So we all know that rugby isn't soccer and that players are far more injury prone and play less games than those who collapse in a heap when a fly land on them.
But, it has been a very curious season when Cheslin got transferred from Toulouse to Toulon for a million Euros.
Then, Fat Trev got transferred from the bulls for a reported R5 million rand.
What is going on here?
Normally players had clauses in their contracts that stated that they are free to leave if they get a higher offer but as long as they allow the union to counter that offer. We saw so many SA players just bail mid season and say goodbye to their once boyhood club where they came through the grass routes playing with that orange plastic ball to provincial trials and eventually leaving school and sitting on a million rand contract for only being the 5th choice in their position before they finally break into the team only to bail two season later because of some stupid clause.
I think that was a smart move from the bulls, making sure that players can't just leave when they get a better offer. They got some money back on Trev who probably didn't even play more than 3 or 4 games for them.
I do hope that we start seeing more of these types of contracts and that our unions become smarter.
Just think how much SA rugby, NZ and Aus poor into the game only for the Europeans to go, thank you, we'll take them. With no investment from their side.
So it is about time that SA start getting their return on investment back and hopefully use that money to bring new talent through and allocate it to players that can add value to the team. Not that Trev was bad or anything, but he is 32, few games over the next couple of seasons so let the French Club carry him into retirement.
So I hope we can nail down all of our young talent and keep the best players longer in the local teams with really good contracts that pay it forward for other up and coming player and hopefully, we the fans can finally enjoy quality local teams.
