Spears still in with a 2007 Super 14 Chance!

[Darren]

Eeastern Province to prove Spears' saviours?

Port Elizabeth - In a press release issued by one of Eastern Province rugby's sub-unions, a clear message has been sent to correct recent media reports that Eastern Province Rugby has sold 50% of its shares to SA Rugby.

This follows SA Rugby's vice-president Koos Basson's declaration last week that SA Rugby had "assumed control" of the Spears via their "purchasing" of 50% of the shares in the three Spears shareholders, Border, SWD and Eastern Province.

The "purchase" involved SA Rugby acquiring 25.1% of the shares in Border and SWD in return for replacing Sail as the guarantor plus the acquisition of Sail's 24.9% shares in each of the two unions in a yet undisclosed price, following SA Rugby getting Border and SWD's rugby executives, to sign away their waiving of their right of first refusal.

However, according the press release, Eastern Province Rugby have not signed away any shares to SA Rugby, nor waived their right of first refusal to the selling of the Sail's shares of 24.9%, following a unanimous show of solidarity from Eastern Province's 116 clubs, to retain the asset value with EP rugby and the Spears.

The meeting of the EP clubs last week, declared that the terms and conditions are not favourable to Eastern Province and neither SA Rugby nor Sail has declared what cash or other offer, SA Rugby has made to acquire the 24.9% shares. The net effect is that SA Rugby has only secured a one-third share of the Spears and that Eastern Province rugby clubs are standing by the order of the High Court of August 4, that the Spears play in the 2007 and 2008 Super 14 competition, as agreed with SA Rugby on June 8 and December 2, 2005.

There is an overwhelming ground swell of support for the Spears emerging from the Eastern Province Rugby Clubs whose power base resides with the four sub-unions outside of the Port Elizabeth metro area.

Chairperson of the Kouga sub-union, Roger Serfontein, and spokesperson for over 70 clubs in the area, all staunch supporters of the Spears franchise said: "Eastern Province rugby and its clubs will not be misled by SA Rugby's hard charging desperate attempts to assume control of the Spears, by rail roading the clubs into a share deal that makes no sense.

With the Spears playing in the 2007 Super 14, it will generate sponsorship revenues of millions of rands into the region, that will flow into the clubs and make them stronger. With the clubs stronger the Spears will become stronger. SA Rugby is unable to match the sponsors' offers".

Serfontein, also the Hankey Villagers Rugby Club vice-president, said his club and others throughout the five sub-unions have waited for years to have a Super 14 franchise in the region and SA Rugby needs to abide by the High Court order of the August 4 which orders that the Spears play in the 2007 and 2008 Super 14. We have the players and we have the sponsors.

[Darren]

Another report on the same issue....

http://www.planet-rugby.com/Teams/So...ry_54358.shtml

McKeever could face disciplinary steps
Monday October 09 2006
Spears CEO gets cosy with the clubs

In another setback for the Spears' maverick CEO, Tony McKeever, it was confirmed on Monday morning that he (McKeever) is under investigation by the South African Rugby Union (SARU) for having breached the union's code of conduct.

Christo Ferreira, the manager of legal affairs at SARU, confirmed on Monday that Peter Ingwersen had been appointed to investigate whether there exists a prima facie evidence that McKeever has been in breach of SARU's code of conduct.

This relates to certain media statement McKeever made in the last few months, in which - amongst other things - he accused SARU of having "bribed" the South Western Districts and Border unions.

Ferreira added that if Ingwersen found enough evidence existed for a prima facie case against McKeever, a case would be presented to the judicial chairman of the national body, Koos Basson, and a disciplinary hearing would be called.

"We should know by the middle of the week if we will proceed," Ferreira told rugby365.com.

The charges are similar to those put before former SARU president Brian van Rooyen, who was earlier this year banned from all rugby structures, at national level.

Similarly McKeever could be banned from all rugby structures, if found guilty.

The latest setback comes at a time when McKeever has decided to get cosy with clubs in the region, as he tries desperately to hold onto his flimsy grip on the Spears franchise.

It was reported last week that the Eastern Province Rugby Union (EPRU) has agreed in principle to sell 25,1 percent of its shares to SA Rugby (Pty) Ltd - the commercial arm of SARU - in a move that could effectively give the national body control over the floundering Spears franchise.

If this sale of shares goes through it will further reduce McKeever's hold on the South Eastern Cape (SEC) franchise - after he had lost a number of battle against SA Rugby in recent weeks.

