PRO14 gives South Africa the best of both worlds
In many ways it was refreshing to see the Cheetahs and Kings take part in the inaugural PRO14 season and I believe a further number of South African teams would definitely consider the prospect of playing in North-South competition as opposed to East-West.
The South African flavour up north, coupled with welcoming the European teams to the Republic, has offered something fresh and exciting. Given that more than 400 South Africans are plying their trade at overseas clubs – the bulk in the north – the clarion call to align with the north is getting louder due to time zones and the ease of travel.
However, whether it’s time for South African rugby to make a complete change remains to be seen. It’s far more complicated than just saying we are going to join up with the north because the fact of the matter is that there is still a SANZAAR agreement in place until 2020. Moreover, the Northern Hemisphere is set in terms of its competition structures.
I played in England for more than a decade and they have a product that works well. My sense is that the global season has to take place before any other changes to competitions can come into effect. Once the global season has been in operation for a season or two, we could then look at amending competition structures throughout the world. Introducing a global season is a step in the right direction and it will level the playing field. Who knows what the future holds, but, in terms of the SANZAAR alliance, I suppose that all good things come to an end.
However, at the moment with South African teams competing in Northern and Southern Hemisphere competitions, it represents the best of both worlds. From a South African perspective, time will tell where we feel the biggest benefit lies from a competition and playing point of view. I haven’t played Super Rugby in a long time but it has traditionally been the pinnacle tournament given its past.
It is renowned for being fast, exciting and serving up high-scoring contests but it remains to be seen if it can get back to the levels it was at during the peak of its powers. However, for all intents and purposes, the restructured competition has been well received this year. In turn, the PRO14 provides a different style of rugby and is an incredibly competitive competition. Barring one or two teams, the value of strength-versus-strength on a weekly basis cannot be understated for all stakeholders. The PRO14 is definitely up there as one of the better competitions at present.
I had to take my hat off to the Cheetahs for qualifying for the playoffs in
“South African participation in the PRO14 is an exciting new dawn but they run the risk of losing the cream of their crop”
their maiden season. They were battling on two different fronts at one stage, with the Currie Cup and PRO14 fixtures overlapping. For a franchise that doesn’t possess the strength in depth that, say, the Bulls or Stormers do they did incredibly well to have punched above their weight.
I hope for the sake of the Kings, who struggled in their first season and won only one of 17 matches, they can add to their strength in depth as far as playing personnel is concerned. If they can make some astute signings, they may be able to fight on that front. However, if they suffer a spate of injuries in the new season, my fear for the Port Elizabeth-based side is that they will continue to trip up in a relentless competition.
In terms of the PRO14 helping or hindering the Springboks, the nature of the game at the moment has seen the likes of Clayton Blommetjies, Uzair Cassiem and Tom Botha snapped up by the Scarlets and Ospreys respectively.
As a South African player, the reality is that you are in the shop window when playing against European opposition in a double-round format. Northern Hemisphere clubs know that many South African players are looking to continue their careers abroad for better pay cheques and different playing opportunities. South Africa’s participation in the PRO14 is an exciting new dawn and broadens its horizons but, in the same breath, it’s a point of a worry in that they run the risk of losing the cream of their crop. One aspect South African rugby can learn from its European counterparts, in particular, is the value of having full stands week-in and weekout.
SA rugby boasts modern day amphitheatres but it’s a strength and a weakness in that there are times when they hold only a smattering of supporters.
South Africa should look to follow the European stadium model whereby a club like Saracens, European champions twice over, have a 10,000 seater which increases its capacity to 16,000 for European qualifiers.
If SA rugby downsized to 20,000seater stadiums, the product would be amazing. However, it’s easier said than done.