EP Rugby presidential candidate and cash-flush businessman Willem Oliphant wants the Springboks to play a Test match in Gqeberha in 2025 even if he has to use his own money to make it happen.
That was one of the election promises a fired-up Oliphant made when he outlined plans to bring back the glory days to the union if he is voted into power on Saturday.
Oliphant said EP could have staged the Bok Test against Portugal in July at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium but nobody was prepared to put down a R5m guarantee.
After much uncertainty, the Portugal Test was played in front of a capacity crowd at the Free State Stadium in Bloemfontein.
The Boks scored 10 tries with a dazzling display of attacking rugby to run out 64-21 winners in front of a capacity 42,626-strong crowd.
“I will fight for a Bok Test in Gqeberha even if I have to use my own money,” Oliphant said.
Asked why EP had been overlooked to stage a Test in 2024, Oliphant said: “I think there have been a lot of promises made to the union.
“I don’t think there is respect from SA Rugby’s side and I don’t think from EP’s side to Saru.
“The big problem is that there is nobody who wants to put money down as security.
“We could have got the Portugal Test if we had R5m.
“You get five businessmen and if each put down R1m you have R5m.
“You know with the Springbok brand at the moment, if it is against Portugal, Samoa or the Netherlands you will fill the stadium and you will get your money.
“Free State showed that and they sold tickets for R60 and R120 and they put down the R5m.
“They lent the R5m and the stadium was packed.
“The biggest problem I think is the commercial side and we don’t have the money to put down as security.
“That is how Test rugby works.
“One of my biggest aims and that is to see Test rugby back here in 2025 because it is possible.
“There is no way they [SA Rugby] can say no to us if we can put the security down and I hope everyone knows that was the reason why we did not get the Portugal Test.”
When SA announced the decision to play the Test in Bloemfontein, EP’s acting president George Malgas said instability at the union had been the reason Gqeberha lost out.
“The plan was for the Springboks to play Portugal in Gqeberha on July 20, but this has been moved to Bloemfontein because of the instability of EPRU,” he said.
“The strife scared away sponsors.”
Hopes had been high that Gqeberha would get the nod after SA Rugby president Mark Alexander promised a significant event for the region after the Bay was left out of the Boks’ World Cup trophy tour.
It was confirmed when nominations closed on Friday, that Malgas and OIiphant were the only candidates for the position of president.
Malgas says he wants to bring stability back the union, while Oliphant says he wants to bring back the glory days.
“We need to clean EP rugby and you need to start from scratch because the programme for the past 20 years did not work,” Oliphant said.
“So the methodology they are using is not working so they need to give other people opportunities to try to sort out the methods being used.”
It is expected SA Rugby will send observers to the election and help ensure strict security is in place to prevent disturbances breaking out between rival factions.
Test in 2025 one of plans to bring back glory days of EP rugby
HeraldLIVE
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.