NPR

Western Province have reportedly signed a three-year deal with promising young hooker Andre-Hugo Venter, who is the son of former Springbok flank Andre Venter.


Afrikaans newspaper Rapport indicated on Sunday that WP Rugby secured the services of the 19-year-old after the union recently lost three of their hookers.

Schalk Erasmus has joined the Bulls, while Dan Jooste signed for the Sharks. WP also lost Ramone Samuels, who recently underwent medical tests at the Bulls. He is hampered by an ankle injury and the Bulls are paying for the rehabilitation programme he currently follows in Stellenbosch.


Venter is an accounting student at Stellenbosch University. He represented the SA Schools team in 2019 and played first team rugby for the unbeaten Grey College team in 2018 and 2019.

His dad Andre, 49, played 66 Tests for the Springboks between 1996 and 2001 and was a member of the team that finished third at the 1999 Rugby World Cup in the United Kingdom.

Venter Snr has been in a wheelchair in recent years after being struck down by a degenerative syndrome of the central nervous system called transverse myelitis. He is a successful businessman and also a motivational speaker.

When probed by Sport24 regarding details of the young Venter's contract, WP Rugby said more details will be provided once an official announcement is made.

- Compiled by Sport24 staff

Sandstorm wrote: Tue Jul 28, 2020 7:10 am He’s studying in Stellenbosch. You expect him to play Rugby in Bloem on Saturday??

Chilli wrote: Tue Jul 28, 2020 8:11 am

Sandstorm wrote: Tue Jul 28, 2020 7:10 am He’s studying in Stellenbosch. You expect him to play Rugby in Bloem on Saturday??

In a word, yes.

Amethyst wrote: Tue Jul 28, 2020 8:21 am

Chilli wrote: Tue Jul 28, 2020 8:11 am

Sandstorm wrote: Tue Jul 28, 2020 7:10 am He’s studying in Stellenbosch. You expect him to play Rugby in Bloem on Saturday??

In a word, yes.

Can one play for Free State if you are registered with a club in Western Province. Did this change?

Amethyst wrote: Tue Jul 28, 2020 7:19 am A double bonus as Ramone has moved to the Bulls too.

Chilli wrote: Tue Jul 28, 2020 8:30 am

Amethyst wrote: Tue Jul 28, 2020 7:19 am A double bonus as Ramone has moved to the Bulls too.

Really BL?

American eager to gain control of Stormers, offers R100m investment

Marco V Masotti, a senior partner at the law firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP, told Netwerk24 that he had contacted the union on 8 July and requested a 45-day period in which he is exclusively spoken to by the union.

The report in the Afrikaans publication adds that, together with partners, Masotti wants to invest about $6 million (around R100 million) - $4 million in the Stormers and $2 million in the union (WP).


However, he has made it clear he wants control of the board.

"The one important prerequisite, as is the case with any sports team, is that I want control," Masotti told Netwerk24.

"You have to run it like a business and make decisions that are in the best interests of the team, the players and the surrounding community."

Masotti, who was born in South Africa, added that WP came back with a proposal of an equal number of directors.

"They said that according to their constitution, an investor may not own 51%. It must be 49%. I said, 'No, I want control'."

Masotti grew up in Amanzimtoti and after obtaining a degree at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, he left for the United States in 1992 to continue his law studies.

Sandstorm wrote: Tue Jul 28, 2020 7:10 am He’s studying in Stellenbosch. You expect him to play Rugby in Bloem on Saturday??

OomStruisbaai wrote: Tue Jul 28, 2020 8:41 am Natalian American want to invest in Western Province.
S24

American eager to gain control of Stormers, offers R100m investment

Marco V Masotti, a senior partner at the law firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP, told Netwerk24 that he had contacted the union on 8 July and requested a 45-day period in which he is exclusively spoken to by the union.

The report in the Afrikaans publication adds that, together with partners, Masotti wants to invest about $6 million (around R100 million) - $4 million in the Stormers and $2 million in the union (WP).


However, he has made it clear he wants control of the board.

"The one important prerequisite, as is the case with any sports team, is that I want control," Masotti told Netwerk24.

"You have to run it like a business and make decisions that are in the best interests of the team, the players and the surrounding community."

Masotti, who was born in South Africa, added that WP came back with a proposal of an equal number of directors.

"They said that according to their constitution, an investor may not own 51%. It must be 49%. I said, 'No, I want control'."

Masotti grew up in Amanzimtoti and after obtaining a degree at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, he left for the United States in 1992 to continue his law studies.

OomStruisbaai wrote: Tue Jul 28, 2020 8:41 am Natalian American want to invest in Western Province.
S24

American eager to gain control of Stormers, offers R100m investment

Marco V Masotti, a senior partner at the law firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP, told Netwerk24 that he had contacted the union on 8 July and requested a 45-day period in which he is exclusively spoken to by the union.

The report in the Afrikaans publication adds that, together with partners, Masotti wants to invest about $6 million (around R100 million) - $4 million in the Stormers and $2 million in the union (WP).


