MAGAZINESQUADSSIZEBUDGETCAPS www.myplayers.co.za ▶ Reboot: You needn’t walk alone ▶ Turning a pipe dream into a business ▶ A week in the life of Cwengile Jadezweni ▶ The Thala Msutu Column
CONTENTS 1 ThalaKirkwoodQ&AEditor’sletterRebootyourfuturewithShaneTheMsutuColumn What (vr)ou?knowDowhistleblowerofInbusinessintopipeTuringreading?ya’adreamathemindayouthisREAD NOW READ NOW READ NOW READ NOW READ NOW READ NOW READ NOW READ NOW READ MyPlayersNOW Bursary Programme VIEW MyPlayersNOW Benefit Partners VIEW NOW recordsBreakingwith-outbreakingthebank PLUS SEPTEMBER 2022
EDITOR’S
I hit the road on MyPlayers’ behalf for a large part of 2019, and I remember being struck by three interwoven sentiments among particularly senior players: fear of the future, insecurity, and a battle with identity. (I would highly recommend that you read or re-read the VOICE 2019 report stemming from that research.)
By Marco Botha
You needn’t walk alone
R R R RR R R R R VOICE The definitive survey of professional rugby players in South Africa 2019
2 THEMYPLAYERSRUGBY ORGANISATIONPLAYERS’
LETTER
Before I joined MyPlayers as Communications Manager in January 2020, I did consultation work for the company. Eugene Henning wanted us to do in-depth research and publish a report on players’ perspective on certain pertinent issues affecting the game Subsequently,locally.
@MyPlayersRugby
Towards the end of a player’s career, certain ques tions keep them awake at night: What am I going to do for a living after rugby? How am I going to take care of my family? Have I saved enough money during my playing years? And more fundamentally: Who am I without rugby?
Knowingly or unconsciously, the sense of invinci bility that many professional athletes project is often a shield they erect between themselves and reality (read: life after rugby); it is a means to protect themselves against insecurities or fears they would otherwise have to deal with. Even athletes who seem
In 2019, when I asked a senior Springbok how players could better protect themselves against the inevitable uncertainty that comes after retiring, he said, “If we want well-functioning ex-rugby players in society, financial literacy is probably one of the most important skills we should teach our players at the onset of their careers.”
this PD programme aims to prepare athletes for a life beyond rugby and not specifically for life after rugby. Developing yourself beyond the game while playing goes a long way towards preparing you for a life after retirement.
Once you acknowledge this, you can make better decisions about the present – saving money, earning an education – and also about the future: opening yourself up to the love and support that likeminded and other professionals can offer you in your pursuit of a meaningful life after rugby.
She kept asking herself what else she and her team could do to not only prepare rugby players for ‘that day’ but also how MyPlayers could continue their relationships with players as they try to find their place, identity and purpose during the transi tion from rugby to the world beyond that.
Reboot’s partnership with MyPlayers could be a game changer. It doesn’t need to be a cry for help, although it could be that too. But rather see it as an apprentice ship on your journey to readying yourself for a fulfilling life as a for mer pro. Taking care of yourself in the presence of others is the best way of taking care of your future success. Isn’t that the ethos of rugby?
Enter Reboot (see pages 8-11), MyPlayers’ new and official transition partner. This company was founded by, among others, two former rugby pros: Springbok Neil de Kock and his Western Province and Saracens teammate Justin Melck. The company was founded on the acknowledgment that retire ment is difficult and finding your way after retire ment can be even more challenging.
7MYPLAYERS THE RUGBYORGANISATIONPLAYERS’ 3
That’s true. Financial instability or uncertainty is a major cause of concern and anxiety for many players nearing the end of their careers. And while it might cost you a sum in the short term, investing in your education is one way of preparing yourself for the transition – having that something useful to fall back on. You may lack the work experience of other people your age once you retire, but rugby has also instilled in you certain unique skills and presented the opportunity to build a strong network of influential people. If you’re willing to put in the effort, you’ll be able to close that gap quicker than you might think.
However, there is more to players’ con cerns after retiring than just their financial position. What if your entire purpose, sense of belonging and being valued were vested in your profile as a rugby player? How do you deal with that?
Marco Botha
Increasingly, rugby players are becoming more comfortable acknowledging and confronting their humanness; the fact that while they possess ex ceptional sporting skills and other abilities that set them apart from 99% of all other rugby players, they remain merely human.
to be having it all to gether must deal with their past choices and decisions about their future, be that shortly before or immediately after their retirement. Not every retired rug by player can become a SuperSport pundit or eventuallyTruthcommentator.is,youwillhaveto re tire from rugby, whether by choice or due to injury, illness or lack of a contract. Also, it is completely normal to be anxious about entering the “real world” after rugby. Let’s face it – without discounting your effort, dedication and profile – the rugby universe does not mirror the reality of the wider world out side of it.
Hilana Claassens, our National Player Development Manager, has spent the past four years estab lishing and growing MyPlayers’ Player Development Programme. As an industrial psychologist, she came to the job as an expert on people, who happens to love rugby as well. Today,
“If we want well-functioning ex-rugby players in society, financial literacy is probably one of the most important skills we should teach our players at the onset of their careers.”
My hope is that this mag azine informs and enter tains you. But especially the former.Sincerely
MYPLAYERS’ OFFICIAL LOGISTICS PARTNER
Whatreading?ya’
7MYPLAYERS THE RUGBYORGANISATIONPLAYERS’ 5
BUYNOW! BUYNOW! BUYNOW!
Soon, many of you will once again be spending plenty of time in the air and in hotel rooms. Regardless, reading a book is never the worst decision you can make. Here follows some of the best reading your peers and MyPlayers staff have recently done.
