ANDY COLQUHOUN, Cape Town | Friday 5.15pm.
SOUTH African rugby has been dragged back into the mire of provincialism with the decision not to contract the top 120 players for the Super 12.
The decision has yet to be made public but sources indicate that the plan has been scrapped under pressure from worried provinces.
It leaves the South African game mired in the confusion of the last two seasons of regional franchises.
SARFU have for long aimed to pull this country’s top players under their umbrella. It would allow them to ensure that the best players and most promising prospects all secured Super 12 rugby.
At the moment some players such as EP’s Jacques Greeff have missed out on Super 12 because it is cheaper for the hosting provinces to draw from their own local resources than accommodate a player from another union for five months of the year.
The plan has twice been thrown out by provinces worried about loss of control but a fortnight ago chief executive Rian Oberholzer was again asked to present a plan.
It has now been rejected again with major unions such as Western Province fearing that they would be relegated to second rank organisations merely running devalued Vodacom and Currie Cup sides.
The decision will also come as a blow to the top players who may now find themselves overlooked for Super 12.
Any region which has a surfeit of players in one position – such as the Cats had with loose forwards this year – will now be able to hold on to them for fear of having their front line choices injured.
Under a SARFU contract system the top four players in each position in the country would be guaranteed both Super 12 rugby and Super 12 income.
The decision is also likely to mean that the smaller partner provinces are going to face increasing difficulty in holding on to their players.
A SARFU Super 12 contract would have enabled up-and-coming players to stay with their minnow province and still play Super 12 rugby.
Now they will have little option but to leave if they want to be certain of playing the rugby’s top provincial competition. — MWP