Glasgow Warriors coach Franco Smith said it this weekend. The Lions success is built around guys who are good enough to become Springboks but aren’t Springboks.
It is a massive statement, and one that rings true that sees the Lions on the verge of the top four in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship with three rounds left to play.
But that is also where the conundrum lies for South African rugby. As SA Rugby president Mark Alexander said this past week, the current 12-month season for top Springbok players is unsustainable and at some point will come back to bite the Boks.
That is also true.
The unique nature of SA Rugby in allowing Springboks to ply their trade overseas isn’t a bad thing. It has built a solid base of depth where new and exciting players have come through the ranks and have been given chances to show their worth.
DEPTH IS GREATER
This is true for all four franchises, with the Lions the latest to benefit from the sustained successful strategy of keeping a team of talented youngsters together.
But the Lions will also learn soon enough that in the South African context, the conundrum comes about when they get more Springboks.
Currently any local franchise with Springboks is disadvantaged by the fact they lose these players between July and December, and only have them for certain parts of the season. Then in those parts they have them, they have to have rest as well, normally coming in the Six Nations break where the URC is off for a few weeks.
So the rule tends to be, the more Springboks you have, the less you get to play your full side in the competition that is your bread and butter.
That is why, and this shouldn’t come as a surprise, is that some franchises don’t mind letting some of their older Springboks go. One, they are a massive part of the salary costs for any franchise and the benefit they get from having the players on their books is often outweighed by the fact they don’t play for the franchises much.
GOLD IS BOK QUALITY WITHOUT BEING BOKS
The gold that Smith talks about are those Springbok quality players that aren’t in Rassie’s plans. Think the Francke Horns of this world, his namesake Quan, Ruan Venter and a few more. They may come into the Bok plans in the near future but right now they are worth their weight in gold.
There are others as well - think Marcell Coetzee and David Kriel for the Bulls, the type of players who so often are the stars in their franchise but don’t make it higher.
The key is to mix enough of these players with up and coming youngsters and it is a recipe for success. Put them together with the right coaching and keep them for as long as possible and the franchises can be successful.
The problem comes when these players become Springboks and suddenly they’re lost for more than half the season. If you don’t plan two or three players deep in every position, then you’ve got problems - as the Sharks form has shown over the past few seasons.
This cycle - where the top Boks go overseas, means losing them opens a place for a talented youngster, and the overall depth profile of SA teams is a lot stronger over the past few seasons.
It also means you will lose a few players who hunger for test rugby but don’t get the look in, and will ultimately decide to go overseas to pursue a new lifestyle and a good paycheck.
JAPAN HAS BEEN GOOD FOR BOKS
Japan has shown that it has increased the longevity of the Springboks and it isn’t a surprise that this is the destination most coveted by Boks. Good salaries, less game time and a positive environment. It has benefitted the Boks immensely and has helped increase the depth in the URC franchises.
But the cycle is unsustainable, and until a global season arrives (like the Easter Bunny) there will be no other way of sorting this out.
And that means that somewhere something has to give. Most often it is the performances in the Champions Cup, where the richer clubs dominate and the depth profile still isn’t right for SA teams.
SA’s move to Europe has made it more lucrative for players to stay in the country, and it has certainly brought a few veterans back, and expanded the depth of the franchises.
But until a fundamental change comes to the way the season is run, and until marquee players are available the year round for franchises, South Africa will never be able to unlock the talent depth at franchise level that it can.
Financially it is too difficult and the current season makes it impossible to run successfully.
That doesn’t mean it is all a downside, and when players leave for clubs overseas, it can actually benefit a franchise.
The key is ensuring the right players stay, and the right ones are given the opportunity.