SA Rugby battle heats up
Port Elizabeth - Tony McKeever, chief executive of the Southern Spears, is confident of being on the winning side in their Cape High Court action against SA Rugby on Tuesday.
SA Rugby is applying for leave to appeal against the August 4 findings by Judge Dennis Davis.
The judge found that a legal agreement existed between SA Rugby and the Spears that guaranteed the franchise participation in this year's Currie Cup competition and the Super 14 in 2007 and 2008.
The national body last year guaranteed the Spears participation in the competitions. It also agreed to maintain the team until the end of this year and obtain sponsorships for the franchise.
When SA Rugby overturned the decisions this year, the Spears went to court.
Judge Davis then returned to the Spears their place in the Super 14 and found that the franchise could, if needed, approach the court to claim damages regarding the Currie Cup competition.
The Spears now are applying that the findings concerning the Super 14 come into force immediately. They also claim damages of R7.5m.
Missed out on 14 matches
McKeever said on Monday he was still seeking R6.4m that SA Rugby owed the Spears for the period until the end of December.
He said the amount of damages claimed constituted the losses the Spears suffered by not playing in 14 Currie Cup matches.
If SA Rugby's application is successful, a drawn-out court case could follow and the Spear's participation in the 2007 Super 14 could fall through.
Meanwhile, SA Rugby's efforts to acquire shares in the Eastern Province and South Western Districtict rugby unions have apparently received a major boost.
SA Rugby is trying to acquire 25.1% of the shares in the three feeder unions (it has already reached an agreement with Border) and to buy the 24.9% share SA Investments Limited (Sail) owns in each of the unions.
Had agreed verbally
With a 50% share in each of the unions, SA Rugby can appoint directors to the Spears board, which could have an important influence on the future of the franchise.
Stag Cronjé, president of the SWD Rugby Union, confirmed on Monday that the union had agreed verbally with SA Rugby to sell the shares. Border announced last week that it would sell its shares.
Liam del Carme reports from Johannesburg that the Southern Spears' chances of playing in the Super 14 next year have just about disappeared.
Basil Haddad, acting managing director of SA Rugby, said on Monday there were verbal agreements with EP and SWD, as well as Sail, to acquire shares in the unions that constitute the Southern Spears.
With a 50% share in the three unions, SA Rugby will have the right to make appointments to the board of the Spears and have a say in decisions regarding the franchise's Super 14 participation.
Have got the documents
Several documents still have to be checked and signed.
"We have already come to an agreement with Border. They have signed and we have received the documents," Haddad said on Monday.
"We have agreed verbally with EP and SWD on several occasions.
"There are some unfinished matters we have to look at, but that should not implicate the purchasing of the shares."
News source: www.news24.co.za
Posted by: www.SouthAfrica-CarHire.com
They seem to play harder in the court room than on the field
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