Why White fears a new president
21 Feb 2006
Springbok coach Jake White, accused of backing an extension of Brian van Rooyen’s tenure as SARU president, is wary of Andre Markgraaff’s return should Oregan Hoskins unseat Van Rooyen.
Lobbying for the presidency is reaching a climax this week and the Hoskins camp, led by Cheetahs President Harold Verster and Mike Stofile, have expressed concern that White had attempted to canvass votes (on behalf of Van Rooyen) among the small unions.
White knows what he has in Van Rooyen, who earlier today was reported in the press as saying he would give White whatever he requires to prepare for the 2007 World Cup. Van Rooyen has said he would not interfere with White and allow him to his own devices.
Enter a new president and the Bok coach is again confronted with the possibility of a national director of rugby. Enter Hoskins and the possibility of Andre Markgraaff as the national director of rugby becomes a distinct possibility White does not want to deal with.
Hoskins, a few weeks ago, told Keo.co.za that he and Markgraaff had not been in contact and that Markgraaff was not a part of his election campaign. Hoskins said the only interaction he had with Markgraaff was a phone call in which Markgraaff wished him well for the election.
Keo.co.za’s sources, however, indicate that Markgraaff wants the post of national director of rugby created — and he wants to be it.
At the time of Markgraaff’s resignation from the SARU administration, Hoskins was quoted as saying that he felt Markgraaff would be missed on rugby matters and that he had a high regard for any rugby contribution Markgraaff could make. Hoskins did say that he felt Markgraaff may have struggled as an administrator, but that there were other contributions he could make.
This would have scared White, who did not want to work with Markgraaff. The Bok coach made this clear just days prior to Markgraaff’s resignation. The two had clashed on the eve of the Boks test win against the Wallabies in Pretoria.
It has long been argued that SA Rugby needs a national director of rugby — an individual who can coach other coaches and act as a sounding board to the national coach. Nick Mallett’s name was bandied about long before he took over as WP Director of Rugby.
However, nothing came of that, despite initial approaches to Mallett to establish interest.
Hoskins, should he feel the need for a Director of Rugby, could still look to someone like Mallett, but the most likely introduction would be Markgraaff. And such a scenario could be the start of the end for White. It is why White is backing the one he knows, rather than the one he doesn’t.
83 Comments
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21 Feb 2006, 17:35 pm
Bongani mate StP nailed it there, last I checked rugby was’nt the only sport in SA and last I checked rugby is the most successful.
If I were gov I’d be a bit more concerned with the mess the soccer is in.
21 Feb 2006, 17:37 pm
In light of the current structure with regards to the Presidents……the only way to change the system is for the government to take over the operation and fire everyone and pray that they have our best intentions at heart…which is also a bit of a risk really.
or
For some filthy fraking rich South African to buy the entire shebang.
(This Abromovitch fellow from Chelsea….his brother is a saffer,right?)
21 Feb 2006, 17:38 pm
StP, all sports my friend – Soccer is directly in the firing line of the pres himself …. no need to moer white afrikaners, they are quite capable of moering themselves
Cricket may have sacrificed performance but has stuck to its commitments …. have we?
21 Feb 2006, 17:41 pm
Ja Coffee, particularly as WE are hosting the next Football WC, and that’s no willy wallie Rugby WC. That’s BIG!!
see…….3 billion people sitting down to watch the WC final and the ******* lights go out!!!
Not to mention that Bafana Bafana are well on course to be the FIRST host nation ever to not make it past the first round.
Japan,South Korea and USA all made it to the last 16.No small achievment in football.
21 Feb 2006, 17:44 pm
After the local government elections Soccer is going to get some serious rockets ….
21 Feb 2006, 17:45 pm
Bongani
Sacrificing performance is just as bad as sacrificing national obligation.
I don’t pay to watch anyone lose, this isn’t the Red Cross mate, I expect my pound of flesh for my coin.
21 Feb 2006, 17:46 pm
Ja…..and after they get those rockets maybe they can get some decent players a well.
21 Feb 2006, 17:53 pm
Bongani
Cricket stuck to it’s commitments…….
And what will the UCB do when they are in financial difficulties because the stadiums are empty? When last did you see a full cricket stadium?
They will ask the government for financial help.
The government will give “incompetence” as the reason for firing the persons in charge at the UCB.
They will then have a good reason for getting their buddies onto the board of the UCB.
ALL THIS WHILE NOBODY REALLY CARES BECAUSE THE TEAM IS LOSING ANYWAY
21 Feb 2006, 17:57 pm
CoffeeshopBok
Not sure if rugby is more successful than the other sa sports in fact i dont know if its more successful than soccer even. Rugby is just in a smaller pool How many countries have the cash and playing numbers to compete in rugby about 4 , 5 at a push compare that to soccer were there are about 80 countries which invest about the same amount of money and as large a pool large pool of players to select from as sarfu,england new zealand has. Sure bafana are a big fup at the moment but Being ranked 50th or whatever in a sport were +-80teams have the finances and playing numbers to compete with u isnt as bad as it sounds.