BUYNOW! BUYNOW! BUYNOW! ORDERNOW!BUYNOW!
IMAGESRYNNERS/GALLOJOHAN
THEMYPLAYERSRUGBY ORGANISATIONPLAYERS’6
7MYPLAYERS THE RUGBYORGANISATIONPLAYERS’ BUYNOW! BUYNOW!BUYNOW! BUYNOW!
In 2019, numerous seasoned professional rugby players admitted to MyPlayers that the prospect of retiring from the game scared the living daylight out of them. Former professionals who had already retired, attested to the fact that the first two years after retirement in particular are scary, lonely, and often depressing. Building on our existing Player Development Programme, MyPlayers has just partnered with Reboot as our official transition partner who specialises in supporting retired athletes on this inevitable transitional journey.
THEMYPLAYERSRUGBY ORGANISATIONPLAYERS’8
REBOOT FUTUREYOUR
LIFE AFTER RUGBY
WHEN FORMER BLITZBOKS captain Kyle Brown retired from professional rugby in 2019, he suddenly found himself in a lonely and confusing space. He wasn’t alone in experiencing life in this way.
REBOOT_
MyPlayers has had a formal and growing Player Development Programme (PD) in place since 2018, and while this programme has supported players’ growth and development while playing to enable a smoother transition out of the game, Hilana Claas sens, National Player Development Manager, still felt that the programme couldn’t only serve as a bridge to life beyond rugby. It also had to become more proactive in supporting players while crossing that bridge. Enter Reboot.
Reboot is a company founded with the sole objec tive of supporting retired athletes into “the game of life”. The team is made up of practitioners and am bassadors who are retired ex-professional athletes advocating for the importance of mental health and well-being support during the athlete’s transition.
The reasons varied and often overlapped: “Not trending on Twitter anymore”, “not setting yourself up financially for life after rugby”, “adapting to a life where everybody does not know your name”, and “unfulfilled goals and aspirations after your career was cut short by injury or illness”.
W
MyPlayers published the Voice player-research report in 2019, and when asked about the challeng es faced when retiring from the game, seasoned Springboks painted a harrowing picture of life after rugby. They admitted that many of their peers suffered symptoms of depression following their re tirement, and the biggest challenge, mentally, comes in those first two years after retirement when players have to find their feet, place and identity in society.
To Claassens, Reboot represented that final missing piece of the PD puzzle, and they have now
VOICE 2019
Whatever the reasons are, athletes suddenly found themselves lacking purpose and a sense of belonging.
9MYPLAYERS THE RUGBYORGANISATIONPLAYERS’
Reboot steps in to ensure a positive transition is pos sible, allowing you to confidently take the first step in the rest of your life. Over a period of 12 months, Re boot will be your dedicated high-performance tran sition team where you will have access to a structure, coaches and a network of professionals and fellow athletes to learn from and grow alongside.”
joined MyPlayers as transition partner. Reboot does not only offer retiring players a professional and empathetic transitional experience, but also serves as an extension to the Players’ Organisation’s exist ing player-development programme.
THEMYPLAYERSRUGBY ORGANISATIONPLAYERS’10
Two of its founders are well versed in the world of professional rugby: Springbok Neil de Kock (Western Province and Saracens) and Justin Melck (also Western Province and Saracens) have been intimately involved in creating a platform that does exactly what it says on the box.
De Kock added, “Retirement from professional sport is inevitable and can be incredibly daunting.
One tremendously helpful structure within the Reboot ecosystem is their forums. Here, players enter a safe and confidential space where they can learn, share and grow with likeminded peers. It’s a space where they “peel back the layers below perceived invincibility”. Individuals are assigned a new team of seven other retired athletes who, alongside a Reboot moderator, journey through this period of transition together, exploring and discovering new insights through a monthly shared peer-learning experience.
One tremendously helpful structure within the Reboot ecosystem is their forums. Here, players enter a safe and confidential space where they can learn, share and grow with likeminded peers.
Neil de Kock
“Retirement from professional sport is inevitable and can be incredibly daunting. Reboot steps in to ensure a positive transition is possible, allowing you to confidently take the first step in the rest of your life.”
LIFE AFTER RUGBY
Melck suggests that Reboot’s transition journey has “enlightened me to a new challenge and I’m driven to help individuals and teams gain better insights to what awaits”.
“The forum setup has provided the perfect space to deload on certain aspects of my life where only former athletes have particular insight, as well as the opportunity to create some incredibly meaningful relationships with likeminded people,” said Brown.
For Reboot’s founders, the aim is to provide retired athletes with a pathway to a renewed sense of purpose, financial stability, as well as a business network that can open up new opportunities.
MYPLAYERS THE RUGBYORGANISATIONPLAYERS’ 11
REDISCOVERING YOUR PURPOSE
The forums are supplemented by other programmes that aim to empower and grow individuals as they transition into a life beyond and after rugby.
Kyle Brown
MyPlayers has already started phasing Reboot into the Player Development Programme.
Brown was, however, sceptical about Reboot’s offering at first: “I was definitely a sceptic when I was first introduced to the idea but I was also aware that my journey since leaving professional sport has been a confusing and lonely experience. The immediate benefit of joining Re boot, and more specifically our forum, was having a sense of belonging and realising that although all our journeys are unique, the underlying difficulties aren’t. I found comfort in this.
“I was definitely a sceptic when I was first introduced to the idea but I was also aware that my journey since leaving professional sport has been a confusing and lonely experience. The immediate benefit of joining Reboot, and more specifically our forum, was having a sense of belonging and realising that although all our journeys are unique, the underlying difficulties aren’t. I found comfort in this.”
www.oproprotection.co.za @oprosouthafrica
THE RUGBYORGANISATIONPLAYERS’13 FINANCIAL PLANNING & ENTREPRENEURSHIP
MARWANA has just opened his own shisha café in New Brighton outside Gqeberha. A series of niggles, being fired from a job, an entrepreneurial mindset, and the money he had saved up through the Players’ Pension Fund enabled him to turn a literal pipe dream into a new business.
