Making a case for Cheetahs, Griquas and Pumas in Super Rugby
SPOTLIGHT: Griquas, the Cheetahs, and Pumas are sitting on the fringes of South African rugby, with limited international opportunities.
The Cheetahs compete in Europe’s Challenge Cup by invitation, but the closest Griquas and the Pumas get to ‘international’ opposition is the Bloemfontein-based Challenge series and the Tbilisi Cup.
Ironically, Griquas won both legs, going unbeaten through their six matches.
Now there’s renewed speculation of South African involvement in a declining Super Rugby Pacific tournament.
Matt Norton, Global Head of Rugby at Roc Nation Sports International, said Super Rugby is in an ‘interesting’ period.
In public, the Trans-Tasman venture between Australia and New Zealand, which also includes a Fijian team, is being described as “stable”.
However, its long-term future is being actively questioned behind closed doors.
New Zealand Rugby held a national summit to review the financial sustainability of its elite pathway.
Reports indicate that NZR is circulating proposals that could see it potentially exit Super Rugby Pacific by 2028.
One prominent alternative being evaluated is replacing both Super Rugby and the domestic NPC with a standalone 8-to-10-team elite domestic competition, which would represent a massive structural shift in Southern Hemisphere rugby.
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“I have been watching a bit of NPC, which is amazing,” Norton said, adding: “However, Super Rugby has lost a lot of its commercial value.
However, the RNSI agent said the recent Challenge series, both the Bloemfontein and Tbilisi legs, showed just how much talent there is in South Africa.
The Currie Cup champions, Griquas, went undefeated to claim the overall title, culminating in a dominant 48–15 final victory over the Spanish Iberians.
Griquas went undefeated across their six-match campaign in Bloemfontein and Tbilisi.
“This shows the class of teams in South Africa,” Norton said.
“There is no question that Griquas, the Pumas and Cheetahs should be playing more international rugby.
“They need to play more regularly in a top competition.
“Last weekend the Cheetahs nearly beat Aviron Bayonnais,” he said of a game the Cheetahs lost 27-29 at the Stade Jean Dauger in Bayonne, France.
It was a 68th-minute try from Springbok scrumhalf Herschel Jantjies that secured the tight win for the French hosts, leaving the Cheetahs to walk away with a fighting losing point.
“Bayonne are fifth in the Top 14 and the Cheetahs played away from home.
“Those teams do not play a lot of rugby, being limited to the odd competition and the Currie Cup.
“That is why it is important to find a competition for those teams, perhaps joining the New Zealand and Australian teams in Super Rugby.
“An alternative is one of them replacing the Welsh team that is set to be axed from the URC.
“There is space to include those teams and give their players more opportunities.
“It will be beneficial to the game in South Africa.”
@JanDKrugby
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