Rassie spot on about Boks gate crashing the Six Nations

Rassie Erasmus has taken a fire extinguisher to the speculation that the Springboks will join the Six Nations and that makes sense because the European countries don’t want South Africa and the Boks are better off competing against the Rugby Championship sides.

Already we have seen the French and English clubs getting their knickers in a knot because the SA teams are in the Champions Cup, which has been the pinnacle of European club competition since 1995 when it started life as the Heineken Cup.

The likes of Antoine du Pont have had their say about the South African invasion and while it wasn’t pleasant listening, I understand why there is resistance to newcomers.

Africans gate crashing Europe is a sticky subject and rugby is only the tip of the iceberg.

The chief reason why SA Rugby was keen on a move to the Six Nations is that the broadcasting money dwarfs that of the Rugby Championship.

But I’m with Du Pont and Rassie in arguing that money isn’t everything and the Boks don’t belong in a uniquely European competition that kicked off way back in 1883 as the Home Nations Championship between Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales.

France was added in1910 and Italy had to wait until 2000. The Six Nations has many charms and just one of them is that the countries are on each other’s doorsteps and fans are never more than a train ride or ferry trip from a match.

It doesn’t make sense for the current Six Nations sides to play an away game on the southern tip of Africa. It is not just the travel time for the players — they wouldn’t be able to bring their 10s of thousands of fans with them and that would destroy the wonderful atmosphere in which these games are played.

This week Rassie gave his opinion: “Us joining the Six Nations? I’m not sure how that sits with other people. We admire the competition and when I was (coaching) at Munster I realised how big it is.

“For me, having been there for 18 months, I’m not sure if the Six Nations and northern hemisphere would want us.

“There are a lot of traditions and they are more valuable than us just trying to fit in and thinking we can just join a competition that has a hell of a lot of heritage.”

As things stand, the Boks in any case have the best of both worlds. The leading provincial teams play in the European club competitions while the Springboks play in the south against New Zealand, Australia and Argentina.

South African rugby has a foot in each hemisphere and this keeps the players abreast of rugby evolution in both the north and south.

Of course the cost to fulfilling club commitments in the northern hemisphere winter and Test duties in the southern hemisphere winter is that the top players are on duty all year.

This is a serious issue because wear and tear is taking its toll. Resting protocols are not enough and when the leading players are rested, it is not fair on their provinces when they have to field under-strength sides.

Rassie, as always, has a plan. He has suggested moving the Rugby Championship from its current August to October slot to the start of the year.

“I think it would sort out a lot of problems, player load and injury-wise, with the URC and European Cup it would definitely free up a lot of weeks for us,” Erasmus said this week.

Erasmus’ plan would mean three months off for his players but what are the chances of New Zealand and Australia doing the Boks any favours?

These countries booted South Africa out of Super Rugby in 2020 when Covid raised its ugly head. Nice try Rassie but I can’t see your bitter rivals helping you out on this one.