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Springbok issues

They'd need to bring it up with the Maori All Blacks. They have a true quota of 100% of team must have some Maori descent and it clearly offers a player increased development opportunity to make the full squad by granting fixtures against international teams. They make the apparently non-binding targets at different levels of rugby look tame in comparison and don't even have the "social inclusion" argument to fall back on. The Maori side has been on the go since 1888 with no obvious protests from any governing body, so I wouldn't hold out much hope for any change being dictated to the SA government.

I always thaught about it that way. But we (SA) had it in the past. I know it wasn't for transformation purposes but it was there. I would think that if we could have an entirely transformed super rugby team (which includes whites and coloureds), with an experienced coach, transformation could work without having an negative effect on the springboks. Maybee the kings could be that team with a guy like PDV as coach.
 
I always thaught about it that way. But we (SA) had it in the past. I know it wasn't for transformation purposes but it was there. I would think that if we could have an entirely transformed super rugby team (which includes whites and coloureds), with an experienced coach, transformation could work without having an negative effect on the springboks. Maybee the kings could be that team with a guy like PDV as coach.

That could work. But greed and ignorance from the guys at the top and the politicians won't go that way. Plus which player in their right mind would play for that team, knowing that they are basically the Quota team?
 
I would see it as being no different from the New Zealand Maoris. Players seem happy to play for them. They could ask any touring team to play them.
 
Even if the idea of a separate team has merit, the government won't go for that. Not their "style".
 
If anyone wants to raise issues with SARU, here are 3 email addresses

Jurie Roux - [email protected] (SA Rugby CEO)
Ronel Groenewald - [email protected] (Jurie's secretary, he is on leave apparently)
SARU - [email protected] (SARU email address)

- - - Updated - - -

Come to think of it...

There's another problem besides Mbulula and his policies.
It's Jurie Roux

http://www.biznews.com/thought-leaders/2016/02/25/graeme-joffe-the-sporting-money-trail-jurie-rouxs-saru-a-mini-fifa/



Graeme Joffe: The sporting money trail – Jurie Roux's SARU a mini-FIFA

By Graeme Joffe
[FONT=&amp]Dear Adriaan[/FONT]
[FONT=&amp]I refer to your column in the City Press at the weekend headlined: "Why does nobody care about Jurie Rouxgate?"[/FONT]
You lament the fact there is no national outcry about the serious allegations that SARU CEO, Jurie Roux "siphoned off R35 million" from Stellenbosch University to fund the Maties rugby club.

 
I'm very sad to see the Springbok in this state. Truly a great rival. We need a strong South Africa for the RC, it improves our game and the South African away games I have always considered as the All Blacks toughest fixture.

Has Johan Ackermann been considered? There's a man with a contemporary vision of rugby who turned the Lions into an exceptionally good side. I don't think he could be any worse than the joker they have at the moment and he has a good template to work with, South Africa do have some talented runners.
 
Sad state of affairs indeed, what with France selling out to their clubs, Union in Australia slipping way down the pecking order to their main sports behind League, AFL, Cricket, Soccer etc; are we now seeing an irreversible the decline of another great power? Now all the ABs' rivals in the next 3-4 years will be Ireland and England.
 
No chance. He has burnt enough bridges and will also not bow to the political and operational demands of the EXCO.
 
Sad state of affairs indeed, what with France selling out to their clubs, Union in Australia slipping way down the pecking order to their main sports behind League, AFL, Cricket, Soccer etc; are we now seeing an irreversible the decline of another great power? Now all the ABs' rivals in the next 3-4 years will be Ireland and England.

Not to worry. One nation's loss is another one's gain. Argentina Scotland and Japan are looking good. Their stock is rising. Who knows Turkey might be next. There will always be a team on the ascent to replace a falling one. Speaking of turkey, the union here don't seem the least bothered and the clubs couldn't care less. It's all good.
 
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It's just an opinion piece. Nothing else.

Of course it's just an opinion piece. Nobody is in a position to do anything other than speculate at the moment. Everything in the media is currently conjecture.

I would welcome back Jake White, but he'd need to have the right assistants. His brand of rugby was very effective in 2007.
 
Sad state of affairs indeed, what with France selling out to their clubs, Union in Australia slipping way down the pecking order to their main sports behind League, AFL, Cricket, Soccer etc; are we now seeing an irreversible the decline of another great power? Now all the ABs' rivals in the next 3-4 years will be Ireland and England.

It's really scary. I think our rugby is going to decline as a result.

Australia and South Africa have always toughened us up. To have them so weak is nothing but detrimental. You saw our performance in Chicago after destroying the RC.

I never thought I'd ever be saying this, but I think the 6 Nations is the best competition in the world now.
 
It's really scary. I think our rugby is going to decline as a result.

Australia and South Africa have always toughened us up. To have them so weak is nothing but detrimental. You saw our performance in Chicago after destroying the RC.

I never thought I'd ever be saying this, but I think the 6 Nations is the best competition in the world now.

I'd bite my tongue yet, the past 3 6N have been pretty **** (especially this year's), with each year gradually getting worse and worse starting 2014... Next year looks like it's shaping up to be good though.

I tried following my first RC ever this year, watching uploads of matches the day after. I stopped watching after week 2, dreadful stuff. I know that this year wasn't vintage by any means and that historically it's way way better but as you say it is bad for NZ and bad for world rugby as a whole to have South Africa fall from grace. I know union isn't that popular in Australia but considering that they're not doing bad. RWC finalists for a sport that's overshadowed by 4 other sports is pretty decent.
 
The issues with Oz and SA rugby gives all the more reason for NZ to cultivate Japan as a full blown partner.
 
