S Africa is crying out for its own league

IF I remember my A level geography correctly, Africa is moving towards Europe at about the same rate as your fingernails grow which, among other things, suggests that the wholesale, no holds barred, in for a penny in for a pound merging of British, European and South African rugby was a tad premature.

- RUGBY MATTERS

But the question remains, what is the perfect fit for South African rugby, where do they belong? It seems almost obscene to raise the subject after back-to-back World Cup triumphs from the nation I always consider the bread basket of world rugby. South Africa consistently produces more high quality dependable, have boots will travel, professional rugby players than any other rugby nation.

The search for a suitable niche, however, remains elusive. Much as rugby badly needs to spread the gospel – and historically it has been very poor developing the 15s game worldwide – it also needs to cherish its superpowers. The modern-day success of a multiracial South African side remains one of rugby’s finest achievements and the sport’s best calling card around the sporting and political world.

The reality, however, is that they don’t fit snugly into any continental geographic region with the Blue Bulls’ recent refusal to honour the European Champions Cup quarter-finals with a first-choice side offering up the latest example. That was a massive slap in the face for EPCR officials who prostrated themselves in an embarrassing way, to try and accommodate South African teams and frankly it’s a canary down the mines moment we should all heed.

I was never wild about South African teams being admitted to the URC and for them to compete in the European Champions Cup and saw no logic or fairness in the reboot. Europe should look after its own continent first although as EPCR is run solely by and for its “stakeholders” – the Six Nations Unions and the three domestic Leagues – it actually only exists to serve those who have already hijacked the governance of the sport. It’s yet another private members only company that had colonised a vast swathe of the game.