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Cape Town - South African rugby players are making a name for themselves in Major League Rugby and the pathway to America is likely to get even wider.
Rugby in America is certainly on the rise and South African referee Ben Crouse, who got a first hand taste of officiating in Major League Rugby earlier this year, says the South Africans are dominating.
The likes of Riekert Hattingh, JP Eloff, Joe Pietersen and Tiaan Erasmus are just some of South Africans making waves.
Click to view the full interview with Ben Crouse
“My first game to officiate was Seattle (Seawolves) against Toronto (Arrows), which are two teams just across the border from each other,” says Crouse in the latest issue of Springbok Online Magazine.
“There are a few South Africans in the Seattle team such as Riekert Hattingh, Stephan Coetzee and Mathew Turner, who was born in Cape Town, and this team (Seawolves) - who won the league last year - pretty much sets the trend now.
“My first game was of a very high standard. The continuity, skill level and game plan was all very good. It was at the same level as a top Currie Cup team against a much smaller Currie Cup side.
“Some of the other games were not as good, but after such an exciting first game for me I was very encouraged. I had not heard much about South African Riekert Hattingh before, but he totally dominated and the fans and commentators were going crazy about him.”
Another South African, Eloff, was dubbed as player of the tournament over the first ten weeks of the season and Crouse says he has made a very positive impact.
“Besides the impact made by Eloff, there is ex-Varsity Cup player Tiaan Erasmus. He is now with Austin Elite playing as a hooker under (former Springbok) Pedrie Wannenburg’s coaching and he continues to improve,” Crouse says.
“You see a guy like Joe Pietersen who is basically running things at the San Diego Legion. His passion just spills over to all the young guys in the team.”
After his experience of officiating and travelling around the States, connecting with various stakeholders of the game, Crouse believes there are going to be even more opportunities for South Africans to play in the MLR.
“There will be opportunity, not only for Americans, but also for South Africans who might play for some of our smaller unions for example, and want a new challenge. Maybe one day even a South African team could play in this division like what happened in the PRO14,” Crouse says.
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