Most of the major players in South African rugby were present when the crisis meeting of the South African Rugby Union (Saru) president’s council kicked off at Ellis Park in Johannesburg on Thursday morning.
Due to start at 10am, the blazer brigade was locked behind closed doors on time as a large media contingent waited outside.
Saru president Brian van Rooyen is expected to respond to allegations of mismanagement, during what may be a highly volatile and emotionally charged gathering, considering the events of the past two weeks.
The most notable absentee was Mike Stofile — Saru vice-president and brother of Minister of Sport and Recreation Makhenkesi Stofile. Both Andre Markgraaff (Saru deputy president) and Theunie Lategan (management committee chairperson) were at the meeting.
This came as somewhat of a shock, as Markgraaff and Lategan, along with Stofile, resigned their posts this week at the request of the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (Sascoc).
While all about him were falling on their swords, Van Rooyen refused to budge, clearly confident that the support he received on Monday from 11 (out of 14) provincial union presidents will be enough to combat the Sascoc move.
Sascoc, meanwhile, has named its interim committee — due to take over SA Rugby on Friday — with KwaZulu-Natal’s president Oregan Hoskins on board as the one Saru representative.
Hoskins, Blue Bulls president Dolf van Huyssteen and Koos Basson of Western Province were the only absentees from Monday’s meeting, also at Ellis Park.
Van Huyssteen and Basson are both known opposers to Van Rooyen’s reign and have thrown their lot behind Markgraaff and company. Both men followed suit and tendered their resignations shortly after Markgraaff and Lategan.
Also in attendance were Saru CEO Johan Prinsloo as well as other presidents of various provincial unions.
Sascoc president Moss Mashishi arrived shortly before 11am to address the delegation. — Sapa