Letter from South Africa: Despite setbacks, Jacques Nienaber and Springboks remain optimistic

But as both SA Rugby and the PRO14 hierarchy were at pains to point out this week, plans for South Africa’s best provincial teams to play in Europe and Ireland were scuppered by Covid-19.

LOCAL DERBY: Sharks’ Ntuthuko Mchunu on his way to score a try against the Lions in the SA Rugby Preparation Series clash at Emirates Airline Park, Johannesburg. The Rainbow Cup SA will be another extension of those ‘competitions’ and the novelty has completely worn off. Picture: Sydney Seshibedi

Spare a thought for South Africa’s leading rugby players, especially those with Springbok ambitions, as yet another opportunity for some cross-border competition evaporated this week.

The Rainbow Cup, a precursor to what will eventually become the PRO16 (or whatever new name is bestowed on it), has morphed into yet another domestic competition for South Africa’s leading teams.