SA Rugby cuts budget, tests to go ahead

NAMPA/AFP South African Rugby announced huge budget cuts and the cancellation of several events on Tuesday because of the coronavirus pandemic, but said it still hoped scheduled test matches for the world champion Springboks would go ahead.Chief executive Jurie Roux said the sport's stakeholders had agreed to cut between N$700 million and N$1 billion from the budget for the next eight months against what he said was a “worst-case” scenario in which no rugby would be played during the period. The cuts will include salary reductions for officials and players. “Our income is tied to the playing of professional rugby and without matches, we potentially don't have any income,” Roux said. Unprecedented times He said the decision had been agreed in principle by all stakeholders, including representatives of players. “These are unprecedented times, not only for rugby in South Africa, but across all spheres of life all over the globe,” he said. Roux added all age group events, with the exception of a planned under-21 provincial competition, had been scrapped, while all club rugby was on hold because the country was in lockdown due to the coronavirus outbreak. Matches to go aheadBut home test matches against Scotland, on 4 July and 11 July, remained on the schedule as well as a fixture against Georgia on 18 July. The first test against Scotland will hold special significance as it is likely to be the last match at the historic Newlands stadium in Cape Town. The Rugby Championship involving home and away matches against Argentina, Australia and New Zealand during August and September was also still set to go ahead. The Currie Cup provincial competition and other franchise tournaments had also not yet been cancelled. But Roux said all fixtures were dependent on contingency planning around the illness' situation.“We are currently on a return to train and play readiness plan but this is dependent on government advice and decisions as the pandemic evolves,” he said.

SA Rugby cuts budget, tests to go ahead

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Namibian Sun 2025-05-01

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SA Rugby cuts budget, tests to go ahead

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Namibian Sun 2025-05-01

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