The majority shareholders in the Blue Bulls Company, Johann Rupert and Patrice Motsepe, have reportedly bought a majority stake in the Boland Rugby Union.

According to a report by Sunday newspaper Rapport, the consortium, which owns a 74% share in the Bulls, acquired a 74% stake in the Boland Rugby Union, subject to approval from SA Rugby and the other unions.

The move has been approved by the 216 clubs that form Boland. The amount that was paid for the shares has not been disclosed.

Should the purchase be approved by SA Rugby, it would make Boland the first non-franchise union in the country to get a majority private equity partner.

The overall goal of the investment is to develop talent in the region in a similar way to how Stellenbosch FC climbed into the top division of South African football.

“My chairman, Johann Rupert, has had his eye on the Boland for quite some time,” Remgro CEO Jannie Durand told Rapport.

“What (Boland Rugby) realises is that we are not a faceless company. There’s history and family and loyalty – that’s very important to us, and I think they realize that. Our goal is to get them into the Premier Division of the Currie Cup over the next few years.

“If we can build the talent, it should be easy. Especially when you see what the Pumas and Cheetahs did in the Currie Cup.”