SA Rugby president Mark Alexander, seen here at the Springboks’ World Cup trophy tour last year, has to calm simmering discontent among the URC franchises. (Photo by Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images)
Simmering tensions between SA Rugby and the country’s top franchises are threatening to boil over in the wake of mounting reservations over the local governing body’s continuing negotiations with the US’s Ackerley Sports Group (ASG) on a potential equity deal.
Last week’s announcement by the Seattle-based shelf company that it was engaged in discussions on “a partnership agreement to invest in South African rugby at all levels” was merely another entry in a catalogue of issues that haven’t been communicated effectively between the federation and its most prominent constituents.
It prompted the chairmen of the Bulls, Lions, Sharks and Stormers’ respective professional arms to collectively sign and send a forceful letter, which News24 has seen, to SA Rugby president Mark Alexander and Rian Oberholzer, its interim CEO, on Monday, urging transparency and communication in the form of an “urgent in-person meeting”.
South Africans need to be in the know if we want to create a prosperous future. News24 has kept the country informed for 25 years, and we’re about to enter a new chapter of fearless journalism. Join our free subscription trial to unlock this story and a world of news aimed to inform, empower, and inspire.