More lies and deceit at the SWD Rugby union resulted in a game having to be ‘postponed’ because of a player strike for the first time in South African Rugby History.
We reported a couple of weeks ago on the sorry state of affairs at the union which has seen the players being held ransom for months now with salary disputes and non-payment thanks in large to SWD’s recent sponsorship and ownership deal with Bunker Capital.
At the center of the controversy is suspended SWD president, Stag Cronje who himself has been accused of acting more in favour of Bunker Capital, than SWD rugby.
The problems have been compounded with Cronje challenging his suspension in court, which has left everything hanging in the air until the matter is resolved.
The players at SWD has had enough though.
Intervention from SARPA seems to have amounted to very little, where last we heard they would approach the CCMA to resolve the player-pay dispute and contract issues with players.
The latest crisis comes amidst reports that the players’ contract insurance, and medical insurance has not been paid, leaving them at risk of losing their contracts and months of pay should they get injured in training or a match.
The fees have apparently been deducted from the player’s salaries, but never paid over to the relevant accounts or funds to cover for these insurances.
Where the players before were undecided whether to carry on or strike against the union, the latest developments saw them unite as one and inform the union that they would not take the field in a match that was supposed to be played this weekend past Saturday until the issue is resolved.
Worst of all, the game was against an Argentine invitational team that is taking part in the Vodacom Cup competition.
The match was officially ‘postponed’, but for the first time in history a game had to be called off because players refused to take the field.
One just wonders how long these embarrassing issues from the union will be allowed to continue before real action is taken against the administrators?
The Sydney Morning Herald’s Super 14 Power Rankings after Round 4:
1. BULLS: Nice work! The Bulls had the week off and stayed on top of the ladder courtesy of losses by the Chiefs and Hurricanes. (Last week: 2)
2. STORMERS: The best defensive team in the competition. The Stormers have conceded 46 points less than their nearest rivals, the Crusaders. (Last week: 7)
3. CRUSADERS: They are getting better. Toughed it out against the Blues to keep their title tilt on course. (Last week: 5)
4. CHIEFS: That was a bad loss. Looked like scoring 80 against the Reds before shutting up shop too early. (Last week: 1)
5. HURRICANES: The top of the table beckoned and the Hurricanes folded. Crunch game against the Bulls this weekend. (Last week: 3)
6. BRUMBIES: Should have got the bonus point against the Lions but didn’t. Will need four tries against the Sharks. (Last week: 6)
7. REDS: Did their best to lose against the Chiefs in the final five minutes but held on. Fabulous win! (Last week:
8. BLUES: Tried hard, but outclassed against the Crusaders. Perhaps that’s their level this season. (Last week: 4)
9. WARATAHS: Could have won by 30 yet should have lost the game against the Sharks. The Tahs can thank referee Paul Marks for their win. (Last week: 10)
10. CHEETAHS: Belter of a result against the Canes but at a terrible price; Heinrich Brussow gone for the year. (Last week: 11)
11. HIGHLANDERS: The Stormers kept them to the first doughnut of the season. The loss was not disappointing, but its manner was. (Last week: 9)
12. SHARKS: Had some justifiable grievances against Paul Marks but should at least acknowledge they were not flash themselves. (Last week: 12)
13. LIONS: Showed some fight against the Brumbies but one always sensed they were not going to win. (Last week: 14)
14. FORCE: Fresh from the bye and chasing their first win, but there is no love lost between them and the Reds. (Last week: 13)
# 31
Obviously the Bulls won’t be playing the Canes this weekend…eishhh…die Aussies… 😯
Jaco Pretorius on who’s fastest at the Bulls…
tienie asked: sterkte met die besering ,hoop jy is gou weer in die 13 trui..
net een vraag..julle hoor dit seker baie..wie is die vinnigste in die bulls,vodacom ,en onder 21 /19 spanne…
sal bakkies nog die jaar speel?
Jaco answered: Gerhard vd Heever is verseker die vinnigste by die Bulls… in my opinie heel moontlik die vinnigste in SA Rugby ook. Bakkies werk hard aan sy rehabilitasie en behoort oor so 3 weke weer te begin hardloop.
Johannesburg – The return of Springbok loose forwards Pierre Spies and Dewald Potgieter to the starting line-up for Saturday’s Super 14 rugby match against the Highlanders at Loftus Versfeld is the main selection news from the Blue Bulls camp.
Spies comes in for Danie Rossouw who moves to lock in place of Flip van der Merwe who drops to the bench.
On the other flank Derick Kuun is retained ahead of Deon Stegmann. “This is in accordance with our squad system and the agreement with players,” said Bulls coach Frans Ludeke at the team announcement on Wednesday.
“Every one of the players has been playing good rugby. The squad system is working well and all the players understand it.”
Ludeke has selected Stegmann and another loose forward, Pedrie Wannenburg, on the bench. He views the breakdown play of the Highlanders as one of their strong points for which he has made provision with the inclusion of the two additional loose forwards in a bench that boasts five forwards.
Prop Bees Roux was originally selected as one of the replacements but cut his eye against the scrumming machine on Wednesday morning. He is replaced on the bench by Rossouw de Klerk, who moves up from the Vodacom Cup side.
The versatility of wing Francois Hougaard who can cover at scrumhalf and the two backs on the bench, Jacques-Louis Potgieter and Jaco van der Westhuyzen who can cover the positions of flyhalf and centre in the case of Potgieter and fullback and flyhalf in the case of Van der Westhuyzen has made more backs on the bench an unnecessary luxury.
Springbok scrumhalf Heini Adams will therefore play for the Vodacom Blue Bulls in what could be a crunch match against the Golden Lions in Johannesburg on Saturday.
The Bulls team is: Zane Kirchner, Gerhard van den Heever, Stephan Dippenaar, Wynand Olivier, Francois Hougaard, Morne Steyn, Fourie du Preez, Pierre Spies, Dewald Potgieter, Derick Kuun, Victor Matfield (capt.), Danie Rossouw, Werner Kruger, Gary Botha, Grthro Steenkamp.
Substitutes: Bandise Maku, Rossouw de Klerk, Flip van der Merwe, Deon Stegmann, Pedrie Wannenburg, Jacques-Louis Potgieter, Jaco van der Westhuyzen.
Would have kept Flip in the starting line-up, with Danie coming on as impact player…
Your take on it ?
35@ Blouste – Why discuss it here when there’s a Bulls thread??
Hey, ek was eerste hoor….het daar geantwoord. 😉
Well this is just abominable, where is the SWD rugby union ? and that the players had the deductions from there salaries but the union not paying it !!
Surely it must have a legal term like fraud or something.
@ 2 Blouste. Stormers players never threatened to strike. The media made the whole thing up. Andy Marinos may have had a hand in that.
39
Not what I’ve heard…
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