21 Feb 2006, 17:58 pm
Mark, you are seeing things that are not there. OK, so Hoskins wants to create a Director of Rugby post. Also known as Performance Director. I think that’s a good idea, Jake White needs to be left to work with the Bok squad, not trying to shore up the coaching arsenal of the whole country. Chris Spice does that job for England, and Alan Solomons will shortly take up a similar position in the USA.
You seem to have leapt from the creation of that post, to an assumption that Markgraaf will be in strong contention for it. All your sources are saying is that he would want it. I might want it too, but I’m definitely not going to get it. If your sources say he is likely to get it, then say so, and back it up.
Finally, Jake White should not be aligning himself publicly with either candidate. Even a statement that he prefers the devil he knows, is designed to influence the voters. That creates a problem for him if Hoskins wins. Unprofessional.
If you want to use your journalism to support van Rooyen over Hoskins then you have every right to do so, but to justify it by linking it to some imagined spectre of a Markgraaf/Hoskins deal is disengenious.
21 Feb 2006, 17:59 pm
Yes Robdylan
I do remember the reason why Mallett was ousted but you have to distinguish between a one off outburst from Mallett to a constant drivel and spin doctor injections from JW, let’s face it: it’s not a respectable feature from a Boks coach
21 Feb 2006, 18:08 pm
Keo,
If only a third of what has been disclosed over last 2 years about BvR mismanagement affairs is true, it’s more than enough to see him off, however, that may not happened.
The ‘government’ is certainly backing him firmly and that all he needs to stay put, sponsors may pull the plug at any time but the lesson from ‘Tennis ‘RSA’ demise after Standard Bank had bailed out must be still fresh, despite the 14 years elapsed!
So, I’ll bet on BvR
21 Feb 2006, 18:30 pm
I have said it before and I will say it again. We do not need Maarkgraaf in any capacity.
Oh ****, here we go again.
21 Feb 2006, 18:35 pm
What a load of bollocks. There is no substance whatsoever to this story. Must be a slow news day.
21 Feb 2006, 18:43 pm
Heard this line recently – Rugby journalism is people who can’t write interviewing people who can’t talk for people who can’t read.
lol ….
21 Feb 2006, 19:26 pm
DIRECTOR OR RUGBY is a load of bollox, let White be omnipotent, and if we dont get at least third place, fire him. I know that some pahlooka’s will be shouting that if we do not win, he must go, but third is a good finish considering our pool and where we came last RWC. Also, third automatically qualifies us for the next RWC.
21 Feb 2006, 19:31 pm
This is really a circus. Markgraaff should never be allowed back into SA rugby. He’s there for his own gain only!
21 Feb 2006, 19:39 pm
where do I vote for Markgraaff? I want him back just to know Keo is pissed and not sleeping and crying in his head off:)
21 Feb 2006, 19:51 pm
Keo – what I really want to know is what exactly BVR has done that is so bad to begin with. I know there have been many accusations, and media smaer campaigns, but for the life of me it sounds like he is being made a scapegoat, and that the big provinces are pissed off because he doesn’t bow to their will.
21 Feb 2006, 19:59 pm
What Bull. I’ve never read anything on Hoskins saying he though Markgraaff made a positive contribution on this website or any other media. Please show me these quotes or are you BVR’s camp keo.
21 Feb 2006, 20:15 pm
keo
who is going to win?
21 Feb 2006, 22:25 pm
Seems like one can’t believe a word from either side. All the campaigning seems pretty useless when the 14 fat cat presidents are gonna vote for who will give them the best seats at a test match!!!It really does not matter what else happens…………..as long as they still get their handouts!!!
21 Feb 2006, 22:56 pm
There simply is no “Afrikaner quota”, StP.
Every single white Afrikaner in the umbra and penumbra of Springbok rugby has had to have got there on merit alone. Only the brown boys are ever capable of being quota figures.
That probably adds in Van Ruin and Oregon as well.
22 Feb 2006, 00:26 am
LOL, the only reason the ################## are interested in Rugby is becase there is money involved. They need another pool of money to dip their greedy hands into.
I hope the WC soccer players enjoy soccer by candlelight! They better schedule the games during daylight hours!
The only bigger joke than SA Rugby Admin is the SA Government. (And SA Soccer of course, and maybe the cricket…and…)
22 Feb 2006, 02:47 am
Can you actually call them the “######## #########” these days and not end up in jail? Aren’t they all a bit twitchily sensitive when you use that old ape metaphor?
