Where to for rugby in 2016?

Confusion heralds the onset of a new year of play

THE year 2016 should be one of new beginnings and new challenges for the sport.

Usually at this time of the year teams are excited and in the beginning of their pre-season training, working hard to gain much needed fitness and conditioning to face up to tourneys like the Eastern Cape Super 12 Championship and the Cell C Community Cup and the normal league season in April.

This year, however, seems to be the exact opposite, with teams unsure of the status quo of many of these structures. The season-opening showcase of the Super 12 Club Championship seems to be in tatters. The brainchild of the Department of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Cul- ture that pits the top six clubs of Border and Eastern Province against one another is a huge attraction for rugby fans.

The draw usually takes place in late November or early December, but to date nothing has happened. Matches usually start the last week of January and run concurrently for a period of 10 weeks. Speculation has it that the competition will start on January 23, but no official announcement has been made. This has resulted in clubs being unable to plan their off- and pre-season training.

The Border league structures are also up for scrutiny and with the financial woes mounting at the union, which has failed to pay grants to clubs for the last three years, there is uncertainty as to how the league structures will be put in place this season.

Will it remain the same with a Super, Premier, First Division and Sub-Union structures or will it divert to the proposed municipal boundaries and demarcations? This decision is set to be revealed in due course as the powers- that-be still have to finalise the structures.

It is also going to be a testing two months for the administrators and politicians at the Border Rugby Union. The AGM is due to take place in February when the current Border executive will face stiff opposition from various quarters in the general elections.

On the bright side, Old Collegians and Breakers have agreed to play an annual pre-season match with the home ground set to alternate every year. Both clubs are on the look-out for a sponsor to commemorate the great rivalry between the two clubs.

The JJ Motors Old Collegians Tens rugby festival will take place on January 30 at the Thobi Kula Indoor Sports Stadium.

Five Border club players have been called up to the Kings Super Rugby training squad: Billy Dutton, Mihlali Mpafi, Michael Makase, Ntando Kebe and Onke Dubase. They will be joined by two players from the South Western districts, Leighton Eksteen and Luzuko Vulindlu. The Sharks duo of Monde Hadebe and Lukhanyo Am have received call-ups to the squad.