Saru
and ANC hurl spears 28/03/2006 21:33 - (SA)
Johannesburg - A spat
between the South African Rugby Union (Saru) and the African National Congress
has erupted about the Super 14 future of Southern Spears franchise.
At their
meeting last Friday, the presidents' council of Saru poured cold water on the
Spears' chance of playing in the Super 14 competition next year.
They recommended
that none of the existing South African Super 14 teams should be relegated from
next year's tournament and that the decision to include the Southern Spears in
the tournament be rescinded.
After the meeting, SA Rugby managing director
Johan Prinsloo said, however, it had been decided there should be "no relegation
or promotion of existing franchises at the end of the season".
The move
was slammed by Butana Khompela, chairperson of the ANC study group on sports and
recreation.
He said Saru vice-president Mike Stofile, once an ardent
proponent of the Spears' participation, had withdrawn his support for the Eastern
Cape team.
Saru approach condemned
"He has cited troubles plaguing
EP and Border rugby in the past few months as major reasons for his about-turn,"
said Khompela.
"The ANC and the portfolio committee on sport and recreation
condemns the approach taken by Saru in dealing with the matter of the Super 14
competition for 2006/'07.
"The unilateral decisions taken by the presidents'
council to abandon the agreed relegation system is an about-turn on agreements
reached between Saru, the government and the portfolio committee during 2005 on
the participation of the Southern Spears in the Super 14 from 2007."
He
added that Saru need to explain the reasons for their unilateral decisions.
They
also should provide a comprehensive report on the state of readiness of the Southern
Spears to take part in the Super 14 competition.
Remarks show a 'misunderstanding'
"The report must include an evaluation on the implementation of the original
agreements with the government in 2005 and the reasons, if any, for its non-implementation.
"No political argument can be made as to why the South-East Cape should
not be awarded an opportunity to participate in the Super 14 Competition,"
said Khompela.
But according to Saru, Komphela's remarks demonstrate a "misunderstanding
of the statement Saru released immediately after the council meeting on March
24".
"The Saru statement makes it clear that we are concerned
about the state of readiness of the new franchise, and, therefore, wish to make
sure they are ready for the big league before they play in such a highly-competitive
Sanzar tournament.
"We have not abandoned the idea of the Spears taking
part in the tournament.
"It is purely a matter of carefully looking at
the realities and the legal obligation with Sanzar that we should field our best
sides at the tournament.
"Further, we wish to make it clear that Mr Khompela's
proposal that we need to provide a 'comprehensive report on the state of readiness
of the Spears'is an exercise we were prepared to embark on, in any event, as our
statement indicates."
'They also expressed concerns'
Saru added that
it was incorrect to call the decision a unilateral one.
"The presidents'
council includes the presidents of the three provinces involved (Eastern Province,
South Western Districts and Border), including the chairperson of the board of
Southern Spears, in his capacity as acting president for Eastern Province.
"During
that meeting, they also expressed concerns about the state of rugby in the region,
and they did not object to the idea of an enquiry."
The presidents council
meets again in Cape Town on Wednesday.
