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WP pull plug on Div and Hoskins
19/03/2008 22:19 - (SA)
Stephen Nell , Die Burger
Cape Town - Western Province will not support a proposed amendment to the SA Rugby Union's constitution that will ensure Springbok coach Peter de Villiers of the final say in the selection of the national team.
And WP have decided to vote for Mike Stofile when he challenges Saru president Oregan Hoskins at the national body's annual general meeting next week.
It emerged on Wednesday that the executive committee of the WP Rugby Union had decided at a special meeting earlier this week not to support the proposed amendment to Saru's constitution.
A unanimous vote at next Friday's Saru AGM is required to ensure that a clause can be added to De Villiers's contract to give him the final say in the selection of Springbok teams.
"No resolution was discussed but WP decided to support the constitution in its present form," an insider in Cape Town rugby circles said on Wednesday.
The meeting was held to decide which candidates WP would support at Saru's annual meeting.
There were different opinions but in the end WP decided to vote for Stofile, the current deputy president, in the selection of the president.
WP will also vote for their own president, Tobie Titus, to replace Stofile as deputy president and will support Rautie Rautenbach of the Falcons as new vice-president.
Has not signed a contract with Saru
The decision to support Stofile, Titus and Rautenbach was taken "in a democratic manner," according to information obtained on Wednesday.
Saru will need 100% support from eligible voters to change the constitution. WP's decision now makes this impossible.
De Villiers was appointed as new Springbok coach in January but he has not signed a contract with Saru.
He was expected to do so last week but it was said he wanted to be assured of having the final say in the selection of Springbok teams. The board of SA Rugby then discovered that a clause of that nature in his contract would be unconstitutional.
Jonty Goslett, De Villiers's agent, has confirmed that an agreement was reached about a salary.
"Peter has decided to accept SA Rugby's financial offer," Goslett said.
De Villiers is still hoping that the resolution to amend the constitution will be passed at the Saru AGM before he signs the contract.
It is believed that De Villiers will be paid an annual salary of R1.6m. His predecessor, Jake White, earned R1.8m in his last year, when the Springboks won the World Cup.
Assistant coaches
Meanwhile, the battle to appoint the national team's assistant coaches continues.
It seems a foregone conclusion that Sharks coach Dick Muir will be the backline coach but Gary Gold and Dawie Theron are both still in the running to be appointed as coach of the forwards.
It seems De Villiers would prefer Gold, who is contracted to Western Province until the end of 2009.
However, Theron has strong support among members of the committee who conducted interviews with the candidates.
Rob Wagner, managing director of WP Rugby, said on Wednesday he had not been approached by SA Rugby about the possibility to have Gold released from his contract.
- Die Burger
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