Pienaar calls for change in Boks eligibility rules

By Jason Harris
May 22 2002

Former Sarries Chief Executive / Director of Rugby Francois Pienaar has spoken out against the current rules surrounding Springbok selection.

The current policy operated by the South African management exclude any players not playing in their homeland. Pienaar thinks that this will give the World Cup Group C advantage to England due to some big Bok names playing in the UK next season.

Former captain Andre Vos (Harlequins), Pieter Russouw (London Irish), Robbie Kempson (Ulster) and Percy Montgomery (a target for Quins and Newport)will not be considered for the tournament in October 2003.

"If they want to pick the best South African team then they should select from wherever they are playing," said Pienaar, citing that in other professional sports the top playres are selected no matter where they play their club games.

With the relatively young ages of those coming to Britain (Vos 27, Montgomery 28, Russouw 30) compared with the first wave of imports who were nearly all the wrong side of the big three-o, the South African establishment must be worried. Pienaar, his ties from Saracens and English rugby now severed, certainly is:

"I am extremely concerned that players of this age group are now moving from South Africa, but it's inevitable they will become younger because a player's career expectancy is no longer until they are 35 years old but more like 30.

The concern has spread to the rugby watching public at large and the policy certainly needs looking at if the Boks are to select their best side featuring established internationals such as the aformentioned quartet.

With the current Zurich Premiership regulations allowing two non-EU players per 22 man squad, the influx of South Africans will continue for the forseeable future, but Francois Pienaar believes that this will reduce to one per squad in time.

If the policy is stuck to by SARFU and the Springbok selectors, it can only be good news for England when the two meet in Australia in autumn next year.