I never thought I'd ever be saying this, but I think the 6 Nations is the best competition in the world now.

From my experience of watching the RC I think it's a notch above the 6N. The 6N has been going backwards in recent years as remarked by many on this forum. But this is not cast in stone. And with Eng Ire and Sco showing excellent form and a new Italy under OShea things could change.
 
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I echo what others have said that the quality of the rugby in the RC is superior to the 6Ns.
 
Here is the planned review for SA Rugby

http://www.sapeople.com/2016/11/26/south-african-rugby-plans-springbok-review-governance/

Mark Alexander said plans to bring governance structures more in line with the demands of professional sport were already well advanced while the immediate question of what to do about Springbok results was the organisation’s No 1 priority.

"We must coolly and coldly analyse what have been the main factors contributing to those results before determining what remedies are at our disposal to solve them. We will start by speaking to the coach and other team role players for their assessment and to provide our feedback. We will take feedback from forthcoming workshops and we must critically review our selection policy relating to overseas-based players"

Mr Alexander confirmed that the planned on-field interventions would continue as scheduled.

Don't know about governance structures being well advanced other than governance seems to be politically driven. Remove the political rules, practices and processes - that will be a step in the right direction.

At least their no1 priority is what to do about the results - while it makes reference to possibly including overseas players which is perhaps a move in the right direction it is clear the planned on-field interventions which refers to quotas and targets is an area that is not up for negotiation. So referring back to governance it seems politics will continue to dominate.

A conditioning workshop for the national teams and Vodacom Super Rugby biokineticists would take place on 7 December.

The coaching workshop between the Springbok coaches and franchise coaches takes place on 12 December.

Meanwhile, a General Council meeting on 9 December could also have a significant bearing on the future of rugby in South Africa, Mr Alexander said.

“A number of constitutional changes are being placed before the unions for their consideration,†he said.

Mr Alexander said the key changes planned are:

1 - New franchise and non-franchise rugby committees to improve communication between unions and Executive Council; to make recommendations on competitions and playing affairs; and to speed up decision making.

Good!


2 - Allowing third parties to take a majority shareholding in Unions’ commercial arms and have a voice in running rugby through the new franchise rugby committee.

Adding a few more carriages to the gravy train.


3 - Doubling independent representation on the Executive Council to four members plus the representative of the players

Independents - smells of nepotism.
Players - tow the line or you're out.


4 - Terminating the role of the vice-president (at the end of the current term in 2018) to bring the elected representation to six

And this helps how?


The Executive Council is also planning the creation of an Advisory Board of eminent individuals from business and civic society to act as a sounding board for rugby. That body would not have a constitutional role however.

So a toothless body that will be disregarded if it's opinion is counter to the political agenda.

Seems the more things change the more they stay the same!
 
Here is the planned review for SA Rugby

http://www.sapeople.com/2016/11/26/south-african-rugby-plans-springbok-review-governance/

Mark Alexander said plans to bring governance structures more in line with the demands of professional sport were already well advanced while the immediate question of what to do about Springbok results was the organisation's No 1 priority.

"We must coolly and coldly analyse what have been the main factors contributing to those results before determining what remedies are at our disposal to solve them. We will start by speaking to the coach and other team role players for their assessment and to provide our feedback. We will take feedback from forthcoming workshops and we must critically review our selection policy relating to overseas-based players"

Mr Alexander confirmed that the planned on-field interventions would continue as scheduled.

Don't know about governance structures being well advanced other than governance seems to be politically driven. Remove the political rules, practices and processes - that will be a step in the right direction.

At least their no1 priority is what to do about the results - while it makes reference to possibly including overseas players which is perhaps a move in the right direction it is clear the planned on-field interventions which refers to quotas and targets is an area that is not up for negotiation. So referring back to governance it seems politics will continue to dominate.

A conditioning workshop for the national teams and Vodacom Super Rugby biokineticists would take place on 7 December.

The coaching workshop between the Springbok coaches and franchise coaches takes place on 12 December.

Meanwhile, a General Council meeting on 9 December could also have a significant bearing on the future of rugby in South Africa, Mr Alexander said.

"A number of constitutional changes are being placed before the unions for their consideration," he said.

Mr Alexander said the key changes planned are:

1 - New franchise and non-franchise rugby committees to improve communication between unions and Executive Council; to make recommendations on competitions and playing affairs; and to speed up decision making.

Good!


2 - Allowing third parties to take a majority shareholding in Unions' commercial arms and have a voice in running rugby through the new franchise rugby committee.

Adding a few more carriages to the gravy train.


3 - Doubling independent representation on the Executive Council to four members plus the representative of the players

Independents - smells of nepotism.
Players - tow the line or you're out.


4 - Terminating the role of the vice-president (at the end of the current term in 2018) to bring the elected representation to six

And this helps how?


The Executive Council is also planning the creation of an Advisory Board of eminent individuals from business and civic society to act as a sounding board for rugby. That body would not have a constitutional role however.

So a toothless body that will be disregarded if it's opinion is counter to the political agenda.

Seems the more things change the more they stay the same!

Well at least our new president is doing something. Oregon Hoskins would just have let it slide and used some jargon to try and get the media off his back.

But I won't be so quick as to judge these ideas as a bad move, I think it's long overdue. And it's about time that the bigger unions get more say in what happens in SA rugby, as they have basically been bullied in voting and financially by the other smaller unions as all of them have an equal vote and share in the funding. Yet the bigger unions assist the small unions in the financial department anyway.

The focus is to get Springbok rugby back to being number 1 priority and get the support structures to assist in the best way they can.

I just hope they do something about the coaching staff too...
 
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