Top Springboks who make the grade for the International Rugby Board’s inaugural North v South showdown at Twickenham in November can earn a whopping R150 000 for playing in the season-ending encounter, reports The Star newspaper in Johannesburg on Wednesday.
IRB officials have contacted several top player agents across the globe to start recruiting players for the fixture, despite calls from All Black coach John Mitchell and the New Zealand Players Association for players to boycott the game.
A number of top Springboks are likely to play in the fixture after their year-ending tour to Europe. Already the names of Bob Skinstad and James Dalton are said to be confirmed, while even international discard Percy Montgomery is keen to play.
But for the agents, bigger names may be on the cards with South african upstarts Brent Russell, Joe van Niekerk and Werner Greef all said to be high on the shopping list.
All Blacks Christian Cullen and Tana Umaga have defied Mitchell’s call and made themselves available for selection alongside giant winger Jonah Lomu.
And according to Lomu’s agent Phil Kingsley-Jones, Wallabies George Gregan, George Smith and Wendell Sailor are also said to be available.
The news follows discussions between leading New Zealand, Australian and South African player managers Kingsley-Jones, Rob Brady, Greg Keenan and Craig Livingstone.
Kingsley-Jones said Lomu was dead keen and that several other Bok players were intent on grabbing some limelight at Twickenham. – Sapa