The show goes on… for now
22 Jun 2006
The Spears and SA Rugby showdown set for today has been averted for the time being.
SA Rugby released a statement saying the immediate threat to the Currie Cup, which starts tomorrow, no longer existed. Southern Spears CEO Tony McKeever though told keo.co.za that a disruption to the competition could still occur.
“SA Rugby has noted with delight the news that the Southern Spears court application will not proceed on Thursday June 22. By agreement between the parties involved, the matter will now be heard on August 10. This means that the Absa Currie Cup will commence tomorrow, without any immediate threat of legal action hanging over the process,†the statement from SA Rugby said.
McKeever, however, said that that statement was “flawed†and that the judge had ruled today to set the new court date for July 20. This he said had been “reached by mutual agreement.â€
Said McKeever: “That (SA Rugby) statement is wrong, in fact it is flawed. There has been no mutual agreement on that date (August 10). We are still adamant we can participate in this years’ Currie Cup.†The fact that it will disrupt the competition at a later date did not phase McKeever in the least. “That is SA Rugby’s problem. They drew up the fixtures and if we win our application we will go ahead.â€
SA Rugby’s statement continued: “We are happy that the Southern Spears court action will in no way disrupt the beginning of the season of such an important domestic rugby competition. Without engaging in the merits of the Southern Spears case, we had earlier expressed our deep concern that rugby matters were now being subject to legal action when there were avenues to approach concerns within the spirit of negotiation and co-operation, in the best interests of rugby.
“Further, it is unfortunate that Southern Spears opted to institute their legal action right on the eve of the ABSA Currie Cup kick off, causing unnecessary panic and unease within the rugby fraternity.
“We call upon all rugby stakeholders to put the interests of the game above everything else when they take crucial and far-reaching decisions. After the turmoil of the past few years, the new administration strongly believes rugby leaders, at all levels, need to approach issues with a sense of maturity and circumspection, and not seek to score points in the public eye – at the expense of the game.
“SARU will comment further on the Spears court action only after the matter has been finalised,†the statement concluded.
33 Comments
22 Jun 2006, 11:56 am
The Chicken is everywhere
22 Jun 2006, 11:58 am
Go spears ——-> spear saru
22 Jun 2006, 11:58 am
wragtag?!! wat de hel gaat hier aan?
22 Jun 2006, 12:01 pm
Please somebody, shoot this fool.
22 Jun 2006, 12:04 pm
Take SARU to the cleaners!!!!
22 Jun 2006, 12:05 pm
Die wereld lag vir ons hahahaha. Wat ‘n sirkus lol. Wat is volgende ?
22 Jun 2006, 12:10 pm
I’ll tell you what is volgende Andre_wp. The Bulls are gonna klap everyone in the curry cup, that’s what’s volgende. Just like they klapped all the SA teams in the 14.
22 Jun 2006, 12:13 pm
Bluecap
Nogals nie , Bulls will struggle this year. They are without some of there best players. Can’t see them making it this year. They are in for a Suprise tomorrownight.
22 Jun 2006, 12:14 pm
As ‘n jong lat het ek eendag by ‘n toets tussen SA en Frankryk op Loftus “ingeslip”. Een vd hekwagte sien my toe en jaag my vir seker 20 min tussens al die mense. Net as ek dink ek het weggekom dan kom hy weer soos die skim uit die niet en dan hol ek weer. Man ek was gatvol gehardloop en die hekwag het aangehou en aangehou tot hy my gevang het.
Ek wonder of die hekwag se naam nie ook McKeever was nie?
22 Jun 2006, 12:16 pm
Heheheheh @ Staal , Kannie dood
22 Jun 2006, 12:18 pm
Nah Andre, The Falcons are going to realise what a big step up it is from Vodacom to CC. It’s gonna be a long evening for them. The Bulls will clear a min.20 points.
22 Jun 2006, 12:18 pm
Can’t we please get a petition going for WP to recall Niel Burger as he ended up with 99 tries and now owns a Spar in Worcester. Maybe if he can get that elusive 100th try he can upgrade to a Pick n Pay in Camps Bay.
22 Jun 2006, 12:20 pm
valkie,
shootin wiff a shotgun today?
22 Jun 2006, 12:20 pm
Bluecap, although the Bulls will be amongst the top 3 teams this year and although they have enough depth to be competetive the next 4 plus years, they will not beat Natal and they will struggle against the Freestate.
22 Jun 2006, 12:22 pm
Staal dis iets wat vir my na aan die hart le.
22 Jun 2006, 12:24 pm
valkie,
vriend van my het 13 spar winkels, hel doen hy goed!!!!
22 Jun 2006, 12:26 pm
Ek het nie soseer ‘n probleem met Spar nie, dis maar net ‘n manier van se dat dit kan dalk die man se lewe verander as hy die kans kry.
22 Jun 2006, 12:29 pm
Dink die kleiner unies gaan goed deurkom hierdie jaar met hulle jong spelers. So ek glo nie die bulls gaan oortuigend wees hierdie jaar nie.
