According my calculations there are 54 South African players playing for overseas teams in the European Champions Cup.
And I’m not even counting Edinburgh’s SA-born Scotsmen WP Nel, Duhan van der Merwe, Jaco van der Walt and Pierre Schoeman.
My research also shows that EVERY SINGLE team in the tournament - there are 24 by the way- have at least one South African-born player on its books.
The Mzansi flavour runs strongest at Sale Sharks in England, with a total of eight players in their squad.
Countrymen Harlequins wil ook nie agtergelaat word nie and have a total of seven.
Remember, there are eight teams from England, France and eight from the United Rugby Championship (three from SA, three from Ireland, one from Scotland and one from Wales).
Apart from SA, obviously, England have the most number of South Africans in their teams with 31, followed by the French teams 14. Five play in Ireland, three in Scotland and one in Wales.
So while the SA teams will only get to face most of these guys at a later stage in the tournament, if I had to pick a team of players I’d like to see in this tournament what would that look like? Here we go…
15 Warrick Gelant (Racing Metro, France)
The former Stormers ace who left for France at the start of the season was up against Green and Leyds for this position, so I shifted them to the wing.
14 Tyrone Green (Harlequins, England)
STILL trying to get over the fact that SA rugby let him go, Green is certain to be one of the players to light up the tournament later on.
13 Raymond Rhule (La Rochelle, France)
PLAYING for the tournament champs, I had to make way for Rhule. At centre? And ahead of Jan Serfontein? Yes, I believe they used him at centre at times in France. Like to see that.
12 Andre Esterhuizen (Harlequins, England)
THE former Sharks player already showed what he can do scoring twice against his ex-teammates last year.
11 Dillyn Leyds (La Rochelle, France)
IF EVER Leyds wanted to impress the Bok selectors at 30, this is his chance to do so.
10 Robert du Preez (Sale Sharks, England)
I PICKED Du Preez over Handre Pollard, because that’s how good I think he could have been. I, for one, am really excited to see the 29-year-old strut his stuff.
9 Cobus Reinach (Montpellier, France)
I DO think this man deserves to be on the bench at least for the Boks and he’ll be out to show Mzansi what he’s got in the colours of his French team.
8 Juarno Augustus (Northampton Saints, England)
NO DUANE Vermeulen or Jasper Wiese? No. Trokkie Augustus is the one I’m most excited to see.
7 Dan du Preez (Sale Sharks, England)
MORE at home in the No.8 jumper, Dan last played for the Boks last year and is perhaps not as forgotten as many would like to believe.
6 Jean-Luc du Preez (Sale Sharks, England)
WITH the last of his 13 Bok caps coming in 2018, this versatile Du Preez has a point to prove.
5 Jason Jenkins (Leinster, Ireland)
ONE cap to his name, Jenkins was recently recalled to the squad. I’d like to see why.
4 RG Snyman (Munster, Ireland)
PERMIE injured, I want to see if the 27-year-old is still the beast we expect him to be.
3 Trevor Nyakane (Racing Metro, France)
THE Bok veteran is just a joy to watch on the field.
2 Akker van der Merwe (Sale Sharks, England)
ONCE the most-feared hooker in SA when he played for the Lions, Van der Merwe will have a point to prove against the SA teams.
1 Coenie Oosthuizen (Sale Sharks, England)
LAST played for the Springboks in 2017. At 33, he is prime beef.
SA PLAYERS REPPING OVERSEAS
ENGLAND (31 PLAYERS)
Gloucester (1) - Ruan Ackermann
Harlequins (7) - Andre Esterhuizen, Wilco Louw, Stephan Lewies, Tyrone Greene, Simon Kerrod, Irne Hebst, Jordan Els
Leicester (5) - Handre Pollard, Jasper Wiese, Francois van Wyk, Hanro Liebenberg, Eli Snyman
Northampton Saints (2) - Juarno Augustus, Courtnall Skosan
Saracens (2) - Francois Hougaard, Ivan van Zyl
Sale Sharks (8) - Akker van der Merwe, Coenie Oosthuizen, Cobus Wiese, Dan du Preez, JL du Preez, Robert du Preez, Nick Schonert, Jono Ross
Exeter Chiefs (4) - Jannes Kirsten, Ruben van Heerden, Aidon Davis, Jacques Vermeulen
London Irish (2) - Mike Willemse, Benhard Janse van Rensburg
FRANCE (14)
Beagles (1) - Jandre Marais
Castres (1) - Ryno Pieterse
Montpellier (4) - Jan Serfontein, Cobus Reinach, Nico Janse van Rensburg, Ru-hann Greyling
La Rochelle (3) - Dillyn Leyds, Raymond Rhule, Kyle Hatherell
Racing Metro (2) - Warrick Gelant, Trevor Nyakane
Toulouse (1) - Rynhardt Elstadt
Clermont (1) - Jacobus van Tonder
Lyon (1) - Arno Botha
IRELAND (5)
Leinster (1) - Jason Jenkins
Ulster (2) - Duane Vermeulen, Gareth Milasinovich
Munster (2) - RG Snyman, Keynan Knox
SCOTLAND
Edinburgh (3) - Henry Immelman, Boan Venter, Luan de Bruin
WALES
Ospreys - (1) Tom Botha