Ken Borland

If multi-tasking is one of the greatest attributes of a woman then SuperSport Park should forthwith be referred to as a “she” given the plans Northerns Cricket Union president and Easterns Titans chairman John Wright has for her in the second year of his term.

The feminine touch dominated SuperSport Park last weekend when more than 26 000 runners took part in the Pretoria leg of the Spar Women’s 10km Challenge which started and ended at the venue, but the fairer sex have been taking pride of place at the ground since Elise Lombard, the efficient, much-loved former CEO, oversaw the move there from Berea Park in 1986. Lombard’s sad passing in August 2012 has seen Jacques Faul replace her as chief executive, but Patricia Kambarami has been promoted to chief operating officer to continue the tradition of female leaders in Northerns cricket.

Wright is adamant that events such as the Spar Women’s 10km Challenge and promotions such as Kambarami’s are crucial to the future well-being of Titans cricket.

“Titans cricket cannot sustain itself with only cricketing content, we have to make our assets work for us. One of those is our world-class stadium, but we can’t rely on just 14 days of profitable cricket every year. We need other streams of income and this is where Jacques Faul has been so good and he’s way ahead of the rest in terms of innovations.

“The Franchise and Africa Sixes and the Northerns Bash are all his initiatives and he’s making the stadium work for us in enhancing the Titans brand. It’s been set back a bit recently, but we’re busy getting proposals from developers and there’s a fair amount of interest that shows that SuperSport Park is not just seen as a cricket-only ground.

“We need other revenue sources and we want to attract more people to SuperSport Park. Things like the Spar Women’s Race, which markets and promotes the ground as more of a community centre. And we’re not just looking at sports events, we want to be multi-cultural. SuperSport Park is at the hub of business and a rich sporting culture and it’s ideally situated in terms of the Gautrain and the N1,” Wright told The Pretoria News.

As for Kambarami’s appointment, Wright says the former marketing and events manager’s promotion was thoroughly well-deserved and another sign that the Titans are looking to the future.

“Transformation is a term that’s used loosely sometimes, but the essence of it is that I don’t see it as an appointment of someone of colour; Patricia has been appointed because of her abilities and she just happens to be black. She has shown her qualities and it’s absolutely on merit. She’s proven to everyone that she’s more than qualified for the post and that’s why it’s been so well accepted.

“Things like that have to happen in this cut-throat environment and recently there have been some other bold steps like all Premier League clubs being required to have at least one player of colour and our executive becoming 50/50. In the past there was a stigma around transformation and we were very much Afrikaans and all-white, but that is changing,” Wright said.

When Wright is not wearing a jacket and tie in his role as president of the union, he is out on the sports fields himself. While he played some Premier League cricket for the then Pretoria Tech, and has been in charge of cricket and hockey at the renamed Tshwane University of Technology for 20 years, he is perhaps best known as one of the leading hockey umpires in the world.

Wright has officiated in four Olympic Games (one final) and four World Cups, including being in charge of three finals.

“I think I’ve got two or three years left as an umpire, there’s an age cut-off of 47 for international hockey. So the Rio Olympics are in sight, but it depends on how fit I stay and whether the fire still burns. I have accomplished most things in terms of hockey umpiring, but I still want to contribute, although I now have a huge responsibility to cricket,” Wright said.

A board meeting can often be like a hockey Test with 22 under-pressure players getting emotional, and Wright has a knack of handling those sort of explosive situations.

“I think my umpiring does help at board meetings! I’ve learnt to listen and operate under pressure, how to deal with personalities.”

While the stadium and the union finances are important, Wright, exposed as he has been to top-class sport, knows how important it is for the Titans team to have the right culture and to enjoy success on the field.

“We’re not as prescriptive as to say trophies are required, but the coach is under no illusions as to how handy trophies are! We have to be realistic, a team will always have ups and downs, but with the quality squad we have, the Titans should always be in contention.

“I’m not a president who digs his nose into the team’s affairs, the coach and CEO must run that show, but there was previously an ethos of lacklustre performance and preparation and to survive in the franchise environment, there can be no place for that. It’s difficult for the coach to turn that around, but Rob Walter is determined and committed to promoting far more responsibility and productive preparation,” Wright said.

The product of Selborne College in East London also gives full support to the University of Pretoria’s dominance of local club cricket, which has ruffled some feathers.

“I know it’s not the opinion of all the clubs, but Tuks are an extremely valuable asset for us. If we draw comparisons with other franchises who don’t have a strong university, then we see they battle. Tuks are at the forefront of coaching and performance in South Africa and their record speaks for itself.

