Most of South Africa’s 14 provincial rugby presidents jetted into Johannesburg International airport on Monday to attend an urgent meeting at Ellis Park stadium as a cloud of uncertainty decended over the whole power-struggle saga. The meeting was hastily called by South African Rugby Union president Brian van Rooyen late on Sunday.
There were a number of shocks and omissions in Jake White’s 33-man Springbok squad announced on Saturday night. White has included three new caps: Bulls hooker Gary Botha, Lions scrumhalf Enrico Januarie and Tonderai Chavhanga from Western Province, but it is the players he left out that will no probably cause the most consternation.
The Cats and Sharks drew 20-20 in a scrappy, bottom-of-the-table Super 12 clash at Vodacom Park in Bloemfontein on Saturday evening that consigned the Durban-based outfit to the wooden spoon. The Cats led 10-7 at half-time. The teams fought out a ding-dong battle in the opening 40 minutes as they tried to throw caution to the wind in a bid to entertain the meagre crowd.
South African Rugby Union president Brian van Rooyen and three other top officials in the organisation face a possibly crippling blow to their leadership positions when a special general council meeting of SA Rugby is called within the next 10 days. At that meeting, the positions of SA Rugby’s top brass will come under intense scrutiny.
The Bulls are South Africa’s last remaining hope for a Vodacom Super 12 semifinal spot in this year’s competition, but anything less than a five-point haul against the Sharks in Durban on Saturday will scupper those dreams with one round remaining. If results go their way, they could even be hosting a semifinal on May 21.
SA Rugby has confirmed that two referees will be brought before a disciplinary hearing following remarks made about an administrator. The two top rugby referees allegedly brought the game into disrepute after criticising Griquas president Baby Richards in a newspaper article.
The Brumbies were given a major scare by the Cats in a pulsating Vodacom Super 12 encounter at Ellis Park on Saturday night, but they managed to hold on in the dying seconds for a narrow 34-29 win. The Australians certainly were worried as the Cats took the game to them throughout and particularly in the closing five minutes.
The Lions got the defence of their Vodacom Cup crown off to a shaky yet somewhat satisfying start as they ran in four tries to two to beat the plucky Griffons 29-14 at Ellis Park on Saturday afternoon. The home team led 17-7 at the break. The Lions were pushed hard by the Griffons for most of the first 40 minutes.
The Cats slumped to a second straight Vodacom Super 12 defeat when the Waratahs from New South Wales put them to the sword to the tune of 40-19 at Ellis Park on Saturday evening. The loss means South Africa’s performance over the weekend had a familiar feel about it with all four teams losing.
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/ 24 February 2005
The South African Rugby Union (Saru) continues to enjoy the full support of the South African government, despite serious unhappiness with its president, Brian van Rooyen, within the ranks of Parliament’s sports portfolio committee. Saru seems to have sorted out its problems with Minister of Sport and Recreation Makhenkesi Stofile, but has not yet gained the unconditional support of the portfolio committee.