Springboks scrap 30 cap rule and change focus

Springboks scrap 30 cap rule and change focus

Springbok Director of Rugby, Rassie Erasmus, has announced that the South African player focus and national contracting will be turned on its head as SA Rugby scrap the 30 cap rule and look to invest in more players.

SA Rugby has announced plans to invest in multiple Players of National interest. This will see the current Springbok contracting model turned on its head, the 30-cap rule for overseas-based players scrapped and overseas clubs warned Regulation 9 will be rigorously enforced.

“We have been agonising over how to keep players in the country since the game went professional more than 20 years ago and the bottom line is that the rand is too weak and the economy of South African rugby too small to compete,” said Rassie Erasmus, Dir. of Rugby at SA Rugby.

“Once we have done our work, the new strategy could see as many as 75 players in Springbok succession planning and being financially rewarded for it. “We had to disrupt the model,” said Erasmus.

Regulation 9 - Right to Release:


9.1: A Union must, in accordance with the provisions of this Regulation 9, have the right to a Player’s availability for selection and appearances for a National Representative Team or National Squad of that Union, including a reasonable preparation period immediately prior to Matches, (the Right to Release for Matches) and for Squad training sessions and/or other team building activities, excluding commercial activities, (the Right to Release for Squad Sessions). 

9.2:  A Union, Association, Rugby Body or Club is obliged to release a Player to the Union for which the Player is eligible when selected by such Union for a National Representative Team or National Squad in accordance with the provisions of this Regulation


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