Revitalising the image of the Border Rugby Union, the Bulldogs and the women’s team are among the priorities the newly elected executive says need to be addressed urgently.
Add to that, stopping player poaching, strengthening school rugby programmes in rural areas and townships, introducing an U21 competition and rejigging the structure of the union’s women’s league are also on their urgent to-do list.
They believe the list of concerns is derailing the union and needs fixing, so that when the union approaches the private sector for funding and sponsorship, the picture is presentable.
The union held its elections at the weekend, the first in four years.
Theo Mvalo was named the union’s president, with Phumelele Hlati serving as his deputy.
Siphokazi Njani is the vice-president, Vusumzi Joni and Zongezile Mdoda are the district representatives, and Mzingisi Douw is the rep for clubs.
Wayne Weyer and Mandisa Mgabadeli are additional members.
A key component was making sure the union did not rely on annual grants from SA Rugby alone, Mvalo, Hlati and Njani said.
Over the years, the union has been dependent mostly on the mother body’s grants since it has struggled to attract big corporates with financial muscle.
The grant has proven insufficient, with the union unable to provide long-term contracts to its Bulldogs and women’s teams personnel.
This has opened the door for other unions to plunder its talent.
The women’s team, once a dominant force in women’s rugby, has seen a decline over the past season as the majority of their senior and rising talent have moved to financially secure unions.
For the Bulldogs, players have been subjected to one-season contracts, which has made it hard for coaches to breed continuity.
“We have a background dealing in finance in our work,” Hlati said.
“We hope that with our combined skills and experience, we will be able to deal with the financial side of Border.
“We can’t rely on grants alone. We will go nowhere. The union has to be credible.”
Hlati said they had to make the Bulldogs and women’s teams attractive to the business sector.
Mvalo said they were going to have a conversation with the coaching staff of both teams in the coming weeks, regarding issues of contracts and other issues.
Bulldogs’ head coach Dumisani Mhani’s contract has expired, with mentorship roles for the women still uncertain.
The executive met Bulldogs players on Sunday and had brief discussions on certain aspects regarding the players’ future in the union.
Also, to counter poaching, at senior and junior level and even at schools.
Mvalo said it was key that the new executive worked closely with schools and regional universities and be on the same page.
The union would also introduce an U21 league structure which they planned to name after the late Luqobo Makwedini.
“We should have our universities playing the Varsity Cup and not the Shield.
“We have to assist them as much as we can because if we have, let’s say, Fort Hare and WSU in the Varsity Cup, that means we could be able to convince our top players from our high schools to stay in the region because they will be playing in a quality competition,” Mvalo said.
Hlati emphasised improving the union’s club rugby system.
“We are second only to Boland when it comes to clubs that are participating in all levels of our rugby.
“But you don’t see that because it has been haphazard in some ways, and also it hasn’t been focused enough; it’s an area we will look at mostly in the next 12 months.”
Njani said the decline in form of the Border Ladies was because of lack of game time in the leagues before national competitions started.
“We have to increase the number of teams so we can build quality competition that will produce talent from all around the region,” she said.
Daily Dispatch
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