- The Sharks might’ve given a SA player caught in the storm of English rugby’s financial crisis – Francois Venter – a lifeline, but that’s not their (and others) biggest responsibility.
- Instead, former internationals Jamie Roberts and Breyton Paulse argue clubs and franchises should focus on staying sustainable, especially with the URC showing commercial potential.
- Roberts believes the liquidations of Worcester and Wasps “puts rugby in a poor light.”
While the Sharks have provided a ray of light in handing Francois ‘Swys’ Venter a playing lifeline after being rendered a free agent due to Worcester Warriors’ liquidation, the franchise and their counterparts around the world’s real responsibility lies in simply staying financially sustainable.
The 31-year-old midfielder, who’s played 7 Tests for the Springboks, was the first South African “face” of the crisis as a dignified skipper of his English club, calmly and eloquently expressing the raw magnitude of its collapse and subsequent relegation in the Premiership.
As it turned out, Venter is also the first local player to find a new home, having now been joined by several other countrymen and former Wasps stars in Vincent Koch, Nizaam Carr, Burger Odendaal and Francois Hougaard in looking for alternative employment.
It’s a sobering reminder for the fledgling URC that, for all the excitement of the future of the product and its commercial opportunities, it means little if the teams sustaining that product can’t keep competing.
Former Welsh legend Jamie Roberts has some experience being involved with a franchise walking a financial tightrope, having played for the Stormers in 2020’s truncated Super Rugby campaign, when his signing was only made possible by third-party funding as the embattled Western Province Rugby Union was stumbling towards administration.
READ | RFU chief backs smaller Premiership to tackle financial crisis
“It’s a desperately sad situation,” he said, specifically pointing out that it’s not only players and coaches who suffer from the fallout.
“In terms of Worcester and Wasps, it’s heartbreaking. It’s not just the players who are affected, it’s everyone involved, employees and, importantly, the supporters too.
“They’ve been lifelong, loyal patrons of their clubs. They’re the hearts of their communities, that’s what they’re all about. That support has been passed down for generations.
“We all lose, the whole game loses in situations like these.”
Breyton Paulse, who played 64 times for the Springboks and scored 26 tries, believes that the world game has, hopefully, stood up and taken notice.
“It’s really sad to see. As a former player, you’ve just got to feel for all involved,” he told the same URC roundtable event.
“Obviously, the URC seems to be doing things the right way. Things are looking positive and potentially even lucrative, but as we’ve seen in England, you can’t always know what’s going on behind the scenes.
“Hopefully, the powers that be, the role-players who know what this challenge is about and are tasked with keeping the business side of team’s viable will look at this and make sure it doesn’t happen anytime soon again.
“Rugby competes with a lot of other codes and we know how post-Covid has affected so many people in all economies. It’s never nice to see.”
Roberts agrees.
“Most players, coaches and administrators around the world would’ve at least heard the news and seen the events unfold. Yes, it’s two clubs, but it holds lessons for all the clubs in world rugby and how to adapt. That’s the interesting part.
“We’re up against so many other sports, it’s a competitive market. It doesn’t put rugby in a good light, to be honest. The people at the top table should rectify these things as quickly as possible.”
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