What's new
By:
Advanced search…
The Front Row Forums

Register a free account today to become a member of the world's largest Rugby League discussion forum! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

South Africa

taipan

taipan

Referee
Messages
22,500
Just a bit of history re rugby league in SA and what the code is up against .From the SARL 28/4/16

http://www.sarugbyleague.co.za/new/category/development

Some extracts"
Despite ru and rl being governed by different bodies internationally ,they refuse to budge in SA.At the heart of the issue is the SASCOC constitution which dictates the recognition of members.Article 8.1.6 says' Sasco does not recognise more than one National Federation of a similar or same sport type.'
Thus Sasco is saying that rugby league is not currently considered a distinct sport and that, despite it being governed by a different international body, it cannot get independent recognition.

But here is the contradiction Article 8.1.2 of Sascoc's constitution says"members of national sports federations affiliated to other major International Federations governing sports presently not included in the programme of Olympic Games" can also be recognised.Since rugby league is not an olympic sport and SARL is affiliated to the RLIF surely it should be recognise independently ?

SARL is a recognised sporting association this country and has support of the RLIF.Through all this the Dept of Sport and Recreation shrug their shoulders saying they cannot give Sascoc any instruction, they can only advise them on a number of aspects.
SARL cannot receive financial assistance from teh govt,it cannot be played in schools and corporate support and sponsorship is even harder to come by .
Technicallt the caps the players earn when playing internationally don;t even count since Sascoc is responsible for awarding national colours to athletes.The players have to fund trips themselves.
Last year 2015 SARL was willing to give up the fight for independent recognition and be absorbed by the SARU.It seems the only way forward.
The men in charge of SARU and SASCOC are of course big rugby union men and protecting the code is to their fiancial benefit."

Now we can whinge about local SA admin incompetence and lack of financial support form the RLIF/NRL etc ,but the realities in that country are akin to some degree what was the situation post WW2 in France.

Money from the Aus Govt has been given to the SARL similar to what happens here, teaching one community a rl program in schools usually private schools.They will hopefully get more to play, but the sport will still be hog tied by officialdom.NB money from the Australian Embassy not the SA Govt.

To ignore the influence of people in power via SASCOC who support the official code there, and assume throwing money there is the only answer(it helps), needs to take the above into account.

Especially as ATM the bush in our country is crying out for financial support,Tv stations are tightening due to competition from streaming etc and teams are screaming to be included in an expanded NRL comp.Maybe the answer is getting an NRL club or two to go over there and assist as North Sydney did in the past.But it is not going to change the official recognition issue.

It would be like rugby union being the offical code here, and league receiving SFA assistance, with no school grants and no sponsor interested.
 
Last edited:
S

Shark62

Juniors
Messages
2,497
taipan said:
Just a bit of history re rugby league in SA and what the code is up against .From the SARL 28/4/16

http://www.sarugbyleague.co.za/new/category/development

Some extracts"
Despite ru and rl being governed by different bodies internationally ,they refuse to budge in SA.At the heart of the issue is the SASCOC constitution which dictates the recognition of members.Article 8.1.6 says' Sasco does not recognise more than one National Federation of a similar or same sport type.'
Thus Sasco is saying that rugby league is not currently considered a distinct sport and that, despite it being governed by a different international body, it cannot get independent recognition.

But here is the contradiction Article 8.1.2 of Sascoc's constitution says"members of national sports federations affiliated to other major International Federations governing sports presently not included in the programme of Olympic Games" can also be recognised.Since rugby league is not an olympic sport and SARL is affiliated to the RLIF surely it should be recognise independently ?

SARL is a recognised sporting association this country and has support of the RLIF.Through all this the Dept of Sport and Recreation shrug their shoulders saying they cannot give Sascoc any instruction, they can only advise them on a number of aspects.
SARL cannot receive financial assistance from teh govt,it cannot be played in schools and corporate support and sponsorship is even harder to come by .
Technicallt the caps the players earn when playing internationally don;t even count since Sascoc is responsible for awarding national colours to athletes.The players have to fund trips themselves.
Last year 2015 SARL was willing to give up the fight for independent recognition and be absorbed by the SARU.It seems the only way forward.
The men in charge of SARU and SASCOC are of course big rugby union men and protecting the code is to their fiancial benefit."

Now we can whinge about local SA admin incompetence and lack of financial support form the RLIF/NRL etc ,but the realities in that country are akin to some degree what was the situation post WW2 in France.

Money from the Aus Govt has been given to the SARL similar to what happens here, teaching one community a rl program in schools usually private schools.They will hopefully get more to play, but the sport will still be hog tied by officialdom.NB money from the Australian Embassy not the SA Govt.

To ignore the influence of people in power via SASCOC who support the official code there, and assume throwing money there is the only answer(it helps), needs to take the above into account.

Especially as ATM the bush in our country is crying out for financial support,Tv stations are tightening due to competition from streaming etc and teams are screaming to be included in an expanded NRL comp.Maybe the answer is getting an NRL club or two to go over there and assist as North Sydney did in the past.But it is not going to change the official recognition issue.

