SA Rugby backs equity deal in Parliament
SA Rugby has defended its proposed equity deal with the Ackerley Sports Group (ASG), describing the R1.4 billion investment as vital for the sport’s sustainability in South Africa.
The deal would grant ASG a 20% stake in SA Rugby’s commercial arm but requires a 75% majority vote from South Africa’s 13 rugby unions to pass.
Speaking to Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Sports, Arts and Culture on Wednesday, SARU president Mark Alexander emphasised that the deal was not for personal gain but to secure rugby’s future amid economic challenges.
News24 reports that alternative investment offers, including one involving local tycoons Johann Rupert and Patrice Motsepe, were dismissed due to an exclusivity agreement with ASG.
Alexander admitted uncertainty over the outcome of Friday’s vote in Cape Town, with just four opposing votes sufficient to block the deal.
The committee also grilled SARU on former CEO Jurie Roux’s continued consultancy role despite his court conviction for misappropriating R37 million during his tenure at Stellenbosch University.
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World Rugby confirms SHOCK late change to Cape Town Sevens format
World Rugby has confirmed a surprise change to the pool format for this weekend’s Cape Town Sevens at the Cape Town Stadium.
World Rugby has confirmed a surprise change to the pool format for this weekend’s Cape Town Sevens at the Cape Town Stadium.
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A new competition format will see the 12 teams divided into four pools of three teams each.
The four pool winners will advance directly to semi-finals and a chance to reach the medal podium in Cape Town.
This was NOT the case in Dubai this past weekend – nor last season – where there were three pools of four teams each with the top two in each pool plus the next two best sides progressing to the quarter-finals.
There will be no quarter-finals now in Cape Town.
The pools for Cape Town were allocated based on rankings at the end of the Dubai tournament.
The Blitzboks have been drawn in Pool C alongside Argentina and Ireland.
Argentina finished third in Dubai with the Springbok Sevens side in sixth. Ireland were 11th.
The Springbok Women’s Sevens side will not be in action in Cape Town.
CAPE TOWN SEVENS POOLS
MEN
Pool A: Fiji, Great Britain, Uruguay
Pool B Spain, Australia, Kenya
Pool C: Argentina, South Africa, Ireland
Pool D: New Zealand, France, USA
WOMEN
Pool A: Australia, Canada, Brazil
Pool B: New Zealand, Japan, China
Pool C: France, Ireland, Spain
Pool D: Great Britain, USA, Fiji
Schedule
HSBC SVNS 2025 features seven events across seven months in seven iconic global destinations.
Six regular season rounds will be played in Dubai, Cape Town, Perth, Vancouver, Hong Kong and Singapore to decide the HSBC SVNS League Winners, before the HSBC SVNS World Championship in Los Angeles which will see the top eight men’s and women’s teams compete at Dignity Health Sports Park which will host the LA 2028 Olympic rugby sevens.
