SA Rugby to adopt drafting system?

South Africa could become the first rugby nation to adopt a drafting system similar to that used in the NFL and NBA in America. 

In an interview with EWN reporter, Carl Lewis, SA Rugby president Mark Alexander revealed that they’re close to finalising a draft system aimed to assist the Cheetahs and the Kings in improving their squads for the Pro 14.

“We are talking about a drafting system. At our next franchise meeting, we are hopefully going to get the finalisation. We presented it, a couple of tweaks, we are almost there to get that contracting model out.”

The Kings brought a number of players in on loan from the Sharks, Bulls, Lions and Stormers for their first season of the PRO14 while the Cheetahs have seen a number of players leave the Bloemfontein based franchise following their playoff exit from the tournament.

Both teams often lose their players to overseas clubs or sides closer to home and Alexander says that SA Rugby will be looking to improve the contracting model to assist all the franchises in South Africa.

“We are putting a capping on the contracting of players, we’ve got a contracting model about to be approved. In that contracting model, a lot of players will become available to other teams like the Kings and the Cheetahs.”

Alexander says the new contracting model will ensure all of South Africa’s brightest talents are on the field.

“In any position, you’ll have three or four players for that position. The number four and number five player never get an opportunity to play, that kid can be drafted by another union and have game time. So, we can have the best players playing rugby every week and not some of the best players sitting in the storeroom.”