SA Rugby chief executive Rian Oberholzer has shot down complaints from the country’s franchises over the Champions Cup schedule.
The South African sides have often stressed the difficulty in competing at their best in Europe’s biggest club tournament due to the travel factor.
With the teams also having to go back and forth during the United Rugby Championship (URC) season, it has made it particularly difficult for the Bulls, Sharks and Stormers.
Bulls and Sharks criticism
Jake White has been a critic of the extra travel and last season defended his decision to play a weakened squad in the Champions Cup quarter-final against Northampton Saints.
John Plumtree also recently gave a forthright view after the Sharks’ heavy defeat to Leicester Tigers last weekend when he left many of his stars at home.
“I want to bring our strongest Sharks side here and play on the biggest stage. I can understand their [the fans’] frustration,” Plumtree said following the 56-17 loss to Leicester.
“I want to go out there and give Leicester a good hiding in front of their home crowd. Don’t worry about that.
“We’re all competitive. But the reality is we’ve got to look after these athletes. They are not robots. They don’t front up every week. And right now, the South African boys are treated like robots.”
Oberholzer took a different view and is worried that those types of comments could upset the European clubs, warning representatives of the South African franchises against doing that.
SA Rugby’s CEO feels that the URC and, by extension the EPCR, have given them an opportunity after they were ousted from Super Rugby in 2020.
‘Does not help our cause’
“That is the reality. Our teams want to play in professional leagues and the United Rugby Championship and European competitions offer exactly that,” he told Rapport.
“The South African clubs have to live with the fact that they are competing in two competitions at the same time. It does not help our cause to be so critical.
“Remember, there are clubs in the European competitions [Champions Cup and Challenge Cup] that don’t want us there. We have to be careful not to shoot ourselves in the foot by constantly criticising a competition that we participate in by invitation. After all, it is our lifeblood.
“One must not forget that Super Rugby kicked us out. If it wasn’t for the URC and European competitions, we would only have Currie Cup rugby to play now.”
South Africa’s move to the URC – despite its logistical issues – appears to have benefited all parties with the league growing since the inclusion of the Bulls, Lions, Sharks and Stormers.
“The URC works well for us. There is no plan to leave it,” Oberholzer said.
Src: Planetrugby.com - https://www.planetrugby.com/news/they-kicked-us-out-sa-rugby-chief-concerned-champions-cup-criticism-could-lead-to-super-rugby-scenario
