Besides the Springbok coaching job, there are other pressing issues that Saru need to sort out by the beginning of the new year and transformation will be on top of the list.
Hoskins last week lamented that transformation is a must for his organisation and the franchises and unions affiliated to the mother body.
For the first time in his second tenure as president, Hoskins finally admitted last week that the lack of transformation in the sport had reached crisis point and that he would ‘not walk the plank alone’ at the face of mounting pressure from Sascoc, government, sponsors and the black majority of the country.
Then there is the issue of the domestic competition, the Currie Cup, which will revert back to the all the unions playing in the same division and it could see the introduction of Namibia into the competition.
But the broader issue about the Currie Cup is where it fits into the South African rugby landscape with an already cramped schedule from a longer Super Rugby competition that is immediately followed by the Rugby Championship and the Springboks end-of-year tour.
Add to that the Varsity Cup and Vodacom Cup and it is becoming increasingly difficult to keep the world’s oldest domestic competition relevant.
Money will also be one of the agenda items today with a new broadcast deal with Sanzar for Super Rugby and the Rugby Championship.
Saru are expecting a windfall and with the Rand weakening further against the world’s major currencies, it will come as no surprise if rumours of the monies due to Saru are close to a R1 billion.
With money comes problems and Saru will be at pains to keep the majority of the money in their coffers while leaving the unions to share in 40 percent of the revenue but there is likely to be fierce resistance from the smaller unions, especially those that don’t fall under a Super Rugby franchise.
Lastly, the Southern Kings and Eastern Province Rugby Union have been a burning issue in the last few months and it is a matter that will need a speedy resolution in a province that is known to be the cradle of black rugby and cricket.
