Oregan Hoskins was re-elected on Friday to a further two-year term as president of the South African Rugby Union (Saru), narrowly beating his deputy, Mike Stofile, at Saru’s annual general meeting.
Saru did not issue an official confirmation of the voting tally, but it is understood that the closeness of the vote saw auditors call for a recount. The Cape Argus reported that the vote had been 24-21 in Hoskins’s favour.
Hoskins’s victory effectively pushes Stofile out of South African rugby as he had decided not to make himself available for the deputy president post and now has no position in the administration of the sport.
”Hoskins said he was pleased to be given the opportunity to continue to lead the organisation, but that he would not seek a further two-year term when the next elections take place in 2010,” said Saru through a statement.
Stofile, brother of South African Sports Minister Makhenkesi Stofile, had been the favourite going in to the meeting after an intense campaign.
He found favour amongst the smaller South African unions, while Hoskins had the backing of the larger provinces.
Stofile served as Hoskins’s deputy president for two years after Hoskins had taken over as president from Brian van Rooyen in February 2006.
The pair’s relationship broke down as they clashed over a variety issues, including the selection of the Springbok team and, more recently, a controversial and lucrative deal for the broadcast rights to local South African rugby matches with a pay-television station.
The selection of flanker Luke Watson for a Test against Samoa was forced on Springbok coach Jake White in June last year, with many believing that Stofile had forced Hoskins’s hand in the matter. Luke Watson is the son of Cheeky Watson, an apartheid activist and good friend of Stofile.
There was some good news for Springbok coach Pieter de Villiers after delegates at the annual general meeting voted to allow him the final say in the selection of the current World Cup holders.
A unanimous decision was required to change the Saru constitution, which states that a selection committee chose the team, but a written ballot initially failed as 44 of 45 votes were in favour of the motion.
Hoskins said after the meeting on Friday that the signature of the naysayer ”was reversed” to make the decision unanimous. ”This brings us in line with other nations. It is only right that the coach should have final say on selection,” said Hoskins.
Mark Alexander of the Golden Lions was voted in as deputy president, while Rautie Rautenbach of the Valke was named as vice-president. — AFP
