The Sharks have reportedly finalised a strategic deal with Border and the Pumas, aiming to bring financial stability and support to its fellow South African rugby unions.
According to a report on Rugby365, Sharks CEO Eduard Coetzee clarified at a press junket in Durban on Friday that the Durban outfit were not becoming the equity partner of Border, rather emphasising collaboration over control.
He added that the Sharks were proud to help revitalise a heritage rooted in the Super Rugby era, combining Natal Sharks, Border, and Eastern Province. The formal partnership, Coetzee explained, addresses various aspects, including grassroots rugby, club support, and financial controls.
“We would like to officially announce the formal partnership that we have agreed contractually with the Border Rugby Union and the Sharks,” Coetzee was quoted by Rugby365.
“We went forward and back a lot on this, and I think the easiest way in our day could be to say, ‘We want to buy 51 percent of the company, give us control,’ and it wasn’t like that.
“We started from the point of collaboration from the get-go, and I think what that means, Border is currently coming out of administration and has a real willingness to build this cradle of rugby in South Africa from the grassroots.
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“We want to partner at every single level with Border and this is what this agreement entitles us to do, to start with grassroots rugby, club rugby, the commercial side, re-establishing the company, financial controls, and all the regulatory functions that a professional rugby side will need.”
Reflecting on Border’s recent challenges, Coetzee also commended the vision of newly-elected president Zuko Badli, facilitating the agreement.
In contrast, the partnership with the Pumas is understood to focus on commercialisation, with Coetzee highlighting a shared resources and more business-oriented aspect to the alliance.
“We will share commercial inventory in terms of sponsorship, instead of advertising for commercial sponsors,” he said.
“We will also have player exchanges throughout the squads, obviously not in overlapping tournaments, so when it comes to Currie Cup it would be a different arrangement.”
Photo: Darren Stewart/Gallo Images
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Src: sarugbymag.co.za
