More lies and deceit at the SWD Rugby union resulted in a game having to be ‘postponed’ because of a player strike for the first time in South African Rugby History.
We reported a couple of weeks ago on the sorry state of affairs at the union which has seen the players being held ransom for months now with salary disputes and non-payment thanks in large to SWD’s recent sponsorship and ownership deal with Bunker Capital.
At the center of the controversy is suspended SWD president, Stag Cronje who himself has been accused of acting more in favour of Bunker Capital, than SWD rugby.
The problems have been compounded with Cronje challenging his suspension in court, which has left everything hanging in the air until the matter is resolved.
The players at SWD has had enough though.
Intervention from SARPA seems to have amounted to very little, where last we heard they would approach the CCMA to resolve the player-pay dispute and contract issues with players.
The latest crisis comes amidst reports that the players’ contract insurance, and medical insurance has not been paid, leaving them at risk of losing their contracts and months of pay should they get injured in training or a match.
The fees have apparently been deducted from the player’s salaries, but never paid over to the relevant accounts or funds to cover for these insurances.
Where the players before were undecided whether to carry on or strike against the union, the latest developments saw them unite as one and inform the union that they would not take the field in a match that was supposed to be played this weekend past Saturday until the issue is resolved.
Worst of all, the game was against an Argentine invitational team that is taking part in the Vodacom Cup competition.
The match was officially ‘postponed’, but for the first time in history a game had to be called off because players refused to take the field.
One just wonders how long these embarrassing issues from the union will be allowed to continue before real action is taken against the administrators?
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March 10th, 2010 at 10:40 AM
The more things change…the more they stay the same…
March 10th, 2010 at 10:40 AM
The Stormers also threatened to strike once before a Super semi final…
March 10th, 2010 at 10:41 AM
@2
Just to play in the end , and get their arses handed to them in any case…eishh
March 10th, 2010 at 10:43 AM
On a serious note…someone should sort out these clowns sooner than later, but I suppose there are more important things to tend to now…like the upcoming elections…
March 10th, 2010 at 11:42 AM
So where is the leadership from Saru?
What have Saru got to say about this?
March 10th, 2010 at 11:47 AM
@5 tight head – Told you, they are to busy with the elections…
March 10th, 2010 at 11:57 AM
Oi…. this is nothing to laugh about.
SARU should have stepped in jonks ago…. and still has’nt.
March 10th, 2010 at 12:00 PM
GBS,
This is disgusting and an embarrassment to rugby in this country, not to mention an embarrassment for the people of SWD and the region.
March 10th, 2010 at 12:28 PM
SARU has no rights to step in. Hoskens did made himself available last week as negotiator to bring the fighting parties together. If there is no sincerity to find a solution, the parties will keep on fighting until there is nothing left to fight for.
It is a weel known fact that there is a lot of fighting in the SWD club matches. To me it seems that on field fighting has now entered the offices as well.
March 10th, 2010 at 12:29 PM
8@ Morne – It is more than disgusting, it is actually a sad state of affairs.
Hope the people without shit for brains step in and salvage the Union in turmoil.
March 10th, 2010 at 12:36 PM
9@ dWeePer – There are ways and means of stepping in… there are many ways to kill a cat.
This saga has gone on for many moons, and to offer a negotiator last week only is months behind the time, if not years.
Seems the Stag Cronje’s and those who “Ousted” him all do not have the best interests of SWD in mind, rather it is a political and pure power struggle.
It is shameless.
March 10th, 2010 at 12:41 PM
#9,
Incorrect.
SWD is a member union of SARU, SARU has every right to discipline, even suspend member unions.
March 10th, 2010 at 12:44 PM
But the question is…why don’t they…?
:
March 10th, 2010 at 12:46 PM
Blouste,
That a trick question?
March 10th, 2010 at 12:47 PM
When Boland were in their deepest troubles a while ago, having lost the financial backing of the sponsors due to the sponsor shanannigans things never went as pear shaped as what SWD are doing to themselves now.
This is the lowest form of greed and power hungry mudslinging imagineable…
March 10th, 2010 at 12:48 PM
No seriously… what’s stopping them…?
March 10th, 2010 at 12:50 PM
I suppose what stops them is the fact that players and coaching staff will be the inevitable victims, one really have to feel for the SWD players, they are being farked around no end!
March 10th, 2010 at 12:50 PM
Votes are at stake, and who votes in the presidential elections???
GBS,
Correct, but the Boland situation was because people outside the union screwed up – at SWD currently, it is people inside the union that are screwing up.
March 10th, 2010 at 12:52 PM
18@ Morne – Yip, that’s why I said, they’re destroying themselves from within…. they are playing “Wie se pielletjie is groter”!
