SA Rugby will not endorse a new South African professional rugby league that will pay players up to R30,000 a month.
Former Bulls and Namibia loose forward Renaldo Bothma has unveiled plans for the Mzansi Rugby League, which he says will launch in July 2027 with 16 professional teams and 30-player squads. Players are expected to earn between R15,000 and R30,000 a month.
But SA Rugby CEO Rian Oberholzer has confirmed the governing body will not support the breakaway competition.
“Our legal department has already written a letter to them to say that the league does not carry our approval and it is not endorsed by SA Rugby,” Oberholzer told Rapport.
“SA Rugby is bound to our members, which are the 15 unions. The unions each have their own club structure. It is not a good thing to then support a league that is in direct competition with these clubs.
“Players who participate in the Mzansi Rugby League will therefore not be eligible to play for teams under the SA Rugby banner. This includes club, provincial and national teams.”
ALSO: ‘Rebel league a total abomination’
Oberholzer added that several union presidents had raised concerns about the project and did “not see it as a positive development”.
Bothma, who also played for the Pumas, Sharks, Lions and English Premiership club Harlequins, insists the venture will go ahead despite SA Rugby’s opposition.
“Yes, letters have been sent, but we are continuing – there is nothing that will stop us. We are not going to let anyone bully us,” he told Rapport.
“Our aim was to work with SA Rugby and help fill a gap. Some teams don’t even have U19 or U21 sides, some players only get five games a year. We want to create opportunities for them to play more, and then the unions can use our players later.”
Bothma says the league already has enough funding from foreign investors to run for its first three years.
View this post on Instagram
The post SA Rugby rejects local breakaway league appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.