“They must be doing something right and their professionalism and ethics must rub off positively on the other clubs. So I see no reason to clip their wings, it would only be to the detriment of the franchise,” Wright said.

While the changing face of cricket is most obvious at the franchise level, the amateur, club game also needs plenty of attention. Fortunately Wright is a leader who has his feet firmly in both camps.

“I’m very much a  club man, I support the old traditions. Clubs are critical but we’re also moving into a very professional era. The days of volunteers running the show are few and far between. We need the right mix of club and professional people to steer us in the right direction.”

John Wright certainly seems to have the Titans ship facing in the right direction.

Victor Matfield has stormed his way back into the Springbok squad

Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer on Monday added veterans Schalk Burger, Victor Matfield and Heinrich Brussow, as well as eight uncapped players, to his plans as he announced a 36-man squad to attend a national training camp in Durban from May 25 to 28.

The returns of Matfield – the second-most capped Springbok of all time with 110 Tests – and Burger (68 Tests) will provide an injury-hit South African team with plenty of experience as they head into a challenging series against Wales and another Rugby Championship campaign beyond that.

Hookers Scarra Ntubeni and Chiliboy Ralepelle, prop Frik Kirsten, locks Pieter-Steph du Toit and Franco van der Merwe, loose forwards Arno Botha and Pierre Spies, scrumhalf Louis Schreuder, utility backs Pat Lambie and Gio Aplon, and centre Jaque Fourie are all out with injury.

The 37-year-old Matfield made a controversial return to rugby this year, having last played in the 2011 World Cup, but has performed with aplomb for the Bulls, stamping his usual mark on the lineouts and also showing good work-rate.

With all the other locks in the squad – except for Flip van der Merwe – still making their way in international rugby, Matfield will be one of the adults amongst all the young, talented children and will have an important role in guiding them through the crucial year before the World Cup, which is often a fraught one for Springbok teams.

Schalk Burger can be satisfied with his return to action

Although Meyer is better off in terms of loose forward stocks, the return of Burger, who has shown glimpses of his old high-energy destructiveness for the Stormers, should be welcomed.

“Victor and Schalk have been out of rugby for a long time. They’ve really been in great form recently and the fact that they have not been with the Boks for more than two years has made them hungry for Test rugby yet again,” Meyer said.

“It’s great to welcome them back into the Springbok fold and I know both of them can still add a lot of value to the team with the Rugby World Cup in 2015 looming.

“This is a very big year for us and the players know they will have to step up a gear, be sharp and focused from the moment we get going in Durban. We have 14 very challenging matches ahead in 2014 and it’s imperative that we build on what was a good season last year.

“It’s important that we start building continuity because there are just 18 matches left until the Rugby World Cup starts. But it’s just as important to recognise continuous good form. We also have a number of players struggling with injury niggles or returning from injury which we have to assess.”

Heinrich Brussow will want to show he has the power-game to fit in with Meyer's plans

Meyer has made it clear before that he does not care for public pressure to select anyone, but the inclusion of Brussow will also be welcomed. Whether there is a place for the pocket dynamo in Meyer’s back row remains to be seen, however.

Duane Vermeulen and Willem Alberts are certainties for the number eight and seven jerseys, while Meyer is unlikely to jettison Bath’s Francois Louw (European-based players were not considered for this squad) after his superb displays for the Springboks last year.

Marcell Coetzee, Burger and Siya Kolisi are probably all ahead of Brussow in the queue as well, leaving him and Bulls rookie Jacques du Plessis, and even Cheetahs lock/flank Teboho Mohoje, to fight over scraps.

Meyer has kept the transformation police happy by selecting 10 players of colour, including six Black Africans, while the fresh blood in the squad is provided by centre/wing Damian de Allende, flyhalf Marnitz Boshoff, lock Lood de Jager, wing Cornal Hendricks, wing/centre S’Bura Sithole, flank Jacques du Plessis, lock/flank Teboho Mohoje and prop Marcel van der Merwe.

“A few new players have put up their hands, which is good to see with the first match of the season, against the World XV in Cape Town, only a few weeks away,” said Meyer.

“It’s very encouraging to see a bunch of new players emerging from Vodacom SuperRugby. This camp will provide us with a great opportunity to work with these players before the squad for the Castle Lager Incoming Series is finalised. I am looking forward to work with these players for the first time,” the coach said.

The contentious areas when it comes to the final selection of the squad for the incoming series would appear to be tighthead prop, lock, scrumhalf, centre and wing. Hooker is a worry in that only two have been named – Bismarck du Plessis and Adriaan Strauss – and while their quality is undeniable, Meyer will be terrified of one of them getting injured.