Former Sharks utility back NKULULEKO
By Marco Botha
TURNING A INTO A
PIPE DREAMPIPE BUSINESSDREAMBUSINESS
N
“I never let go of my dream,” he tells MyPlayers. “I knew I would have to wait it out, but I was fortunate to eventually play some senior rugby for the Sharks, and this allowed me to save money towards my dream.”Besides streaking down the touch line of a rugby field, Nkululeko always had an entrepreneurial streak as well. When not playing rugby, he hosted outdoor events, vending hookah pipes. “I would approach event organisers and ask them whether they would allow me to do my thing at their venues. That’s how it started.”Whilehis fledging side gig was gaining mo mentum, his rugby career was often hampered by injuries. “I never really retired from rugby, but I’m prone to injuries. In two- to three-month intervals, I would suffer minor niggles – usually hamstring or calve strains – that kept me out of the game. I had no other choice but to hustle. Luckily, that came naturally to me.”
ServicesFinancialMyPlayers
An entrepreneur has an optimistic mindset and a different attitude towards failure and disappoint ments to that of most people. This was also the case for“UpNkululeko.untilrecently, I worked at a club, but the boss fired me. When that happened, I immediately asked myself how I was going to start my own thing. My dream of owning my own restaurant or café hadn’t faded, and given my circumstances, there was never a better time to take the leap than now.
“I had some savings, but not enough. So, I decided
In the first week of September 2022, Nkululeko opened his shisha café at 65 Aggrey Road in New Brighton (aka “Blawa”) outside Gqeberha.
“I’ll be honest. When MyPlayers presented their financial services to us at the Shark Tank, I didn’t make much of it. Now that I’m older, I am incredibly grateful that my pension-fund savings have accumu lated over all these years. The call to them confirmed that I had enough money to start my own business, and I used every last cent to do so.”
14 THEMYPLAYERSRUGBY ORGANISATIONPLAYERS’
NKULELEKO MARWANA WAS 21 years old when he first dreamt of opening his own restaurant. At the time, he was a junior utility back playing for the Sharks, and while he didn’t earn enough then to turn his dream into an instant reality, he was a disciplined money saver. That, combined with his pension-fund savings, would stand him in good stead just a little less than a decade later.
to call MyPlayers to find out how much money I have saved up in my pension fund.
“This is the first shisha café in the township. Peo ple are buying into it, and I am blown away by the support. I’ll be serving them food, coffee, milkshakes, smoothies, whatever. It’s just a great place to come sit down and socialise. This is the dream I have been working towards, and the money MyPlayers has helped me save up during my career has made all the difference. I’m a business owner now, thanks to that.”
Financial planning is often pushed to the back burner for many professional rugby players, in par ticular younger players who care for nothing more than earning adequate playing opportunities to proveUnfortunately,themselves.financial concerns are some of the most common stressors players experience once they near the end of their playing careers and/or after they have officially retired.
MyPlayers Financial Services, managed by David de Villiers, is an accredited financial services provider, and the Players’ Pension Fund is just one of numerous services available to members of MyPlayers.
Closely linked to this, is medical aid and GAP cover – both compulsory for any player training for and/or playing in professional competitions sanctioned by SA Rugby.
Nearly half (56)
But wait. There’s more!
Get in touch with David de Villiers
Your finances and future beyond rugby doesn’t have to be as daunting as many players experience it. While you’re playing rugby, there are wheels in mo tion at the Players’ Organisation to ensure that your future is being looked after while you’re enjoying your rugby career. When you inevitably transition from a life in rugby to one beyond it, you know who to call, but it wouldn’t hurt to check in every so often to en sure that your financial matters are in order.
MYPLAYERS THE RUGBYORGANISATIONPLAYERS’ 15
▶
In 2021/2022, 127
David de Villiers 082 460 david@my-players.com2803
While it would be wise to reinvest those funds fol lowing retirement, an entrepreneurially minded ath lete like Nkululeko Marwana used his pension fund to make a substantial investment in his life after rugby.
▶ MyPlayers also offers its members short-term insurance through our partner Santam. This covers you in the event of burglary or theft, damage or ac cidents, and natural disasters such as the floods that ravaged through much of KZN earlier this year.
Isma-eel Dollie 084 484 ismaeel@my-players.com4412
▶ MyPlayers Financial Services offers other financial services as well, including injury benefits. At the time of writing, approximately 635 professional rugby players are covered by this injury benefit, and given the nature of the game, it comes in handy.
In 2021/2022, 307 professional players opted to select medical aid from one of SIMEKA Health’s official medical-aid partners, and during the same period, 512 players had access to GAP cover through SIMEKA Health (as the appointed advisor on these matters for players).
three
or benefits.portfoliofinancialdiscussDollieIsma-eeltoyourand
through injury insurance.
▶ We know most players – in fact, most peo ple – aren’t financial experts, and it is for this reason that MyPlayers assembled a Financial Advisory and Tax Advisory Panel in 2021. These panels consist of experts in each field from established and respected financial and auditing services companies that were handpicked to serve the needs of professional athletes. In fact, three of the experts serving on the Financial Advisory panel are former Springboks: Meyer Bosman, Michael Claassens, and Werner Swanepoel.
rehabilitation
Nkululeko Marwana’s life has changed for the better after contacting MyPlayers. Yours could too.
