South Africa: SA Rugby Backs Growth With Georgia, Kenya, Zimbabwe in Domestic Competition

SA Rugby announced an expansion of domestic rugby competitions this week, finding place at the table for Kenya, Zimbabwe and Georgia in the Currie Cup first division.

There is a sector of the rugby world that likes to view South African rugby through a certain prism. That constituency sees SA as bullies and marauders, whose actions both on the field and in the boardroom are executed with the subtlety of a charging rhino.

In the wake of the news that the Springboks are set for a move to join the Six Nations in 2025, the anti-South Africa lobby railed. The Boks joining rugby’s oldest international competition would somehow destroy the soul of the game and weaken the growth of the sport.

The presumption was that the Boks would replace Italy, the weakest link in the Six Nations, and not simply be added to the tournament. Nothing has been finalised yet, other than there is an agreement in principle for the Boks to play in the Six Nations. The structure and format of that tournament beyond 2025 is still being ironed out and Italy have not been ejected.

The naysayers, without a real sense of irony, claimed the Boks’ inclusion would…