He says SA Rugby’s actions and pursuit of money have damaged the spirit of rugby. Born in the Free State, Bedford, now 78 and an architect by profession, played for the Springboks 25 times and captained them on three occasions. 

An outspoken critic of apartheid, Bedford, asks: “How can the other four South African franchises no longer wanted by New Zealand and Australia in the economically strapped coronavirus times simply be allowed by SARU to waltz into the Pro14/16 at the expense of the Cheetahs, as if the Cheetahs are, once again, dispensable?” He offers this solution to the current controversy: “Surely, in the interest of honesty and decency, the logical thing to do would be a) to let the Lions, Sharks, Stormers and Bulls play off against one another with the top 3 joining the Cheetahs in the Pro14/16, or b) let all 5 teams play off against one another at home and away and the winning 4 join the Pro14/16.”

There can be no doubt that our country, South Africa, has become lawless in every conceivable way.   And just because its governance in almost every field of human endeavor has been throwing up the bad and the ugly, and just sometimes the good, there is no reason why the hard-fought struggle to make rugby a fair game for all South Africans to participate in - whether playing or watching -  should now be skewed by those running the professional game.  What they are doing now is not for the greater good of the game for all South Africans but is geared entirely for the benefit of the privileged few - just as it used to be under apartheid.  

SARU officialdom would, of course, disagree, seeing nothing wrong with the Lions, Sharks, Bulls and Stormers having been discarded by the Southern Hemisphere’s Super 12 (or 15 or whatever they were instrumental in establishing)  and muscling in on the Northern Hemisphere’s Pro 14 (or 16) at the expense of the Cheetahs, with the King’s already consigned to the dustbin.   They do this without thinking for a moment that this is morally wrong and as low as you can go, with back stabbing par for the course.   In terms of rugby camaraderie as it once used to be before money and professionalism became more important than the game itself, the people responsible for this have sold off our game for the proverbial 30 pieces of silver.

In 2017 the Free State Cheetahs and EP Kings were unceremoniously kicked out of the Super 12/15 as the competition had become too big and too unbalanced once Argentina was included.   So the two teams found a niche in the Pro 14 and carved a trail there on their own, although this was never considered equivalent to the Super 12/15.    While the Kings struggled, the Cheetahs did their stuff.   So now, how can the other four South African franchises no longer wanted by New Zealand and Australia in the economically strapped coronavirus times simply be allowed by SARU to waltz into the Pro14/16 at the expense of the Cheetahs, as if the Cheetahs are, once again, dispensable.    This is as crooked as the behaviour of some of those 'great and good' South Africans who are even now appearing before the Zondo Commission.   Surely, in the interest of honesty and decency, the logical thing to do would be a) to let the Lions, Sharks, Stormers and Bulls play off against one another with the top 3 joining the Cheetahs in the Pro14/16, or b) let all 5 teams play off against one another at home and away and the winning 4 join the Pro14/16.   This will ensure honest rugby, not crooked money.    

I write as a born and bred Free Stater, from a family of Free Staters who helped found the Province.   I come from Dealesville and with my Dad watched Free State play at Springbok Park in Bloemfontein many years ago before I myself played at Free State Stadium.   I was present too on the day the disparate Presidents of black, brown and white South African rugby unions agreed to form one Union for the benefit of ALL South Africans, not just the select and favoured few.  Favouring the 4 franchises in the way SARU has steam-rolled matters, is as wicked as it is that Bloemfontein has not been given a fixture against the British and Irish Lions next year while 3 matches, including 2 internationals, are being held within a couple of weeks within a 40 km radius.  This again illustrates how little this has to do with the spirit of the game of rugby - but everything to do with money.   If those running SA rugby had any balls they would do the right thing for the good, not for more of the bad and the ugly of the country.    

- Tommy Bedford