SARFU - Definition and Overview

SARFU or South African Rugby Football Union is the governing body for rugby union in South Africa and is affiliated to the International Rugby Board.

SARFU was established on the 23rd March 1992 following the unification of the former whites only South African Rugby Board (SARB) and the non-racial South African Rugby Union (SARU) signed at the Kimberley Sun Hotel. Kimberley was chosen as the venue for it had been the founding city of the SA Rugby Football Board in 1889 and the SA Coloured Rugby Board in 1896.

The new body's headquarters were at Newlands. All committees were shared. The first presidents were Dr Danie Craven (executive) and Mr Ebrahim Patel. The new non-racial body meant readmission into international rugby after eight years of isolation due to apartheid.

SARFU has 14 Provincial Unions as members - the Blue Bulls (Pretoria), Boland (Wellington), Border (East London), Eastern Province (Port Elizabeth), Falcons (Springs), Free State (Bloemfontein), Golden Lions (Gauteng), Griffons (Welkom), Griqualand West (Kimberley), Leopards (Potchefstroom), Mpumalanga (Witbank), Natal (Durban), South Western Districts (George) and Western Province (Cape Town).

Unification was the first revolution for SARFU, whilst the second was the swift onset of professionalism in the wake of the Rugby World Cup in 1995. Enhanced commercialism and the need to run rugby as a business has provided the third and latest revolution.

In order to meet this challenge, SARFU, in August 2001, established a business arm - SA Rugby (Pty) Ltd- to manage all of its commercial activities locally and internationally.

SA Rugby (Pty) Ltd manages all aspects relating to national teams, brand building and protection, merchandising, sponsors and suppliers, media rights, marketing, tours and tournaments, financial services and medical services.

See also

• South Africa national rugby union team
• Currie Cup
• Tri Nations Series
• Super 12

External links

• SA Rugby Homepage (http://www.sarugby.net/)