Annual Report South African Rugby Union Annual Report 2014
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SOUTH AFRICAN RUGBY UNION ANNUAL REPORT SOUTH AFRICAN RUGBY UNION ANNUAL REPORT 2014 REPORT UNION ANNUAL SOUTH AFRICAN RUGBY 2014 SOUTH AFRICAN RUGBY UNION ANNUAL REPORT 2014 CONTENTS SARU Sponsors 02 President’s Message 04 CEO’s Report 06 Integrated Report 08 Audit & Risk Committee 30 Operations & Finance 34 Financial Statements 36 Rugby Department 78 Referees 84 Commercial & Marketing 90 Corporate Affairs 94 Human Resources 100 Images supplied by Gallo Images ANNUAL REPORT 2014 | SOUTH AFRICAN RUGBY UNION | 01 SARU SPONSORS TIER 1 SPonsors ASSOCIATE SPONSORS OFFICIAL SUPPLIERS SARU ENDorsED TournamENT SPonsors TOURNAMENT ASSOCIATE SPONSORS 02 | SOUTH AFRICAN RUGBY UNION | ANNUAL REPORT 2014 ANNUAL REPORT 2014 | SOUTH AFRICAN RUGBY UNION | 03 PRESIDENT’S REPORT t has been my responsibility to produce this report for the past nine years and I think I can safely say that in all that time our sport has not been in as stable a position as we Ifind ourselves right now, notwithstanding the considerable financial challenges that perenni- ally threaten the business of rugby. No one is glossing over those or denying very excited that we finally have a scorecard that the multiple leisure options available to against which we can chart our progress. the public nowadays makes the “battle” for SARU members were a key part of the pro- audience an increasingly tough one. In fact, we cess that led to that document; from its launch had to take the reluctant step of taking over at our Transformation Indaba at Montecasino the running of the financial and administrative in October 2012; during its workshopping over affairs of one of our members, Border, towards two years of provincial visits to its final ap- the end of the year. But what we can manage proval in December. It was a significant day on we have managed well, I believe, and structur- our rugby landscape and gives us the tool to ally, we are in a better position to negotiate fulfil our vision of being an inspiration to all. the challenges than we have ever been. Of course, what really matters most to the For instance, when the Government’s majority of fans is whether the Springboks Eminent Persons’ Group (EPG) produced their are winning and, in that regard, we have a report on transformation in the five major very solid base on which to build in 2015. The sports, rugby was the only one to receive a year before a World Cup has been a time of ‘good’ rating. We outperformed all the other crisis and turmoil for the Springbok team in major federations across a broad measure of the past. In each of the 2002, 2006 and 2010 categories, but the headlines were around seasons the then Bok coaches were all in the the one ‘angle’ on which we were told we had firing line for underwhelming results. That more to do – transformation of the Springbok wasn’t the case in 2014. team. But we were already ahead of them. The overall return of nine wins from 13 Our Strategic Transformation Plan – map- matches (69.23%) has only been bettered on The SARU Strategic ping out the route to a minimum of 50/50 four occasions in the previous 22 years since Transformation Plan generic black representation in our teams rugby unity, even though the year ended took two years of hard and structures by 2019 – was already drafted on an anti-climactic note with two narrow work before it was pre- and will be used to measure and monitor defeats on the European tour. sented to the country. all our activities for the next five years. I am We also ended a run of five successive 04 | SOUTH AFRICAN RUGBY UNION | ANNUAL REPORT 2014 defeats by New Zealand, inflicting on our fierc- ABOVE LEFT: The Kwagga Smith and Werner Kok. est rival what was only their second defeat in EP Kings returned At domestic level the new-look Absa Currie three years since the start of the 2011 Rugby to the Absa Currie Cup – featuring eight teams once more and World Cup. It was a marvellous occasion at Cup after the the return of the Eastern Province Kings – had what is now called Emirates Airline Park and competition was many moments of excitement. The promoted stimulated the appetite for more such momen- extended to eight Steval Pumas did the double over the more il- tous occasions in England in World Cup year. teams again. lustrious Toyota Free State Cheetahs as well as That occasion also launched onto the beating the Cell C Sharks to set the cat among wider rugby world Handré Pollard – World ABOVE MIDDLE: the pigeons early in the tournament. Rugby’s Under-20 Player of the Year – who Jean de Villiers The latter stages were played without 20 was one of a number of players such as Cor- and Bryan Ha- contracted Springboks, who