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What the Springboks' World Cup win means for full-scale centralised contracting

Siya Kolisi, the South Africa captain, celebrates with team mates after their victory during the Rugby World Cup 2019 final. (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

South Africa are a groundbreaking team for many reasons – the first side to win the World Cup after losing a pool match, the first side to win the World Cup and the Rugby Championship in the same year.

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A lesser talked about factor, but an important one, is that the Springboks were the first side to win the World Cup with overseas-based players.

Each World Cup winner in the past did so under the requirement that players must play their club rugby at home. South Africa has broken that mould, proving it can be done another way.

Continue reading below…

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SARU still retain majority ownership and control of their domestic teams under a centralised model, but under Rassie Erasmus they abolished the rules around selecting overseas-based players.

No longer would they prevent players from representing the Springboks due to playing abroad without being contracted to a SARU-union.

The move opened the door for some of the world’s best players to return to the national fold, including Faf de Klerk, Willie Le Roux, Duane Vermeulen (before officially returning to the Bulls), Cheslin Kolbe, and experienced veterans like Frans Steyn, Francois Louw.

The impact was almost immediate as De Klerk, Vermeulen and Le Roux were integral to winning the first home series under Erasmus against England 2-1 in June 2018.

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De Klerk and Le Roux were also critical to securing the first win on New Zealand soil in nearly 10 years during The Rugby Championship later that season. South Africa rose to the challenge of the All Blacks over the two tests to highlight the promise within the squad with a full complement of stars.

The Springboks continued that trajectory in 2019, tightening up their defence even further on the way to a Rugby Championship title before pushing onward to demolish England in the World Cup final.

Vermeulen was named man-of-the-match, while Kolbe put the cherry on top with a wicked run for the final try, two players that benefitted from the change of eligibility rules.

Opening the doors to overseas-based players, it has to be said, has paid off for South Africa.

Whilst the Springboks’ success cannot solely be attributed to this move, it does throw further doubts over the notion that full-scale centralised models are critical – or even highly correlated – to the success of a national side.

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It didn’t matter that the Springboks all play around the world with different coaches from different nationalities, playing different styles of rugby. They came together as one under the right coaching and support staff with under two years to shape them.

The other World Cup finalist, despite not allowing overseas-based players in the national side, has a privatised club model and again isn’t a full-scale centralised union.

The RFU does not have the level of control over the national playing base that the other unions have, but they were able to field one of their best ever teams and deservedly made the final.

South Africa’s World Cup win proves that the weight put on this operating model is probably overblown and that ‘control’ doesn’t necessarily correlate with success.

Springboks’ trophy tour in South Africa:

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H
Hellhound 1 hour ago
'If we win the World Cup in 3 years, no one remembers the blitz not working'

If they win the WC in 3 years... How about start winning each game before then starting on Saturday? How will you win a WC if you can't even win a game now? There is no winning culture there.


Let me ask this... Is your excuses for losing against the Boks written by Thursday and ready to hand out with the team announcement?


Because that is the wrong thing to say currently. The English isn't winning any games currently except against Tier 2 nations. Granted it's close losses, but instead of getting better, they seem to get worse.


SA is targeting the English game with their best. The Boks is in great form, despite the Scottish game. The Scottish would have destroyed the English on Saturday if they played them instead of the Boks. They were brilliant despite the scoreline.


I'd suggest that they concentrate on the next game. Each and every time. Forget about the WC and 6N. Start by winning each game you play. It doesn't matter if it's an ugly win or not. It doesn't matter if people say you play boring rugby.


Winning is winning. Extravagant or not. If their minds is on the WC already they will lose. Yes, build depth for the WC in 3 years time. Get the talent and test them. Give them that chance to compete like Rassie does. Learn from a coach who is arguably the best coach ever.


You don't need to play like the Boks. All that is needed is to get the talent in for the WC in 3 years time, but to say IF WE WIN the WC, but you can't even win a game...

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