The awarding of a Rugby Super 14 franchise to the Southern and Eastern Cape (SEC) must be ”non negotiable” when the SA Rugby Union’s President’s Council meets to discuss the matter on Wednesday.
This is the view of the SEC bidding franchise, comprising the Border, Eastern Province and South Western Districts Rugby Unions, that met here this week to reconfirm its bid principles ahead of the critical Saru meeting.
President of SWD, Joey Daniels said: ”Despite the dramatic events that have taken place since the bid presentations in early April, we remain unanimous in our position that the awarding of a Super 14 franchise is not negotiable. The three Unions that make up the SEC are not prepared to accommodate any other option but to be awarded a franchise from 2006.
Added to that Saru President, Brian van Rooyen recently said to the Parliamentary Sport Portfolio Committee that the wrong decision was initially taken in not awarding a Franchise to SEC and that Saru would correct this
”Our bid clearly showed why rugby needs a Super 14 franchise in this region and we sincerely believe that SA Rugby will make the right decision next Wednesday by awarding a franchise to SEC,” Daniels said.
During its meetings this week, the SEC BidCo reaffirmed the key arguments put forward in its bid document and the subsequent bid presentation given to the Saru Adjudication Panel on April 6.
”A lot has been said about the merits and outcome of the bidding process but that does not change our viewpoints on the Super 14 in any way,” added Border President Monwabisi Yako.
”Not only must a Super 14 benefit rugby in our region but it must be to the benefit of South African rugby. The Minister of Sport supported this view. It should therefore meet SA Rugby’s Vision 2007 objectives, namely: a winning Springbok team, growth, transformation and financial sustainability
”The Super 14 should serve the needs of the Springbok team through the optimum use of the country’s top 150 players and an acknowledgment that broad-based development will deliver our transformation objectives.
”A winning Springbok team with several merit black players will result in unprecedented growth in the game and will have far reaching impact on the country’s aspirations to host the 2011 Rugby World Cup,” Yako said.
The SEC reiterated its statement that a limited window of opportunity was available to SA Rugby to stimulate a captive emerging rugby market.
”Such a clear opportunity to grow the game and change its spectator and player demographics irrevocably should be one of SA Rugby’s major considerations,” said Eastern Province President, Willem Stuurman.
”43 per cent of registered rugby players in South Africa are in the SEC franchise region.”
It has been widely acknowledged that the black African Springboks of the future will emerge from the Southern and Eastern Cape region and that a Super 14 franchise will greatly contribute towards speeding up this process and ensuring that SA Rugby achieves its goals in this regard.
”The future of rugby in South Africa hinges on the concept of ”true transformation and development”. A Super 14 presence in the heart of black rugby will not only stimulate and grow the supporter base but it will also compel other regions to develop their own players of colour,” Stuurman said.
Yako reaffirmed that the SEC Super 14 bid was financially viable with 70 per cent of its income secured for at least the next 5 years.
”We have a letter from a major sponsor who will invest R50 million into our Super 14 franchise. In addition, investments into rugby in this region will stimulate growth in other areas and open up further revenue generating opportunities.
”We will establish a professional and successful franchise with a vibrant and living brand, whilst also being leaders in continued transformation, normalisation and development in rugby,” he said. – Sapa