Spears saga an “embarrassment”
29 May 2006
Withdrawing the recently-formed Southern Spears from the Super 14 and Currie Cup competitions has left South Africa red-faced among its rugby-playing peers.
This was the view of franchise chairman Aldy Meyer, Sapa reported. “It is in some way an international embarrassment for people from other countries to see how we renege on our agreements and how it impacts negatively on international companies,” he told Parliament’s sport portfolio committee.
Meyer said two major sponsorships, one of them worth R15 million, were put at risk. Australian company International Sports Clothing sponsored the team’s kit to the tune of hundreds of thousands of rand, and was now “sitting with it”.
“Suite and chalet holders have been phoning off the hook,” Meyer said. “They have… purchased suites and chalets in an unprecedented way for those three unions (Border, Eastern Province and South Western Districts, shareholders of the Spears).
“(They) are livid because their expectations now have not been met. They feel that we are in breach of the contracts we have with them in terms of their purchasing of the suites and chalets (for) their clients to watch top-class rugby.”
SA Rugby decided last month to halt the Spears’ participation in the Super 14, and to put measures in place instead to help the franchise and the region reach “acceptable levels of readiness”.
The Spears was allowed to continue contesting the Currie Cup, provided it found its own funding – which Meyer has previously said was doubtful. The Spears have accused SA Rugby of dereliction of duty.
With SA Rugby president Oregan Hoskins present on Monday, Meyer told the committee the participation of a Super 14 franchise was included in the financial plans for a R1 billion stadium to be built in Port Elizabeth.
No formal study had been done on the impact of SA Rugby’s decision on the Spears, Meyer told the committee. He added that “support from the ground at the moment is tremendous”.
He said he was disclosing the information in a spirit of truthfulness and in collaboration with MPs so as to ensure South African rugby was taken to its “rightful place”.
“These things present challenges to us to collectively pursue a route… to ensure that this never happens again.”
About claims that the Spears had wasted millions of rands, he conceded that their system had failed.
“The chairman indicated at about R2.6 million that there must be no more monies given to the Spears until we investigated what has happened to the previous (amounts).
“Nobody took notice of that. It stands at six point something million (rand) at the moment, which indicates there is a problem with our system.”
There was a need for a new look at the situation “to see to what extent we can get all agencies, government and other… to help that region… to reach its full potential.”
Committee chairman Butana Komphela said Monday’s committee meeting was not the correct forum for Meyer’s briefing. A separate meeting must be arranged for rugby leadership to brief the
committee on what has happened.
The committee did not apologise for having made a political decision to back awarding the sixth South African Super 14 franchise to the Southern Spears, he added.
“This committee does not apologise for having arrived at that (decision). But we are cautious of the reasons that might be forwarded by the leadership of rugby why (this) situation has prevailed.”
17 Comments
29 May 2006, 18:06 pm
Me first!
29 May 2006, 18:26 pm
Mmmm… the only “embarrassment†is the Spears in the first place. A province that can’t even keep it’s affairs in order are bitching and moaning about fairness… Let it go now guys, you suck and will keep on sucking until all the deadwood admin guys are fired and people with real rugby knowledge and some decentcy are appointed. And while we are at it, Naas had it right in his article in the SA Rugby. We do not have enough quality players to host 5 Super 14 franchises. I would think if we had 3 we would have a better chance in rooting the Kiwi’s.
29 May 2006, 18:29 pm
But the Cats or is it the Lions(?) will win the next Super14!! I was shocked when I switched on the TV on Saterday and my beloved Cats were not in the final… Just could not believe it….
29 May 2006, 18:39 pm
Thanks again SARU! Things like this and many other cockups are the reason why 2011 world cup will be hosted by the All Blacks. Thanks to SARU.
Had they been involved and up to date with the Spears, and possibly shown any interest, they might have picked up very early that the money was being wrongly spent (which still hasn’t been proven yet by the way), and worked out a solution of better management.