March 10th, 2010 at 12:55 PM
@ 18 – So I was right all along…
Can’t imagine that in the so called “professional era” things can escalate to this…
It does’nt bode well…
March 10th, 2010 at 12:58 PM
I’m not realy in touch with the players at SWD, but can one expect a mass exodus to other unions…
If they go down, cant the Kings be the new union?
March 10th, 2010 at 12:58 PM
Probably will never go so far, but these days nothing would suprize me…
March 10th, 2010 at 1:01 PM
What I mean is that surely they get money from SARU, and will it be possible to scrap the union and give those funding to the Kings ?
March 10th, 2010 at 1:04 PM
23@ Blouste – The Kings are an amalgamation of Unions… a Franchise.
March 10th, 2010 at 1:04 PM
Grootblou, if you and your wife fight in your house, please tell me what are my ways and means to interfere.
March 10th, 2010 at 1:08 PM
# 24
O yes, hence the S15 inclusion they are looking for…sorry forgot that part…
March 10th, 2010 at 1:10 PM
@% @ dWeePer
I suppose if you in some way basicly owned a part of them or regularly funded them and they belonged to your orginization…then you can intervene…
March 10th, 2010 at 1:20 PM
Johannesburg – Springbok No 8 Pierre Spies has cautioned against high expectations for the Vodacom Bulls this weekend in their Vodacom Super 14 match against the Highlanders.
Much is expected from the defending champions as they return from a weekend off to face the New Zealand side, especially after the Highlanders lost 33-0 to the Stormers last weekend, but Spies, now fit again after injury kept him out of the Waratahs game, was erring on the cautious side.
The reason is simple. Last year, in Dunedin, the Bulls arrived full of confidence after dismantling the Hurricanes in Wellington a week earlier, and met a physical and intense Highlanders side that hit them hard. The Bulls lost 36-12 that day, and Spies remembers it well.
So much so that much of the team talk this week is about not letting the standards slip, and making sure a repeat of last year’s performance doesn’t happen again, especially with the Highlanders sure to come out firing to make up for their poor performance in Cape Town.
“We have to make up for last year,” Spies said, “In Dunedin; they really came at us last year and gave us a good beating. This year we will take some aspects out of the Stormers game and their other two games and concentrate on making sure we play our best rugby this week.
“The Stormers played really well against them, but we expect the Highlanders to be a lot better this week once they get to Loftus.” Spies admits while it is nice to be on top of the log after four rounds, there are still a number of weeks ahead in the competition, with the Bulls still not close to where they want to be in this competition.
“We’ve had a good three weeks, but technically we can improve a lot, especially in the standards we want to reach as a team. We set very high standards for ourselves and while the results have been good for us so far, we want to attain the standards we set for ourselves,” he explained.
“The fact that we are conceding so many points is not a good sign for us; luckily we have scored a lot as well. It is definitely something we’re working on – it doesn’t help to score fifty but to let in so many on the other side. It is a focus point for us, to tighten up the defence but to continue scoring on attack.”
As for the injury, Spies smiles when he says he is “itching to play again” but concedes there is a bigger picture at play.
“Any rest is always good in a tough competition like this and for me the break came at a very good time. I’m really itching to get onto the field again and can’t wait,” he adds.
“It’s nice that we’re still on top, but it can change so quickly, so we need to keep out momentum and ensure we win our home games while we are here to give ourselves that advantage. Anything we can do to make the team win is all that matters.”
March 10th, 2010 at 1:23 PM
Good to see what the general feeling in the camp is…
Give it your all and don’t let go of your grip…
March 10th, 2010 at 1:29 PM
25@ dWeePer – My wife, Handbriekie, will moerrrrrrrrrr you if you interfere…. then I will moerrrrrrr you…. hehehehe
Your analogy, although comic, is inacurate though!
