Money or Pride
The South African Rugby Union has come up with a new contract system where SARU will pay 70 percent and unions 30 percent of the package for top players in future.
It is a great idea, as this will give SARU bigger control.
Not quite where New Zealand has it, however, still great improvement.
This will hopefully keep the best top 30 to 40 players playing their rugby in the Republic.
Top players like Eben Etzebeth, Duane Vermeulen and company could earn more than ZAR8-million per season.
Wow, eish …. wonder what Doc Craven would have said about that?
I think it is about time.
Remember their agents will probably get between five and 10 percent and the taxman will take a big chunk as well.
Anyhow, I think top players deserve this and compare to what other sports people earn – sports like golf, athletics, boxing and soccer – rugby still has a lot to catch up for.
SA cricketers earn ridiculous amounts of cash in IPL tournaments for just a few months hitting balls around the park.
I recently read one of Springbok Theuns Stofberg's stories on his Facebook page, that they did get 'paid' even in the amateur games.
According to Theuns, playing for the Free State in 1976, he 'earned' ZAR5 for a home game (also received four tickets for the match to give away) and ZAR15 for away games.
His 'salary' did increase in the 1980s at WP where they would earn up to ZAR165 to cover for fuel to practises, dinners if those players were students that missed out on the hostile dinner that night, baby sitters for the Saturday if the wives wanted to attend the game, etc.
Let's be realistic, although players didn't earn money openly, those provincial players in the amateur days had time to study and get qualifications to have a career after rugby.
Many of those were 'employed' by big companies because of who they were and the prestige to have so and so linked to your company.
How many players got jobs at corporate companies?
Louis Luyt was a businessman galore and I'm sure Carel du Plessis and brother Michael didn't leave the mother city for their undying love for Johannesburg or for the Lions.
Yes. It must have been to get a piece of that 'gold mine' up there.
Naas Botha surely didn't go for the love of pasta to Italy.
David Campese, wasn't he the first self-proclaimed millionaire in the amateur era?
The Springboks after the 1995 World Cup were the first to earn real money. Even Rob Brink who only played in two World Cup games, Canada and Romania, earned R50 000 a month for the next two years. All that money while being a student.
If Dan Carter can earn up to US$1 million for a season in Europe, well done SARU, with this positive step.
Now just change your policy about players who still chooses to join the 'sushi-train' or the other Northern Hemisphere 'pension packages from being eligible for the Boks.
Or at least cap it at three to five in the squad?
Should players earning their money overseas be eligible for the Springboks?
AussieBoer (Kevin D)
@rugby365com
Should overseas based players play for Boks?
