Skip to main content

South African Rugby Players (International Clubs)

By February 21, 2020July 25th, 2020Newsletter

South African Rugby Players (International Clubs)

February 21, 2020

sa-rugby-players-abroad

Many would think that winning the Rugby World Cup would be an amazing thing for South Africa – and it was – but in some ways, it’s been a bit of a curse; for South African rugby that is. As it turns out, 14 of the top country’s players aren’t refocusing their attention on playing for SA. Instead, they have signed contracts with overseas teams. Another 55 top SA rugby players are still to sign their contracts – so nothing is confirmed as yet. That means that at a minimum, there will be 14 top South African rugby players abroad; but there could be more!

SA Rugby Players – Who’s Going Where?

You might be wondering which players are going where. Which of the 12 fantastic players is South Africa set to lose? Which of those players will end up in the very country that you currently live and work in? Don’t worry; it’s not a selfish wondering! Let’s take a look.

South African rugby players in England will be:

  • Jacques Vermeulen of the Sharks (Exeter Chiefs)
  • Akker van der Merwe of the Sharks (Sale Sharks)
  • Jean-Luc du Preez of the Sharks (Sale Sharks)
  • Dan du Preez of the Sharks (Sale Sharks)
  • Robert du Preez of the Sharks (Sale Sharks)
  • Stephan Lewies of the Lions (Harlequins)

South African rugby players in Japan will be:

  • RG Snyman of the Bulls (Honda Heat)
  • Duane Vermeulen of the Springbok team (Kubota Spears)

South African rugby players in France will be:

  • Eben Etzebeth of the Stormers (Toulon)
  • Hendre Stassen (Stade Francais)

South African rugby players in Italy will be:

  • Eli Snyman of the Bulls (Treviso)

South African rugby players in Scotland will be:

  • Nic Groom of the Lions (Edinburgh)

South African Rugby Players in High Demand

According to the industry, the following South African rugby players are yet to sign contracts and are also in high demand overseas. It will be interesting to see how things develop for these players.

  • Curwin Bosch – Sharks player
  • Tendai Mtawarira – Sharks player
  • Malcolm Marx – Lions player
  • Elton Jantjies – Lions player
  • Warren Whitely – Lions player
  • Lood de Jager – Bulls player
  • Handre Pollard – Bulls player
  • Frans Malherbe – Stormers player
  • Pieter-Steph du Toit – Stormers player
  • Siya Kolisi – Stormers player
  • Steven Kitshoff – Stormers player

Super Rugby Fixtures in South Africa 2020 – From March Onward

Aside from the exit of SA rugby players abroad, there’s much to look forward to in the country in terms of Super Rugby this year. If you would like to keep up with local South African rugby, keep an eye on the Super Rugby fixtures as follows:

Date Team   Team
Friday 6 March Crusaders vs Reds
  Waratahs vs Chiefs
Saturday 7 March Hurricanes vs Blues
  Rebels vs Lions
  Sharks vs Jaguares
  Bulls vs Highlanders
Sunday 8 March Sunwolves vs Brumbies
Friday 13 March Chiefs vs Hurricanes
Saturday 14 March Sunwolves vs Crusaders
  Blues vs Lions
  Reds vs Bulls
  Sharks vs Stormers
  Jaguares vs Highlanders
Sunday 15 March Brumbies vs Waratahs
Friday 20 March Crusaders vs Hurricanes
  Rebels vs Sunwolves
Saturday 21 March Highlanders vs Lions
  Blues vs Brumbies
  Waratahs vs Bulls
  Sharks vs Chiefs
  Jaguares vs Stormers
Friday 27 March Hurricanes vs Bulls
  Reds vs Brumbies
Saturday 28 March Highlanders vs Crusaders
  Waratahs vs Sunwolves
  Lions vs Chiefs
  Stormers vs Rebels

You can view the rest of this year’s Super Rugby fixtures in South Africa on the official SuperSport website here.

The Pro 14 Tournament in Europe

There’s also the Pro 14 Tournament held in Europe where you can see South African teams featuring alongside teams from Ireland, Italy, Scotland, and Wales too.

The Pro 14 Tournament fixture features South African teams playing on the following dates:

Date Team vs Team
Sunday 1 March Kings vs Connacht Rugby
Saturday 21 March Kings vs Edinburgh
Saturday 21 March Cheetahs vs Leinster
Friday 27 March Leinster vs Kings
Saturday 28 March Cheetahs vs Edinburgh
Saturday 11 April Kings vs Scarlets
Saturday 11 April Cheetahs vs Osprey
Friday 17 April Glasgow Warriors vs Cheetahs
Saturday 18 April Zebre vs Kings
Saturday25 April Cardiff Blues vs Kings
Saturday 9 May Cheetahs vs Dragons
Saturday 9 May Kings vs Benetton
Saturday 16 May Kings vs Dragons
Saturday 16 May Cheetahs vs Benetton
Friday 29 May Kings vs Cheetahs

** The above schedule only makes mention of South African teams. You can view a full fixture including all international teams on the official SuperSport website here.

Last Word

As South African rugby players are shuffling around between international rugby clubs, one cannot help but realise just how much talent hails from the country. If you have settled outside the borders of your birth country, there’s still every reason to show your support for your home teams. Just like our top players heading overseas will always have a piece of the country deep in their souls, so do you.

FinGlobal: Financial Emigration Specialists

At FinGlobal, we are passionate about local rugby and rugby abroad. Whether you are shouting for the SA team from within the country or outside of it, we want to help you to do so with the peace of mind that your financial emigration and tax emigration is being handled effectively and efficiently.  As a provider of premier financial and tax emigration guidance and advice to SA expats the world over, we will ensure that you are provided with meticulous support throughout the process. If you would like professional assistance, contact us today. Simply give us a call or send us an email – one of our knowledgeable and experienced consultants will assist you further.