EXODUS REVERSED: How the URC has made SA Rugby stronger

South Africa’s move to the northern hemisphere may have already been deemed a success given the quality of rugby being produced by the local franchises over the past three years, but few would realise just how much of a monumental shift it has been for local teams.

Thinking back to the days of Super Rugby, local sides were struggling with the travel and time zones, but even more so with an exodus of players. At one point it was estimated that almost 600 South African players were plying their trade abroad and local rugby administrators were tearing their hair out as they struggled to get players to sign locally.

But since the evolution of the URC as South Africa’s main international club competition, and the introduction into the two EPCR Cup competitions as well, local teams have learnt that they have to be more professional on all levels, including widening their base and ensuring depth is a priority and not an afterthought.

The demise of a secondary competition such as the Vodacom Cup, and the tight financial constraints on SA teams has seen administrators do more with less, but increasingly we are seeing local rugby emerge stronger, with more depth than ever before.

That has led to the Springboks - after their two World Cup victories - being in the enviable position that they can choose from more than 30 players, field two different teams and still be successful on the field.

Part of this success was due to the Boks under Rassie Erasmus and Jacques Nienaber being so successful. On the field their management of overseas-based Springboks, the performance of the team in winning back-to-back World Cups and the PONI (Players of National Interest) system where SA Rugby tops up contracts to keep players in the country has all played a part.

But it would be naive to suggest it was all because of this alone. At franchise level teams have seen the need for more depth, and the previous “missing middle” - non international players and journeymen of 26 years old and upwards were often lost to overseas clubs.

That left younger and younger teams taking part in Super Rugby as agents flaunted the talent overseas and local administrators couldn’t compete. Part of that change comes with the mindset post-Covid, where a deeper appreciation of the positives of living in this country can be seen and heard from many rugby players who return.

The introduction of South Africa into the URC and EPCR has been a remarkable success with South African teams in the finals for all three seasons running. And while the uphill battle against the bigger budgets in the EPCR is still being waged, there is a new appreciation across the franchises for talent that was previously being lost abroad.

URC STRENGTHENED SA RUGBY

If anything, the URC has strengthened SA Rugby in that many players are returning home to continue the last years of their careers in South Africa, and not abroad as previously done. This has made teams across the board stronger and in turn helped younger players mature quicker.

The proof of this was this season when Rassie Erasmus announced a 39 man squad with four new caps, as well as 14 players on standby for his first squad of the season.

In that squad the newcomers stood out - and have since just soared since making their debuts. Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Edwill van der Merwe, Johan Grobbelaar, Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Phepsi Buthelezi, Ben-Jason Dixon, and Jordan Hendrikse have all featured, with some becoming regulars in the squad quickly.

Quan Horn, Ruan Venter and Andre-Hugo Venter have all made their debuts as well, while those with a handful of caps like Elrigh Louw, Evan Roos, Ruan Nortje and Ntuthuko Mchunu have all been part of the squad this season.

And the best part of that list is - other than Nicolaas Janse van Rensburg - who was called in to cover an impending lock crisis, the Bok newcomers, debutants and inexperienced players have all been sourced locally.

The days of scouring the international leagues for talent seem to be over, and there are probably a dozen or more players that were unlucky not to make the team.

This has given the national side the luxury of prolonging the Double World Cup winners, many of whom are still based overseas, while local talent continues developing in the URC.

A list of players who have returned from overseas underscores this argument, and is penned below. There is no doubt all four franchises have better depth now than in Super Rugby and on the face of it, more players will return home in future.

Add to this that bigger names locally - like Kurt-Lee Arendse - are being allowed sabatticals before returning home - and it shows how administrators have evolved as well to ensure the healthy composition of talent in the four URC squads.

So here below is a short list of all four teams and who they’ve lured back to SA, and who they’ve lost. A number of times teams have seen players leave and return after a year or two - such as in the case of Steven Kitshoff and Warrick Gelant at the Stormers.

Vodacom Bulls

The Bulls have been very active in the transfer market, paying particular attention to getting back non-international journeymen and it has thus far helped them get to two URC finals, although a victory continues to elude them.

In the 2022/3 season they only had three players from abroad - Nizaam Carr (Wasps) and Marco van Staden (Leicester Tigers) both returned to the Bulls after brief stints in the UK while Ruan Vermaak was recruited from NTT Docomo Red Hurricanes in Japan.

At the same time the Bulls lost Madosh Tambwe to Bordeaux, Sintu Manjezi to Glasgow, Richard Kriel to Zebre, Walt Steenkamp, Schalk Erasmus and Marcell Coetzee to Japanese clubs. Manjezi and Coetzee have since returned to Loftus while Kriel is now at the Lions.

Their contracting got a lot more intense in the 2023/4 season where they successfully recruited Wilco Louw from Harlequins, Jannes Kirsten from Exeter Chiefs, as well as the duo of Henry Immelmann and Jaco van der Walt from Edinburgh. In addition to this, they added Sergeal Petersen and Willie le Roux from Japanese clubs, while Akker van der Merwe joined from Sale Sharks. The Bulls also strengthened their squad locally with players such as Celimpilo Gumede, Khutha Mchunu (Sharks), Sebastian de Klerk, Devon Williams (Pumas) and Cornel Smit (Stormers).

In the process they parted with Wandisile Simelane (Stormers), S’bu Nkosi (released), Lizo Gqoboka (Stormers) while Bok stalwarts Bismarck du Plessis and Morne Steyn retired.

