Alexander Signals Potential Investec Champions Cup Exit

Mark Alexander has pledged to make “hard calls” in the interests of player welfare after being reappointed for a fourth and final term as president of SA Rugby.

Speaking after his reappointment, Alexander reflected on both the responsibility of leading the organisation and the challenges facing the modern game, particularly around competition structures, player workload, and rugby’s evolving commercial landscape.

“I am humbled to be appointed again,” said Alexander.

Under his leadership, the South Africa national rugby union team has enjoyed a highly successful period, winning back-to-back Rugby World Cup titles, three The Rugby Championship crowns, and the British & Irish Lions Tour to South Africa series.

“Leading this organisation is always a privilege. It is a challenging environment, but success does not depend on just a handful of people — it requires all our members pulling in the same direction,” he added.

Alexander said SA Rugby had already begun planning for the future following a strategy session earlier this year, with the organisation identifying seven key focus areas for the next four years.

“I am excited about what lies ahead,” he said.

“There are many new opportunities and challenges we need to embrace. The way we deliver the game and generate revenue has evolved, and that will be a major focus over the next four years.”

Despite the challenges ahead, Alexander believes South African rugby remains in a strong position, particularly in terms of its player pool and development structures.

“Our player pool and development pipeline are strong,” he said.

“Rassie Erasmus is in a far better position now than he was in 2019 or even 2023. As an organisation, we are in a good place, but there is still plenty of work to be done.”

A major priority during his final term will be addressing concerns around player welfare and an increasingly congested rugby calendar.

“We make our money from the Springboks and the URC teams through international competition. We generate revenue through participation, so participation remains critically important,” Alexander explained.

“At the same time, our players are playing too much rugby, and something has to give.”

SA Rugby will host a workshop with its members in July to assess the future of various competitions and determine where reductions may be necessary.

“We need to strike the right balance for player welfare and ensure players have adequate downtime,” he said.

“They simply cannot play rugby for 11 months of the year — it is unsustainable.”

Alexander also expressed frustration at the lack of progress surrounding a long-discussed global rugby calendar, saying meaningful change would require decisive action from unions and governing bodies.

“World Rugby has been discussing a global calendar for the past 14 years,” he said.

“If you continue doing the same things, you cannot expect a different outcome. Without meaningful change, there will be no global calendar.

“As an organisation, we need to make some hard calls, and we will make those hard calls within the next month or two.”

Without identifying a specific competition, Alexander added that every tournament would come under review as SA Rugby evaluates its future priorities.

“Every competition will form part of that discussion,” Alexander said.

“Ultimately, we will make the tough decisions in the best interests of our players.”