SA Rugby faces prospect of being R258m short on budget – report

SA Rugby president Mark Alexander during the South African national rugby team arrival media conference at OR Tambo International Airport on 5 November 2019 (Photo by Sydney Seshibedi/Gallo Images)

SA Rugby is facing the prospect of a R258 million budget deficit for the year, a report indicates.

According to Afrikaans newspaper Rapport, SA Rugby president Mark Alexander informed the governing body’s executive committee of the shortfall at a meeting in Cape Town late last month.

SA Rugby is also struggling to find a sponsor for the Currie Cup which is believed to have compounded its financial woes.

The report states that Alexander is currently filling in as acting CEO after Jurie Roux officially vacated his post at the end of 2022.

It’s believed that SA Rugby wants Rian Oberholzer to step into Roux’s position but they’ve been unable to convince him to undertake the role. Oberholzer, a former SA Rugby boss, is currently acting as an administrator over the affairs of WP Rugby.

Nick Mallett | SA Rugby can’t afford so many professional sides … it’s time for a cull

“The deficit can be attributed to the fact that SA Rugby does not want to cut its 14 unions’ grants,” a source told Rapport.

“The 258 million is the worst-case scenario that Alexander outlined. It could end up being less than that.

“The sponsors run because the unions change the Currie Cup every year. It’s the third sponsor running on it.”

The 2023 Currie Cup Premier Division will be expanded to eight teams as last year’s First Division champions, the Griffons, are added to the mix. The double-round Currie Cup will start on 10 March and run until the final on 24 June.

This will see an overlap with the URC and Champions/Challenge Cups, which means the provincial teams’ top players will hardly feature in the Currie Cup.

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred

In times of uncertainty you need journalism you can trust. For 14 free days, you can have access to a world of in-depth analyses, investigative journalism, top opinions and a range of features. Journalism strengthens democracy. Invest in the future today. Thereafter you will be billed R75 per month. You can cancel anytime and if you cancel within 14 days you won’t be billed.