As of August 2022, 614 professional rugby players are making monthly contributions to the Players’ Pension Fund. In 2021, approximately R53 million was contributed to the fund by players, and from January 2021 to March 2022, the fund’s value increased from R180 million to R254 million. South African rugby players suffered serious injuries necessitating a period of months months). of these injuries were covered
professional
Members of MyPlayers allocate a minimum of 15% of their monthly salaries to this retirement mecha nism, and while MyPlayers Financial Services over seas the management of these funds, it is one of the most sensible investments a player can make during their playing careers.
or more (on average, seven
BURSARY PROGRAMME
Zintle Mpupha BSc (Strength and Conditioning)
Lindelwa Gwala BSc (Strength and Conditioning) Setanta Institute
Raegan Oranje Personal Training Trifocus
Chad Solomon Postgraduate Diploma (Business Administration) Milpark Business School
Setanta Institute
Lohan Potgieter BCom (Investment Management and Banking) UFS
Craig Barry BA (Community Development) UNISA
Paschal Ekeji BAgric Stellenbosch University
Lusanda Dumke Public Administration CPUT
Luther Obi LLB UNISA
Renier Viljoen BAgric UFS
BELOW ARE THE 2022 RECIPIENTS OF MYPLAYERS BURSARIES:
Tiaan Pretorius Molecular Biology and Biotechnology Stellenbosch University
ZintleMpupha
LutherObi
PascalEkeji
JohanGrobbelaar
Andisa Ntsila Environmental Management NOSA
Keketso Morabe BSc (Strength and Conditioning)
Edward Davids Higher Certificate (Marketing) UNISA
Setanta Institute
Johan Grobbelaar BCom (Business Management) Akademia
Vincent Marupeng BCom (Marketing Management) Boston City Campus
16 THEMYPLAYERSRUGBY ORGANISATIONPLAYERS’
Mervano da Silva Web development Hyperiondev
The MyPlayers Bursary Programme was established in 2016, and players’ studies are funded and monitored by the Players’ Organisation. The aim is to help players develop and excel in other facets of life. By providing an opportunity for players to further their education, MyPlayers also ensures that they are equipped for life after retirement from rugby.
RAISING YOUR PERSONAL BAR
Tel: +27 87 150 0664 WhatsApp: +27 81 473 6956 Email: online@etacollege.com Contact the MyPlayers Development Manager Hilana Claassens | 071 470 4901 or hilana@my-players.com eta College is a private higher education and training college specialising in qualifications that lead to employment in the sport and fitness industries. S T U D Y W I T H U S I N e t a C o l l e g e g e t 2 0 % o f f f u l l q u a l i f i c a t i o n s t h r o u g h e t a O n l i n Ce hoose from our Coaching, Fitness & Sport management qualifications. F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 3 M y P l a y e r s M e m b e r s s c o r e
South African rugby’s key stakeholders recently agreed to amend the local caps on squad sizes and total annual expenditure. Sustainable management practices, competitive teams and the effective utilisation of player resources were the critical considerations. MANDISI
TSHONTI, General Manager of Player Affairs at MyPlayers, explains.
18 THEMYPLAYERSRUGBY ORGANISATIONPLAYERS’
BANKTHEBREAKINGRECORDSBREAKING WITHOUT SQUAD AND BUDGET CAPS
THE SOUTH AFRICAN rugby landscape has changed dramatically over the past three years, and I’m not only talking about the impact the Covid-19 pandemic has had on our industry.
In recent months, MyPlayers, SA Rugby and SAREO (employers’ organisation) have been in negotiations to discuss two challenging clauses in the South African Rugby Industry Collective Agree ment (SARICA): those pertaining to caps imposed on squad sizes and total annual expenditure.
Then Covid arrived, casting the industry into turmoil. As we re-emerged from that period, Super Rugby had become a thing of the past for South African teams, and in 2021, our international
When a new industry contracting model was
adopted in 2020, it was primarily done to intro duce greater sustainability to the way the industry is managed. Prior to that, we had an exceptionally large pool of players, but upon closer inspection, a concerning number of players were receiving very little to no playing opportunities. Firstly, that is not an ideal way to manage the professional game from an industry nor player point of view. Secondly, liquidations became an all-too-common theme in our rugby, as was again evidenced by liquidations in 2020.Hence, it was in the industry’s interest to manage itself more responsibly and sustainably. Conse quently, budget and squad-size caps were intro duced to safeguard the industry against unsustain able management practices.
MYPLAYERS THE RUGBYORGANISATIONPLAYERS’19
With the introduction of the United Rugby Championship (URC), the simultaneous hosting of the Currie Cup Premier Division competition, and participation in the European Rugby Cham pions and Challenge Cup (EPCR) tournaments on the horizon, our franchise teams have had to adapt not only to European playing conditions and opponents, but also to contracting and managing squads that can compete to win.
Taking player load and numbersnotplayers.fromsizesteams’non-franchiseplayers,fromlimitGriquasPumasaccount,utilisationsquadintotheandsquadwasreduced45to43andthesquadreduced40to35Thiswasmerelyagame.
franchises marked a new chapter in our rugby history by entering the URC. This introduced a new set of chal lenges to our managerial practices, in particular to the way we contract and manage player salaries and our athletes’ playing load.
CLASSIFICATIONSFRANCHISE
NON-FRANCHISESINTERNATIONALFRANCHISESDOMESTICFRANCHISES
21 THEMYPLAYERSRUGBY ORGANISATIONPLAYERS’
When our international franchis es, excluding the Cheetahs, entered the URC in 2021, temporary increase in their squad sizes was agreed to, allowing them to have squads of 50 professional players. If needed, they had access to an unlimited number of club and development players to utilise in professional competitions.
With the introduction of the new contracting model in 2020, international franchises as well as domestic franchises (Pumas and Griquas) were capped at 45 players, and non-franchises were allowed to contract 40 players.
