They say life will never be the same after the global panic that struck us all through the spread of the coronavirus.
I raise a hallelujah to that, because this world needs some change and I’m hopeful that the tweaks that are coming turn out to the benefit of all of us.
Seeing that this is a sports column, I will write about the differences I would like to see in this “department” of the world.
I’d like to think a back-to-basics approach would be best.
I imagine that people will be a lot more paranoid about travelling the world from now on. And that plays right into the hands of what I am about to suggest.
For years we have been moaning about how the professional game has spoiled our sport. Now is the time to fix it.
Let’s start with the game of rugby - I will do cricket at a later stage.
With Super Rugby possibly being scrapped this year, it is the perfect time for Sanzaar to rethink its strategy.
Both Australia and New Zealand’s rugby unions have announced big losses because of the coronavirus and I can’t imagine that our boys are doing much better either.
So what should the game plan be?
Let’s turn back the clock a bit.
The Springboks versus the All Blacks used to be a big thing. There was nothing more than getting a series win over your rivals.
FAMILIAR: Boks and All Blacks meet twice a year now
I watched a programme on TV on Saturday in which Sean Fitzpatrick and Justin Marshall spoke about what it meant to them to beat the Springboks in a full tour to South Africa in 1996.
Remember that was the year after they had lost the World Cup final to South Africa.
That turned out to be the last tour of New Zealand to South Africa ever, as first the Tri Nations and then the Rugby Championship took care of international rugby for southern hemisphere sides from 1996 onwards.
And apart from the tours to the UK at the end of the year, that’s it for our teams.
The Rugby Championship also follows a klompie maande of Super Rugby action where the Sanzaar teams also lock horns.
So when we do get to play the All Blacks in a once-off Test at Ellis Park, the familiarity with each other has taken some of the prestige away from this occasion.
I would therefore suggest that Sanzaar scrap Super Rugby, revive the Currie Cup and have the finalists of each country’s domestic tournament play a Super Six competition.
I envision a Six Nations-type tournament to determine the winner.
In other words, do away with the Stormers and if Western Province make it to the final of the Currie Cup, they will then go to the Super Six alongside the other finalists and the teams from the other countries.
CLASSIC RIVALRY: Springboks v All Blacks
Know what?
To be fair, let’s do the finalists of the SA and NZ competitions and the winners of Australia and the Argentina national team, watookal hulle besluit om hulself te noem; Pampas, Pumas or Jaguares.
After crowning those
winners, we will have proper tours.
Here Sanzaar can again play around with the idea a bit.
I’d suggest that South
Africa and New Zealand tour each other every second year, split by an Aussie or Argentina tour.
That way we don’t play each other too much and we the two teams do lock horns, it’s a real test of their
credentials.
Not only will this formula safe Sanzaar money and give players more time at home - which I would think is something they’d want -
especially after this global scare, but it will make some of us jaded fans honger for Springboks v All Blacks matches again.
So ja, while the coronavirus pandemic is having a groot negative impact on the world financially, we now have an opportunity to start from scratch again.
This time around, let’s show ourselves that we have learnt from the mistakes in the past.
And when unleashed after these 21 days, go out there and show the world the best version of yourself.
You just had a fresh restart to life.