CHRISTCHURCH, NEW ZEALAND – FEBRUARY 21: (L to R) Melodie Robinson, Andrew Mehrtens and Justin Marshall, Sky sports commentators prior to the start of the round two Super Rugby match between the Crusaders and the Chiefs at AMI Stadium on February 21, 2014 in Christchurch, New Zealand. (Photo by Martin Hunter/Getty Images)
Punt South Africa out of Super Rugby – Andrew Mehrtens
Andrew Mehrtens feels that having teams from South Africa in Super Rugby is a burden the tournament can no longer afford to bear.
CHRISTCHURCH, NEW ZEALAND – FEBRUARY 21: (L to R) Melodie Robinson, Andrew Mehrtens and Justin Marshall, Sky sports commentators prior to the start of the round two Super Rugby match between the Crusaders and the Chiefs at AMI Stadium on February 21, 2014 in Christchurch, New Zealand. (Photo by Martin Hunter/Getty Images)
Former All Black flyhalf Andrew Mehrtens has renewed calls for South Africa’s participation in Super Rugby to be reviewed.
Mehrtens feels that it would make more sense for the competition to include Australia, New Zealand and Asian teams.
Mehrtens calls for South Africa to be axed from Super Rugby
The 1995 Rugby World Cup silver medallist also feels expanding into Asia could also help New Zealand combat the drain of talent out of their rugby to Europe.
“Going forward if we push into Asia, if we can develop a competition that’s in the same time zone I think it’s going to be a better product,” Mehrtens said in an interview with ESPN.
“I’ve said for a long time, we need to drop South Africa – as much as I love South Africa – logistically it’s a pain in the arse, same with Argentina. Argentina needs to go up their time zone with the USA; South Africa go probably start developing franchises in Dubai or somewhere there, but I think our push is into Asia.”
New Zealand rugby does not allow players based outside of the country to be selected for the All Blacks but Mehrtens has called for a slight relaxing of the rule provided the players stay within Super Rugby. A number of older All Blacks have headed to Japan for what might be a bit of a swansong, but it would likely be players based in Asia that Mehrtens would like New Zealand Rugby to call on.
South Africa’s Super Rugby teams have also been hit by a talent-drain with players heading to Europe and Japan but the Springboks scrapped the cap-limit for foreign-based players earlier this year, meaning South Africans playing anywhere in the world are eligible for Bok selection.
“If we push into Asia I think at that point New Zealand rugby has got to say ‘well OK, we’re going to allow our players to play offshore so long as they play in our competition’. If they don’t go to France, they don’t to England or Ireland or whatever; so long as they stay in our competition and it brings teams in this new market for rugby, eventually they’re going to have to face facts and still select them.”
South Africa blocked the further involvement of Japan’s Sunwolves in Super Rugby from 2021 and beyond, although it is unclear if the Rugby World Cup success might change their minds about the long-haul travel involved in having the team in the competition.
