27/02/2008 15:06

This was confirmed on Wednesday by project manager Godfrey Afrika, the man tasked by the South African Rugby Union (Saru) and SA Rugby (Pty) Ltd to oversee procedure. It's proved a mammoth task, but after just 11 months, Afrika is more than happy at the progress.

According to Afrika, Saru had publicly undertaken at a rugby indaba held at Coega outside Port Elizabeth in 2006 to ensure a team represents the Eastern and Southern Cape in the Super 14.

The decision was taken on the back of a court case involving the Spears and Saru after the Saru pulled the plug on the Spears playing in the competition.

"Part of my brief was for Super 14 rugby to be played in the three regions including regional participation. I had to first ensure the Border, Eastern Province and South Western Districts (SWD) rugby unions were sound administratively and financially," Afrika said.

He added this was necessary to convince both the public and Saru that the regions were capable of becoming involved in the Super 14. "As things now stand, Eastern Province and SWD are both on a sound footing and already investors and sponsors are taking an interest.

"In fact for the first time in years Eastern Province find themselves in the black," he said.

As far as Border Rugby is concerned the process is almost complete.

"Within the next two months we will be engaging sponsors and investors both in and outside the area to come on board and help build the province into the formidable force it once was," said Afrika.

He added it had been no easy task: "When I took the job on, many said that considering the huge political, administrative and financial problems within Eastern Province rugby there was no way I would sort things out, but after two months the union is now financially and politically stable."

As a result three investors were now showing an interest in involving themselves and the same applied to South Western Districts.

Afrika said part of his mission was also to see that talented young players were retained and a high performance centre established. To this end a piece of ground has already been identified and negotiations are underway regarding financial aid.

"We are specifically looking at players in the U18 age group and the academy will be their incubator for bigger things," Godfrey pointed out.

Talks have been held with several universities including Walter Sisulu, Rhodes, Fort Hare and the Nelson Mandela Metro University.

"Remember by 2010/2011, 18-year-olds will be 20 or 21 and that's the age group we will be targeting."

An exchange programme is already in place with eight young players - two from the Border - having spent time at a rugby academy in the north of England. "We need to get players used to conditions they will experience in New Zealand and that's why we chose the British Isles."

Afrika added the system would automatically turf out administrators who failed to share the vision of the three unions.