Harold taunts the Lion
21 Feb 2006
Brian van Rooyen’s biggest supporter of two years ago, Cheetahs president Harold Verster, is now his greatest opponent in the build-up to Friday’s SARU presidential elections.
Verster’s latest taunts include the taunt that Brian the Lion is buying votes. And, as Independent Newspapers’ Stephen Nell and Jacques Van Der Westhuyzen, report the Lion is angry.
They wrote on Tuesday that the Lion is ready to take legal action against Verster, who has openly campaigned for Oregan Hoskins to be the new president.
Verster was quoted as saying: “I wouldn’t put it past Brian to say vote for me and I’ll do this and that for you,” said Verster.
Van Rooyen said it was not the first time that he had been publicly maligned by Verster.
“I will not stoop as low as Harold Verster by responding to him. I will use the appropriate means to deal with it, be that legally or otherwise. This is an election, not a character assassination,” Van Rooyen told the Cape Times.
But Verster said there would “never be peace and harmony if Brian stays on”.
“What must the rugby world think of us as a nation when the rugby president is facing an investigation into mismanagement?”
Van Rooyen said the allegations of violations of SA Rugby’s code of conduct did not relate to “mismanagement”.
Van Rooyen, meanwhile, addressed the Lions executive a week after they officially confirmed they would not support him.
He said: “It went very well. They asked me questions and had concerns about sponsors allegedly not wanting me and I referred them to a (media) statement (in which sponsors said that they were not concerned about who the president is).”
22 Comments
21 Feb 2006, 12:04 pm
when has there been an election without “character assassinations”??
Standard procedure….
21 Feb 2006, 12:05 pm
Brians a dragon
21 Feb 2006, 12:08 pm
F*ck me but Verster is a bloody hipocryte!Lets take a wager,he supported Van Rooyen previously ’cause Van Rooyen said that he will make sure the Cheetahs get their own franchise for the S12/S14!Now,he got what he wanted,and suddenly van Rooyen is the Devil reincarnated!
I just wonder what Oregan promised Verster…….
21 Feb 2006, 12:10 pm
Stofile has threatened resignation if BVR gets in again — he has done this before, as well as calling on his brother to bring a GOVT presence.
My question : why not call your brother again Stofile and get rid of BVR once and for all, he is not good for SA RUGBY.
I have to wonder why the “little” unions vote for this man?? — what is it they see, or better still, DONT SEE?
21 Feb 2006, 12:11 pm
Children the bloody lot of them, The one seems more crocket than the next one.
21 Feb 2006, 12:12 pm
Isn’t he also the same guy who tried to set BVR up with the whole Rover deal fiasco?
I smell the work of Maarkies – c’mon Keo spill the beans. Just how close are Maarkies and Verster? Is it true that since BVR refused to be Maarkies little lap dog, he’s been on a mission to discredit him and get him thrown out of rugby.
Or am I a conspiracy theorist looking in the wrong direction?
21 Feb 2006, 12:14 pm
ktb,they see money and promises!
For instance:
1.Tests played at places like Rustenburg and PE/East London
2.The bigger CC
3.S14 franchises for the Cheetahs(FeeState,Griquas and Griffons)
4.S14 franchise for EC(SWD,EP,Border)
21 Feb 2006, 12:14 pm
What about ole Ali Bacher ??? The sponsors rep ???
Why doesn’t he run – he has no baggage with the plonker presidents, and the money in the game supports him.
Makes sense !
21 Feb 2006, 12:16 pm
Munki,you are looking in the right direction.
Verster(Cheetahs)+Markies(Griquas)= Cheetahs S14 franchise.They work together.
21 Feb 2006, 12:27 pm
Vleis – howzit brew – you gotta enter our big day out !!!!
21 Feb 2006, 12:42 pm
It is people like Verster who’s to blame for the constant **** in SA rugby. He plays the power game on all sides. Should be a politician – not a rugby administrator. I wish for the day that we will have straight shooters in SA rugby. The control of SA rugby should be taken away from the likes of Verster – and the small town rugby godfathers. The sooner the better.
21 Feb 2006, 12:44 pm
Ig,
Bacher, Morne dP, even Gary Player. These are the types we need. Maybe now is the time for someone like Francois Pienaar to be brought closer to the management of the game. That will be a mortal blow to the Markies brigade.
21 Feb 2006, 13:11 pm
This Verster oak is a maverick. Despite him the Free State has managed to lay their hands on the CC. Unfortunately he is selected for life as Free States rugby boss. His understudy is a nice omie nearing 96 or 97 or somewhere in that region. No ambitions to challenge Harold. Please Natal, instead of buying our players have a go at this guy. He could then replace old Oregon. You will still remain with the old wood syndrom.Twit.
21 Feb 2006, 13:30 pm
Katsesnor – while i understand what you getting at – i was looking at someone on the board already !
21 Feb 2006, 13:59 pm
Vleis – I wonder though, is BVR really as bad as everyone would have us believe?
Sure Maarkgraaf does not like him, and he made a stuff up by handing control of SA rugby back to the provinces, but then wasn’t that Maarkies idea all along?
21 Feb 2006, 14:00 pm
vleis
The reason he turned on him is because if oregan wins their will be no s14 promotion relegation. Both Van Rooyen and Verster are the reason our rugby is in the state it is. Both of these guys shouldnt be on sarfu they are just watching out for their own backsides when harold wanted a s14 franchise he did more than barter with Brian VRooyen (he offered Rover etc) now he acts all pure and stuff why dont they fire them all and start from scratch with guys like morne etc.
21 Feb 2006, 14:02 pm
munkiboi
My point exactly he offered bvr a Rover when a s14 slot was on the cards now he acts like some sort of priest.
21 Feb 2006, 15:08 pm
Verster is a man without principles or morals. Now he suddenly turned on the Hyena, after they were as thick as thieves.
But for the sake of our rugby, i support him in getter rid of the bigger evil:
Vinnige Vingers aka Hyena v Rooyen.
21 Feb 2006, 20:07 pm
Stan – but what has BVR done? I know there are a lot of allegations, but has he actually done anything?
22 Feb 2006, 00:50 am
Sors, I see we have the same affinity for Harold and we probably share some of the same background info to back it up!
Anyway, unless things changed in the last couple of years, Markies and Verster do not see eye to eye with each doing their best to nail the other.
22 Feb 2006, 08:11 am
Koos
I hope that you will still read this. It is a fact that there is no love lost between AM and HV. The Central Cheetahs as a unit is more a matter of common sense than any thing else.
With regard to HV: He is an opportunistic doos.
In a small town you are calling the shots if you are a Provincial rugby President. Actually he is also an employer.
22 Feb 2006, 11:57 am
munkiboy,
In my opinion, the following:
1. He’s one of the weakest leaders ever – he has no control over his employees. Even washing dirty laundry in Public!
2. Singlehandedly chased off REAL rugby people like Morne Du Plessis with his poor management style.
3. Made a piss poor decision to disband / wrest control of the professional aspects of our Rugby away from the SA Rugby Company and back into the hands of the mafia (Provincial Administrators).
Make no mistake under his leadership he’s done good things as well, eg Jake White. I think he had a time and place – to shake up our rugby that went into a lull, but now its time for stability. Bring on Hoskens!
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