There are still plenty secrets regarding this issue that haven’t been brought out yet, and rugby will suffer sadly as result of this. I hope that Mc Keever procedes with the court action, and that the issue gets resolved, whether it be McKeever or SARU who are held accountable.
29 May 2006, 19:11 pm
It is a joke when you think how quickly the Force were created.
29 May 2006, 20:02 pm
The battle for relegation was one of the few interesting dimensions of the Souh African challenge this year. Then the authorities realised that the Cats were heading for Neverland and the story changed. I think Johan Prinsloo (CEO) had something to do with it.
The Spears would have become a sustainable franchise within the first month after its promotion. This principle has been proved year after year in the soccer world.
29 May 2006, 20:02 pm
So whats new? We all knew the chaotic affairs of EP BORDER and SWD [hey what happened to the rented minibus episode????]
There should NEVER have been a team like SPARES and good riddance!
TATA SPARES TATTA
29 May 2006, 20:47 pm
Please stop bleating you Spears morons. You should never have been there.
29 May 2006, 20:51 pm
Lang Giel i think it was the Stormers heading for never never land lol, The cats are still one game away from turning there season around ha ha.
We are the laughing stock of the world rugby when it comes to things like this.
Managment in SA is just a joke.
29 May 2006, 21:29 pm
B4 and Doos
you are farkin stoopid
it’s not about a minibus it’s about honouring your obligations (go ask Joost your apparent hero about the finer details of this forgotten element); Spears were created, agreed they’d be in 2007 s14; told to find sponsors; formed a team; appointed Mc Keever
then told it was a Bobby Ewing dream;
only happen in cloud cuckoo land SA rugby
30 May 2006, 08:02 am
BVR created this “monster” which would never work & if the SPEARS think this is embarrassing, then how about playing in the S14 and getting beaten by 100 points on a regular basis. What is the point of having a chalet or a suite to watch a massacre?
I believe that they should be in the currie cup & EP/BORDER/SWD become the SPEARS for this tournament. Then SA could see what talkent is available, but to chuck them into the toughest competition in the world is plain crazy, their management team must stop bleating.
30 May 2006, 08:04 am
So, can anybody tell me, where’s the Stofile brother and Nqonde Balfour?!!!! Why aren’t they saying anything?!
30 May 2006, 08:24 am
The Spears have taken a lot of criticism … but McKeever and Meyer’s statements seem to be fact based unlike the fools from SARU. This aus sports company are the same company involved with the Brumbies and the Force and the Aus cricket side I think – they must really think we are useless back here in the good old republic of backward conservative blinkered views.
We still see all these transformation issues … the Spears would have been the middle ground between the political left and the conservative right that run the game. it could have been a success, had the right administartors, sponsors and good old SARU come on board. Damn shame …
30 May 2006, 08:47 am
This is not over by a long shot.
This is not a Brian van Rooyen project, it just happened on his watch. There is talk of an agreement inked on the 8th June last year with 21 signatures.
This is not a one man decision, this is a unanimous decision and the Spears took it to the market and signed sponsorship deals based off this and now SA Rugby close their eyes to this and the damage that will resonate in rugby circles throughout the Southern & Eastern Cape?
Methinks they are closing their eyes as one does moments before impact.
I do believe I hear the whistling of an incoming scud.
Someone has SA Rugby in their cross hairs and they will not escape unscathed from this one. Too many contracts, too many agreements, too many approvals at Presidents Council level and SA Rugby board level, to say otherwise.
This is a sleeper that has just awoken and it will be nasty for Hoskins and Co.
30 May 2006, 09:14 am
Rugbystudent
Ncondo Balour is now minister of Correctional Services, not sure if its his place to say something
30 May 2006, 10:28 am
Plunging from crisis to crisis. What a shambles the ruling regime creates!
30 May 2006, 12:00 pm
It is an embarrassing indictment on our administrators. Seriously, that would have been the easiest concept for me to sell to a potential sponsor if they had half a plan about administration. All the big players would have been falling over themselves to sponsor these guys.
**** what the rest of the world thinks about you, you should be embarrassed of yourselves, SARU.
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