22 Feb 2006, 04:57 am
Gee Keo, a bit light in the news department so you just concocted a story out of nothing? Enough said on that though…
More interested in how we actually change the current set-up to something resembling what you mentioned in an earlier post.
As I see it the smaller unions who have the upperhand will not budge or give away any of their powers, so where do we start?
22 Feb 2006, 06:00 am
O oh..Dnt like Bvrooyen. but after reading this article.. Well i dont like andre more
22 Feb 2006, 07:02 am
Andre Markgraaf is apparently like SA rugby’s version of Arnie Schwarzenegger’s role “The Terminator”.
Just when you think he’d all entirely dead and buried, he stages yet another new comeback.
22 Feb 2006, 07:43 am
Tackler
You can now and then be funny for a Kiwi…:-)
22 Feb 2006, 08:44 am
It would be problematic for Hoskins to bring Markies back, since Markies has a LOT of power (still) and may even end up challenging OH for his job as president. God knows what this man is capable of.
A message to the bloggers: Do you support someone based on hearsay and spin doctoring and one sided arguments, or do you support someone based on what they have DONE. Lets look at what both have done:
BVR:
After a shaky start, he got in y promising a return to the running of teh sides by SARU and teh demolition of the SARFU company to run the professionalism game. He did this. It is misguided, but at least he did what he said he was going to do. We are going to go back to this eventually because the amateur guys are idiots. He kicked out a few corrupt accountants, tried to get a Rainbow Cup going with Wales to develop the second tier league and get paid TV money for it – good for teh development fo teh game. This was stopped by political infghting, led by Markies. He has steamrollered people in teh past, and perhaps gone on a power trip or two (which come with very expensive power lunches), but he has shown himself to be a strong leader and most importantly supported JW in whatever he wanted to do. He has survived a strong political internal challenge from Markies and Stofile, which attempted to undermine the democratic decisions of teh council almost straight afterthey were taken, He fought off an attempt by Stofiles brother to interfere and get his brother elected as president. he is a strong leader and a survivor. SA has also gone from 6th with no transformation to 2nd with a good showing. Granted, mre could be done with national structuring and academies. Oh and he has put a relegation system in place to light a cracker under these non-performing unions colective asses, and to develop rugby and transformation in EP. Whether or not they get hammered initially, it will do good things for their rugby (it already is). And who of the other unoins has not got hammered and propped up the table?
OH:
He is the boss of a large union which under his guidance has become the laughing stock of the S12, and which struggles against Vodacom Cup sides. He has hired and fired an idiot of a coach (Putt), he has rehired that ****** of everyone’s nightmares, Straueli (as director of rugby no less!! What does he know about management/rugby?), with the result that his team is fighting for its life this year in terms of relegation. To his credit, he has instituted the Sharks academy which looks to be briging in good black and other youngsters. Then again, it was about time.
In concluson, the spineless political animals on the presidents council dont like a strong leader who steamrollers them and makes them accountable. OH has latched onto this and sees a way to avoid possible relegation of his union (and a massive pay cut for himself).
22 Feb 2006, 09:06 am
Keo – good old counter-rotating 5 blade prop- spinning here
- but its your blog and you are certainly stimulating the debate
Given the nature of the thread
Why is everyone so convinced that Jake White should not be removed- after all his record in NH conditions is not that hot- and what except for the first year of the rush defence have he instilled in the players
Do not play the consistency part too much- as most of the other coaches did not have that part.
Do not misunderstand me- I am not saying that Jake White is a poor coach and should be fired- just that he is not the dogg’s balls either
Maybe he should have kept his mouth shut- remember EOYT 2004 and his inability to keep his yapper shut- and spend some time with his backline coach- trying to get him to perform with the Cats backline.
I agree with WWW- what is Markgraaf’s claim to fame?
Sheez but there is really a lotta plonkers in our rugby
A BETTER GAME FOR ALL
DOWN WITH THE CLOWN(S)
22 Feb 2006, 11:39 am
strange this.
JW getting all political.
Keo,
quick question. did you not personally state on this site last year that you refuse to publish articles or statements by any person unless he is willing to be named?
just asking because i am sure you said that and archives will prove it.
change of policy?
this whole article seems to be based on it on the fear of markies returning so i found it interesting that you do not all of a sudden want to name the sources like many muppits before me posted as well.
22 Feb 2006, 16:22 pm
There is only ONE man for the job of running S.A. rugby and keeping it “clean” MORNE DU PLESSIS — will someone have the sense to get him involved once again.
Director of rugby SA = Mac – yes MAC, who got hsafted by none other than LUYT because he could not win a series in NZ right after we came out of isolation.He wa not even given a chance to prove himself — shame SARU.
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