It would be like rugby union being the offical code here, and league receiving SFA assistance, with no school grants and no sponsor interested.
Click to expand...
Interesting stuff. I’m not sure anybody is suggesting that throwing money at the issue will fix it.
But, as you point out, the problems are known so that’s a start.
If the game is serious about growing in South Africa then it’s going to require a pretty sound strategy implemented by some smart minds.
I can’t see why that couldn’t be done.
 
taipan

taipan

Referee
Messages
22,500
Shark62 said:
Interesting stuff. I’m not sure anybody is suggesting that throwing money at the issue will fix it.
But, as you point out, the problems are known so that’s a start.
If the game is serious about growing in South Africa then it’s going to require a pretty sound strategy implemented by some smart minds.
I can’t see why that couldn’t be done.
Click to expand...

The only way ATM or in the near future for the game in SA to really grow and be officially recognised, is to at least get rl , first a Commonwealth Games Sport but most importantly an Olympic Sport ,such as 9s.
Then SASCOC would be in zero position ,to not agree that rugby league is indeed a completely independent sport.
Thus the strategy is to get more nations such as the Norways (where it is official recognised to have comps.To have 100 plus countries playing the game and being recognised in those countries ,the Olympic movement would sit up and take notice when an argument for inclusion is presented.
 
S

Shark62

Juniors
Messages
2,497
taipan said:
The only way ATM or in the near future for the game in SA to really grow and be officially recognised, is to at least get rl , first a Commonwealth Games Sport but most importantly an Olympic Sport ,such as 9s.
Then SASCOC would be in zero position ,to not agree that rugby league is indeed a completely independent sport.
Thus the strategy is to get more nations such as the Norways (where it is official recognised to have comps.To have 100 plus countries playing the game and being recognised in those countries ,the Olympic movement would sit up and take notice when an argument for inclusion is presented.
Click to expand...
Sounds fair to me.
 
Disinterested third party

Disinterested third party

Bench
Messages
3,191
Cheers Taipan. I highly recommend ‘Tries and Conversions’ as a decent read to begin to understand union’s campaign against RL in SA.

The joke with the regulating body is that each and every RL country goes through the same thing.

Make a ruling that RL is a separate sport to union and apply it universally.

It’s only been 124 years after all. Might be time for a fresh approach to the issue.
 
S

Shark62

Juniors
Messages
2,497
Disinterested third party said:
Cheers Taipan. I highly recommend ‘Tries and Conversions’ as a decent read to begin to understand union’s campaign against RL in SA.

The joke with the regulating body is that each and every RL country goes through the same thing.

Make a ruling that RL is a separate sport to union and apply it universally.

It’s only been 124 years after all. Might be time for a fresh approach to the issue.
Click to expand...
Looks like we all agree with each other.
 
S

Stallion

First Grade
Messages
7,467
Dakink said:
Can we please leave the sniping to Fight Club...please...or we will have Stallion like levels of thread derailment ;)
Click to expand...

Do I bight? Perhaps the alleged 'derailment' maybe a symptom of poor understanding. Cheap shots seem to be a consistent thing within this website for some !? Have a nice day!:relaxed:
 
S

Stallion

First Grade
Messages
7,467
taipan said:
Just a bit of history re rugby league in SA and what the code is up against .From the SARL 28/4/16

http://www.sarugbyleague.co.za/new/category/development

Some extracts"
Despite ru and rl being governed by different bodies internationally ,they refuse to budge in SA.At the heart of the issue is the SASCOC constitution which dictates the recognition of members.Article 8.1.6 says' Sasco does not recognise more than one National Federation of a similar or same sport type.'
Thus Sasco is saying that rugby league is not currently considered a distinct sport and that, despite it being governed by a different international body, it cannot get independent recognition.

But here is the contradiction Article 8.1.2 of Sascoc's constitution says"members of national sports federations affiliated to other major International Federations governing sports presently not included in the programme of Olympic Games" can also be recognised.Since rugby league is not an olympic sport and SARL is affiliated to the RLIF surely it should be recognise independently ?

SARL is a recognised sporting association this country and has support of the RLIF.Through all this the Dept of Sport and Recreation shrug their shoulders saying they cannot give Sascoc any instruction, they can only advise them on a number of aspects.
SARL cannot receive financial assistance from teh govt,it cannot be played in schools and corporate support and sponsorship is even harder to come by .
Technicallt the caps the players earn when playing internationally don;t even count since Sascoc is responsible for awarding national colours to athletes.The players have to fund trips themselves.
Last year 2015 SARL was willing to give up the fight for independent recognition and be absorbed by the SARU.It seems the only way forward.
The men in charge of SARU and SASCOC are of course big rugby union men and protecting the code is to their fiancial benefit."

Now we can whinge about local SA admin incompetence and lack of financial support form the RLIF/NRL etc ,but the realities in that country are akin to some degree what was the situation post WW2 in France.

Money from the Aus Govt has been given to the SARL similar to what happens here, teaching one community a rl program in schools usually private schools.They will hopefully get more to play, but the sport will still be hog tied by officialdom.NB money from the Australian Embassy not the SA Govt.

To ignore the influence of people in power via SASCOC who support the official code there, and assume throwing money there is the only answer(it helps), needs to take the above into account.

Especially as ATM the bush in our country is crying out for financial support,Tv stations are tightening due to competition from streaming etc and teams are screaming to be included in an expanded NRL comp.Maybe the answer is getting an NRL club or two to go over there and assist as North Sydney did in the past.But it is not going to change the official recognition issue.

It would be like rugby union being the offical code here, and league receiving SFA assistance, with no school grants and no sponsor interested.
Click to expand...

Some great information . Sporting biggotry in action. It's not just South Africa though. The sly tactics used by union are about in other nations and areas.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Top