Dink hulle grootste uitdaging hierdie jaar gaan wees die Natallers. Natal het goed deurgekom in die S14.
Wil nie eens praat van Province nie. Goeie tallent volgens my , hopelik kan hulle ook hierdie jaar hulle stempel af druk , in elk geval ek hoop so vir hulle. Hulle moet net uitgaan en elke game speel met passie en vergeet van Mallett. Hy moet nie te veel inmeng op die veld nie. Hy was ‘n goeie coach maar dis nie nou in sy hande nie. Laat Kobus sy werk doen dan kan ons miskien hierdie jaar iewers kom in die CC.
Cheetah’s het ook goeie spelers tot hulle beskiking en hulle sal alles doen om die CC te vededig hierdie jaar. Rassie is ‘n slim coach en ek glo hulle sal ‘n groot impak he op die game.
Kan nie veel se van die Leeus nie , hoop hulle kan hierdie jaar verbeter op hulle spel.
22 Jun 2006, 12:32 pm
valkie,
100%
22 Jun 2006, 12:33 pm
Samps, After This w\e your prized James will be injured for another 6 months, you don’t have Smit, who I believe held that team together in the 14. I recon the Gups will be running around like headless chickens mostly, Pienaar is hugely overrated, as FDP showed the last time they came together (which explains why Jake has released him)
Nah bud, the Guppies do a lot of talking off the field, and are happy it seems with near wins. I’ve got fifty bucks on the Lions.
22 Jun 2006, 12:36 pm
Staal, is’nt it like Monopoly, when you’ve got 10 Spars you can change them for one Pick & Pay?
22 Jun 2006, 12:36 pm
I also think that bonus points will be very important for any team. If you can sucure bonus points than you are going somewhere. I think with Naas down in the cape we can pull of a few games this year. Would love to see alot of running rugby this year. Sure some of the CC players can still make it into Jakes bok team for the WC.
22 Jun 2006, 12:41 pm
bluecap,
10 spars, 10 tax loops.
22 Jun 2006, 12:42 pm
Andre_WP, the Cheetahs don’t have enough depth at this time(I think that could change soon) and they’ve lost 2 very influential players in Os and Smith, They looked a different team when they lost Smith in the 14. The Bulls on the other hand will be going from strengh to strengh now that the huge loss of Leonard is starting to smooth out. Even without 28 of our players it’s still a pretty settled team.
22 Jun 2006, 12:43 pm
I’ll take your 50 anyday!
22 Jun 2006, 12:48 pm
Nah Samps, You will still be bying the first beers, you’ll see.
22 Jun 2006, 12:51 pm
Peter Grant and Pieterson playing centre this weekend. Pieterson not a full back ? Looks like a good team
22 Jun 2006, 12:53 pm
Andre_WP, as long as Gus isn’t playing I’m the happiest person in SA.
22 Jun 2006, 12:53 pm
Valkie , he’s on the bench , die hard
22 Jun 2006, 12:55 pm
Robbie is also making a return for province
22 Jun 2006, 13:07 pm
Can’t we get someone to ‘accidentally’ drive over Gus’s foot or leg and then reverse to see if he’s ok.
22 Jun 2006, 14:43 pm
Don’t want to say I told you so but please read my posts yesterday about the application not going to be heard as an urgent one and that it will be heard around middle August on the semi urgent roll.
22 Jun 2006, 15:53 pm
Tsiko News Flash for you
For Immediate Release: Thursday 22nd June 2006
Southern Spears High Court Application Against SA Rugby set down for 20th July 2006
Cape Town High Court – 15H00: The Southern Spears, in a press release issued from the Cape High Court in Cape Town this afternoon, slammed the media statement, issued by SA Rugby’s media department as riddled with flaws and misleading. The Spears declared the statement flawed, misleading and borders on contempt of court.
In fact an Order of the High Court was made this morning, by Judge Siraj Desai, in which the entire Spears matter will be heard on Thursday the 20th July 2006 for final relief. This was done and mutually agreed to, in consultation with SA Rugby’s legal counsel. The statement that the Spears had rushed to court without consulting SA Rugby is untrue.
As recently as the 15th March 2006, SA Rugby’s own in-house legal counsel wrote to the Spears confirming the Spears participation in the 2007 and 2008 Super 14 series, as confirmed by the SA Rugby Boards ratification on the 2nd December 2005.
The Southern Spears inclusion in the 2006 ABSA Currie Cup was agreed to over 12 months ago and they are entitled to play in the competition. SA Rugby has persistently refused and failed to negotiate with the Spears in their attempts to strike an agreement for a resolution and remedy and these are also highlighted in the Spears application.
Far from the Spears being accused by SA Rugby of promoting panic and disruption in the 2006 ABSA Currie Cup competition, it is SA Rugby who have thrown the competition into turmoil by being the author of a set of 2006 Competitions Fixtures on the 26th January 2006 and then dramatically excluding the Spears in a second set of Competition Fixtures issued on the 8th June 2006. The panic and unease in rugby in South Africa must be laid squarely at the door of SA Rugby for reneging on agreements that they have confirmed in writing on over eight occasions.
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