2022 AND BEYOND
A task team was assembled to review squad sizes and budget caps, and a wide array of factors (see fact box on next page) were considered. The task team had two independent members, including the chairperson, and it consisted of all stakeholders
2020 AND 2021
This was in keeping with trends at other international club teams we compete against, where development players were also used in professional competitions for two main reasons: rotation and exposure. Young players not only want to play, but they want to be recognised and provided with opportunities to facilitate their prog ress to the professional game as more seasoned players exit the scene.
The increased squad sizes of 2021 were a temporary measure. After a successful first season in the URC, some stakeholders suggested that squad-size caps be reviewed to ac commodate the requirements of the new competitions.
In closing, when discussing squad sizes and budget caps, the main objective the industry is aiming for is to run a sustain able ship. How can we optimise our resources – of which players are the most important – in a way that supports competitive ness and commercial success? That was the question.
Also, since the Cheetahs do not compete in the URC, they would not need a squad of 53 players. We agreed to cap their squad to 45 players, reverting to the cap stipulated in the 2020 contracting model.
As the Players’ Organisation, we feel this con sultation process was thorough and meets the objectives of improving sustainability and affording players more opportunities to see action.
Subsequently, it was recommended that interna tional franchise squad sizes be increased to 53 play ers and allow for a proportional increase in player budget to prevent dilution of individual salaries (see table). This was agreed to in principle.
By introducing certain restrictions, the industry is self-imposing a set of guidelines within which it has agreed to operate, and which would allow our teams to remain competitive without putting the industry at risk of imploding commercially.
22
in the industry: SAREO, SARU and MyPlayers. The team con sulted various legal experts, as well as SA Rugby’s High-Per formance Department that is familiar with managing player load and squad sizes.
SOME
Importantly, while it was agreed that the international franchises’ squad budgets should be increased proportionately to their increased squad sizes, the domestic and non-franchise budgets will remain the same, even though their squad sizes will be reduced.
Following numerous meetings held over nearly six months, stakeholders were required to consider the recommendation received from the task team and present suitable and sus tainable proposals on squad and budget caps.
Taking player load and squad utilisation into account, the Pumas and Griquas squad limit was re duced from 45 to 43 players, and the non-franchise teams’ squad sizes reduced from 40 to 35 players. This was not merely a numbers game. The task team, taking into account available expert advice, had to investigate what the player load for these teams has recently been and how it will look in the near future, as well as how many squad members were actually utilised to perform their duties.
CONSIDERATIONSKEY ▶ Financial state of SA rugby industry ▶ Total annual (TAS) and the number of contracted players ▶ Player salary trends ▶ Solvency and liquidity confirmation ▶ Industry changes ▶ Performance data of players ▶ Comparative analysis 2020 CONTRACTING MODEL 2021 / 2022 TEMPORARY AGREEMENT 2022 / 2023 AGREEMENT Squad sizes Player budget Squad sizes Player budget Squad sizes Projected player budget** International franchises 45 R60 m 50 R64 m 53* R68 m*** Domestic franchises 45 R15 m 45 R17 m 43 R18 m Non-franchises 40 R6 m 40 R7 m 35 R7.8 m *Cheetahs (45) / ** CPI (Consumer Price Index) adjustment / *** As a result of increased player numbers MYPLAYERS THE RUGBYORGANISATIONPLAYERS’
QUESTIONS
TURN THE PAGE TO FIND OUT WHAT A WEEK IN THE LIFE OF CWENGILE JADEZWENI IS LIKE...
24MYPLAYERS THE RUGBYORGANISATIONPLAYERS’
Biggest disappointment in your career to date, and how did you overcome it? Not being selected on the squad of referees to officiate in Super Rugby in 2017.
Why is this statement false? “Rugby refereeing is an individual sport.” We operate as a team of four, and apart from that, as a squad of referees we all support one another.
a knock on. I was in line.” Aaron replied, “Mate, I just ran 80 metres … I had to say something as the captain,” and he started laughing. All four officials found that a golden moment.
High School: Parel Vallei University: Stellenbosch University
Why and how did you get into refereeing? After surgery on both my knee and shoulder, I decided to hang up my boots and take up the whistle.
Career highlight thus far? Five Africa Test matches, Currie Cup final, Super Rugby Unlocked, Pro14, Junior World Cup 2016, Women’s World Cup 2017.
Funniest moment on a rugby field? I was smilelooked(refereewasknowingqueriedon,herunning22-metrefrombywaslanders,therefereeassistantbetweenBullsandHighandtherealinebreakoneoftheKiwisdeepintheirarea.After80metres,knockedtheballandAaronSmiththedecision,verywellhewrong.AJJacobsontheday)athimwithaandsaid,“Yesit’s
Place of birth: Stellenbosch
I told myself that I needed to work harder, and it wasn’t my time yet. I try to learn out of my disap pointments and not always see them as negative. Most memorable match you’ve ever refereed? Varsity Cup final in 2014 (NWU vs IKEYS)
What was your first thought when you were informed that you’d been appointed to officiate the 2022 Currie Cup final? I wished my dad was alive to witness this. Where does the Currie Cup final rank on your list of highlights, given that you have been involved in the international environment for some time? It ranks right at the top. It really was a special and sentimental appointment to me.
QUESTIONSQUICK-FIREQUICK-FIREQUESTIONS
Age: 35
University qualification: Sport Science Playing position? Flyhalf/Centre
Sleep: Seven to eight hours per night
Mental prep: Telephone conversations with Quinton Immelman
25 THEMYPLAYERSRUGBY ORGANISATIONPLAYERS’ A WEEK IN THE LIFE OF CWENGILE JADEZWENI
TUESDAY 21 JUNE
Physicalprep:Field session in Stellenbosch at the Markötter sportsfieldswithourS&Ccoach,TimothyQumbu.
