Turmoil in Border
With just a month to go to the 2012 Craven Week in Port Elizabeth, the Border Rugby Football Union have informed schools that players contracted to other unions in 2013 would not be allowed to play for the Border Craven Week side in 2012.
Several headmasters of leading Border schools met the Border Rugby Football Union on Wednesday to sort out the matter. The BRU has remained adamant that the 11 boys who have signed for other unions next year will not be eligible to play at this year's Craven Week unless they get out of their contracts and enter into a contract with the BRU which offered the players chosen for Craven Week on 23 May 2012.
The President of the BRFU, Bantu Ondala, said on Wednesday: "Following discussions with the Border Coca Cola Craven Week players contracted to other unions, an agreement is yet to be reached by the BRFU and the players, together with their parents.
"We are not apologetic about our decision. We feel this is the right way to go if we want to retain our players and stop them from leaving for bigger unions once they finish school.
"We're not saying players must not leave and go and study and play for other unions but we will not be selecting players who already have contracts with other unions because we are offering contracts as well."
As a result of this decisions, the coaches of the Border Craven Week A side and the Border Craven Week B side have resigned. Grant Griffith, the Dale coach, said that he and Kevin Taylor, the Selborne College coach, were resigning in sympathy with the players.
Complaints from the schools include:
*There is nothing in the constitution of the union or the schools that says that boys contracted to other unions are debarred from playing at Craven Week.
*The decision was taken without consultation with schools.
*There had not been any written correspondence with the schools in this regard.
*The decision has been taken so late. The dates for Craven Week were set long ago and are on the second week of July as always; there had thus been time enough to make such a provision in good time. The Border offer of contracts was made to players only on 23 May 2012. Players would have had agreements/contracts with unions for up to two years ago.
Amongst those affected are Joshua Stander and Juan-Phillip Smith of Queen's College who were both at the 2011 Craven Week and who have had plans to go to the Blue Bulls since Grant Khomo Week in 2010, Kevin Kaba and Kaya Molotana who have had plans to go to the Eastern Province Kings since the beginning of the year, Siphamandla Bingwa of Hudson Park who is due to go to the Sharks and four Dale College players - Malwade Mahame, Tino Zakelo, Sibanye Bukani and Akhona Sihunu.
All 22 of the Border players at the 21011 Craven Week came from Selborne, Dale, Queen's and Hudson Park, the four schools most concerned by this sudden change of events.