Wallabies great Matt Burke says Australian rugby is paying the price for no longer facing South African teams.
The former fullback argues that Super Rugby has lost the physical edge once forged by regular battles with the Bulls, Sharks, Stormers and Lions.
Burke, who played more than 80 Tests for Australia, believes the absence of South African sides has left a significant gap in player development, particularly in handling the physical “brutality” that used to define cross-hemisphere showdowns.
Speaking on the DSPN podcast, Burke said the old Super 12 and Super 14 days gave Australian teams a crucial education in how to survive South African intensity, something he feels today’s players have never properly been exposed to.
“Maybe this new crew doesn’t know what it means to play South African rugby,” Burke said. “It is the be-all and end-all. The fans are fanatical … the muscling up is probably the big one.”
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He recalled how two- and three-week tours in South Africa helped players understand not just the physical demands, but the environment itself – from hostile crowds to supporters watching training sessions.
“That elevated your level of competitiveness in the physicality and the brutality,” he said.
South Africa’s departure from Super Rugby after the Covid-hit 2020 season has long been criticised by big names across the Tasman. Former All Blacks Israel Dagg and Murray Mexted have both lamented the split, arguing New Zealand rugby also lost something when SA’s bruisers exited the competition.
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The Bulls, Stormers, Sharks and Lions now compete in the Vodacom URC, a move that has strengthened northern-hemisphere competitions while leaving Super Rugby Pacific far more domestic and less diverse.
Burke believes that shift has had a real impact on Australia’s readiness at Test level.
“When you’re playing South Africa … you start to understand the level of intensity over there,” he said. “That’s hard to replicate.”
Photo: Mark Nolan/Getty Images
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