Sleep and diet: SameasonMonday
The Currie Cup final of 2022 was memorable for many reasons. Griquas returned to the fixture for the first time in 52 years. Pumas played in and won their maiden Currie Cup final. While these two teams enjoyed a well-publicised leadup and aftermath to South Africa’s premier domestic play-off match, CWENGILE JADEZWENI quietly prepared himself to officiate his first Currie Cup final. What does a referee’s physical, technical and mental preparation look like in the days before and after a match of magnitude?this
MONDAY 20 JUNE
Physical prep: Flush-out session at Virgin Active
Technical prep: Two-hour conference calls with management teamsofbothGriquasandPumas.Iconveyedmyexpectationsoftheteamstothem,andintheirrespectivesessions,theyalsogottoengagewithDaanHuman,ourscrumcoach,onwhatwewouldbelookingatandwhattechnicaladjustmentstheycouldmakebeforethefinal,ifneeded.
Mental preparation: Telephone conversations with QuintonImmelman. I’m someone who is calm under pressure and seems likeI don’t get phased by things. However, I needed to talk to Quinton toget the reassurance that I was going to be okay and that if I wasn’tgood enough, I wouldn’t have been appointed to referee this game.
Diet: I live on oats and Rehydrate inthe mornings, and on Slow Mag after training or a match. Lots and lots of water was non-negotiable.
WHISTLEBLOWER IN THE MIND OF THE
Technical prep: I learnt who my team (ARs and TMO) was going tobe. We had worked together often during the Currie Cup, and I hadrefereed both finalists on several occasions during the season. Thismade it easier for me to know what I could expect and to brief myteam on what I would be expecting of them.
Physicalprep: Shortlyafterarrivingatthehotel,Iwent to the nearest Virgin Active for an activation session … typically,lotsofstretchingandgluteactivation(Itellpeoplethisismy“captain’srun”).
WEDNESDAY29JUNEReview: cameledtherereviewtheteamoffourandmanagement(BanksYantolo,MarkLawrence,DaanHumanandthematchreviewerDennisImmelman).Thetookabout30minutesbecauseweren’talotoftalkingpointsthatcamefromthematch.ThesessionwasbyMarkandme.Alotofpositivesout,andalotoflearning.
Sleep and diet: Same as on Monday
Mental prep: Telephone call with Tom Dawson-Squibb. On Saturdaymorning, the pre-match jitters came thick and fast. I needed to talkto Tom. I had worked with him in 2011 and 2012 as my mental coach.In 2012, I called him when I was about to referee my first everCraven Week match. I was a nervous wreck. Ten years later, I gavehim the same call under similar circumstances. Tom recalled that in2011 I had told him that I wanted to referee at a Craven Week andCurrie Cup final. I needed his words of affirmation and perspective tofinally ready myself to go out and showcase my talent. Tom said I hadworked hard to get to where I am in my career, and we spoke aboutthe journey and what it meant for me and my family.De-brief: My team and I sat at the Kimberley Spur (where else?!)with some cold beverages and a meal, and debriefed. A call or twofrom an extremely happy Mark Lawrence also came through.
Arrive at hotel: Immediatelyunpackmyluggageanddress in training attire.
PhysicalTHURSDAY23JUNEprep:
Travel: CapeTowntoKimberley
Mental prep: Telephone conversations with Quinton Immelman
FRIDAY 24 JUNE
Mental prep: Telephone conversations with Quinton Immelman
MONDAY 27 JUNE
TelephoneconversationswithQuinton
Sleepanddiet:Sameas
WEDNESDAY 22 JUNE
Sleep:everyIusuallygetbetweensevenandeighthoursofsleepnight,butmynerveskeptmeawakeontheeveofthefinal;notunlikewhatplayersexperience.
Ourofficialpost-matchreviewwith
Physical prep: Off-feet session (Wattbike) at Virgin Active
Technical prep: Same as on Tuesday
26
ofthatapproachHigh-PerformanceOne-hourphonecallwithMarkLawrence,ourManager,andmycolleagueJacoPeyperonhowtoanoccasionofthismagnitude.Themostimportantthingwasemphasised,wasthatIshouldn’tchangeanythingintermsmypre-matchtalkwiththeteamsorbestricteroncertainthings(tackle,ruck)becausethatwillconfusetheplayers.Bythen,theywouldbejustasusedtomeasIwastothem.ThelastthingIwantedtodo,wastoshockthem.
Offday,preparingtotravelonFridayTechnicalprep:
Mentalprep:
Flush-outsessionatVirginActive
CHAMPIONS!
Shane, you have taken a long and diligent career path before helping the Pumas lift their first ever Currie Cup trophy in 2022. What is the most valuable lesson you have learnt about sustaining a long career in professional rugby?
After playing my 100th game for the Valke and hav ing been at the union for many seasons, I felt I need ed change. I also wanted to experience something completely new, which would present me with fresh
27 THEMYPLAYERSRUGBY ORGANISATIONPLAYERS’
It’s hard to choose. I suppose my highlights would be playing in my 50th and 100th match for the union. Also, we played in two Currie Cup First Di vision finals, and although we didn’t win either of them, we had terrific seasons. Lastly, representing the Malaysian Valke against the Western Force in Perth in the Global Rapid Rugby competition will always be a special memory too.
Leaving the Lions and UJ wasn’t an easy decision, but I had spent a few seasons with both teams and it was time for me to move on. I decided to move to the Valke. I wanted more senior game time, and by playing for this team, I wanted to prove to other unions that I was worth contracting. That never hap pened but still, the Valke gave me ample game time,
You moved to France in 2019. What led to this decision, and how did your time with Bourgoin help you develop as a rugby player?
