McKeever, Wright enter fray

[caption id="attachment_139747" align="aligncenter" width="553"] BANTWINI MATIKA,GARTH WRIGHT and TONY MCKEEVER[/caption]

Nine new candidates eye Cheeky’s position

FORMER Springbok Garth Wright and ex-Southern Spears chief executive Tony McKeever have emerged on a nine-man list of candidates if a vote of no confidence in current EP Rugby Union (EPRU) president Cheeky Watson is successful.

This comes after former Springbok Thando Manana said he was available to lead the union ahead of a special general meeting on April 30 when clubs will table a vote of no confidence in the leadership of the cash-strapped union.

A clear “succession plan” has been drawn up by the Rugby Transformation Coalition (RTC), who expect Watson to be unseated by disgruntled clubs at the special meeting.

The list of potential candidates, which has been seen by The Herald, also includes RTC spokesman Bantwini Matika, who has been an outspoken critic of Watson and his executive.

The full list of candidates is: Wright, McKeever, Manana, Matika, Willem Oliphant, Brian van Rooyen, Mbulelo Gidane, Mpumelelo Tshume and Andre Rademan.

Van Rooyen is a former SA Rugby Union (Saru) president, while Gidane is a former municipal executive director of sports and ex-Bombers player.

Tshume is a former Kwaru scrumhalf and Saru exco member, while Rademan is a Crusaders Rugby Club official.