Jake White remains skeptical that a potential private equity deal with Ackerley Sports Group (ASG) would entice overseas-based Springbok stars to return to South Africa.
SA Rugby this week provided further clarity on the state of negotiations with its preferred equity partner ASG, while addressing concerns raised by the four franchises.
Speaking at a Bulls conference in the buildup to the Jukskei Derby in the Vodacom URC on Saturday, White argued that even with an injection of capital, financial incentives alone wouldn’t entice players like Handre Pollard and Cheslin Kolbe to return.
Vodacom Bulls director of rugby, White emphasised the need for Bok coach Rassie Erasmus to implement a policy capping the number of overseas-based players eligible for the national team.
“From your lips to God’s ears, I’m not sure that, even if we have all the money in the world, it’s going to mean the top players come back in droves,” White is quoted in the media.
“It has to be a policy. It’s been broadcasted quite widely by Rassie Erasmus that having overseas-based players coached by overseas coaches, and having those rich foreign clubs pay their salaries, is a model that works for us.
ICYMI – SA Rugby: Boks not for sale
“Money [locally] isn’t going to change that.”
He emphasised the importance of having top players consistently competing locally and drew parallels with Bafana Bafana’s challenge against teams with players from top European leagues.
“Let’s use Bafana Bafana as an example when they played Nigeria [in the semi-finals]. As well as Bafana played, Nigeria’s XI had 10 guys playing in the top leagues in Europe, and we wonder why Bafana couldn’t quite get over the line against them,” White stressed.
“It’s not hard, not difficult to understand. We need top players like that to play locally week-in and week-out. We need them to be able to beat La Rochelle and Leinster consistently.
“If we get this massive equity deal, hopefully it means that someone will make a decision that, given there’s no longer need to moan about money anymore, we can bring our best players back to SA.”
Photo: Lee Warren/Gallo Images
The post Jake: Policy, not money will bring Boks back appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
Src: sarugbymag.co.za
