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- SA Rugby’s troubled tournament, the Mzansi Challenge, drew more controversy this week after SWD threatened to pull out of the semi-finals.
- SWD was unhappy with Valke being awarded win points after refusing to play invitational team, San Clemente Rhinos, earlier in the competition.
- The Mzansi Challenge has been shrouded in controversy from the start after Israeli team Tel Aviv Heat’s invitation was withdrawn.
SA Rugby avoided another crisis related to their troubled second tier tournament, the Mzansi Challenge, after South Western Districts (SWD) Eagles lodged a dispute against fellow semi-finalists Valke on the eve of the knockout games.
The competition has been shrouded in controversy from the get go after Israeli team Tel Aviv Heat’s invitation was withdrawn at the 11th hour, which prompted a political storm earlier this year.
There were also reports of threats against South African Rugby Union president Mark Alexander after the Heat were booted out, which he downplayed at the time.
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The tournament faced another hurdle this week when SWD threatened to pull out of their semi-final clash with local rivals Boland.
In communication seen by News24, SWD president Ben Brinkhuis wrote to the rugby mother body listing a myriad complaints, the chief among them that Valke were awarded log points (four for a win) after refusing to play against the San Clemente Rhinos, Heat’s replacements.
The Rhinos, an American-Mexican team invited to face Currie Cup First Division teams, had also plunged the tournament into deep controversy earlier this season when it emerged that they intended to use a squad full of South African club rugby players from Pretoria North-based Naka Bulls.
The move did not go down well with some unions as Valke declined to play against them after discovering that 18 of their 23 match day players were sourced from Naka Bulls Rugby Club.
Thereafter, SA Rugby decided that games against Rhinos would constitute "friendlies". Valke, however, kept the win points from the forfeited game against Rhinos and ended top of the Mzansi Challenge log after nine matches.
This, though, did not sit well with SWD, who threatened to boycott the semi-finals set to be played on Saturday.
SWD wrote to SA Rugby this week expressing their displeasure at Valke being allowed to keep the win points and topping the log by one point ahead of them.
Valke finished top of Mzansi Challenge log with 41 points, and will host the Leopards in Brakpan at 15:00, while second-place finishers, SWD, host rivals Boland at Outeniqua Park Stadium in George at the same time.
SWD wrote a series of letters this week listing their complaints until they lodged an official dispute in a letter dated 8 June.
READ | SA Rugby's Mzansi Challenge forges ahead despite withdrawals, Israeli controversy
"On 25 May 2023, the "non-Franchise" unions are informed that Exco has decided, that the matches against international teams will be full-fledged league matches, notwithstanding the decision of non-franchise unions that matches against Rhinos will be considered friendlies," one of SWD’s letters addressed to Alexander, signed by Brinkhuis, said.
"Consequently, it is that the team that refuses to play forfeits the points and the opponent of course gets the points. This is a long-standing practice and it is only logical, with respect it does not make sense that the team that refuses to play 'gets' the points. Please also note, Rhinos never refused to play against the Hawks, but vice versa.
"We would therefore like to know how the points were awarded to the Falcons and what was the criterion."
SWD also demanded that the semi-finals be postponed until their dispute was resolved.
Alexander responded to Brinkhuis expressing that the awarding of points in such disputes (Valke vs Rhinos) was at SA Rugby CEO’s sole discretion.
"Clause 8.2 of Schedule 1 to the Participation Agreement, the ‘Competition Rules’, specifically states that where 'a dispute arises due to the non-fulfilment of a match for a reason [other than force majeure] it will be referred to the CEO of SARU who will make a final determination that will be binding on all teams participating in the Competition'," Alexander wrote.
By Friday afternoon, it seemed like there was no solution in sight, with SWD threatening to withdraw from the semi-finals, which were set to be broadcast on SuperSport.
However, during the same Friday afternoon, acting SA Rugby CEO Rian Oberholzer wrote to Brinkhuis declaring the union’s dispute "invalid" according to the competition rules.
READ | SA Rugby's controversial Currie Cup call: Tel Aviv Heat coach 'surprised, saddened' after boot
"Your 'declaration of a dispute' is not competent in terms of the Competition Rules. In terms of Clause 8.2 of the Rules, the CEO is vested with the authority to make a final determination regarding a dispute arising from the non-fulfilment of a match and such decision is binding on all teams participating in the Competition," wrote Oberholzer, emphasising Alexander’s stance.
"As the decision maker on these issues, as the arbiter in terms of the Rules, I must make decisions, without fear or favour, that I believe are in the best interests of the organisation, having considered the issues and applying my mind to the various factors at play.
"I do not pretend to always be right, nor do I profess to be able to find solutions that will please everyone, but I do not shirk my responsibility to make difficult decisions when they need to be made. This I have done."
After Oberholzer wrote to Brinkhuis on Friday, SWD withdrew their threat to boycott their semi-final against Boland.
"We decided to play but under heavy protest," said Brinkhuis. "We feel Saru tried to bully us into a game and didn’t want to listen to our arguments. What happened today (Friday) in rugby is a shame."
A Saru spokesperson confirmed that SWD questioned the allocation of points in a match that had not taken place (Valke vs Rhinos) but were advised that the CEO's decision was final in adjudicating matters relating to competitions and that the semi-finals would continue as scheduled.
