Whither South African rugby...?
South Africa's change of direction for its domestic rugby sides takes another step next week with three sides playing in the Champions Cup, but will it serve the country well in the long run?
Fresh off the back of the November Test window, the South Africans, whether for their European clubs, or their South African franchises, launch straight into six months of intensive play.
By comparison, their New Zealand, Australian, and Argentinian southern hemisphere rivals have a sustained rest period before beginning their build-up to a season that culminates in the Rugby World Cup in France at the end of 2023.
That gives them time to ease niggly injuries, rest their minds and do uninterrupted fitness preparation – all demands that will not be available to those South African players involved in European competitions.
Such constant match play must have an effect on the participants with increased exposure to longer-term injuries.
Springboks' five-eighths Handré Pollard, now playing for Leicester, said: "Travel's going to be tough, up and down a bit, but it's all right, it's not the end of the world, no jet lag involved.
"I think it's going to be great to have the South Africans in it [the Heineken Cup] – they'll bring a physicality that I think will compete with some of the French teams who, I think, physically have been dominating the competition lately."
As well as those South Africans playing for British, Irish, French or Italian clubs, the Bulls, Sharks and Stormers have qualified for the expanded Heineken tournament this season. The Cheetahs and Lions are in the second-tier Challenge Cup.
Those demands create extra pressure on the defending World Cup champions.
Their efforts to bridge an unprecedented gap will require changed demands for the Springbok coaching staff and place the side at a disadvantage.
The South Africans are the only side playing outside their usual parameters.
The British, Irish and European players are competing in their regular playing zone, albeit with some extended travel to and from South Africa, while the southern hemisphere sides are resting and recuperating.
That will test the fitness strategies of the South African coaching staff.
In the short term, it may be something the Springboks can deal with, but what will be the longer-term implications of player burnout.
If, as Pollard maintains, the demands are physically greater, then it is a perilous route the South Africans are on.