Not only was SA Rugby/SARU given leave to appeal an earlier court decision to allow the Spears back into the Super 14 next, but McKeever's legal team also failed to file his article 49(11) documentation - which was due last week.

That meant he will not get any of the millions in compensation he so boldly claimed SA Rugby owed him.

Last week Tuesday - the same day that McKeever's legal team failed to file the article 49(11) documentation - the EPRU decided to sell the shares. The decision was made at a meeting held at the EPRU Stadium.

The sale is subject to certain conditions, the main one being that litigation between the Spears and SARU/SA Rugby be settled out of court, officials said.

Both the Border and South Western Districts have already agreed to sell 25,1 percent of their shares to SA Rugby/SARU and have signed the papers.

However, McKeever denied that the EPRU have agreed to sell the shares.

A statement, issued by McKeever on behalf of the Hankey Villagers Rugby Club and the Kouga sub union, said it is incorrect to state SARU/SA Rugby had assumed control over the Spears.

According to the release a "clear message" was sent to SA Rugby to correct recent media reports that Eastern Province Rugby (Pty) Ltd has sold 50 percent of its shares to SA Rugby.

"This follows SA Rugby's vice-president Koos Basson's declaration last week that SA Rugby had 'assumed control' of the Spears via their 'purchasing' of 50 percent shares of the three Spears shareholders, Border, SWD and Eastern Province." the statement said.

"The 'purchase' involved SA Rugby acquiring 25.1 percent shares of Border and SWD in return for replacing SAIL as the guarantor plus the acquisition of SAIL's shares of 24.9 percent in each of the two unions in a yet undisclosed price, following SA Rugby getting Border and SWD's rugby executives, to sign away their waiving of their right of first refusal.

"Eastern Province Rugby have not signed away any shares to SA Rugby, nor waived their right of first refusal to the selling of the SAIL's shares of 24.9 percent, following a unanimous show of solidarity from Eastern Province's 116 clubs, to retain the asset value with EP rugby and the Spears.

"The meeting of the EP clubs last week, declared that the terms and conditions are not favourable to Eastern Province and neither SA Rugby nor SAIL has declared what cash or other offer, SA Rugby has made to acquire the 24.9 percent shares.

"The net effect is that SA Rugby has only secured a one-third (1/3) share of the Spears and that Eastern Province rugby clubs are standing by the order of the High Court of the 4th August, that the Spears play in the 2007 and 2008 Super 14 competition, as agreed with SA Rugby on 8th June and 2nd December 2005.

"There is an overwhelming ground swell of support for the Spears emerging from the Eastern Province Rugby Clubs whose power base resides with the 4 sub-unions outside of the Port Elizabeth metro area."

Roger Serfontein, chairman of the Kouga sub union, and the self-proclaimed spokesperson for over 70 clubs in the area, all supposedly staunch supporters of the Spears franchise, was quoted at length in the statement.

"Eastern Province rugby and its clubs will not be misled by SA Rugby's hard charging desperate attempts to assume control of the Spears, by rail roading the clubs into a share deal that makes no sense," Serfontein said.

"With the Spears playing in the 2007 Super 14, it will generate sponsorship revenues of millions of Rands into the region, that will flow into the clubs and make them stronger. With the clubs stronger the Spears will become stronger. SA Rugby is unable to match the sponsors offers."

Serfontein, also the Hankey Villagers Rugby Club vice-president, said his club and others throughout the five sub unions have waited for years to have a Super 14 franchise in the region and SA Rugby needs to abide by the High Court order of the 4th August which orders that the Spears play in the 2007 & 2008 Super 14.

"We have the players and we have the sponsors," Serfontein said.

Serfontein likened the Spears area with a population of 8 million and the Spears as one franchise, to New Zealand, with a population of four million with five franchises and said that the participation of the Spears in the 2007 Super 14 series is non-negotiable.

"The clubs are resolute that the Spears play in the 2007 Super 14 as per the below competition fixture schedule," the statement concluded.

By Jan de Koning

[The InnFORCEr]

What a bloody mess. They may need our Mr John O'Neill over there to sort this out.

[Flat-top]

Make it S15 for the 2007 season, include the Spears and let them prove they deserve the place. The politics going on in SARU are not doing the sport any favours, if they (Spears) are as poor as others have said then that will be shown in results and they can be removed from the league, what is there to lose...more fixtures and more rugby is good

[The InnFORCEr]

I don't think too many sponsorswould jump on that one, but a nice idea.