News

Cheetahs to be docked points?

October 01 2008

An extra dash of intrigue has been added to this weekend's crunch Currie Cup final round as the Free State Cheetahs will have to answer complaints lodged against them concerning the use of utility back Hennie Daniller.

Both Western Province and the SWD Eagles have requested that the South African Rugby Union (SARU) investigate an alleged abuse of the loan system between the Free State Cheetahs and the Griffons after Daniller played for the Cheetahs against the Falcons on last Friday and the Griffons against the Eagles the following day.

The Griffons' 26-19 win in that match means that they have beaten the Eagles in the race for berth in the play-offs for promotion to the Premier league.

The complaint hinges around the interpretation of Regulation 7.5, which deals with the loaning of players and prohibits a player who has appeared on loan for one province from participating in another match in the same competition for his home province.

As far as the Cheetahs are concerned, the Currie Cup and First Division are two separate competitions, meaning that Daniller was theoretically free to play for both teams, a view echoed by SA Rugby's communications chief Andy Colquhoun.

Eagles president Stag Cronjé believes it runs counter to good sportsmanship for a player to represent two different provinces in one weekend and both WP and the Eagles have asked that the Cheetahs be docked points for "illegal" use of a player. The Eagles have also asked that the Griffons be stripped of the points they earned when using the player.

Either scenario would have massive consequences for both Currie Cup divisions.

Western Province's interest in the case is obvious as a five-point penalty for the Cheetahs would mean that WP would need just one point to secure a place in the semi-finals, at the Cheetahs' expense.

Should the Griffons be docked points, the Eagles will advance to the promotion/relegation play-off series.

Some pundits believe at WP's actions are purely a reaction to the Cheetahs' protestation over a short-lived decision to move last weekend's match against Boland to Newlands. The Free Staters insisted that WP play the match in the mud bath that was Boland Stadium in Wellington, as they had to do earlier in the season. WP's failure to score a bonus point in that game has now left them lagging behind in the play-off race.

It has been reported that SARU Chief Executive Johan Prinsloo has confirmed that the matter was receiving "urgent" attention.

A ruling will be made once SARU's legal department have received a response from the Cheetahs, which they hope to receive on Wednesday.