South African Rugby
South Africa's stars set to re-sign for Lions
Scrum.com
December 9, 2008
Bryan Habana of South Africa in action during the Springboks practice session at Fettes College in Edinburgh, Scotland on November 13, 2008.
South Africa's stars, including Bryan Habana, are expected to stay to face the Lions in 2009 © Getty Images
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South Africa's star players will not be putting northern hemisphere salaries above a chance to face the British and Irish Lions on their home turf according to South Africa Rugby Players Association (SARPA) chief executive Piet Heymans.

The national contracts of 13 players expire at the end of December, but Heymans is confident that the players will re-sign. Heymans could not rule out the possibility of certain leading lights moving after the Lions series however. Some players may in fact opt not to sign a contract later this month, choosing instead compensation through a match fund.

"We expect the players will sign and that we won't have any issues," Heymans told South African newspaper Beeld. "There might be one or two players who will follow this (match fund) option. Maybe they want the freedom to go play somewhere else after the Lions tour. But in general players are going to contract themselves to SA Rugby."

Heymans did not clarify which players may not be re-signing contracts, and could not confirm the desires of certain overseas based players, for example Bath fly-half Butch James, to return for the Lions tour.

"I don't know if any players are considering it," he said. "The reality is that players in Europe are earning very good money and we simply cannot compete with that. Players who have Springbok contracts also have to sign a provincial contract to make it worth their while and even though a player holds two contracts, they still earn more in Europe."

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