Success in the URC proves South Africa has moved on — Super Rugby hasn’t

It’s been a couple of years since South African rugby left the Super Rugby nations behind.

Since then, a World Cup triumph — coupled with dominance in the United Rugby Championship via the Stormers and Bulls, and a Challenge Cup victory by the Sharks — has reinforced the strength of the game in the country.

For all the progress the local sides have made, the organisers of Super Rugby still feel it’s necessary to declare that they don’t want South African rugby back in the competition. Well, there’s some news from the southern tip of Africa: the franchises here are flourishing in a tournament that is more competitive, far easier on the travel schedule, and far more considerate of the sleeping patterns of supporters at home.

There is no longing for the years gone by. The shift north has not only benefited South African rugby but also the Northern Hemisphere teams that welcomed them into the URC and the Champions and Challenge Cups.

A healthy rivalry has developed between the Irish and SA sides on the field, and that has spilled over to the international scene too, where beating the Boks remains the benchmark for Ireland. Getting that exposure against the hardened Welshmen and Scots in different weather conditions also contributes to both sides of the coin, while Italian rugby has improved massively, with their players featuring against top SA players in the URC.

So, looking at it from an SA perspective, playing club rugby up north and the Rugby Championship against the south has only been good to rugby in the country. So, why in the world would SA teams give that up?

When you look at the decline of Australian rugby and the All Blacks’ occasional struggles — especially recently against very physical teams — it perhaps comes as no surprise that South Africa’s departure remains a talking point at the start of every Super Rugby season.

Judging by social media reaction, particularly from Down Under, the SA sides are missed in the tournament. Supporters have seen the value that teams like the Stormers, Bulls, Lions, and Sharks have brought to rugby in New Zealand and Australia, and they are the ones longing for those days to return.

While these four franchises have no reason to look back after settling into European conditions, there could still be scope for the Cheetahs, Griquas and Pumas — and possibly even Boland Kavaliers — to bring some South African flavour back to Super Rugby.

But Super Rugby Pacific CEO Jack Mesley’s emphatic “no” has seemingly shut that door, despite calls — particularly from the Cheetahs — for inclusion in the Southern Hemisphere tournament.

Ultimately, it won’t have any impact on the strength of South African rugby. That is no longer dependent on Super Rugby. But adding teams from this side of the world could very well help struggling Australian and New Zealand franchises — especially when it comes to restoring that physical edge and intensity.

As for South Africa’s four main franchises, the URC ignited new rivalries and exposed Springboks to different rugby styles in Ireland, Scotland, Wales and Italy, and there is absolutely no reason to go back south.