Transfer fees & rugby.. should they happen?

First topic message reminder :

After reading BB's post of CJ Stander it got me thinking... should we introduce transfer fees into rugby?

Before, the lure of a Bok/AB cap was good enough to keep every decent player home fighting for the jersey, only those who didn't make the grade tended to come pre career peak i.e. Botha, Flutey, Strauss.

However, CJ Stander move to Munster changes everything. The guy is only 22, he's a future star and starting week in week out for the bulls. He is the best tackler in SA and probably all SR and was/is destined to be a bok. Only mainstays such as Alberts, Burger, Spies, Vermuleun and other nailed on youngster such as Coetzee & Kolisi look like they will challenge him in future for a regular bok jersey.

Munster haven't had to pay anything upfront... they offered him a contract, the bulls could not meet it so they told him he could leave.

All the money they've invested, all the time and training is lost in an instance. They got, what 2 seasons on their investment?

Its not his fault for accepting it. Its a fickle business, players know they're one bad tackle from retirement. Their career is only say 10 years long and they have family to look after.... even at 22 guys in SA often see Europe as a way out in these troubled times.

The worst thing of all, in a few years IRE will have a test player available to choose from. SA will forget about him, they'll have enough cover for now so unless someone gets injured say in the AI tour, he won't get called up. 3 years time he'll think, SA forgot about me, IRE want me, its the RWC, lets take my chance.

Transfer fees should at least protect teams and their investments. SA is a medium wealth country. Even though the bulls pack in 40,000 people to every game, are the most popular side in world rugby (according to their figures), sell millions of shirts and other merchandise items and have won 3 out of the last 5 SR titles they are losing out to a club which fills in on ave. at best 15,000 a game? They are benfitting from circumstance only, of happening to be in a per person wealthier country.

Obviously like football, if a player has no contract he will be free to leave... but still rarely do players leave for free. Transfer fees may be needed to keep checks and balances in the game. Teams in the NH may resort to bringing in cheaper sure hits in SH youngsters rather than train their own players... SH teams will be drained of players and will lose revenue to keep on nuturing these kids.

I wonder if Munster (with the IRFU kept indirectly informed) offered him a more plum contract given he will be available for the IRE test team after residency is secured?

Nothing, zero, zip, nada, niks, zigalo.

You can always have Puke Watson back.

excellent suggestion FA.

If the main concern is over international representation then maybe it's time the Unions pressured the IRB to raise the qualifying years up to 5. Spend a minimum of five years in the country (uninterupted professionally) and then you are eligible to play for them.

You can always have Puke Watson back.

I think Bath was the only place people actually liked him. He shouldn't have left as I understand he is despised in SA and is about as likely to get an international call up as I am.

He's not a bad player... in fact he's a very good player.

The only problem is that he is such a devisive figure in the dressing room and he draws down team morale. He would publicly slam teammates who were far better than him, berate rugby statemen like Smit & Matfield and his family are even worse.

He's loved by the PE establishment though... although they don't pick up his salary.. thats funded by the SARU. One of the only players to do so.... and probably the best paid player in SA if I'm not mistaken... for playing a few vodacom cup games. Scandal.

Correction FA, he was good, how could he possibly keep up any quality form by playing in the Vodacom cup?

Potgeiter was playing Vodacom cup for EP last year no? He's making his bok debut tomorrow.

But yeah I do agree. His form will be far from healthy... which is the contrary to that of his bank balance.

Potgieter has played 13 consecutive superrugby matches though.

biltongbek wrote:Hammer, there is a distinct difference between representing your nation on the sporting field and representing yourself as a medical doctor, engineer etc.

Sorry, I thought this was about compensating nations/clubs money they put into developing a player if he's no longer available for them. That's the same for any trained professionals in any field. You put time and resources to develop the next generation but you can't force them to work for you.

If you're on about one nation training players and then those players representing someone else...that's different. I still don't think any compensation should be paid for these guys. The same principle of forcing players to represent a country that put money into developing them. The qualification criteria needs to be right and then what happens, happens.

Obviously those countries that are going to gain talented players to represent their nations will have no qualms or objection to benefitting from the talent of other nations.

If you're aiming that at me I find it mildly offensive (very mildly). I don't agree with you, just accept that rather try to imply it's only down to personal benefit. I don't think many, if any, of the players who moved to England as adults have added much at all. Last one was Flutey for one season. In fact most of the average players capped by England recently have been foreign 'trained' (including Botha who didn't play pro rugby until he got to England).