Money talks: The days of being loyal to one team are long gone

What happened to those golden days when Currie Cup teams boasted squads made up of mainly homegrown talent?

Admittedly, it’s the professional era, I get that, but gone are the days of a Naas Botha and a Morne du Plessis only turning out for one province. Loyalty is long gone.

And please keep in mind, in compiling this piece I looked at where players first made a name for themselves, and not necessarily where they went to school.

A look at the current Bulls squad shows they currently boast players like locks Walt Steenkamp and Sintu Manjezi, as well as props Trevor Nyakane and Marcel van der Merwe, who all made their name at the Cheetahs.

Then there is fullback Gio Aplon (WP), centre Cornal Hendricks (Cheetahs), prop Jacques van Rooyen (Lions), wing/scrumhalf Marco Janse van Vuren (Lions), while captain Duane Vermeulen earned his stripes at the Pumas, Cheetahs and Province.

At the Lions we have former Bulls like centre Burger Odendaal, hooker Jaco Visagie, scrumhalf Andre Warner, fullback Divan Rossouw, another fullback in EW Viljoen (WP), lock Wilhelm van der Sluys (WP), Ruben Schoeman (Eagles) and flank Marnus Schoeman (Pumas).

At the Cheetahs we can include fullback Clayton Blommetjies, flyhalf Tian Schoeman, centre Dries Swanepoel and wing Rosko Specman (all Bulls), No 8 Jeandre Rudolph (Pumas, Bulls), flank Andisa Ntsila (Kings) and scrumhalf Tian Meyer (Lions).

Over at the Sharks there are former Lions like wing Madosh Tambwe, flank James Venter, a former Cheetahs flank in Henco Venter, and two famous Boks and former Kings in wing Makazole Mapimpi and captain Lukhanyo Am. Oh yes, let’s not forget about No 8 Sikhumbuzo Notshe (WP) and fullback Manie Libbok (Bulls).

Province are probably the least “affected” but still boast former Bulls like fullback Warrick Gelant and hooker Bongi Mbonambi and their World Player of the Year Pieter-Steph du Toit, who joined them a few years back from the Sharks.

In years gone by Western Province also lured legends in the game to Cape Town; like wing Bryan Habana from the Bulls, as well as centre Jaque Fourie and hooker Schalk Brits from the Lions.

But as they say in the movies, money buys loyalty and the Bulls probably made the biggest investment by luring former Bok coach Jake White to Pretoria where he has turned the team into trophy winners.

But as we all know, player movement isn’t confined to just South Africa as thousands of local players are currently still plying their trade overseas. And, the trek north seems never-ending.

At least the return of some of them from abroad like Vermeulen, flyhalf Morne Steyn, lock and flank Willem Alberts, Aplon and prop Jannie du Plessis has helped to enrich the local players.

Money definitely talks.

Rudolph Jacobs

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