VIDEO: Is Mzansi Rugby League heading for court 'stand-off' with SARU?
“We are not a rebel league.”
In that sentence is encapsulated the riposte of Renaldo Bothma, former Namibian captain and co-founder of Mzansi Rugby League.
The MRL was formally launched in South Africa last week, although it has been in the planning stages for months and will only kick off in 2027.
The venture has received strong pushback from the South African Rugby Union and the trade union MyPlayers.
Bothma, in an interview with @rugby365com, admitted that he is aware of a letter sent by MyPlayers to their members, the country’s professional players.
He was adamant that they are not targeting any current professional players and suggested the MyPlayers letter contains some unfounded claims.
It offers salaries between ZAR 15,000 and ZAR 30,000 per month, as well as premium medical aid coverage.
Their 16-team league, based in nine provinces, promotes itself as the new home for South Africa’s ‘next generation’ of talent.
“The system, in terms of junior structures, is broken,” Bothma said in relation to the formal pathways for players after school.
“Some players play only five to 10 games per year,” he said of the SARU’s age-group structures.
“We wanted to create a pathway for younger players and hopefully, by playing in our league, we can be a feeding ground for the smaller and bigger unions.”
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The proposed Mzansi Rugby League team names are Jozi Wild Cats, Pretoria Warthogs, Durban Hyenas, Midlands Bongos, Zululand Zebras, Cape Town Kudus, Gqeberha Impalas, Bloemfontein Oryx, Mbombela Wildebeest, Vaal Meerkats, Stellenbosch Bushbucks, Mossel Bay Whales, East London Hippos, Potchefstroom Sables, Kimberley Foxes and Polokwane Wild Dogs.
“The label that SA Rugby [SARU] has put on this league is false,” Bothma added.
“That is not the conversation I had with SA Rugby when we engaged with them.
“I have engaged with most CEO’s of the unions, and that was also not the response I received from them.
“Mzansi Rugby League is not a rebel league.
“SA Rugby calls us a ‘breakaway’, but we are a pathway for younger players.
“That system is broken, and there is no pathway.
“There are so many children leaving South Africa to play abroad.
“SA Rugby has framed this very badly for us, which is completely false.”
He said that after a couple of conversations with SARU, to see if the national body will recognise them as a pathway competition like the Varsity Cup, they suddenly received a letter from the SARU legal department.
Turning to the MyPlayers email, Bothma accused the players’ trade union of using ‘scare tactics’.
He added that players are warned of facing ‘lifetime bans’ is they participate in any unsanctioned competitions such as MRL.
The letter ‘advised’ players to consider carefully their participation in any MRL activities.
“Are they really doing their job by sending an email, threatening people?” Bothma said.
“The players we [Mzanzi League] are targeting are not MyPlayers clients, but players who have fallen through the cracks.”
He added that they are considering their legal options, admitting that the potential of a court case has not been excluded.
“They did not reach out to us to discuss the league,” Bothma told @rugby365com.
“It is not just beneficial to the Mzansi League, but to everyone.
“We are creating opportunities that never existed before, and we haven’t asked SA Rugby for funding.
“This tournament is self-funded.
“We just asked SA Rugby to play under their laws and regulations, and we will respect them as the custodian of the game.”
He said he is disappointed that SA Rugby stopped communicating with them and instead sent them a legal letter.
“We are definitely going to take the matter further,” Bothma said, describing the statements from MyPlayers as ‘ludicrous’.
Ge added that there is a possibility that it could end up in court.
“We are not going to be bullied by SA Rugby,” he told @rugby365com, adding: “It is about creating change in South African rugby and it doesn’t matter what it takes.
“We won’t allow false statements to be put out to the media or sent to players.”
Bothma said they are busy securing funding from abroad.
The Directors of Rugby of the 16 teams will be announced in January, and there will be trials in June next year.
“After the trials, there will be a draft system, and the players will be allocated to the different franchises.
“We have a big team on the ground trying to secure stadiums and facilities.”
They will play on municipality grounds, with a view to uplifting communities.
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@rugby365com
The Mzansi Rugby League has ARRIVED.
16 city-based teams. 9 provinces. One professional, unaffiliated independent league.
• Earn R15,000 – R30,000 per month
• Premium medical aid fully coveredLink to trial registration form: https://t.co/2jkKxi3oQB#mzansirugbyleague #mrl pic.twitter.com/QH4FbFFEQC
— Mzansi Rugby League (@mzansirugby) September 12, 2025
