History
Today's SARU, originally called the South African Rugby Football Union, was established on the 23 March 1992 following the unification of the former whites-only South African Rugby Board (SARB) and the non-racial South African Rugby Union signed at the Kimberley Sun Hotel. Kimberley was chosen as the venue for it had been the founding city of the South Africa Rugby Football Board in 1889 and the South Africa Coloured Rugby Board in 1896.
The new body's headquarters were at Newlands. All committees were shared. The first presidents were Dr Danie Craven (executive) and Mr Ebrahim Patel. The new non-racial body meant readmission into international rugby after eight years of isolation due to apartheid.
SARU has 14 Provincial Unions as members – the Blue Bulls Rugby Union (Pretoria), Boland (Wellington), Border (East London), Eastern Province (Port Elizabeth), Falcons (Springs), Free State (Bloemfontein), Golden Lions (Gauteng), Griffons (Welkom), Griqualand West (Kimberley), Leopards (Potchefstroom), Mpumalanga (Witbank), Natal (Durban), South Western Districts (George) and Western Province (Cape Town).
Unification was the first revolution for SARFU, whilst the second was the swift onset of professionalism in the wake of the Rugby World Cup in 1995. Enhanced commercialism and the need to run rugby as a business has provided the third and latest revolution.
In order to meet this challenge, SARFU, in August 2001, established a business arm – SA Rugby (Pty) Ltd – to manage all of its commercial activities locally and internationally.
SA Rugby (Pty) Ltd manages all aspects relating to national teams, brand building and protection, merchandising, sponsors and suppliers, media rights, marketing, tours and tournaments, financial services and medical services.
Early in 2005, the union adopted its current name.
Read more about this topic: South African Rugby Union
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