This season they have continued their recruiting, signing the likes of Cobus Wiese from the Sale Sharks, with Manjezi returning from Glasgow. In addition they have added local players like Aphiwe Dyantyi and Boeta Chamberlain (Sharks), Nama Xaba (Stormers) and Alulutho Tshwakeni (Cheetahs). In the process, other than Arendse’s sabbatical, the only player they lost to overseas clubs was Chris Smith, who left for Oyannax.

Emirates Lions

The Lions don’t have the same budget as the other franchises and have decided to rather develop their own junior ranks, which have been some of the best in the country over the past few years. But they have made a few acquisitions over the past few years, although these pale in comparison to the other franchises.

Andries Coetzee returned from Benetton ahead of the 2022/3 season, and they brought back Ruan Smith from the Waratahs and Michael van Vuuren from Wasps in that year. Their biggest losses was to the Sharks ahead of that season as Vincent Tshituka and Carlu Sadie left for Durban, while Burger Odendaal signed with Wasps.

Ahead of the 2023/4 season they lured Richard Kriel and Erich Cronje back from Zebre, while adding Kade Wolhuter (Stormers), Xander du Plessis (Griquas) and Conraad van Vuuren (Cheetahs) to their books. Michael van Vuuren’s stay was short as he left for Newcastle, while Pieter Jansen Van Vuren went to Biarritz and Andre Warner to Agen. Jaco Kriel retired and Sti Sithole left for the Stormers.

This season they have recruited Juan Schoeman from Bath, Franco Marais from Japan, while Siya Qoma, Tapiwa Mafura (Both Cheetahs) and WJ Steenkamp (Bulls) have joined them. Their losses include Hanru Sirgel to Grenoble, Johan Mulder to Cardiff, Tyler Bock to Ealing Trailfinders while the Sharks snapped up Ruan Dreyer, Jordan Hendrikse, Emmanuel Tshituka and Namibian flyhalf Tiaan Swanepoel.

Hollywoodbets Sharks

Funded by US Dollars and some big name investors, the Sharks are the big spenders of the last few years and have made it clear what their ambitions are. Hence they have lured a number of big names back since Covid and have a star-studded squad, providing the most Springboks of all the local franchises to the national side.

They started in 2022/3 with a big fish in Eben Etzebeth, who returned from Toulon, and added the name of Rohan Janse van Rensburg (Sale Sharks), Lionel Cronje (Toyota Verblitz), Francois Venter (Worcester) and Justin Basson (Rugby ATL) from abroad. In addition to this they added the likes of Vincent Tshituka, Nevaldo Fleurs, Fred Zeilinga and Emile van Heerden to their ranks.

Their losses included Marius Louw (Lions), Sbu Nkosi (Bulls), Jeremy Ward (Stade Francais), Ruben van Heerden (Exeter Chiefs) and Olajuwon Noah to Bayonne.

Ahead of the 2023/4 season they continued the big spending with Vincent Koch returning from Stade Francais, Coenie Oosthuizen from Sale Sharks, Francois Hougaard from Saracens while Siya Masuku, George Cronje (Cheetahs), Diego Appolis, Ig Prinsloo (Pumas) and Aphiwe Dyantyi joined them.

But at the same time they lost a big fish in Siya Kolisi to Racing 92 (who will return to the Sharks next season) as well as a host of players. Thaakir Abrahams went to Lyon and is now at Munster, Carlu Sadie and Ben Tapuai went to Bordeaux, Thomas du Toit (Bath), Henco Venter (Glasgow), Thembelani Boli (Valence Romans), Fred Zeilinga (Bourg-en-Bresse), Rohan Janse van Rensburg, Ockie Barnard (both to Japan) and Hyron Andrews to Sale Sharks.

This season they snapped up two World Cup winners in Andre Esterhuizen (Harlequins) and Trevor Nyakane (Racing 92) while Jason Jenkins joined from Leinster. Locally they snapped up Emmanuel Tshituka and Jordan Hendrikse from the Lions.

The Sharks also offloaded a bunch of players including Le Roux Roets (Sale Sharks), Werner Kok (Ulster), Curwin Bosch (Brive) and Sikhumbuzo Notshe (Montauban) to name a few.

DHL Stormers

Despite being in administration, the DHL Stormers have been quite clever about their acquisitions, focusing on bringing Cape players back to their province and have had a lot of success with those they have acquired over the past few seasons.

In 2022/3 they snapped up Joseph Dweba (Bordeaux), Gary Porter (Ealing Trailfinders), Jean-Luc du Plessis (Honda Heat) and Ruben van Heerden after a very short stay at Exeter Chiefs.

Warrick Gelant left for Racing 92 in a move that would see him return after a season while Tim Swiel and Rikus Pretorius both left for Japan.

Last season they gave Ben Loader a home when London Irish folded, brought back Courtnall Skosan from Northampton and Gelant returned home. They added locally in Sti Sithole (Lions), Lizo Gqoboka and Wandisile Simelane (Bulls).

Their losses were bigger than their acquisitions last season, losing Steven Kitshoff to Ulster, Ernst van Rhyn to Sale, Marvin Orie to Perpignan and Jarrod Taylor to Scarlets. They also lost Cornel Smit to the Bulls and Kade Wolhuter to the Lions (although it is still murky if this is still a loan or a permanent move).

This season John Dobson hasn’t been the big spender the Sharks have been, but he has added JD Schickerling, who returned from the Kobe Steelers, while Kitshoff also opted to return to the side he captained. Other than that Dave Ewers joined the team from Ulster.

There was also a fair bit of unloading done this season, with a number of players released, but notables were Nama Xaba (to the Bulls), Hacjivah Dayimani (Racing 92) and Kwenzo Blose to Exeter Chiefs.