Johannesburg – When the four Springboks who are due to go overseas to earn their keep in Euro and Yen leave it will be the first time since the inception of professional rugby that more Springboks will be playing rugby overseas than in South Africa, Rapport reported on Sunday.
The departure of Gio Aplon, Keegan Daniel, Jean Deysel and Charl McLeod will bring the total number of Springboks playing overseas to 49.
There are currently 57 players in 2014's Super Rugby and Vodacom Cup groups who are current or former Springboks.
But this will drop to 48 after this year's Super Rugby series when men such as JP Pietersen, Heinrich Brussow, Peter Grant, Ryan Kanowski and Dewald Potgieter return to Japan.
This brings the scorecard to: Overseas Springboks 49; home 48.
Jurie Roux, SA Rugby Union executive head, said overseas markets have been offering attractive pay with low tax to top players in the southern hemisphere since 1996. – Sapa