However, he has made it clear he wants control of the board.

"The one important prerequisite, as is the case with any sports team, is that I want control," Masotti told Netwerk24.

"You have to run it like a business and make decisions that are in the best interests of the team, the players and the surrounding community."

Masotti, who was born in South Africa, added that WP came back with a proposal of an equal number of directors.

"They said that according to their constitution, an investor may not own 51%. It must be 49%. I said, 'No, I want control'."

Masotti grew up in Amanzimtoti and after obtaining a degree at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, he left for the United States in 1992 to continue his law studies.

Chilli wrote: Tue Jul 28, 2020 8:43 am

OomStruisbaai wrote: Tue Jul 28, 2020 8:41 am Natalian American want to invest in Western Province.
S24

American eager to gain control of Stormers, offers R100m investment

Marco V Masotti, a senior partner at the law firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP, told Netwerk24 that he had contacted the union on 8 July and requested a 45-day period in which he is exclusively spoken to by the union.

The report in the Afrikaans publication adds that, together with partners, Masotti wants to invest about $6 million (around R100 million) - $4 million in the Stormers and $2 million in the union (WP).


However, he has made it clear he wants control of the board.

"The one important prerequisite, as is the case with any sports team, is that I want control," Masotti told Netwerk24.

"You have to run it like a business and make decisions that are in the best interests of the team, the players and the surrounding community."

Masotti, who was born in South Africa, added that WP came back with a proposal of an equal number of directors.

"They said that according to their constitution, an investor may not own 51%. It must be 49%. I said, 'No, I want control'."

Masotti grew up in Amanzimtoti and after obtaining a degree at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, he left for the United States in 1992 to continue his law studies.

There is a WP / Stomps thread

Sards wrote: Tue Jul 28, 2020 8:43 am

Sandstorm wrote: Tue Jul 28, 2020 7:10 am He’s studying in Stellenbosch. You expect him to play Rugby in Bloem on Saturday??

Henry Honibal used to travel to play rugby...He never had a cry about it....Playing for the most adored club in Africa was reward enough.

Sandstorm wrote: Tue Jul 28, 2020 8:59 am

Sards wrote: Tue Jul 28, 2020 8:43 am

Sandstorm wrote: Tue Jul 28, 2020 7:10 am He’s studying in Stellenbosch. You expect him to play Rugby in Bloem on Saturday??

Henry Honibal used to travel to play rugby...He never had a cry about it....Playing for the most adored club in Africa was reward enough.

Henry Honibal the University student?

Sandstorm wrote: Tue Jul 28, 2020 8:59 am

Sards wrote: Tue Jul 28, 2020 8:43 am

Sandstorm wrote: Tue Jul 28, 2020 7:10 am He’s studying in Stellenbosch. You expect him to play Rugby in Bloem on Saturday??

Henry Honibal used to travel to play rugby...He never had a cry about it....Playing for the most adored club in Africa was reward enough.

Henry Honibal the University student?

Sandstorm wrote: Tue Jul 28, 2020 8:59 am

Sards wrote: Tue Jul 28, 2020 8:43 am

Sandstorm wrote: Tue Jul 28, 2020 7:10 am He’s studying in Stellenbosch. You expect him to play Rugby in Bloem on Saturday??

Henry Honibal used to travel to play rugby...He never had a cry about it....Playing for the most adored club in Africa was reward enough.

Henry Honibal the University student?

Chilli wrote: Tue Jul 28, 2020 9:06 am

Sandstorm wrote: Tue Jul 28, 2020 8:59 am

Sards wrote: Tue Jul 28, 2020 8:43 am

Henry Honibal used to travel to play rugby...He never had a cry about it....Playing for the most adored club in Africa was reward enough.

Henry Honibal the University student?

Another poach by the fukken Sharks.

[he farmed in Bergville and traveled to Deben for practice and play]

OomStruisbaai wrote: Tue Jul 28, 2020 10:15 am
He would have been dedicated if he travel from Bergville to Bloemfontein. The Sharks obvious paid him double compare to Free State. Did it for the money, no heart and dedication. Vokkol

"If you are going to be a champion, you must be willing to pay a greater price"
How we win the game shows something about our character; how we lose it shows all of it

Sards wrote: Tue Jul 28, 2020 8:43 am

Sandstorm wrote: Tue Jul 28, 2020 7:10 am He’s studying in Stellenbosch. You expect him to play Rugby in Bloem on Saturday??

Henry Honibal used to travel to play rugby...He never had a cry about it....Playing for the most adored club in Africa was reward enough.

‘tsek wrote: Tue Jul 28, 2020 5:10 pm

Sards wrote: Tue Jul 28, 2020 8:43 am

Sandstorm wrote: Tue Jul 28, 2020 7:10 am He’s studying in Stellenbosch. You expect him to play Rugby in Bloem on Saturday??

Henry Honibal used to travel to play rugby...He never had a cry about it....Playing for the most adored club in Africa was reward enough.

