The News Review:
- … chase intensifies – New Zealand’s source for sport…
- Rugby: Jerry Collins calls it a day (+photos)
- Stofile slams rugby’s ‘slow’ transformation
… chase intensifies – New Zealand’s source for sport…
stuff.co.nz – May 27, 2008
"I am really surprised to hear what he said about us. I don't understand Ferguson" Real president Ramon Calderon told sports daily Marca on Monday. "Real Madrid have conducted themselves exquisitely is this whole affair with Cristiano Ronaldo. We have always said that he is a player who has a contract and that Manchester United is not a selling club.
Rugby: Jerry Collins calls it a day (+photos)
New Zealand Herald – May 27, 2008
“Actually from today I am unemployed” Collins 27 told a press conference at New Zealand Rugby Union headquarters in Wellington today. His future plans remain a mystery perhaps even to him. The All Blacks and Hurricanes blindside flanker’s last act was to plonk over a last minute conversion in the Hurricanes’ Super 14 semifinal defeat by the Crusaders on Saturday. Collins was contracted to the end of next year but with NZRU and Wellington union support managed to achieve the “dignified exit” he desired. He also pointed out that a player could not negotiate with other (overseas) clubs while contracted to the NZRU. “This is something that I have thought about for a while. “I have played 10 years in one province it’s a hard place to leave having earned my bread here.
Stofile slams rugby’s ‘slow’ transformation
Independent Online – May 27, 2008
Addressing the National Assembly during his department’s budget vote debate Stofile said appeals to officials to use the recent success of the SA rugby team in France as a catalyst for transformation had fallen on deaf ears. “We warned in October 2007 that our annexing of the World Cup in Rugby should not be squandered like in 1995. There is no indication that anyone listened. “Even as the route of honour of the world champions was arranged it needed political intervention to avoid being a totally elitist affair” he said. “In the process players were manipulated to make anti-change statements which I am sure they hardly understood as they were not statements from the heart… “Our players and administrators need to know that transforming sport is not negotiable – it is part of our constitutional mandate and government agenda” he said. However the minister conceded that sport in the country had seen some positive developments. “At the level of school rugby Grey College in Port Elizabeth has selected young Bonakele Bethe to become their first black captain in 150 years. “Mr Peter de Villiers became the first black national rugby coach in South Africa since the 19th century. Surely these are some positives in the transformation of things in South Africa” he said. On soccer Stofile said preparations for the 2010 World Cup were on track. He however expressed disappointment over the national soccer team’s performance.