A message to Europe: when it comes to rugby we, as South Africans, are coming and we want it all.
That means success in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship; success in the Champions Cup and Challenge Cup; success with the under-20 Baby Boks; and ultimately success when the world champion Springboks officially join an expanded version of the Six Nations.
It is doubtful Italy will be booted from the Six Nations, despite one win in the past seven years, but expansion to include SA will make the competition stronger on the field and commercially even stronger.
It is a case of when — and not if — the Springboks join the Six Nations
It is a case of when — and not if — the Springboks join the Six Nations.
You don’t have to read between the lines to know this; just read the lines coming out of Europe.
This past week SA’s four URC teams and the Cheetahs were welcomed into European club rugby and they were done so with great warmth from the French and English clubs.
The French, in particular, were incredibly supportive of SA’s entry into Europe and in the 2022/2023 season SA’s five regional teams will officially become part of the European family.
It is the game changer in South African rugby and aligns perfectly with SA Rugby’s pending commercial deal with CVC Capital Partners, who paid $169m (R2.63bn) for a 28% stake of the URC and $509m (R7.91bn) for 14% of the Six Nations.
It is understood that CVC’s investment in the Springboks commercial identity will be a value estimate of 20%.
Financially, it will be the biggest investment in the Springboks, but the benefits far exceed the cash, with the global partner alignments massively beneficial to the Springboks as a global player.
SA Rugby president Mark Alexander and CEO Jurie Roux have been at the forefront of SA’s move to Europe and also of the CVC deal. The duo would not only have saved SA rugby financially but also ensured the health and future financial well-being of professional rugby in the country.
As with most things, they will only get the rightful acknowledgement in time to come, but it would be so wrong not to applaud the magnitude of their behind-the-scenes effort in entrenching SA up north.
SA Rugby, over and above the Springboks, will become one of the biggest players in the global rugby landscape and this would never have been possible had they stayed in Super Rugby.
New Zealand were quick to go it alone in Super Rugby during the Covid pandemic and SA’s rugby leadership had to read it online that Super Rugby, as South Africans knew it, was dead to the New Zealand leadership.
The haste with which the Kiwis shut the door only meant the door to rugby up north was opened even quicker for SA, and the response from executive decision-makers in France and England has been overwhelmingly positive.
Those in the know wanted SA rugby to be part of the northern family. They understand the value of the Springboks and the five regional brands. They also recognised the broadcast power because of minimal time difference and because match schedules could play out in prime-time slots.
There is so much to like about the move north and so much to gain.
Those former players and commentators up north who this week publicly slammed the introduction of SA into the European competitions argued that they spoke on behalf of tradition.
Nonsense! They spoke on behalf of their own fear of potential South African rugby domination up north.
They advocated evolution in professional rugby, but SA Rugby into Europe is the rugby revolution that the sport desperately needed to happen.
• Mark Keohane is the founder of keo.co.za, a multiple award-winning sports writer and the digital content director at Highbury Media., Twitter @mark_keohane.
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