Rugby. “Teams will generally need three players in each position. With your props it will be handy to have players who can scrum both sides. Instead of having four locks, maybe three will do. Certainly in specialised areas you are going to need three players,” he said.
Straeuli said the changes were already reflected in the latest round of contract negotiations.
“It’s about spending the money in the right areas. I think the idea is to stop the extensive contracting of junior players. The problem is you are not going to have a lot of depth. We’ve made the recommendation and it will be up to SA Rugby’s exco to rubberstamp it.”
The franchise smaller player pools are likely to benefit most are the Cheetahs. They are used to operating within tight budgetary confines. “The direction we are moving in is quite positive,” said Cheetahs CE Harold Verster.
“I think we are close to our targets anyway,” said Verster. “We’ve got around 45 players who will get contracts outside of the juniors. Because the Currie Cup and Pro14 overlap, we may get to contract a few more,” said Verster.
Winds of change bring draft system
Eugene van Wyk, Griffons CE and deputy chairman of Sareo, said the changes meant he would only be able to contract players from March next year. “I had to say ‘boys, I won’t be in a position to offer you contracts for November, December, January and February. I can only start contracting from March. We’ve got permission to do eightmonth contracts.”
“The new contracting model will allow us to make greater use of a draft system,” said SA Rugby president Mark Alexander.
He reiterated that the contracting model as it exists is not sustainable. “We have the biggest player pool compared to our peers. What we have creates a false market. When people don’t make it as a professional, they sit on the street.”