South African Rugby Football Union (Sarfu) president Silas Nkanunu has been elected vice-chairperson of the International Rugby Board (IRB).
Nkanunu’s election was confirmed at the interim meeting of the IRB council held in Sydney on Wednesday. He was elected unopposed to the post, which has been vacant since the resignation of New Zealand’s Rob Fisher last year. He is the first Sarfu representative to be elected to so senior an IRB post.
The appointment is for a period of three years. Nkanunu will continue to hold his existing positions on the IRB executive committee and as chairperson of the board policy committee.
Reacting to Nkanunu’s appointment, IRB chairperson Syd Millar, who was also elected unopposed, said: ”Mr Nkanunu is one of the most distinguished rugby administrators in the world. Having done so much in helping unite South African rugby he has gained the respect of the rugby world and therefore there can be no more fitting appointment. I look forward to working closely with him over the next few years.”
Sarfu deputy president Ronnie Masson described Nkanunu’s appointment as a significant honour for South African rugby as well as rugby on the African continent.
”For a number of years now Mr Nkanunu has played an active role in the administration of rugby at various levels,” Masson said.
”In addition to his leadership of rugby in South Africa he has championed the cause of African rugby at the highest levels and made a valuable contribution to the IRB’s efforts to further expand the game globally,” Masson said.
Nkanunu became president of Sarfu in 1998 and is also the current chairperson of Sanzar, which oversees the Vodacom Tri-Nations and Vodacom Rugby Super 12 tournaments. In 1991, he was a member of the steering committee that brought about unification through negotiations between the erstwhile South Africa Rugby Union and South African Rugby Board. He has been a member of the Sarfu executive committee since unification in 1992 and was senior vice-president of Sarfu before taking over as president.
Sarfu CEO Mveleli Ncula said: ”I have had the privilege of working with Mr Nkanunu before and after unification. He is an astute and widely respected rugby man who stands by his principles. This appointment is just reward for hard work and sacrifice over many years and we wish him well in this new role.”
Nkanunu, who runs his own law practice in Port Elizabeth, is also chairperson of the Law Society of South Africa. — Sapa