The price of a contract

Rugby365 editor Jan de Koning has an interesting theory as to why the players that are supposedly the best in the country, those on national contracts and guaranteed places in the Springbok team, can't produce the performances worthy of their exorbitant salaries.

With England poised to make management changes, regular columnist Andrew Baldock throws his weight behind the campaign to reinstall Bath boss Brian Ashton.

Springbok coach Jake White has 20-odd of the country's top players on national contract, of which about 22 will be put on ice after the Super 14. If White gets his way – and it appears he will – these players will not play any Currie Cup rugby this year or next year.

In short, they have all been guaranteed places in the 2007 Rugby World Cup squad. All they have to do is stay fit and healthy. Just don't get injured, because that is the only way you can fall out of favour under this system.

As noble as the gesture is, and it has merits in terms of White's long-term goals, it has also produced very disturbing side-effects – something White probably did not bargain for when he devised the blueprint for success at RWC 2007 in France.

Those side effects we have all witnessed first hand in the 2006 Super 14.

The players are well aware who is on and who is off White's World Cup short-list. If you are on, you know that you will go to the Rugby World Cup unless you are injured.

These same players are also guaranteed the standard ZAR75,000 (US$12,400) match fees and win bonuses on offer this year.

That will certainly explain why a host – the vast majority – of South Africa's frontline players have looked like plodders in the Super 14.

Rather than putting their bodies on the line and risking injury – which include long-term setbacks that could rule them out of the trip to France in 2007 – they have opted to preserve themselves.

Why risk losing  out on up to ZAR975,000 (US$161,200) in Test match fees – the Boks will play 13 Tests this year, including the unofficial international against the World XV – just to impress critics in the Super 14, when you already know you are guaranteed a spot in the international arena?

Even if you play only about half the Tests this year, it is still a a hefty pay cheque at the end of the year (or for the next two years). There is also a system in place whereby contract players will be paid match fees (or a portion thereof) even if they don't play.

And if the Boks maintain the 68 percent success rate of the past two years (it seems very plausible) you can add win bonuses (ZAR25,000 – US$4,000 per match) for about eight games to that total.

You do the math and then ask if it is worth risking injury if you stand to make that kind of money.

It certainly explains why so many Bok certainties have performed so poorly this year.

Yes, there are exceptions – those hardy souls who still have enough pride and care enough about their reputations to actually go out there and make an effort – but you can virtually count them on one hand.

Schalk Burger at the Stormers, Os du Randt at the Cheetahs, Bakkies Botha and Fourie du Preez at the Bulls and Jaque Fourie at the Cats.

There are other players who are putting in the extra effort, who are going the extra mile to impress.

The reason is simple. They are not on the list, they don't have contracts or Rugby World Cup guarantees.

They need to get onto White's A List!

Here you look at the likes of Bolla Conradie, Pedrie Wannenburg, AJ Venter, Ruan Pienaar and Wikus van Heerden..

Now we get to those players on the A List who have not performed.

Jean de Villiers, De Wet Barry, Marius Joubert, Tonderai Chavhanga, Eddie Andrews, Hanyani Shimange, Joe van Niekerk, Victor Matfield, Jacques Cronjé, Bryan Habana, Conrad Jantjes, Enrico Januarie, but I'll excuse him. He was out injured for six months and could fall under the "still rusty" category.

But take a close look at that list.

It is an awesome collection of players, who – when on top form or really trying – could ensure South Africa can match or beat New Zealand (the World's No.1 team) on any given day.

I will say it again – they are awesome players. But they are in a comfort zone and guaranteed payment as long as they keep playing. Maybe I should rephrase that – as long as they turn up every week.

Now, the next time you think a coach is doing a really bad job (especially the South African S14 coaches), ask yourself how much effort are the players putting in?

Do you agree with Jan? Email us your view!