Watch out, Cheetahs! The Boland Cavaliers are hot on your tails, dreaming big and aiming to be South Africa’s next international rugby hotshot. Fresh off their Currie Cup Premier Division comeback, their sights are firmly set on the big leagues, flirting with the idea of becoming the second Western Cape team to join the international fray. Could this mean a duel in the making with the Stormers?
“There is room for two international franchises here,” opines Boland head coach, Hawies Fourie, a man who knows a thing or two about top-tier rugby, having previously helmed the Cheetahs. He’s got his eyes on the local talent, too, noting,
“Our schools in the Western Cape are incredibly good and competitive. Most of the schools that play good rugby are actually in the Boland region, in Stellenbosch and Paarl.”
He believes that with an international franchise right in their backyard, local players would leap at the chance to join the home squad rather than scatter to other unions.But don't pack your fan gear just yet—Fourie adds a splash of reality:
“It’s definitely a possibility, but there’s still a lot of water that has to flow into the ocean before something like that can happen.”
He draws a parallel with established franchises, stating, “If you look at the Lions and the Bulls, they’re about 40 or 50km apart and both play in the United Rugby Championship. So there’s no reason why the same thing can’t work here.”Meanwhile, Boland CEO Quintin van Rooyen is crunching numbers and building relationships, eyeing the future with pragmatic optimism. They missed the last train to URC-town but are gearing up for the next. “Important things for us include financial sustainability,” he asserts, confident in their trajectory and their influential shareholders, including big guns from the likes of the Stellenbosch Academy of Sport.
The financial clout is noticeable, with support from heavy hitters like Sanlam and Santam, among others. It seems the Cavaliers are not just building a team; they’re assembling a fortress. So, Cheetahs and Stormers, better watch this space. Boland isn’t just playing; they’re playing to win.