were withdrawn nal Hendricks, Cobus Reinach, Lood de Jager, bana both passed from the tournament in the interests of player Damian de Allende and Oupa Mohoje who the magical 100 welfare and to prepare for the Castle Lager Out- made their debuts and broadened the pool tests mark for going end-of-year tour. The decision was well re- of available talent at national level in 2014. the Springboks in ceived by a public as concerned as we are about Their elevation to an already talented, 2014. Here SARU player workloads. The fact that agreement expanded group of players means that the president, Oregan could be reached with the unions was a sign of selection question in 2015 is more likely to Hoskins caps De the stability to which I have already alluded. be: “Who will be the unlucky ones?” and not: Villiers with a We also continue to make the game safer. “Where will I find a flyhalf?” The major fly specially made In 2014 our new age banding regulations for in the on-field ointment is the injury suf- gold cap after his schoolboy rugby - designed to prevent age mis- fered by our captain, Jean de Villiers, in the milestone. matches – came into force. We also introduced final match of the season: We are all hold- new ‘zero tolerance’ regulations in respect of ing thumbs that he returns to fitness before ABOVE RIGHT: concussion in all rugby matches. The onus is the Rugby World Cup tournament kicks off The Springbok now on the responsible coaches and medical in September. Both he and Bryan Habana Sevens team, staff to remove players from play and training, celebrated the winning of their 100th caps under the SASCOC even if there is a suspicion that the individual in 2014, outstanding achievements for two banner of Team may have been concussed. The regulations really outstanding Springbok players. SA, won their first were the latest advance in our safer rugby It was an even better year for our Blitzboks, gold medal at the campaign, BokSmart, since the introduction of who blossomed under the hand of coach Neil Commonwealth which we are now able to show a significant Powell. They won three HSBC Sevens World Games in Rugby decline in the injury profile at schoolboy level. Series titles in 2014 – Las Vegas, Dubai and Sevens. All-in-all, it was a year of steady progress South Africa – as well as making South Africa for rugby in 2104. We were free of what had proud by winning the gold medal at the Com- become the usual crises in a pre-World Cup season and adminis- monwealth Games in Glasgow in July. tratively our landscape was one of stability and optimism as we That victory ended a run of three suc- look forward to mastering the continuing challenges. cessive titles for New Zealand and, on the Oregan Hoskins way, the Blitzboks created new heroes of President their own in players such as Seabelo Senatla, South African Rugby Union ANNUAL REPORT 2014 | SOUTH AFRICAN UGBY UNION | 05 CEO’S REPORT he process of shaping the operations mance Management departments. The Rugby Department assumed sole re- of the organisation to the strategic sponsibility for an unbroken pathway for play- ers and coaches from youth rugby to Spring- needs of rugby continued at some bok level – a responsibility that had been pace in 2014 leaving SARU better shared with the Development Department at more junior levels. The effect was that from Tplaced than ever to meet the key demands of the moment a promising young player appears on the SARU radar – typically at under-16 performances and transformation. level – his career and development would be tracked until his retirement from the game. A Structural changes were made to four of bespoke SARU athlete management system our seven departments, with more, minor called ‘Footprint’ holds that information and changes to follow elsewhere in 2015. Those links to our game analysis software, ‘Stratus’, changes were informed by our developing to provide a complete biographical and playing strategic needs as well as the learnings of the record of a players’ career. years since 2011, when the two arms of the Similarly with coaches and team specialists, old ‘bi-polar’ organisation were combined in such as physios and biokineticists for instance, a major restructuring. their careers are also being absorbed into the The Commercial Marketing and Referees system so that at any one time we are aware departments underwent revisions to improve of and can identify the leading practitioners operational efficiency and focus resources in their field in rugby. The Rugby Department more directly to business needs. But the ma- also developed a coaching manual – the SA jor changes came in what were once named Rugby Blueprint – to assist and guide coaches the High Performance and Development in coaching principles and techniques.