Who is Hoskins?
31 Jan 2006
Oregan Hoskins, the man opposing Brian van Rooyen for the Saru presidency, launched his campaign through the media this week.
In doing so, Hoskins has shown himself to be both articulate and ambitious. He’s talked the talk, but whether he walks the decidedly more tricky walk in rugby’s underworld remains to be seen.
Public perception is one thing, reality another. In the murky world of rugby politics, it is the votes of the 14 unions that matter. Media strategy serves a purpose, but ultimately the streetfight for votes is where the battle for the Saru presidency will be decided.
Brian van Rooyen has not engaged the media, save for an exclusive interview on keo.co.za. Instead he has visited seven unions in the last two weeks. Hoskins’ campaign is well-packaged, Van Rooyen’s dogmatically targetted at the voters.
Like many administrators, Hoskins found his way into rugby administration through the courts. A qualified advocate, Hoskins’ appointment as president of the Sharks was groundbreaking. He is the first black president of the Durban union
His progression to national office was first mooted back in September, when Mike Stofile and Andre Markgraaff attempted a coup against Van Rooyen. Both came out in support of Hoskins as Van Rooyen’s replacement.
SASCOC’s bumbling CEO Moss Mashishi appointed him head of an interim committee to govern rugby’s affairs when the sports administrative watchdog attempted to wrest power from Van Rooyen that same month, unsuccesfully.
Hoskins legitimacy as a contender has never been questioned, but the election of Saru presidents seldom focus on legitimacy. What will be decisive is whether he is willing to engage in the streetfight, whether he convinces those in the possession of votes that their best interests are better served by his elevation than Van Rooyen’s continued rule.
Hoskins has been a council member of the Sharks for the past 10 years. He became vice-president in 1999, and president in 2003.
28 Comments
31 Jan 2006, 13:38 pm
And the BvR’s show starts on Keo.co.za! Let the games begin…
31 Jan 2006, 13:45 pm
Yeee Haaah
This is the olde 5 blade contra-propelling spin again
DOWN WITH THE CLOWN
A BETTER GAME FOR ALL
31 Jan 2006, 13:48 pm
Depends on who is H.asking
31 Jan 2006, 13:55 pm
who indeed?
i couldn’t care less who wins. as long as loftus gets a tri-nations test. every year. for ever. thanks.
31 Jan 2006, 13:57 pm
The president should be a servent of the board of SA rugby.
Why is this not so? Why could’nt any of the past presidents be controlled? Why does the board not have the power to reel in the president? Why is the president untouchable?
This does’nt happen in big business so how come it happens in SA Rugby.
31 Jan 2006, 14:03 pm
It’s all about money and power
Sounds like he can do the job and lets hope he can do it.
31 Jan 2006, 14:05 pm
Chris,
I don’t understand this part, do you mean he *was* the first black president to be appointed?
“He is the first black president of any South African provincial union.”
because we have/had the likes of Mike Stofile (Border), Baby Richards (Griquas), Monwabisi Yako (Border), Joey Daniels (SWD), Jackie Abrahams (Boland).
31 Jan 2006, 14:07 pm
I would like to know what happens on a daily bases in SA rugby? What person signs the checks and what person says, let give a Tri- Nations to Loftus? How comes up with new ideas and do you guy’s think it is time for a woman to step up to the plate? It just makes perfect sense from where i`m sitting….
31 Jan 2006, 14:11 pm
Yeah!!!!
Minki for president!
31 Jan 2006, 14:12 pm
Yea Ras, got a little carried away there. It’s all the excitement of another administrative story that drags on you see. Should have read “first black president of the Sharks”. correction has been made.
31 Jan 2006, 14:13 pm
BvR has done little more than make SA Rugby look bad through several front page stuff-ups… Regardless if the scandals may/may not have been his fault its still bad management, and in-fighting.
If Hoskins is clean and doing a good job, then let him have a crack at it. Only one issue worries me, and as a sharks supporter its sad to say, how can the next best be from the province that has gone the furtherest backwards in the last while. Surely the bulls can put forward a candidate, they seem to knwo rugby up there?
