Valke reject ERU appeal against Vereeniging playing in Gold Cup

United’s complaint is centred around the Valke’s Peregrine League competition rules in the eligibility section, namely that a team needs to be represented by a certain number of quota players.

United cited that Vereeniging has fielded fewer quota players.

This decision comes amid United’s close loss to Vereeniging when the two sides clashed in the Valke Peregrine League final at the Barnard Stadium, in Kempton Park, on August 12, with a spot in the Gold Cup on the line.

VRC pipped United 26-24.

United’s appeal prompted an investigation into the matter by the Valke’s sub-committee on the evening of August 22, at the Boksburg Rugby Club.

Competition rules and regulations and statistical information from one of the Valke’s sub-committee members, Shaun Johannes, were taken into consideration.

The sub-committee’s findings were that no violation was made to the rules ERU specifically mentioned in their appeal.

More so, according to Johannes’ statistical findings, all the clubs in the Peregrine League complied to the competition rules and were thus eligible for the Gold Cup. A letter that ERU produced from Valke CEO Jurie Coetzee, did not in any way overwrite or change the competition rules.

Therefore, the Valke sub-committee concluded their investigation by suggesting the following to the Valke executive board:

VRC will therefore represent the Valke Rugby Union at the 2017 Gold Cup.

“The Valke sub-committee found that East Rand United had misinterpreted some of the rules and thus can’t participate in the Gold Cup,” said Valke vice president of club affairs and sub-committee member Deon Brink.

“A report was taken back to the executive board (after the investigation) and the decision was made.”

However, United chairman Marius de Vos maintains his perception, which is completely inconsistent with Valke’s.

“We still hold the view that they (the union) are in violation of their own rules.

“They (VRC) have a nearly all-white team.

“We’ve tried everything to make sure we have a team that cuts through the demographics of South Africa. They have short-changed us and we are not going to leave it here.” – @SabeloBoksburg