VIDEO: Beast's sage message to young players
Don’t be short-sighted. Plan long-term.
That, in a nutshell, is the message from World Cup-winning Springbok prop Tendai Mtawarira and Roc Nation President Michael R. Yormark to young players making their way in the professional game.
Both said the short-term ‘cash grab’ in Europe will not set you up for life after rugby if you do not lay a solid foundation while you are still playing.
Mtawarira, with 117 Tests to his credit and third on the Bok all-time list, spent his entire career in Durban – featuring in more than 200 first-class games for the Sharks.
Despite some serious offers from abroad, Mtawarira opted to build a future for himself in Durban, where he is currently settled in a business in the security industry.
The 36-year-old admitted the temptation to accept offers from Europe was great, but said South Africa is his home and that is where he wants to build a future for him and his family.
“I had a few offers, especially from French clubs,” he said.
“For me, the opportunity was here,” he said about his decision to remain in Durban.
He admitted he got into the business at an early age – from about 23.
“There was this big [cash] carrots, but I wanted to create something special here at home.
“That money [from the European and Japanese clubs] only last you so long. I wanted to look at generational wealth and build an empire.
“I believe that as a Springbok you can build something special for yourself here [in South Africa] and you must do it while you are playing.”
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He said any player must decide what his business interest and passion are.
“It can’t just be about money,” he said, adding: “You might have a lot of it in the bank, but you don’t know what to do with it.
“You got to have something that gets you up in the morning and gives you purpose.”
The Bok legend said he is still at the beginning of his business journey and still haven’t figured everything out.
“I knew that I had to work on a long-term plan and I have fallen back on that. I am building something special for myself.
“It is important for players to realise that,” he said of the need to have a long-term, sustainable business plan for when you retire from the game.
“Rather build something special here and it will last you forever.”
Roc Nation President Michael R. Yormark echoed Mtawarira’s sentiments, saying players have to take a long-term few about their future, rather than just a “quick money grab”.
“That is what Beast has done,” he said about setting yourself up for the long run, adding that other players Roc Nation is involved in are taking the same approach.
“It doesn’t start when you are 30 or 35, it starts when you are 22 or 23.
“How do I leverage my success in the moment? Plant those seeds. Develop that foundation, so that when I retire, I can choose what I want to do – as opposed to what I have to do.”
He said that they have other young players Roc Nation is working with and they are having those conversations with the youngsters.
Yormark pointed out that the amount of cash available at European clubs is declining, with the salary cap being trimmed dramatically.
“There will be fewer opportunities for foreign players, for players from South Africa – especially the top players.
“Why would a club play a high salary for a player and only have him [available] 50 percent of the time.
“For clubs in France that are having the salary cap decreasing, that makes no sense.
“They may still invest, but will not invest in as many. They may use the money to invest in French players.”
He added that COVID has changed the playing field and resulted in a decline of the amounts of money on offer.
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