SA Rugby plans Springbok review and governance overhaul
A turnaround strategy for the Springbok team, the revamping of governance structures in rugby and a review of selection of overseas-based players are all points on the agenda when SA Rugby will soon reflect on the past season.
The president of SA Rugby outlined plans on the weekend for an overhaul of SA Rugby administration as well as for a Springbok review process following what he admitted had been a “profoundly disappointing” season for South African rugby.
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 number one priority.
“It has been a profoundly disappointing season in terms of results and we are acutely aware that we have failed to live up to the Springboks’ proud heritage. We have collectively let down our supporters, our commercial partners and our broadcast partner, SuperSport. I would like to apologise to all our stakeholders for the disappointments we have all suffered this season. We are all feeling very raw and let down and it would be easy to make knee-jerk decisions. But we must resist that,” said Alexander.
He said they will start by speaking to the coach and other team role players for their assessment and to provide feedback. They will also take feedback from forthcoming indabas and then critically review the selection policy relating to overseas-based players.
“I can assure our supporters and stakeholders that if tough decisions have to be made we will not shy away from making them,” Alexander promised.
Mr Alexander confirmed that the planned on-field interventions would continue as scheduled. A conditioning workshop for the national teams and Super Rugby biokineticists would take place on 7 December. The coaching Indaba 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, Alexander said.
“A number of constitutional changes are being placed before the unions for their consideration. The Executive Council regards them as major and important steps to make structures more efficient and better purposed to meet the needs of professional rugby. Obviously their impacts will only be felt over coming months and years, but we believe that they will have a positive impact on the way rugby is managed,” Alexander assured the rugby public.
Alexander said the key changes planned are:
- 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.
- 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.
- Doubling independent representation on the Executive Council to four members plus the representative of the players.
- Terminating the role of the vice-president (at the end of the current term in 2018) to bring the elected representation to six.
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.
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