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Australia have chosen Perth as its 4th Super 12 team . But in South Africa the goverment has got involve . The governent wants the Eastern Cape provinces which is where most of the black players are from . But the mostly white province of Orange Free State are also keen to host the Fifth South African team .
Eastern Cape favoured for SA's fifth team
By Gert Coetzee
Friday, March 4, 2005
The Eastern Cape cannot be deprived of a place in the new Super 14 rugby series, South African Minister of Sport Makhenkesi Stofile said.
It would be unfair to punish the region because it was producing good players being snatched up by other provinces, he said.
Stofile questioned the claim of the central region - Free State, Griquas, Northern Free State and North West - for a Super 14 concession at an information session at parliament.
Stofile said: "The president of the Free State Rugby Union, Harold Verster, said the central region had more players, but that was only in his dreams.
"They were also ahead with transformation, but also only in his dreams. I do not see it there."
Stofile said he did not ask anyone's pardon for being from the Eastern Cape - his support for an Eastern Cape Super 14 team came from his head and not his heart.
Stofile said: "I hear Verster is going to garner support, but I have a suggestion for SA Rugby and I hope they will give serious attention to it.
"There are the Cats, Province-Boland, the Bulls, KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape, which cannot be left out.
"Six regions are competing for five concessions.
"Brian van Rooyen and company should act as rugby leaders and creatively cut up the country in five rugby regions and award concessions to each region.
"Otherwise it is like five toffees for six children." .
He said such a solution worked for New Zealand.
The minister said rugby development, which worked better than quotas, would take place if the "Eastern Cape youngsters" had access to facilities and training, so that they could play rugby locally and do not have to give up "salaries and their environment".
Eastern Cape favoured for SA's fifth team
By Gert Coetzee
Friday, March 4, 2005
The Eastern Cape cannot be deprived of a place in the new Super 14 rugby series, South African Minister of Sport Makhenkesi Stofile said.
It would be unfair to punish the region because it was producing good players being snatched up by other provinces, he said.
Stofile questioned the claim of the central region - Free State, Griquas, Northern Free State and North West - for a Super 14 concession at an information session at parliament.
Stofile said: "The president of the Free State Rugby Union, Harold Verster, said the central region had more players, but that was only in his dreams.
"They were also ahead with transformation, but also only in his dreams. I do not see it there."
Stofile said he did not ask anyone's pardon for being from the Eastern Cape - his support for an Eastern Cape Super 14 team came from his head and not his heart.
Stofile said: "I hear Verster is going to garner support, but I have a suggestion for SA Rugby and I hope they will give serious attention to it.
"There are the Cats, Province-Boland, the Bulls, KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape, which cannot be left out.
"Six regions are competing for five concessions.
"Brian van Rooyen and company should act as rugby leaders and creatively cut up the country in five rugby regions and award concessions to each region.
"Otherwise it is like five toffees for six children." .
He said such a solution worked for New Zealand.
The minister said rugby development, which worked better than quotas, would take place if the "Eastern Cape youngsters" had access to facilities and training, so that they could play rugby locally and do not have to give up "salaries and their environment".
