For Flip’s sake, Saru, don’t offer peanuts

There was a time when every rugby player under the sun wanted to don the green and gold more than anything in the world. In a World Cup year, they tried their hardest so that coaches noticed that they were going the extra mile for the honour to wear the jersey at the quadrennial showpiece. But it seems those days are well and truly over.

It was in 2012 when Jaque Fourie, then in the prime of his career, made himself unavailable for Springbok selection for two years. Why? Because he’d secured a contract in Japan that would see his bank account swell handsomely. Heyneke Meyer said at the time he understood Fourie’s decision, but I don’t buy that for one second.

Then, due to a rumoured dis- pute with SA Rugby over image rights, the prodigiously talented Francois Steyn walked away from a Springbok camp. When Steyn was 19 and making a name for himself in the Currie Cup, we all pictured him being a Springbok stalwart for many years and one day hanging up his boots at the ripe old age of 35 with every record broken and every trophy won. Instead, we got to watch him walk away from it all at the age of 27 without too many records. Why? Because of money.

To make matters worse, Meyer announced earlier this week that lock Flip van der Merwe would not be available for Springbok selection for the remainder of the year due to “personal” reasons. Reports suggest that Flip is unhappy with the terms of his contract and is at loggerheads with Saru. For crying out loud.

Rugby is their livelihood – I understand that. But can players find a solution without withdrawing themselves from the national team?

If I recall correctly, this is a World Cup year and every rugby player playing in South Africa should want to be on that plane to England in just over four months’ time.

Heyneke already has a massive problem in the second row with Pieter-Steph du Toit out injured, Eben Etzebeth, who has only recently returned and Bakkies Botha having retired after winning the European Cup with Toulon. Who else is there? The Teletubby Lood de Jager is an option, but he has to improve his game.

I guess Saru also need to be fingered in this whole mess. And, with the euro and the yen becoming more and more influential in the rugby world, Saru cannot afford to short change any primadonnas and they need to make sure each player is paid what they are worth.

With the present lock concerns, and Van der Merwe having been one of the Boks’ more consistent performers over the years, Saru should have made sure the player felt appreciated.

Meyer would want to take his best available team to the World Cup, but if Saru manages to upset a couple, then there won’t be enough players. As it is, even with his best players available, Meyer’s team will have to play out of their socks to have a chance in England. The All Blacks are too good in my eyes and the Irish and Welsh should not be underestimated.

The Springboks will struggle to win the tournament with the best players available.

Without the best players available, they might as well stay home.

When they don’t win the World Cup, it won’t be Meyer that we blame, but Saru, for upsetting the team by offering players peanuts.