The omission of several Springbok World Cup winners from the current Castle Lager Outgoing Tour squad this week may have raised a few eyebrows, especially as it has seemed to suggest that a slow culling of the 2019 World Cup squad has had to start, but it could also work out to be a massive positive for South African rugby as a whole.
For the first time in a long time, the Vodacom Bulls have supplied the most players for the Springboks with nine members of their squad heading north with coach Rassie Erasmus’ team, and while the immediate tests are the immediate focus, there is a massive tour by New Zealand that will take the focus next year for eight glorious weeks.
The Greatest Rivalry tour, which takes place in 2026, will see New Zealand face off with the Springboks in four tests while the four Vodacom United Rugby Championship franchises each get a date with the All Blacks during the tour as well.
DISCARDED BOKS GOOD FOR FRANCHISES
Now while it may have been a bit of a shock for some to see some of the Springboks who were instrumental in bringing the World Cup home being left behind for this tour, there are definitively some positives in it for the franchises.
The Sharks have perennially supplied the most Springboks to the national side, and have struggled in the URC without their big name players. They have had to sacrifice continuity and some big firepower in the name of the national interest, and that hasn’t always impressed their fans.
And just as the Bulls will start learning what that means and what squad depth really means when it comes to the rest of the season without more than half a team of stars, lets rather look to the positives for the franchises, especially with the Greatest Rivalry tour.
The Sharks suddenly have the likes of Bongi Mbonambi, Vincent Koch, Makazole Mapimpi (when his ban expires) available for them, the Bulls have Willie le Roux back at home plotting URC games with them and not on tour with the Boks.
STILL HAVE THE HUNGER
Those players will hopefully have that hunger still to play for the national side and given their absence will fuel the way they approach their game. If there is anything that these players enjoy more, it is aiming for a target, and aiming to prove someone wrong.
All of the players who have been left behind - Lukhanyo Am - included in this category are still top class players and can offer a lot to their franchises.
They bring their experience of two World Cup victories and a plethora of tests under their belt and that should filter through to some of their younger teammates.
They can no longer be accused of looking to protect themselves for test duty because if they want to play test rugby again they need to show it. The players may be entering the winter of their careers, but it doesn’t mean they don’t have a lot to offer their franchises.
Ask any Springbok and they will tell you the worst possible thing is to be away from the national side. That feeling of missing out will fuel their hunger going forward, even if it is their last few seasons on the field.
So then, turning to the Greatest Rivalry Tour next year, the one concern is what sort of opposition the franchises will be able to put up against an All Black touring team?
WEAKENED FRANCHISE SIDES BENEFIT NOBODY
If the Lions tour in 2021 was any indication, withdrawing Springboks from the franchises will severely weaken them in this regard, and for the tour to be successful the midweek games need to be successful as well.
That’s what made tours of the past so memorable - that tough midweek game that really tested a team before they got to the tests.
Thankfully, with the advent of URC, South African sides are a lot better equipped for the task than they were in 2021.
The junior pipeline has been sorted out and the success at national level and Rassie’s desire to create as wide a base as possible has been good for the development of squads across the URC.
Add to that the more experienced players returning from overseas clubs and it would be fair to wager that the franchises are stronger now than they were in 2021.
GOOD SIGN
That is all a good sign, but think of this for a minute, how much stronger will the Sharks be if they have these discarded Boks playing for them next year against the All Blacks? The same for the Bulls?
There are others who may return to South Africa as well in the meantime and teams will look to strengthen their sides further, while the World Champion Junior Boks side will be a year older and several of them will be up for franchise selection by the time the tour comes around.
In the meantime Erasmus can call on any of these players whenever he needs them and they are keeping match fit in their franchise squads.
And Springbok rugby as a whole is getting stronger.
The All Blacks will pose a formidable challenge on the tour and will benefit immensely from it as well, and there is no way that franchises can take these things for granted.
But the thought of having World Cup winners between the franchise players, helping them as they face the All Blacks, is something that most franchise coaches would welcome.
And could make those midweek games a lot more spicy indeed.