Israel Dagg: ‘How the hell do we not want South Africa a part of our own’
Former All Blacks and Crusaders full-back Israel Dagg.
Former All Blacks and Crusaders full-back Israel Dagg has expressed his displeasure at the decision which led to South Africa’s departure from Super Rugby.
Shortly after rugby union turned professional in 1995, Super Rugby was launched in 1996 and the leading clubs from Australia, New Zealand and South Africa participated in the tournament.
The competition was very successful and lasted for more than 20 years with clubs from Argentina and Japan also allowed to participate during that period.
Travel impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic
However, after the Covid-19 pandemic struck, which curtailed the 2020 Super Rugby tournament, it forced a rethink in New Zealand and Australia, with travel being notably impacted.
New Zealand Rugby decided to breakaway from the competition, establishing the domestic Super Rugby Aotearoa tournament, before they and Australia joined forces to set up Super Rugby Trans-Tasman and then Super Rugby Pacific.
That meant teams from South Africa were forced to go their own way and their four leading franchises – the Bulls, Lions, Sharks and Stormers – joined the United Rugby Championship (URC) and have also been allowed to qualify for the European Champions Cup.
Meanwhile, a fifth South African franchise, the Cheetahs, who are not currently involved in the URC, are competing in Europe’s second-tier Challenge Cup competition.
By contrast, interest has waned in Super Rugby which is renowned as the southern hemisphere’s leading club tournament and who once led the way in the world game.
This is particularly true since the South African sides were forced to leave the competition and Dagg bemoaned that decision.
‘We can’t seem to get any resolution’
“We are stuck down here in the middle of nowhere aren’t we and we can’t seem to get any resolution between both sides so look it’s bloody sad,” he said on SENZ Radio.
“We’ve harped on about the South African exclusion from Super Rugby and what a big downward it’s been.
“I can’t understand how we’ve done it, we’ve talked about it on the show and read all the conversations online and people are like ‘Well you got rid of us you don’t want us’, I’m just thinking how the hell do we not want South Africa a part of our own system here.
It’s been a downward spiral [since they left].”
It is not the first time that Dagg has questioned why New Zealand and Australia broke ties with the South Africans. Speaking on SENZ Radio ahead of this year’s Super Rugby Pacific final between the Blues and Chiefs, he said: “I went down a rabbit hole. I know we should be focusing on the now and what’s ahead of us this weekend. But man, I miss South Africa being a part of Super Rugby.”
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