According to a report, SA Rugby faces the possibility of an R258 million budget shortfall for the current fiscal year.
According to the Afrikaans weekly daily Rapport, South African Rugby president Mark Alexander addressed the organization’s executive committee in Cape Town at the end of last month, with the organization’s budget among the topics discussed.
Reportedly, Alexander notified the executive committee of the enormous gap, which has been exacerbated by SARU’s continuous attempts to locate a key sponsor for the 2023 Currie Cup.
In addition, the article indicates that Alexander is presently functioning as interim CEO following Jurie Roux’s official departure at the end of 2022.
Allegedly, the governing body wants Rian Oberholzer, the administrator who oversees the Western Province Rugby Union, to replace Roux as CEO, but they have been unable to persuade him to accept the position.
“The deficit can be attributed to SA Rugby’s unwillingness to reduce grants to its 14 unions,” a source told Rapport.
“The R258 million is the worst-case scenario stated by Alexander. It is possible that it will be less than that.
“The sponsors change annually because the unions alter the Currie Cup.” It is the third sponsor to advertise on it.
The 2023 Currie Cup Premier Division will increase to eight clubs with the addition of the Griffons, champions of the First Division in 2022. The double-round Currie Cup will begin on March 10 and conclude on June 24.
This will result in a conflict with the URC and Champions/Challenge Cups, preventing the provincial teams’ best players from participating in the Currie Cup.
In light of the Jantjies-Simjee scandal, SA Rugby has drafted a “relations” policy.
SA Rugby president Mark Alexander.
»SA Rugby confronts a budget deficit of R258 million«