Conradie has doubts on remaining as NRU chief

NAMIBIA Rugby Union (NRU) president Dirk Conradie is unlikely to seek re-election following pressure from clubs on him to step down.

He expressed doubts if he would vie for his position when the union meets for an extra-ordinary congress to elect new members on March 27. Conradie and his four executive committee members have been asked to resign last weekend, after they were accused of badly managing Namibia’s participation before, during and after the Rugby World Cup in Australia last year.Conradie told The Namibian Sport yesterday that he was not sure if he will go for another five-year term, but will see on the day of the elections.”I am not sure.I still have to make up my mind on that,” he said.Ten local rugby clubs at a meeting held last weekend, pressed for Conradie and the executive members to resign as they have allegedly failed to run the game accordingly.”I agree that we probably need new people to come in and run the union, but they should be the right people,” he said.So far, there are no possible candidates that have indicated to oppose Conradie who has now served for five years.”I am tired of all these fights and that’s why we are going to have and extra ordinary congress to elect new people,” he said.Initially, the ordinary congress of the union was scheduled for June, but the union’s executive members decided to call an extra ordinary congress at the end of next week.The management members that are also asked to step down are Hylton Ferreira, Brian Stigter, Wolfie Henckert and Allistair Carolissen.The clubs which were present at the meeting and pushing for the move were Jaguars, Kudus, Oshakati, Reho Falcon, Swakopmund, United, Wanderers, Western Suburbs, Swans and Windhoek Rugby club.The sides that were not present were Rehoboth and Ocean Swallows from Luderitz.The clubs have teams in both the first and second leagues and represent more than two thirds of rugby players in the country.Another burning issue that prompts the ousting the executive is the amount of N$33 000 that each member got after the Rugby World Cup.The rugby clubs were not satisfied with the justification given by Conradie, who said that the money was obtained through the sale of World Cup tickets by a South African travel agent.Each of the executive members got the amount at the end of the disastrous Rugby World Cup campaign of the national team.The side firstly struggled to obtain funding for their gear and medical costs ahead of the trip to Australia, while some players had numerous problems with former coach Dave Waterston.Namibia lost all its four matches against Argentina, Ireland, Australia and Romania.Other reasons given was the hiring and sacking of national coaches from the junior to the senior level after the World Cup.Clubs also viewed the hand-picking of national coaches for the various national sides as unfair, as positions are not advertised to give other coaches an opportunity to apply.The entire management of the side that travelled to Australia were shown the door, with the main culprits being the team manager Robert Alexander.Alexander was sacked after he was blamed for the entire disorganisation of the team during the tour in Australia.Alexander said he was asked to submit a report on the entire tour, but was not given a response on it, but instead a letter telling him that he was no longer needed.The NRU executive committee earlier this year appointed Danie Vermeulen as the new coach of the national side after the World Cup.Vermuelen has so far lost his first match in charge to Morocco in the Confederation of African Rugby Cup in that country recently.Conradie and his four executive committee members have been asked to resign last weekend, after they were accused of badly managing Namibia’s participation before, during and after the Rugby World Cup in Australia last year.Conradie told The Namibian Sport yesterday that he was not sure if he will go for another five-year term, but will see on the day of the elections.”I am not sure.I still have to make up my mind on that,” he said.Ten local rugby clubs at a meeting held last weekend, pressed for Conradie and the executive members to resign as they have allegedly failed to run the game accordingly.”I agree that we probably need new people to come in and run the union, but they should be the right people,” he said.So far, there are no possible candidates that have indicated to oppose Conradie who has now served for five years.”I am tired of all these fights and that’s why we are going to have and extra ordinary congress to elect new people,” he said.Initially, the ordinary congress of the union was scheduled for June, but the union’s executive members decided to call an extra ordinary congress at the end of next week. The management members that are also asked to step down are Hylton Ferreira, Brian Stigter, Wolfie Henckert and Allistair Carolissen.The clubs which were present at the meeting and pushing for the move were Jaguars, Kudus, Oshakati, Reho Falcon, Swakopmund, United, Wanderers, Western Suburbs, Swans and Windhoek Rugby club.The sides that were not present were Rehoboth and Ocean Swallows from Luderitz.The clubs have teams in both the first and second leagues and represent more than two thirds of rugby players in the country.Another burning issue that prompts the ousting the executive is the amount of N$33 000 that each member got after the Rugby World Cup.The rugby clubs were not satisfied with the justification given by Conradie, who said that the money was obtained through the sale of World Cup tickets by a South African travel agent.Each of the executive members got the amount at the end of the disastrous Rugby World Cup campaign of the national team.The side firstly struggled to obtain funding for their gear and medical costs ahead of the trip to Australia, while some players had numerous problems with former coach Dave Waterston.Namibia lost all its four matches against Argentina, Ireland, Australia and Romania. Other reasons given was the hiring and sacking of national coaches from the junior to the senior level after the World Cup.Clubs also viewed the hand-picking of national coaches for the various national sides as unfair, as positions are not advertised to give other coaches an opportunity to apply.The entire management of the side that travelled to Australia were shown the door, with the main culprits being the team manager Robert Alexander.Alexander was sacked after he was blamed for the entire disorganisation of the team during the tour in Australia.Alexander said he was asked to submit a report on the entire tour, but was not given a response on it, but instead a letter telling him that he was no longer needed.The NRU executive committee earlier this year appointed Danie Vermeulen as the new coach of the national side after the World Cup.Vermuelen has so far lost his first match in charge to Morocco in the Confederation of African Rugby Cup in that country recently.