SA Rugby has announced that only overseas-based Springboks with more than 30 Test caps will be eligible for national selection as of 1 July.

The policy was approved by the executive council of SA Rugby in Cape Town on Friday, with the aim of encouraging players with fewer than 30 caps to return to South Africa should they wish to be considered for Springbok selection in the future.

This policy replaces the existing situation where any player eligible to play for South Africa could be picked at the discretion of the Springbok coach.

However, the coach will retain the right in a World Cup year to select any player he believes is essential to the campaign – regardless of the number of caps.

‘We are sending a message to young players that if they wish to play for the Springboks, then they must remain in South Africa,’ SA Rugby president Mark Alexander commented. ‘But we have also retained flexibility for the coach to select exceptional players who may be based overseas, provided they have a proven track record of 30 Tests for the Springboks.

‘How to balance the need to select the strongest possible team against the challenges of having such a large number of players based overseas has been a subject of long debate in our game.

‘We have made this change in what we believe are the best interests of the Springbok team, but we will review it periodically in conjunction with the national coach.’

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