The Sharks front row of the two Du Plessis brothers and Tendai Mtawarira are certain starters, but who the back-up to old warhorse Jannie will be remains to be seen.

The Cheetahs scrum has laboured in recent weeks with Coenie Oosthuizen at tighthead and one hopes that the experiment is called off and the destructive 25-year-old is allowed to return to loosehead, particularly with the rise of the promising Frans Malherbe and Marcel van der Merwe in the number three jersey.

Flip van der Merwe, young star Eben Etzebeth and Matfield would appear to be certainties for the squad, but if a fourth lock is chosen, who will it be? Will Meyer once again call on Bakkies Botha, who seems to have regained the enthusiasm of his teen years while playing in France?

Fourie du Preez was typically influential in his five Tests last year and is surely the first-choice scrumhalf. Francois Hougaard was unimpressive when the Bulls were struggling overseas, but seems to be regaining some form in recent weeks.

Ruan Pienaar was nominated for the European Rugby Player of the Year award last month and will probably be the back-up to Du Preez.

Jean de Villiers was richly praised for both his captaincy and play at inside centre by Meyer last year, but the 2013 SA Rugby Player of the Year could be in for a move due to the return of Frans Steyn after a year of injuries.

Steyn was used exclusively in the number 12 jersey by Meyer in 2012 and it seems clear that Morne Steyn and Johan Goosen will be the Springbok flyhalves this year, so perhaps De Villiers will shift to outside centre to accommodate the 2007 World Cup winner and offer an exceptionally experienced midfield, even with Jaque Fourie likely to be out of action for the entire Test season with an ankle injury.

Willie le Roux looks set to continue as the Bok fullback, there being no other specialist contenders in the squad, while Sharks wing Lwazi Mvovo has deservedly been called up after an impressive SuperRugby campaign.

There is an abundance of outside-back talent for Meyer to choose from, with the classy JP Pietersen joined in the squad by Bulls talents JJ Engelbrecht and Jan Serfontein, the in-form De Allende and Juan de Jongh from the Stormers, Bjorn Basson, Cornal Hendricks and S’Bura Sithole.

Wing Bryan Habana, flank Francois Louw and scrumhalf Ruan Pienaar should all join the squad once they have been released from their European clubs, with prop Gurthro Steenkamp and lock Bakkies Botha also possibly on Meyer’s wish-list.

Where Meyer seems to be heading is the following final squad for the Incoming Series –

• Fullback: Willie le Roux
• Wings: JP Pietersen, Bryan Habana, Lwazi Mvovo, Bjorn Basson/Damian de Allende
• Centres: Jean de Villiers, Frans Steyn, Jan Serfontein, JJ Engelbrecht
• Flyhalves: Morne Steyn, Johan Goosen
• Scrumhalves: Fourie du Preez, Ruan Pienaar, Francois Hougaard
• Eighthman: Duane Vermeulen
• Loose forwards: Willem Alberts, Francois Louw, Marcell Coetzee, Schalk Burger, Siya Kolisi
• Locks: Flip van der Merwe, Eben Etzebeth, Victor Matfield, Bakkies Botha/Lood de Jager
• Props: Jannie du Plessis, Tendai Mtawarira, Trevor Nyakane, Frans Malherbe/Coenie Oosthuizen/Gurthro Steenkamp
• Hookers: Bismarck du Plessis, Adriaan Strauss

The players who can consider themselves unfortunate to have just missed out on the squad are Ryan Kankowski and Warren Whiteley, the form eighthmen in South Africa after Vermeulen, and Stormers loose forward Nizaam Carr, while Sharks scrumhalf Cobus Reinach and Bulls lock Paul Willemse are stars of the future whose time will surely come.

Springbok training squad: Willie le Roux, JP Pietersen, JJ Engelbrecht, Cornal Hendricks, S’Bura Sithole, Jean de Villiers, Jan Serfontein, Juan de Jongh, Frans Steyn, Damian de Allende, Lwazi Mvovo, Bjorn Basson, Johan Goosen, Marnitz Boshoff, Fourie du Preez, Francois Hougaard, Duane Vermeulen, Willem Alberts, Schalk Burger, Jacques du Plessis, Marcell Coetzee, Siya Kolisi, Heinrich Brussow, Flip van der Merwe, Victor Matfield, Eben Etzebeth, Lood de Jager, Teboho Mohoje, Jannie du Plessis, Frans Malherbe, Coenie Oosthuizen, Marcel van der Merwe, Bismarck du Plessis, Adriaan Strauss, Tendai Mtawarira, Trevor Nyakane.