The joy and peril of playing Super Rugby and Rugby Champs all at once
Touted as a way to mitigate some of the massive Covid-19 losses rugby will make, Lions coach Cash van Rooyen lays out the pros and cons.
Ivan Van Rooyen (coach) of the Lions during the Emirates Lions press conference at Emirates Airline Park on February 06, 2020 in Johannesburg, South Africa. Picture: Sydney Seshibedi / Gallo Images
Lions head coach Cash van Rooyen believes running the Rugby Championship and Super Rugby concurrently could be to the benefit of all the major role players even though it will be a big test of depth.
Sanzaar CEO Andy Marinos said recently such a step could be the most realistic answer to exercising damage control because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
And with SA Rugby confirming a budget cut of up to R1 billion this week, finding ways like these to minimise financial losses might prove to be very feasible.
“It’s interesting times and at the moment I don’t have all the clarity about everything and didn’t receive proper communication about it yet,” says Van Rooyen.
“But if it is the best likely scenario for the rugby community, whether it’s the fans, administrators or players I think to run two competitions at the same time will be to the advantage of all of us.”
Marinos’ suggestion could see the Boks spend six weeks in one city, likely to be Perth.
This could mean that franchises will have to make do without their Springbok players for an extended period of time, if not for the rest of their Super Rugby campaigns.
Elton Jantjies. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
While it would leave the Lions without players like flyhalf Elton Jantjies, lock Marvin Orie and hooker Malcolm Marx, other franchises like the Sharks and the Stormers could be severely disrupted.
“Without the Springboks, the depth of the squads will be put to the test,’’ said Van Rooyen.
“But the mere fact that you can play rugby or train again and have the greater part of your group represented either at international or franchise level will be to everyone’s advantage.”
The Lions last played on 14 March when they lost their third tour match to the Blues in Auckland, while the last Super Rugby match took place on 15 March when the Brumbies beat the Waratahs 47-14 in Canberra.
“Just to go out onto the field again will be great for us, regardless of whether the Springboks are playing or not,” added Van Rooyen.
The Lions will also be eager to turn their season around having only enjoyed two games at home against the Reds and the Stormers before they had to embark on their away leg to Australasia.
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