SA Rugby Chairman Mark Alexander during the South African national rugby union team arrival press conference at OR Tambo International Airport on November 5, 2019 (Photo by Sydney Seshibedi/Gallo Images)
South Africa Rugby faces the prospect of a budget deficit of R258 million for the year, a report indicates.
According to the Afrikaans newspaper Rapport, the president of SA Rugby alexander frame informed the executive committee of the governing body of the deficit 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 problems.
The report indicates that Alexander is currently serving as interim CEO after Jurie Roux officially vacated his position at the end of 2022.
SA Rugby are believed to want Rian Oberholzer to take Roux’s place, but they have been unable to convince him to take the role. Oberholzer, a former head of SA Rugby, currently acts as administrator for WP Rugby affairs.
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“The shortfall can be attributed to the fact that SA Rugby does not want to cut subsidies to its 14 unions,” a source told Rapport.
“258 million is the worst case scenario Alexander described. 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 to run.”
The 2023 Currie Cup Premier Division will expand to eight teams as last year’s Premier Division champions the Griffons are added to the mix. The double round Currie Cup will kick off on March 10 and run until the final on June 24.
This will overlap with the URC and the Champions/Challenge Cups, which means that the best players from the provincial teams will hardly appear in the Currie Cup.
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