‘All must buy in’ to help restore EPRU pride

FOR EP Rugby to emerge from under the dark cloud, they need to clean themselves from the inside, says Former Springbok player Thando Manana.

EP Rugby’s testing times in the boardroom are well known and their senior and junior rugby teams have suffered some embarrassing losses of late.

But this week, EP Rugby president Andre Rademan’s called for people to put the past behind them and look to the future as they bid to restore some lost pride.

To achieve this, Manana said everyone needed to buy in to the effort.

“This union needs one mother body, and that is the EPRU, to run affairs how they see fit,” he said.

“At the moment, people are suffering and they are also questioning if the executive is really doing what it is supposed to do. However, we have heard the executive’s cry and that should not be ignored. They have only been in office for five to six months.

“So they need more time, but with more time obviously there is a lot of panic.

“What is important is for them to understand that in life we learn so many things.

“If you can’t fly, run. If you can’t run, walk. And if you can’t walk, at least do something.”

Asked what he would do if he were in Rademan’s shoes, Manana said he would call an imbizo for people to voice their differences and concerns.

He said he would also pay attention to locally-based players and make sure that training grounds and facilities were made available for everyone to access at no cost.

“I think the sport is a professional one. We need to remunerate participants, both players and coaches, because that is what keeps them in the game.

“It’s no longer for the love of the game. There are other provinces out there so I would protect what is mine.

“I would also make sure that I get support from clubs and that the provincial games are handed over to clubs to host. In doing so, interest will grow.

“If a game is played at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, for example, fans will always think of the cost of transport.

“You have to cut certain aspects out.

The finals or knockout stages can always be played at the big venue because over time, you have generated the interest from different clubs.”