How close did SA Rugby come to going bust

As a Covid outbreak laid the Springbok team low, it brought SA Rugby to the brink of bankruptcy if the tour didn’t go ahead.

** The first episode will be broadcast on Sunday (M-Net, 6pm; SuperSport, 7pm) **

While it may come as a surprise to many, the massive Covid outbreak that had 26 positive cases among the Springbok team and management left the side without sufficient preparation ahead of their games against the British and Irish Lions, and at one point even doubtful whether they would have been able to put out 23 players for the SA A team for their tour game against the tourists.

The realities of the difficulties behind the scenes are a keen focus in the groundbreaking documentary Two Sides, which airs on Sunday night at 6pm (MNet) and an hour later on SuperSport Grandstand.

“At one point we had the players and management on the phone and I told them if the tour doesn’t go ahead, we’re done. SA Rugby will make a loss and the unions would make a loss, and if that happens, your salaries don’t get paid. We’re done,” SA Rugby CEO Jurie Roux lays it plain in the documentary.

The episode spans the difficulties the Boks had, while the Lions were also navigating their own Covid issues and a tour that was certainly like no other any international team had undergone.

Catch the episode to see just what happened behind the scenes in one of the most memorable series of games that took place without fans.

Sunday night’s episode airs on MNet at 6pm and an hour later on SuperSport Grandstand.