Halfback Nic Groom in try-scoring form for the Stormers, who were the leading South African Super Rugby side before this weekend's matches.

OPINION: South African rugby is at breaking point.

The sports minister has threatened its international future. The best South African team finished a pitiful and humiliating seventh on last year's Super ladder. Most of the top players are in France and many of the astonishingly loyal fans are starting to wish they could join them. Most of New Zealand might not care right now, they might be gloating at the success of all their teams, but the NZR is terrified the bank may close its doors on them.

If South Africa goes down the gurgler, New Zealand wages will be slashed. South Africa underwrites the television money from Super Rugby and the Rugby Championship. They supply the population and the audiences. New Zealand needs South Africa to be strong. Ever since the game went professional South Africa has sponsored New Zealand rugby.

Unfortunately I believe the South African government doesn't give a stuff about rugby. It only cares about how many black people are in the team. They call it transformation. This week Fikile Mbalula, the minister of sport, took away South Africa's right to bid for international tournaments for failing to meet its transformation targets.

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Mbalula said, "Rugby will not be in a position to host major events in terms of the Springboks…That involves everything. If it is international in nature we will not support it."

Mbalula also threatened to withdraw government funding, government recognition of SARU, sponsorship endorsements and the awarding of national colours. Many players will react like Jacques Kallis, who tweeted, "So sad that I find myself embarrassed to call myself a South African so often these days #no place for politics in sport."

@News24 So sad that i find myself embarrassed to call myself a South African so often these days #no place for politics in sport — Jacques Kallis (@jacqueskallis75) April 25, 2016

So far this season New Zealand teams have won seven out of the nine matches against South African teams (not taking into account the overnight match between the Lions and the Hurricanes) and will feel aggrieved that they didn't win all eight.

New Zealand teams have won three of the previous four Super Rugby titles and the odds are heavily on the Crusaders or the Chiefs to win another this year. My money is on the Crusaders because unlike the South African provinces, they seem finally to have managed the process of transformation.

Okay, so it's still not exactly the Rainbow City, but the Crusaders have been more outward-looking than in the past. Brad Mooar has become the first member of the coaching staff not to have played for either the Crusaders or Canterbury since Vern Cotter left in 2006. Mooar coached in South Africa and gave up a law degree to continue in rugby. He can see beyond the city walls.

The team is finally reacting to how the Chiefs, the Highlanders and even the Canes have come about their success in recent seasons. The Crusaders still have the best pack in Super Rugby, but they haven't played favourites. Scott Barrett, the brother of Beauden, has been a revelation at lock and has allowed the team to rotate.

Richie Mo'unga is a work in progress, but you can see some Aaron Cruden in his game. He defends with real guts and drops into the pocket to direct the runners. That's the bit that can progress as Mo'unga needs to run off the first receiver position more, as Cruden does.

The Crusaders are also starting to make a difference with their bench. Mitchell Drummond and Marty McKenzie up the tempo when they come on with speed of pass and speed of foot. The attack also looks shrewder with Tabai Matson in charge. It was noticeable how one week they ran the Jaguares off their feet with wide ball movement, but cut the Brumbies open in the inside channels and exposed the drift defence.

The Crusaders and the Chiefs have marginally easier run-ins than the other New Zealand franchises, so it will be a surprise if they don't top the ladder. The Crusaders have to get by without Nemani Nadolo for the next three weeks, a bit like Leicester City without Jamie Vardy.

The Fijian looks like the best player in the world right now. His left-foot kicking is sensational. The deft passing and the power running is an almost impossible combination to defend. It is a sadness that he is following half of South Africa to Montpellier next season.

The Crusaders' uncertainty when they reach the playoffs will be the goal kicking and inexperience of Mo'unga, who has been picked off for a couple of interceptions in recent weeks. The Chiefs' uncertainty is the loss of their first-choice front row and their subsequent scrummage weakness. My money is on the Crusaders.

But these are problems that any South African province would love to have. They are just about guaranteed three teams in the playoffs, probably the Lions, the Stormers and the Bulls, but that's about as far into the future as they dare look.

The rest is as wobbly as the old braai in the back of the garage. Transformation is happening, but it is the transformation of South African rugby into a second-rate sport. Unless the government puts rugby into more state schools, there will be no transformation. Football will remain the majority sport for black kids, and is there really anything wrong with that?

The opposition Democratic Alliance tweeted, "If every child is provided with an equal opportunity & if structural racialised inequality is addressed, every team would reflect SA."

But the government shows no desire to transform its schools. It would cost too much. And so it passes the buck and New Zealand wins again on the pitch.

Off the pitch there are not so many bucks left to pass. If South African rugby takes a bath, New Zealand rugby goes under, too. Enjoy Nadolo while you can, because we may not be able to afford the future.