Kiwis have ‘ruined our friendship’
Igrew up believing South Africa and New Zealand were the biggest arch-rivals on the field, but also the greatest rugby friends off it. That image, however, got severely tarnished after New Zealand stated it was turning its back on SA as far as Super Rugby is concerned, preferring to walk a path without SA and Argentina.
It reminded me of a chocolate advert some years ago, with two friends sitting down while one ate and bragged about it. When the other asked for a “wee bite”, the first replied: “Now our friendship is ruined”.
World Rugby recommended this week that the Rugby Championship be held in New Zealand from 7 November to 12 December.
A decision, however, on the future of Super Rugby from next year is still pending.
SA Rugby CEO Jurie Roux has thrown cold water over New Zealand’s Super Rugby breakaway talks, stating that Sanzaar’s contract is binding until 2024, and the talk from the Kiwis is only applicable based on the current pandemic measures and border controls in place.
It is, after all, not New Zealand’s call to walk away, which could expose them to a breach of contract.
The Kiwis also don’t want to be reminded that the Boks are the Championship title holders, the World Cup champions and the top ranked team in the world.
Rugby action for the remainder of the year remains delicately balanced on a knife’s edge, with a possible local eight-team competition set to start at the end of August or early September.
This local competition, should it go ahead, could determine if the Springboks will be given game time before international competition resumes.
A two-week self-isolation period is compulsory, however, for the Boks and a local competition, even if it is contested in a bio-bubble in one city, makes the matter even more complex.
And for the first time in 25 years there will either be a Championship or a year-end tour to the north, as Roux says both are just not practical.
If the Boks do compete in the Championship, the tour to the northern hemisphere will be sacrificed, and on the other side of the coin, the tour to the north will take place only if the Boks don’t play in the Championship.
The big positive spin-off, however, is that the Boks would be required to play in the Currie Cup or any similar domestic competition in order to develop match readiness and that would definitely serve as a big injection to the local game.