On 25 June 2022, Pumas lock Shane Kirkwood became a Currie Cup champion. It’s an accolade some of South Africa’s greatest players have not been able to add to their résumés. For much of his career, this seemed an unlikely feather to be added to his cap too, but as the author CJ Langenhoven once noted, “If the shortcut was the best route, the highway would have been built there.”
QA& with KirkwoodShane
My career has taught me that nothing in life comes easy. You need to work for what you want, and what you put in is always what you get out, even if it doesn’t immediately appear to be that way.
I enjoyed every minute of my time with the team (2013-2019), and I was happy there.
You represented the Valke in more than 100 matches. When you took the decision to move from the Lions to the Valke, what career goals did you set for yourself at the time?
What are your most treasured rugby memories from your time with the Valke?
Reflecting on what the team has achieved since, I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity the Pumas have given me.
It was always my plan to return to South Africa, but my contract in France was extended to July 2024. However, I gradually got the sense that perhaps it was time for me to return home … I wanted to prepare myself for a life outside of rugby, and since I had always intended to come home, it made sense
PLAYING FOR THE VALKE
MYPLAYERS THE RUGBYORGANISATIONPLAYERS’ 28
What made you return to South Africa when you joined the Pumas in 2021?
As a seasoned rugby player, did coach Jimmy Stonehouse require of you to contribute something specific to the side when you returned to South Africa? When I joined the Pumas, everything was happen ing so fast, and Coach never spoke to me about a specific contribution. But I knew what he expected of everyone who plays for him. In his eyes, every one in the team is equal, whether you’re a young or seasoned player. The expectation is that everybody works equally hard, and by putting in the time and effort expected of all of us, I feel I am making a valuable contribution to the team.
challenges. I decided to join Bourgoin in France for twee seasons, and it developed my game in various ways. The rugby there is much slower but also more physical, and by being exposed to such a different approach to playing rugby, I developed different skills and facets of my game that made me a more rounded player. It was a great experience overall.
At what stage during the 2022 Currie Cup campaign did you as a team realise you can win the tournament, or was that always the team goal going into the season? Our team goal was to reach the semi-finals. Once
ON THE CHARGE
for me to shift my focus here, and away from France. When the oppor tunity to join the Pumas came knock ing, I grabbed it with both hands and was released from my contract.
To always be grateful for every oppor tunity you get and to remain humble when those opportunities come.
To me, a great coach is someone who im proves me as a player. In that regard, Jimmy Stonehouse is a great coach, and I have learnt a lot from him since arriving at the Pumas. But I must also single out JP Immelman at the Valke and Hugo van As from UJ. I spent a
Following two earlier losses to Griquas in the league stages, what did you decide to do differently or better when you met them again in the Currie Cup final?
Who is the funniest rugby player you’ve ever played with?
we reached it, and knowing that we’d be playing the Cheetahs in the semis, we knew we could go all the way. We had beaten them in Bloemfon tein just two weeks before, and we knew we were capable of doing so again. So, we started believing we could win the Currie Cup after that final league fixture and after having reached our initial goal of reaching the play-offs.
29 THEMYPLAYERSRUGBY ORGANISATIONPLAYERS’
Who are the most influential coaches you’ve ever played for?
In my second season in France, I played with Poutasi Luafutu. He is a New Zealand-born loose forward who also played for the Queensland Reds in Super Rugby from 2008 to 2010. The man weighed near 120 kg when we shared a changing room, but he still played with immense skill and speed. He is also one of the best leaders under whom I have ever played. He’s a great guy, exceptional player and wonderful teammate.
JIMMY STONEHOUSE
In both those games against Griquas, we made plenty of mistakes and gave away a lot of penalties. Those are the kind of errors that can be eradicated. In the final, our set pieces were very good and we also held on to the ball better. That allowed us to control the game, whilst our discipline was at least a little bit better than in our two previous clashes with Griquas. It was about controlling what was within our control and not becoming fixated with what we did wrong earlier in the season.
This has to be Francois Kleinhans. He never lacks a strong arsenal of jokes.
number of seasons under their coaching, and both of them were influential in growing my game.
Who is the best rugby player you’ve ever played with, and why?
Best advice you have ever received in your rugby career?
What is the best advice you have ever received in your life?
To always stay humble and to treat someone else the way you want to be treated.
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In the previous issue of the MyPlayers Magazine, we paid a personal visit to MyPlayers’ very own David de Villiers and Isma-eel Dollie. Now, we’re profiling two more staff members who spend their days making sure that you are well looked after as professional rugby players: HILANA CLAASSENS (HC), National Player Development Manager, and MANDISI TSHONTI (MT), General Manager of Player Affairs.
HC:old?Teacher
What school(s) did you attend?
31 THEMYPLAYERSRUGBY ORGANISATIONPLAYERS’
CLAASSENSHILANA (National Player Development Manager)
HC: Barefoot touch rugby on the primary school’s field.
What is HC:memory?favouriteyourrugby
Where were you born and where did you grow up?
MT: The initial Varsity Cup-type tournament called Varsity Top Eight was hosted in Pretoria in 2004. I played for and captained the combined team from tertiary institutions in Cape Town: UWC, PenTech, Cape Tech (Cape Town and Wellington campus).
Who were your sporting heroes growing up?
MT: I can honestly not recall what I wanted to become.
MT: Francois Pienaar and Josh Kronfeld
My younger brother is a huge
What did you want to become when you were 7 years
MT: In 1995, when I had only been playing rugby for a few months, I was picked to captain my school’s 1st team.
HC: I was born in Klerksdorp and grew up in a very small town in the North West province called Biesiesvlei.
MT: Cradock, proudly Eastern Cape.