March 10th, 2010 at 1:43 PM
The Sydney Morning Herald’s Super 14 Power Rankings after Round 4:
1. BULLS: Nice work! The Bulls had the week off and stayed on top of the ladder courtesy of losses by the Chiefs and Hurricanes. (Last week: 2)
2. STORMERS: The best defensive team in the competition. The Stormers have conceded 46 points less than their nearest rivals, the Crusaders. (Last week: 7)
3. CRUSADERS: They are getting better. Toughed it out against the Blues to keep their title tilt on course. (Last week: 5)
4. CHIEFS: That was a bad loss. Looked like scoring 80 against the Reds before shutting up shop too early. (Last week: 1)
5. HURRICANES: The top of the table beckoned and the Hurricanes folded. Crunch game against the Bulls this weekend. (Last week: 3)
6. BRUMBIES: Should have got the bonus point against the Lions but didn’t. Will need four tries against the Sharks. (Last week: 6)
7. REDS: Did their best to lose against the Chiefs in the final five minutes but held on. Fabulous win! (Last week:
8. BLUES: Tried hard, but outclassed against the Crusaders. Perhaps that’s their level this season. (Last week: 4)
9. WARATAHS: Could have won by 30 yet should have lost the game against the Sharks. The Tahs can thank referee Paul Marks for their win. (Last week: 10)
10. CHEETAHS: Belter of a result against the Canes but at a terrible price; Heinrich Brussow gone for the year. (Last week: 11)
11. HIGHLANDERS: The Stormers kept them to the first doughnut of the season. The loss was not disappointing, but its manner was. (Last week: 9)
12. SHARKS: Had some justifiable grievances against Paul Marks but should at least acknowledge they were not flash themselves. (Last week: 12)
13. LIONS: Showed some fight against the Brumbies but one always sensed they were not going to win. (Last week: 14)
14. FORCE: Fresh from the bye and chasing their first win, but there is no love lost between them and the Reds. (Last week: 13)
March 10th, 2010 at 1:52 PM
# 31
Obviously the Bulls won’t be playing the Canes this weekend…eishhh…die Aussies…
March 10th, 2010 at 2:05 PM
Jaco Pretorius on who’s fastest at the Bulls…
tienie asked: sterkte met die besering ,hoop jy is gou weer in die 13 trui..
net een vraag..julle hoor dit seker baie..wie is die vinnigste in die bulls,vodacom ,en onder 21 /19 spanne…
sal bakkies nog die jaar speel?
Jaco answered: Gerhard vd Heever is verseker die vinnigste by die Bulls… in my opinie heel moontlik die vinnigste in SA Rugby ook. Bakkies werk hard aan sy rehabilitasie en behoort oor so 3 weke weer te begin hardloop.
March 10th, 2010 at 2:09 PM
Johannesburg – The return of Springbok loose forwards Pierre Spies and Dewald Potgieter to the starting line-up for Saturday’s Super 14 rugby match against the Highlanders at Loftus Versfeld is the main selection news from the Blue Bulls camp.
Spies comes in for Danie Rossouw who moves to lock in place of Flip van der Merwe who drops to the bench.
On the other flank Derick Kuun is retained ahead of Deon Stegmann. “This is in accordance with our squad system and the agreement with players,” said Bulls coach Frans Ludeke at the team announcement on Wednesday.
“Every one of the players has been playing good rugby. The squad system is working well and all the players understand it.”
Ludeke has selected Stegmann and another loose forward, Pedrie Wannenburg, on the bench. He views the breakdown play of the Highlanders as one of their strong points for which he has made provision with the inclusion of the two additional loose forwards in a bench that boasts five forwards.
Prop Bees Roux was originally selected as one of the replacements but cut his eye against the scrumming machine on Wednesday morning. He is replaced on the bench by Rossouw de Klerk, who moves up from the Vodacom Cup side.
The versatility of wing Francois Hougaard who can cover at scrumhalf and the two backs on the bench, Jacques-Louis Potgieter and Jaco van der Westhuyzen who can cover the positions of flyhalf and centre in the case of Potgieter and fullback and flyhalf in the case of Van der Westhuyzen has made more backs on the bench an unnecessary luxury.
Springbok scrumhalf Heini Adams will therefore play for the Vodacom Blue Bulls in what could be a crunch match against the Golden Lions in Johannesburg on Saturday.
The Bulls team is: Zane Kirchner, Gerhard van den Heever, Stephan Dippenaar, Wynand Olivier, Francois Hougaard, Morne Steyn, Fourie du Preez, Pierre Spies, Dewald Potgieter, Derick Kuun, Victor Matfield (capt.), Danie Rossouw, Werner Kruger, Gary Botha, Grthro Steenkamp.
Substitutes: Bandise Maku, Rossouw de Klerk, Flip van der Merwe, Deon Stegmann, Pedrie Wannenburg, Jacques-Louis Potgieter, Jaco van der Westhuyzen.
March 10th, 2010 at 2:13 PM
Would have kept Flip in the starting line-up, with Danie coming on as impact player…
Your take on it ?
March 10th, 2010 at 2:26 PM
35@ Blouste – Why discuss it here when there’s a Bulls thread??
March 10th, 2010 at 2:28 PM
Hey, ek was eerste hoor….het daar geantwoord.
March 10th, 2010 at 3:20 PM
Well this is just abominable, where is the SWD rugby union ? and that the players had the deductions from there salaries but the union not paying it !!
Surely it must have a legal term like fraud or something.
March 10th, 2010 at 3:26 PM
@ 2 Blouste. Stormers players never threatened to strike. The media made the whole thing up. Andy Marinos may have had a hand in that.
March 10th, 2010 at 3:34 PM
39
Not what I’ve heard…