Thank you, Dan Biggar, for saying what every player thinks. Yes to South Africa in Europe; no to one-off matches. A veteran of 451 professional matches — including 112 Tests for Wales and three for the British & Irish Lions — Biggar reminds me of the Crusaders and All Blacks general Andrew Mehrtens.
When it comes to commanding a team performance and having an opinion, they are both generals. They’ve never been shy with their voice, but they’re as articulate as they’re opinionated, and both have never been shy to air their voice in a crowded room.
Mehrtens, many years ago, kicked a winning drop goal for the Crusaders against the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld and did not hesitate to flip the fingered salute to the locals. It was a great moment for the player, pumped not only on adrenaline but also conviction in his beliefs. The crowd had given him the bird all afternoon and he had the last laugh.
Mehrtens, owner of a French rugby club with former Bok captain Bob Skinstad, is also a regular commentator on the game. He calls it like he says it, with a global vision and not one coloured in the All Blacks colours.
Biggar, who writes a column for the Daily Mail, is of similar ilk. His columns are insightful, entertaining and to the point. They are anything but parochial. What I enjoy most about Biggar’s thoughts is that he’s still playing the game, albeit he’s at the sunset of a stellar career.
He calls it like he sees it, not how he believes his teammates, club owners or the Welsh public would like to see him call it.
The South African entry into the Investec Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup has divided opinion in Europe. There are those who believe it has destroyed the fabric of these competitions being reflected as the best in Europe; and there are those who argue South Africa’s participation has transformed and escalated the two competitions from European to global showpieces — which now can claim to be the most demanding international club competitions in the sport.
Biggar’s Toulon played the Stormers at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gheberha last Saturday — a match the visitors won 24-14, despite trailing 14-10 at the interval.
Biggar was more thoughtful than the many commentators and analysts who planted a flag of “Yes” or “No” to South Africa. His view, so on point, was that South Africa was staying in the competition, whether people liked it or not. And he was full of praise about the country’s positive contribution to all competitions up north.
What he spoke about was the madness of one-off matches, when teams travel 30-plus hours to get to South Africa or go up north, and a playing schedule in which more obvious playing science should be applied.
For example, the Pool Groups in the Champions Cup and Challenge Cup involve four matches, two at home and two away. Everything suggests that, for example, the South African teams should travel north for a fortnight and play back-to-back away games and then host back-to-back home games.
Ditto for those northern teams in which there is a South African presence in their respective pools.
Biggar wrote of the fabulous nature of the competition, the added thrill of visiting the Republic and being exposed to South African teams and cities, but he cited player welfare as the non-negotiable.
One can’t counter-argue against his statement that one-off fixtures, into or out of South Africa, should not exist in the Pool Group stage.
The Stormers and Sharks this week sent depleted and secondary squads to one-off matches in which few expect a winning result. The Stormers had no choice because of 17 injuries and the Sharks made a choice because of the prize of next weekend’s Vodacom United Rugby Championship match against the Bulls in Durban.
These fixtures should be gold in lure, if the schedule was two at home and two away.
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