Sharks supporter. As a young boy, he would dress up in the entire kit when the Sharks played a game and would watch the game that way.
HC: Roger Federer
Do you know this (vr)ou?
HC: Laerskool Sannieshof and Hoërskool Lichtenburg
MT: J.A. Calata High School
What is your earliest rugby memory?
QA&
HC: International spy (thank you Tomb Raider & Charlie’s Angels)
I also did and still do work as a consultant for reality TV where I write Bachelorette).Island,SA,participantsandreportspsychologicalforcontentscreeningof(SurvivorTemptationBachelor&
MT: My mother consistently told me, “Good things come to those who wait. Work hard and remain patient, my son.”
I love new and family,withspendingexperiences,creativetimefriendsandgoingto
What was your job before joining HC:MyPlayers?
MT:valueTheof networkthethatarugbyplayerisabletocreate/developduringaprofession-alrugbycareer.
MT: I grew up around teachers and police officers in my community and family, and I always saw myself as a teacher.
32 IMAGESIMAGES/GETTYGALLOIMAGES:
HC: Psychology (Degree, Honours, Masters & currently PhD)
markets and finding little gems in and around Cape Town.
TSHONTIMANDISI (General Manager of Player Affairs
Which university did you attend, and which varsity sports did you play?
Best advice you’ve ever received, and from whom?
HC: Doctor
MT: Family. It is the most important support structure and resource that is available all the time for whatever one needs. Family provide the
MT: University of the Western Cape. Rugby.
MT: Human Movement Sciences
MT: Braai! And I enjoy watching other live sports.
When you’re not involved in rugby, how do you like to spend your HC:time?
From your experience, what is the one thing rugby undervalueplayersorunderestimate most asathletes?professional Underestimate: The impact that not developing off the field will have on them, not only after rugby, but also during rugby.
HC: I attended the University of the Free State and the University of Johannesburg. I played netball.
MT: Eish! Same as above.
HC: My mom! “We are not victims of our circumstances. Even though we can’t always choose what happens to us, we can choose how we handle it.”
What did you study at varsity?
What did you want to become when you were 13 years old?
What did you want to become when you were 16 years old?
What do you value most in life, and why?
HC: My faith – so I always know where my true North is. Family and health – the most important things are the things that money can’t buy. Time –the problem is, we always think we have time, but eventually it will run out.
I worked as a psychometric consultant for a training company.
MT: I was the Rugby Manager at UWC.
The Sharks’ recruitment strategy
It was a risky strategy, but South African teams acting like they could not play rugby in those first few rounds of the URC and providing a false sense of security for the other teams, proved to be a masterstroke. The strategy worked so well that Leinster had to call Jonny Sexton from home, as they fell into a hole they could not climb out of in their semi-final against the Bulls. This time, the teams up North will be aware of the quality of the South African teams, especially when they have their Springboks in tow. Names like Evan Roos and Johan Grobbelaar will be familiar to them. It will be interesting to see how approaches to playing and touring South Africa change this season, especial ly as Leinster fights to reclaim the trophy they believe is their birthright.
33THEMYPLAYERSRUGBY ORGANISATIONPLAYERS’ THE @ThalaMsutu77 COLUMN @ThalaMsutu77
Stormers at Kings Park with a penalty try after the hooter. At the end of the 12 SA derbies, the Stormers and the Sharks each ended with four wins and a draw out of six. The Bulls’ first win over the Sharks came in the quarterfinal with Chris Smith’s drop goal after the hooter. It is time for the two Gauteng teams to settle the score.
But what will happen in URC II? Instead of trying (and failing) to predict the results on the field (be cause who would have thought the Stormers and the Bulls would face off in an all-South African final at the end of 2021), this article looks at some of the lighter storylines to keep an eye on.
Will the coastal teams rule the South African derbies again?
Will the Northern Hemisphere strike back?
Who will be the King of URC Instagram?
With South African teams now joining the European club competitions and the world returning to some form of normality, we will hopefully hear more epic touring stories in the coming months. From rookies singing initiation songs (who in the Sharks will dare make Etzebeth sing his favourite ABBA song?) to pranks on tour, some will be captured on social media for fans to enjoy. Ox Nche was definitely last season’s Instagram King as he showed his followers tourist attractions, what his Sharks teammates were up to, and where to get the best cakes around Europe.
The South African derbies were unpredictable, with form and home-ground advantage counting very little. Who could forget the weekend in late January where the Sharks won away 37-47 at Ellis Park, and the Stormers scored two tries in the last ten minutes at Loftus Versfeld to beat the Bulls 26-30? The Stormers’ attack was so exciting, the SuperSport truck outside the stadium caught fire, affecting the television broad cast. The next week saw the draw between the Sharks and
In a tweet in February 2022, the Sharks owner, Marco Masotti took us behind the curtain to reveal the brains behind the Sharks’ recruitment strategy. The sugges tion to lure Eben Etzebeth to the Shark Tank came from Masotti’s own mother. The recruitment pitch of Zeei Masotti to her son was that Etzebeth is “really hot” and is one of her favourite players. Perhaps those were the reasons why the Sharks also acquired former Lions Rohan Janse van Rensburg, Vincent Tshituka and Carlu Sadie. Which other players could be on Ms. Masotti’s recruitment list?
Thala Msutu is one of the members of RugbyBits, the weekly South African rugby podcast available on all podcast platforms, and has contributed articles to the RugbyBits website – including a list of the best 25 players under 25 years of age. When he is not rambling on Twitter about the rugby, he is probably rambling about another sport he is watching. Follow him on Twitter at
Four unserious II storylines to keep an eye on
The second edition of the United Rugby Championship begins on 16 September. The inaugural URC season was a success both on and off the field, with 34 million fans tuning in for the debut season.
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