Former All Blacks centre Sonny Bill Williams misses the days when South African teams competed in Super Rugby.
Reacting to a video on X of Sharks scrumhalf Grant Williams scoring a try against Saracens on Saturday, the 40-year-old quipped, “Can the South African teams stop playing hard to get and come back to Super Rugby? Asking for a mate.”
South African sides have not competed in Super Rugby since 2020, having moved north to the Vodacom URC and European cup competitions.
Can the South African teams stop playing hard to get and come back to super rugby? Asking for a mate
https://t.co/od36tb7Mun
— Sonny Bill Williams (@SonnyBWilliams) December 14, 2025
Williams is not alone in his sentiments.
Fellow 2011 World Cup winner Stephen Donald has described South Africa’s absence as a major loss to Super Rugby and that the on-field challenge of touring South Africa was unmatched.
“For the players, it’s a great experience off the field, but on the field you get tested when you go to South Africa like never before,” he said. “Yes, you’re playing against big, big humans, but it’s also the toughest place to go and play.
“It’s the only place you play where you genuinely feel intimidated by the environment because it’s hostile. At Loftus Versfeld, Cape Town or Kings Park, you have to front up, both as a rugby player and as a man.”
BURKE: Aussie rugby missing SA muscle
Former Wallabies fullback Matt Burke also recently bemoaned South Africa’s absence from Super Rugby. He said it had been to the detriment of Australian rugby, especially in dealing with the physical aspect of the game.
“When you’re playing South Africa … you start to understand the level of intensity over there,” he said. “That’s hard to replicate.”
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Photo: Steve Haag/Gallo Images
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Former All Blacks centre Sonny Bill Williams misses the days when South African teams competed in Super Rugby.
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