JJ Harmse - Rapport

Pretoria - Mike Stofile is back in South African rugby. The controversial former rugby boss has been nominated as one of the new directors on SA Rugby’s board. This development comes just about a year after he was beaten in the race for the South African Rugby Union presidency by Oregan Hoskins.

Stofile replaces Mpumelelo Tshume, who was sacked last year.

In another interesting development, Griffons rugby boss Jan Marais was nominated for the other independent director position. It is currently filled by Keith Parkinson of Natal.

If Marais accepts his nomination, he will have to resign as president of the Griffons. It will then come down to a vote between him and Parkinson.

Nominations for the two positions closed on Friday.

Stofile’s comeback is surprising, especially after he lashed out after losing the election to Hoskins.

He said after his defeat that there was “no place for blacks in South African rugby”.
SA Rugby’s regulations determine that one of the independent directors has to be black.

Stofile will support the establishment of a Super14 franchise in the Eastern Cape.
Hoskins said this week that Saru is striving to make the Eastern Cape part of an enlarged Super rugby series.

Australian rugby boss John O’Neill intimated that his country would get an additional franchise, but Hoskins dismissed that idea.

“There are a number of things we have to clarify, but our position is well-known. We believe the first team that should benefit from expansion is the Eastern Cape,” said Hoskins.

New Zealand rugby administrator Cameron Good has been appointed by Sanzar to investigate expansion possibilities.