Prepare for the Springboks' wheels to fall off

Just what is going on with the Sharks? It’s a question that continues to confound sharper rugby minds than the one expressed in this column. Stone last in the URC with eight defeats from nine matches after home losses to the Lions and Connacht, as well as an embarrassing reverse away to Zebre, even the most loyal supporters must be wondering if things will ever get better down on the east coast.

Compounding matters is the number of Springboks in their ranks. Eight members of coach John Plumtree’s squad were part of South Africa’s World Cup winning group. Ten more have Test experience. And though some, like the injured Bongi Mbonambi, haven’t featured this season, that glut of rugby know-how would surely have rubbed off by now. Right? Wrong! In fact, there is a strong case to be made that the Sharks’ poor performances are a direct consequence of the ineptitude offered by their Springboks.

Sharks supporters can take solace that their club is not the only one going through this particular challenge. With seven and six players respectively, Saracens and Leicester contributed more men to England’s World Cup squad than any of the other clubs in their league. The two most recent winners of the Premiership are stuck in the bottom half of the table and are facing the possibility of missing out on a semi-final spot.

In France, both Toulouse, in fourth, and La Rochelle, in eighth, have been off the pace in the Top 14. This despite providing over 50% of Le Bleus’ World Cup cohort. They’ve been eclipsed by Racing 92 who, like La Rochelle, have lost both of their games in the Champions Cup. Toulouse at least have managed two wins in Europe, but even their star-studded side is finding it difficult to fight on multiple fronts.

There is no way to draw a direct correlation between a domestic team’s struggles and the number of World Cup veterans they have. This hasn’t proven to be a problem for Leinster who continue to set the pace in the URC and Champions Cup. But they are perhaps the exception that might give credence to a theory that forces us to change the way we engage with the sport.

For now, let’s focus on the South African perspective. These are unprecedented times. Gone are the days of demarcated seasons. Now players are expected to remain fit and motivated all year round. The former might be possible for those blessed with genetic advantages and with privileged access to state of the art resources that help maintain their strength and conditioning, but the latter is virtually impossible.

How can Eben Etzebeth, the Sharks’ most high profile Springbok, be as committed to the cause wearing the club’s black jersey as he did wearing the green and gold of his country? If selected, he’ll play against Oyannax this weekend in the Challenge Cup in what is expected to be at best a half-full Kings Park Stadium. It’s not exactly the New Zealand All Blacks for the Webb Ellis Cup under lights in Paris, is it?

That may seem obvious but there is a danger that the demanding schedule is leading to mental exhaustion and a state of ennui. Watching the Sharks it is clear that a spark has been missing from some of their big names.

If this is indeed an expected by-product of the demanding fixture list then South African rugby fans need to recalibrate their expectations. Or rather, they need to create a hierarchy of needs. Ask yourselves, South African rugby fans: what do you want from 2024 and beyond?

Do you want your domestic club to clinch a URC title? Would you like the Bulls or Stormers to compete for the Champions Cup in London later in the year? The Cheetahs, Lions and Sharks currently occupy the top two places in their Challenge Cup groups. Would you like to see one of them progress to the final in May?

Or would you prefer to see the Springboks continue to ride that winning wave and claim their first Rugby Championship in a non-World Cup year? Many expert commentators have predicted a lean spell for South Africa as Rassie Erasmus begins a rebuilding project after the double World Cup triumph. Though many stalwarts will remain on board throughout the next cycle, a large chunk will not. The success of South African rugby will be determined by the patience of those who support it.

Whether or not Erasmus and his team get it is another matter. The X account that goes by Oom Rugby suggested the Springboks ship will be forced to navigate “challenging seas ahead.” When asked if the fans will accept such a bleak future, one that could potentially culminate in an early exit from the 2027 World Cup, Oom Rugby said that “the knives will come out quickly” if the team strings together a series of poor results. But if this is to be expected, is there any way to mitigate the impending shipwreck?

The most obvious solution would be to sacrifice domestic glory, or at least pursue domestic glory by resting Springboks players as much as possible. They could then be wheeled out to maintain their match sharpness or have a tilt in play-off matches. But, if this is indeed the solution, the regular grind ought to be carried out by players on the periphery of Erasmus' plans.

Or they could follow the likes of Malcolm Marx, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Cheslin Kolbe and five other World Cup winning Boks to Japan. With respect to a league that continues to attract elite talent from around the world, it is a comparatively easier ride. Perhaps it was no coincidence that 40% of the players who contested the World Cup final played their club rugby in Japan.

Erasmus has earned the right to play this how he wants. And of course the franchise coaches have an obligation to win everything they can and that means selecting the best team, filled with their best players, as often as they can. Whether or not these two ambitions can coexist at the same time remains to be seen.