'There is s a lot at stake here'

The Southern Spears will have to wait a few more days, but by Friday they will, hopefully, know if they will play in the 2007 Super 14 competition or if in fact they still have the right of existence.

This is the outcome of yet another SA Rugby (Pty) Ltd Board meeting, which took place in Cape Town on Tuesday, that yet again referred the vexed issue of the Spears back to the President's Council - which ironically originally referred it to the SA Rugby board with a proposal that the Spears be given the boot.

SA Rugby board chairman Mpumelelo Tshume and SA Rugby Union (SARU) president Oregan Hoskins both denied that the latest decision - to refer the matter back to the President's council, which will meet on Thursday - was stalling tactics on their behalf because they had problems with making a decision.

They made it clear that Thursday's meeting will make a final call and that this decision will be announced at a formal media conference on Friday.

Only time will tell if Thursday's meeting will in fact make a final call, but for now Friday looms as D-Day for the Spears.

In a prepared statement SA Rugby said its Board of Directors Tuesday held a meeting to discuss the readiness of the Southern Spears franchise to participate in the 2007 Super 14 competition.

The meeting discussed the Southern Spears issue "at length", taking into account submissions from the recent SA Rugby fact-finding mission to the Spears in Port Elizabeth; a presentation by the Chairman of the Board of the Spears franchise; and input from various stakeholders - according to the statement.

It further added that the Board decided not to announce a decision before receiving further input from the meeting of the Presidents of the Provincial Unions, scheduled to take place in Cape Town on Thursday April 20.

"It is important to note that the decision on the Spears franchise is within the context of the competitions structure SA Rugby will adopt in the near future," Tshume said in his statement. "It would be unfair to all parties concerned not to take into account the outcome of the Thursday meeting.

"It is for that reason that we are so keen to receive input from that structure. We have to emerge with a decision that takes into account the total picture of the South African rugby environment."

Tshume reiterated a statement made earlier by SA Rugby Union President, Oregan Hoskins, that the rugby governing body would not make hasty decisions on the matter without examining all the relevant factors.

"Mr Hoskins put it correctly when he said the process will require a lot of research and time, precisely because the ultimate decision is one we will not take lightly or in a haphazard fashion."

Initially Tshume and Hoskins, who fronted up to the media in Cape Town, declined to entertain questions from the journalists.

But when bombarded they tried to explain to the media gathering why there was a need for the board to refer the matter back to the President's Council, when the same President's Council had referred the matter to and made a recommendation to the board.

"The President's Council will discuss, amongst other things, the competition structures of SA rugby and that meeting has direct bearing on what we discussed today," Tshume said.

Hoskins also defended the decision to refer the matter back to Thursday's meeting, saying it is not to employ delaying tactics, but because it is such an important issue.

"This is a serious matter and it is one that warrants our full attention," he said as the media demanded some answers.

"We're not taking it lightly. Maybe the perception that you have of us is one that seems we're delaying it, or as you said giving the impression that we're dragging it out. I would prefer it if you saw it as a matter that we take extremely seriously.

"There is a lot at stake here. We've discussed this particular issue at length at a full board meeting [Tuesday]. It is much better for this country to understand that we take this issue seriously.

"The Bosberaad [get-together] that's going to be held in two days time [President's Council meeting on Thursday] is an important one, and it is important that we take into account that meeting's feelings and sentiments.

"It certainly has a bearing on the structures and the Spears as far as competition structures are concerned."

Hoskins concluded by saying that there will be a firm decision taken on Thursday and the decision will then be made public at a media conference on Friday.

By Jan de Koning