Honiball played for Al Ahly!!!

Oh, and ‘tsek noob.

Stormers coach John Dobson predicts SA rugby restart in mid-September


In what he described as a "gut feel", Dobson said that an eight-team domestic tournament would then take place until after Christmas.

Given the current climate of the national lockdown and the fight against the coronavirus, SA Rugby has not yet been in a position to confirm a date for return to play despite all professional teams now being back at training.


An eight-team Currie Cup is the likeliest option.

"My gut feel, and this is purely a gut feel, is that if we were looking at the end of August that would be pushed back a couple of weeks now," Dobson said in a video press conference on Thursday.

"So, if it's mid-September and we're going to go a double round with eight teams, we'll still be playing on Boxing Day ... that's what it looks like."

One of the potential stumbling blocks to that tournament for the local sides, and particularly the Stormers, is a possible Rugby Championship in New Zealand over November and December.

Already on the back foot in terms of match fitness given that New Zealand and Australia are currently playing domestic rugby, the Springboks would then need to take an extended squad of potentially over 45 players to the Rugby Championship.

"If we do go to the Rugby Championship and some of that is outside the Test window, then the number of guys coming from this union will probably be in the high teens," Dobson said.

"We can't call up a club rugby bloke who hasn't played at all this year.

"We are blessed with depth with our under-20s and our under-21s, but it's a terrible balancing act because you could have this fantastic Currie Cup that just gets stripped out, but we need the income from the internationals.

"It'll be great to blood young guys, but what that product looks like in South Africa, I don't know."

Dobson added that the uncertainty surrounding the dates of the South African resumption and how that would take place provided a mental challenge to the players that he and his coaching staff needed to manage.

Sandstorm wrote: Thu Jul 30, 2020 11:44 am Dobson does a lot of guessing, estimating and predicting. Not many FACTS.

I look forward to his team selection estimates.

Sandstorm wrote: Thu Jul 30, 2020 11:44 am Dobson does a lot of guessing, estimating and predicting. Not many FACTS.

I look forward to his team selection estimates.

assfly wrote: Thu Jul 30, 2020 11:50 am

Sandstorm wrote: Thu Jul 30, 2020 11:44 am Dobson does a lot of guessing, estimating and predicting. Not many FACTS.

I look forward to his team selection estimates.

If he uses his gut feel, then at least we know Malherbe will start.

Amethyst wrote: Thu Jul 30, 2020 12:04 pm As the rest of SA will take years to recover from miss Corona, I think Western Cape should push for independent Republic. El Capo to represent us internationally.

Amethyst wrote: Thu Jul 30, 2020 12:26 pm WP, die bakermat van SA Rugby.

Sandstorm wrote: Thu Jul 30, 2020 11:44 am Dobson does a lot of guessing, estimating and predicting. Not many FACTS.

I look forward to his team selection estimates.

OomStruisbaai wrote: Thu Jul 30, 2020 12:19 pm

Amethyst wrote: Thu Jul 30, 2020 12:04 pm As the rest of SA will take years to recover from miss Corona, I think Western Cape should push for independent Republic. El Capo to represent us internationally.

Will be great if the Guppie chicken runners in our Republic can vokkof back to KZN where they belong.

CAPE TOWN – Western Province Rugby Union president Zelt Marais has hit out at reports suggesting that an American consortium was close to purchasing a controling stake in the Stormers.

Marais was irked that information about the deal, which he termed as “confidential” was “leaked” to the media.


In a statement released late on Sunday, Marais said: “The majority of our members serving the Union at these levels find the behaviour of members that make themselves guilty of such treasonous acts as disgraceful and unbecoming of a leader, and I call on any person serving WP Rugby in this manner to rather vacate your position with honour or to stop this need you have to misuse your position of trust to feed the media information that is mostly quoted out of context or leaked when the sole purpose of influencing outcomes in the boardroom.”

IOL reported earlier this week that the cash strapped WPRFU was entertaining a massive $6 million (around R100 million) offer from a group of American businessmen. According to our report, the consortium were after a controlling share in the Stormers.

Speaking to Independent Media during the week, Marco Masotti, former Durban lawyer who represents MVM Holdings, a group of ex-South African businssmen in the United States, said they submitted an excusivity agreement to the WPRFUon July 8 in which his consortium offer to buy 51% of the Stormers for the controlling interest.

“The Western Province RFU has since come back to us with the concern that they should keep the controlling share, but tht they would give us an equitable share of the Board (of the Stormers),” said Masotti.

In his statement, Marais said whatever agreement was reached, it would be “structured to best serve the longterm interest of the Union being the 100% shareholder”, which didn’t sit well with the consortium.

Masotti had earlier said: “There needs to be one controler and the guys that are involved in this bid have extensive experience in enterprises of this kind – we are talking about owners of NBA and ice hockey teams.”

IOL Sport

OomStruisbaai wrote: Thu Jul 30, 2020 2:00 pm