Cape Town — Juggling two — later three — competitions would be possible if South African rugby teams have the same kind of financial power as the European sides, and if top Springboks overseas can return to local teams.
That is the view of Bulls Director of Rugby Jake White, who has opted to send another under-strength side featuring youngsters and a couple of fringe seniors for Saturday’s Champions Cup showdown with the Exeter Chiefs in England (3pm kick-off).
A similar group held off a late charge from French club Lyon to secure a 42-36 bonus-point victory at Loftus Versfeld last weekend.
They will be hard-pressed to do the same this weekend, though, in bitterly-cold conditions at the daunting Sandy Park venue where Exeter — European champions a few years ago — seldom lose.
White has chosen to hold back his first-choice side that will include Bok stars like Kurt-Lee Arendse and Canan Moodie for next week’s United Rugby Championship (URC) SA derby against the Stormers at Cape Town Stadium.
“Every week I read about the Saffers that are doing well overseas, and if we could have those Saffers into our four regional teams — the Hanro Liebenbergs, Jason Jenkins’, Raymond Rhules, Madosh Tambwes, Ivan van Zyls, Jacques Vermeulens, Eli Snyman – the list just goes on and on,” White said this week.
“If we could take those players and bring them into the four regions… That’s where we were 10-15 years ago. Those players were playing for the four regions or Super Rugby franchises.
“Sometimes we’ve got to learn from history. If we want to compete at this level … Do you genuinely think our squads are strong enough to beat Toulouse in the quarter-final, La Rochelle in the semi-final and Leinster away from home in a final? In three consecutive weekends?
“Then either you are disconnected from reality, or there’s going to be a lot of luck for that team to back up – considering those players are also playing in the Currie Cup and URC.
“I will be amazed if any South African side will have the fire-power to (win the Champions Cup). In a one-off game, maybe you can beat a top side.
“But to consecutively back it up week after week after week — at the end of a long season — and play three teams that have got a budget of R180-million as compared to R70m, I think we’re kidding ourselves.
“So, going forward, we have to find ways in which we keep those Hanro Liebenbergs, Jason Jenkins’, RG Snymans, (Handre) Pollards and all those guys back in South Africa.
“That’s the only way we will be able to fight a gun fight: with a gun. It would be a completely different competition.”
And while the rand cannot compete with the euro and pound, White believes that pulling on the heartstrings of those top South Africans overseas to wear the Bok jersey can also be another strategy.
The former national coach believes that having the best players at home can only lift the standard of the new generation coming through the Bulls, Stormers, Sharks, Lions and Cheetahs.
“All I hear about is the great depth, and if we had those other guys here, then these players wouldn’t be playing … It’s absolute nonsense!” White said.
“That happened 50 years ago: we still had depth, we still had good schools, we still had (top) guys. What is happening is that the tier underneath is getting weaker and weaker and weaker.
“If you think about the Currie Cup, sadly now it is probably going to be an Under-21 competition. There are more than enough games to play Ruan Nortje, RG Snyman, Lood de Jager and Jason Jenkins at the Bulls – and Janko Swanepoel and Ruan Vermaak.
“It doesn’t mean that you lose out. If you want to be high-profile in the URC, Champions Cup and Currie Cup – which is really what we (the Bulls) want to get to in South Africa – then those players should be playing for one region and interchanging with each other.
“A guy like Ruan Nortje has been outstanding. My question is, how much better would he have been if he played with RG Snyman in certain games? Or Hanro Liebenberg scrumming with him, or Wilco Louw in the front row with Malcolm Marx scrumming at hooker?
“That’s where I think we miss a trick as well … We mustn't say in isolation there are juniors coming through, and that’s why it’s good for the seniors to be overseas.
“I just think there is a baton to be handed over, and that baton is also part of the experience.
“If we want to play in the best club competition in the world, which is one step down from Test rugby, in the Champions Cup – like football’s Champions League – then you need the biggest, strongest squads.
“You can’t have a diluted squad and think you can dominate in Europe as well. That’s just my view, from a franchise coach.
“The budgets are completely and utterly distorted. Our budget in rands is one-third of the budget of those European clubs. You look at Leinster, Montpellier … there is no way that we can compete.
“If they need a wing, they bring in George Bridge from New Zealand at Montpellier. Then you say we produce youngsters here – of course we do, but produce (Sibongile) Novuka, which is a fantastic, nice story for us, is very different to bringing George Bridge to play wing for you in the Champions League.
“I wrote down a list of players from the last few years who have left us, and if they had had stayed, we would have had Trevor Nyakane, Jason Jenkins, Walt Steenkamp, Marco van Staden, Marcell Coetzee, Arno Botha, Ivan van Zyl, Madosh Tambwe …
“Imagine if I could’ve hung onto those players in this group as well!
“And maybe it’s not only money – maybe we need to find a patriotic way to get our players back here to play in the big competitions for our sides.
“Patriotism works in rugby union, if you look at Ireland and New Zealand, who don’t have one player abroad (in their current teams). It’s an incredible thing to understand, but it works in rugby union. It’s no point trying to reinvent the wheel – young boys want to play for their countries, no matter what the sacrifice is.”
IOL Sport