Second point, has this war been coming long? Cause BvR has screwed Natal over both TriNations Test, and S14 schedule? I think that he’s been weakening Natal for a while!!! Even Markie told de Waal not to come here!!! Plans been in operation for sometime….
31 Jan 2006, 14:21 pm
Honest mistake, Chris. Thought it looked a bit strange.
Yeah, you’re right, wouldn’t it be nice just to know our rugby’s in good hands and get on with what happens on the field?
31 Jan 2006, 14:23 pm
“Save for an exclusive interview on Keo.co.za”
At least we know where the Keo clan’s support is.
A few questions about Hoskins:
What is his rugby background and knowledge?
Can/will he speak Afrikaans if he has to address a school/club in Pretoria, Saldanha or Messina?
31 Jan 2006, 14:27 pm
Stan – Its Tshwane brew…….
31 Jan 2006, 14:28 pm
LOL Ig. Sneaky, berry berry sneaky!!!
31 Jan 2006, 14:30 pm
Stan
“Can/will he speak Afrikaans if he has to address a school/club in Pretoria, Saldanha or Messina? ”
Why is this important ?
31 Jan 2006, 14:41 pm
Because he serves the people, the people dont serve him. More than 80% of our rugby players and rugby supporters are Afrikaans speaking.
Ig, no it is not.
31 Jan 2006, 14:42 pm
lol Ig
31 Jan 2006, 14:49 pm
A Zimbabwean arrives in Jo’burg as a new immigrant in South Africa
He stops the first person he sees walking down the street and says,
“Thank you Mr. South African for letting me in this country, and giving
me
free housing, food, free medical care, affirmative action job and free
education!” But the passer-by says, “You are mistaken, I am a
Nigerian.”
The man goes on and encounters another passer-by. “Thank you for having
such
a beautiful country here in South Africa!” The person says, “I’m not
South
African, I’m from Mozambique.”
The new arrival walks further and the next person he sees he stops,
shakes
hands and says, “Thank you for the wonderful South Africa!” That person
puts
up his hand and says, “I am from Transkei, I am not a South African
…”
He finally sees a lady and asks suspiciously, “Are you a South African?
She says, “No, I am from Ghana!” So he is puzzled and asks her, “Where
are
all the south Africans?” The Ghana lady looks at her watch, shrugs, and
says…….
“Probably at work!”
31 Jan 2006, 15:00 pm
Stan,
I’m a boertjie so dont get me wrong, but he cant speak Afrikaans in Musina, Xhosa in Kyalitsha (sp), Sotho in Bloem and Zulu in Durban, not everybody can speak all the official languages,
31 Jan 2006, 15:02 pm
lol Stan.
At work talking **** on keo.co.za
31 Jan 2006, 15:02 pm
So true red card, oh and stan, pls supply the proof that 80% of our rugby players are Afrikaans… (this should be interesting)
31 Jan 2006, 15:13 pm
lol red card
31 Jan 2006, 15:55 pm
yeah,but legally and with my own money!
31 Jan 2006, 16:12 pm
Stan jy’s so ver uit op die regte vleuel jy moet oppas jy val netmaar af.
31 Jan 2006, 16:47 pm
I get the impression Hoskins is going to be the puppet Van Rooyen was supposed to be.
Keo himself said Brian van Zyl runs the Sharks. So was Hoskins appointment a political one?
I hate being such a pessimist, but is this guy a rugby man, or just another politician pleasing puppet?
31 Jan 2006, 21:32 pm
I don’t know anything about that guy but two things are for cartainty:
He can’t be worse than BvR
He has the anc backing, otherwise, we would never heard his name at the first place
1 Feb 2006, 10:23 am
Is this Hoskins ou just another political animal that is in rugby for the ego and the bucks or is he an ex-player, someone who knows the score and someone with the effing PLAYERS and SUPPORTERS interests at heart???
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