South-East Cape rugby anger

2005-04-15 21:45

Michael Green and Henk Steenkamp

East London - The decision not to grant a Super 14 franchise to the southern and eastern Cape has been received with disappointment, anger and protest in this region.

The South African Rugby Union (Saru) on Friday set out the five regions which represent the five franchises - but the southern and eastern Cape were the unlucky ones.

Each of the three unions was grouped with one of the other franchises - The Border joins the Sharks, the Elephants join up with the Bulls and the South Western Districts are back with Western Province and Boland.

The Lions, Pumas, Falcons and Leopards are together, as are the Free State, the Griffons and Griquas.

"Saru has given the growth of soccer in the eastern Cape a major push," commented Garth Wright, joint chairperson of the bid committee of the eastern region.

He added that SA Rugby's decision takers would be judged by history.

"They should wake up. A major opportunity has now gone to waste," Wright added.

"Many promising black players may now turn to soccer. And SA Rugby's bid for the World Cup in 2011 may suffer too."

The Minister of Sport Makhenkesi Stofile, said he and other members of parliament would have liked to see one of the franchises go to the south-eastern Cape.

"It is quite unthinkable that a region which has 43% of he country's registered rugby players can't get a franchise.

The presidents of the three unions walked out of the meeting in Durban out of protest against the decision. "We cannot possibly be grouped with those other provinces," said Joey Daniels, president of SWD. "It has repeatedly been shown it simply does not work."

The chairperson of the committee for recreation and culture of the Nelson Mandela metropole, councillor Charmaine Williams, said she was shocked. "How can the EP and the Blue Bulls be grouped together? They are in opposite parts of the country. I'll be surprised if the Bulls even play one match in Port Elizabeth."

- Die Burger