SARU (SA Rugby Union) independent exco member Monde Tabata has called for the troubled Border Rugby Union and the equally beleaguered Eastern Province Rugby Union to merge so as to make the Eastern Cape a dominant province in SA rugby.
For a while now, the two unions have been Saru’s problem children – often plagued by under-performance – because of political instability.
Tabata has now emerged as the province’s Mr Fixit – entrusted to bring sanity to both unions.
After a successful two-year stint at Border, Tabata has been given the unenviable task of trying to sort out the mess that is EP Rugby.
But, the successful and respected 56-year-old businessman believes the best and most sustainable solution to the problems facing rugby in the Eastern Cape is the establishment of a single all-powerful rugby entity.
“We really need to look at whether what has happened in these two unions does not present an opportunity to have a renewed Eastern Cape rugby focus,” said Tabata.
Emphasising that he was expressing his personal opinion, he said: “As the Eastern Cape we need to begin to have discussions about whether or not it is still viable to have Border and EP operating independently.
“Out of any problem encountered by any institution or business, the best way to fix the problem is to create a new vision.
“The challenges that have been experienced by Border and EP Rugby present the opportunity for a new vision and a fresh approach.”
Saru president Oregan Hoskins said the national body would agree to such a proposal but said this would have to be first endorsed by the leadership of the two unions.
“We (Saru) have started the process of geopolitical alignment of our structures but we are starting at the bottom with the districts and we will work our way up.”
Hoskins acknowledged that the proposed merger of Border and EP was “a thorny issue”, adding that Saru would “workshop it soon” and “come out with a position” about how it would be carried out.
Tabata said he strongly believed in the practicality of merging Border with EP. “In a commercial environment, both unions are small when operating independently but if you pull them together then you have an interesting commercial composition.”
This could help the province to consolidate its resources – financial and human, said Tabata, and this he believed could see the Eastern Cape one day influence rugby in South Africa.
From a development perspective, with one provincial entity, Tabata feels government and Saru support would be used more meaningfully with a greater chance of yielding positive results.
“The big population of rugby players scattered all over the province could be consolidated to help not only the Eastern Cape but the whole country.
“Remember the Eastern Cape has a bigger rugby-playing population than any other province with the exception of Western Cape,” said Tabata.
“So the whole country would depend on the EC to get rugby going and with the 2019 World Cup squad 50/50 representation target, Eastern Cape is the only province to mine black players as long as we consolidate all resources – technical and administrative into a single bankable entity.”
EP Rugby president Cheeky Watson dodged questions put to him saying he was in a meeting and would only be able to comment next week.
His Border counterpart Pumlani Mkolo could not be reached for comment.
Border, EP rugby should merge
For a while now, the two unions have been Saru’s problem children – often plagued by under-performance – because of political instability.
Tabata has now emerged as the province’s Mr Fixit – entrusted to bring sanity to both unions.
After a successful two-year stint at Border, Tabata has been given the unenviable task of trying to sort out the mess that is EP Rugby.
But, the successful and respected 56-year-old businessman believes the best and most sustainable solution to the problems facing rugby in the Eastern Cape is the establishment of a single all-powerful rugby entity.
“We really need to look at whether what has happened in these two unions does not present an opportunity to have a renewed Eastern Cape rugby focus,” said Tabata.
Emphasising that he was expressing his personal opinion, he said: “As the Eastern Cape we need to begin to have discussions about whether or not it is still viable to have Border and EP operating independently.
“Out of any problem encountered by any institution or business, the best way to fix the problem is to create a new vision.
“The challenges that have been experienced by Border and EP Rugby present the opportunity for a new vision and a fresh approach.”
Saru president Oregan Hoskins said the national body would agree to such a proposal but said this would have to be first endorsed by the leadership of the two unions.
“We (Saru) have started the process of geopolitical alignment of our structures but we are starting at the bottom with the districts and we will work our way up.”
Hoskins acknowledged that the proposed merger of Border and EP was “a thorny issue”, adding that Saru would “workshop it soon” and “come out with a position” about how it would be carried out.
Tabata said he strongly believed in the practicality of merging Border with EP. “In a commercial environment, both unions are small when operating independently but if you pull them together then you have an interesting commercial composition.”
This could help the province to consolidate its resources – financial and human, said Tabata, and this he believed could see the Eastern Cape one day influence rugby in South Africa.
From a development perspective, with one provincial entity, Tabata feels government and Saru support would be used more meaningfully with a greater chance of yielding positive results.
“The big population of rugby players scattered all over the province could be consolidated to help not only the Eastern Cape but the whole country.
“Remember the Eastern Cape has a bigger rugby-playing population than any other province with the exception of Western Cape,” said Tabata.
“So the whole country would depend on the EC to get rugby going and with the 2019 World Cup squad 50/50 representation target, Eastern Cape is the only province to mine black players as long as we consolidate all resources – technical and administrative into a single bankable entity.”
EP Rugby president Cheeky Watson dodged questions put to him saying he was in a meeting and would only be able to comment next week.
His Border counterpart Pumlani Mkolo could not be reached for comment.
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