Not all South African rugby heroes wear the green and gold, or play club rugby at the highest level, writes SIMON BORCHARDT.
In fact, I’d argue that the vast majority of them are players you have never heard of, playing for clubs around the world you didn’t know existed.
South Africa produces so many talented rugby players that only a tiny fraction of them can expect to make big money as a professional. The rest end up playing local club rugby for match fees and/or a small monthly retainer – while holding down a day job or studying – or earning a small salary (compared to high-level rugby salaries) at a Currie Cup First Division union, while still hoping they can go, or in some cases return, overseas.
In 2020, I helped start a rugby player recruitment company called Oval15, and I am reminded on a daily basis of how many good rugby players there are in South Africa who, with a bit of luck and assistance, could be abroad right now.
Many of them played in the U18 Craven Week or Academy Week while at school, but for whatever reason didn’t get a junior provincial contract. Some of them went on to play U19 and U21 provincial rugby, but then weren’t offered a senior provincial contract. We’ve even been approached by former SA Schools players who are now languishing in club rugby obscurity and probably wondering where it all went wrong.
The harsh reality is that, with the odd exception, these players will never end up playing at the highest levels. But that doesn’t mean they can’t make a decent living on an overseas rugby adventure.
When compiling Oval15’s club database, I was amazed at how many French clubs there are at Pro D2 (the second division below the Top 14), Nationale and Fédérale levels. We ended up contacting around 140 French clubs in total and were able to establish relationships with around 100 of them (some are totally amateur and do not recruit players at all). We’ve negotiated professional deals for some of our players, and semi-pro deals for others which sees them earn match fees as well as income from a day job organised by the club.
I was also amazed by how many opportunities there are for South Africans in non-traditional rugby-playing countries like Poland, Portugal, Spain and Korea. South African club rugby tournaments like the Bulls’ Carlton Cup and Western Province’s Super League A are hugely competitive and of a higher standard than many countries’ top divisions, so players from the Naka Bulls or Hamiltons tend to excel there.
Unlike players from other countries, South Africans always grab the opportunity to play rugby in Russia, despite the country’s ongoing war with Ukraine. The language barrier and weather doesn’t put them off either. They can earn good money, and there are more than enough South African players and coaches there to ensure regular braais.
Romania’s Superliga also isn’t regarded as a glamorous league, but many South Africans make a good living by playing in it.
It’s easy to admire well-paid South Africans who star in the French Top 14, English Premiership and Japan’s Rugby League One. But I’m far more impressed by those players who will never be recognised while walking down the street, who regularly put in solid 80-minute shifts far away from the spotlight, and who often earn just enough money to pay the bills and maybe put a bit away each month.
They are all South African rugby heroes.