/ 22 April 2005

Rugby crisis meeting to go ahead

A special South African Rugby Union president’s council meeting will go ahead on Saturday, despite the inability of number of council members to attend. The sport faces a crisis after allegations of a palace coup.

South African Rugby Union (Saru) president Brian van Rooyen called the meeting after it emerged that five members of the president’s council — chairperson Theunie Lategan, Saru deputy Andre Markgraaff, Mike Stofile, Dolf van Huyssteen and Koos Basson — had met privately and then released a statement calling on the national body to set aside the decision to award the five Super 14 franchises.

The meeting is set to struggle to make a quorum, as 10 of the 14 members are needed, and by late Thursday afternoon, Saru officials confirmed that only ”eight or nine” replies had been received.

It is believed that none of the five members involved will attend the meeting. A minimum of 10 president’s council members are needed to form a quorum.

The meeting has been called to discuss a motion, passed by certain management committee members, to have the recent decision relating to the allocation of Super 14 franchises reviewed.

Van Rooyen accused the five of ”trying to stab me in the back” and has issued an ultimatum.

”It’s either them or me,” he said, adding that he has heard rumours that they tried to oust him.

”As soon as I had left the country, they went behind my back in a cowardly act to undermine my position as president of the South African Rugby Union.

”Why did they not call me and say we would like to have a meeting to discuss things? The reality is that after debating the fifth Super 14 franchise for hours — everything else was taken off the agenda — they all voted in favour. The only abstention was Mike Stofile.”

The meeting is scheduled for 3pm on Saturday at the Johannesburg International airport. — Sapa