This article/opinion post is really quite good. He makes a good point, but at the same time some of the comparisons, I think, are a bit unreliable because he is comparing forwards with backs and when they play a different role in the game and contribute in different ways I find it hard to see how comparing them proves a point. Never-the-less he's certainly done his reserach and its well worth the read especially for the point he makes in the last few paragraphs.


Super 14 is destroying our leading players
Tony McKeever
September 30th, 2008.

Here’s an exercise: take a sample group of ten Springboks who took part in the 2008 Super 14 series, analyse their game time, then ask yourself, are we contributing to the corrosive attrition of our leading rugby players?

Then make this sample group of ten elite players across four provinces — Western Province/Stormers, Bulls, Cheetahs/FS Cheetahs and the Sharks — and look at the statistics regarding their ‘contacts’ during game time:

1. Burger, Schalk
2. de Villiers, Jean
3. Botha, Bakkies
4. Habana, Bryan
5. Spies, Pierre
6. Smith, Juan
7. Van der Linde, CJ
8. Pienaar, Ruan
9. Pietersen, JP
10. Steyn, Francois

How long have these guys played in the Super 14 this year, quite apart from all the consecutive Tests against Wales, Italy, Argentina, New Zealand and Australia, and what did they do during these 10 games and 12 hours of relentless game time?

We already face the crossroads of some soul searching on the ‘price’ of ‘pay for play’ versus ‘pay for performance’.

The money factor will make your eyes water, but before that happens, your head will spin from what is physically required and what is delivered by contracted South African rugby players.

But it helps to understand this sample group of ten players first.

Quite apart from the training and the endless matches for just a small pool of 150 South African elite players out of 500,000 registered players in South Africa, it is inconceivable that South Africa has but 150 elite players or even 450 players.



the rest is here..Super 14 is destroying our leading players The Roar - Your Sports Opinion