Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

Bulls investigating alleged fraudulent activity by a former employee - reports

The Bulls are looking into allegations against a former employee (Photo by Sydney Seshibedi/Gallo Images/Getty Images)

The Super Rugby Bulls are investigating the possibility of fraud by a former employee. In a statement to @rugby365com, Blue Bulls Company CEO Alfons Meyer confirmed that an investigation is underway.

ADVERTISEMENT

“The Blue Bulls Company acknowledges that we are aware of allegations of fraudulent activity against former BBC employee and high-performance manager Xander Janse van Rensburg,” Meyer said in the statement.

He revealed that it’s a broad investigation into allegations of fraud. Meyer declined to elaborate on the details of the investigation, but said it involves a “broad range” of issues. However, unconfirmed rumours suggested it involves the payment of players at “above market” rates and “kick-backs” involving agents.

Some reports suggested it could involve criminal charges, but Meyer said he was “not aware” of criminal charges at this stage. “More than that I can’t comment,” the BBC CEO said.

The Bulls’ equity partner, Remgro, has been dragged into the investigation through their 50 per cent shareholding in the BBC. Janse van Rensburg was not available for comment.

On the pitch, the Bulls are looking to “set the record straight” when they host the Reds in a round nine Super Rugby encounter in Pretoria on Saturday. The Bulls appear all-conquering when facing South African opposition, but have yet to beat teams from outside the Republic this year. Even worse, they have not won in New Zealand since 2013 and last won in Australia in 2016.

The Bulls got their season off to a flying start with a 40-3 demolition of the Stormers and have also smashed the Lions (30-12), while beating the Sharks home (37-14) and away (19-16). However, they have lost twice to the Jaguares (12-27 in Buenos Aires and 20-22 in Pretoria), while being hammered 56-20 by the Chiefs in Pretoria.

ADVERTISEMENT

It was last week’s ill-disciplined performance against the Jaguares that rankled most with the Loftus Versfeld fans. Seasoned centre Burger Odendaal admitted the players were “down in the dumps” and it will be tough getting over that game. However, they are not about to hit the panic button and they certainly don’t have a mental block against foreign teams.

“We spoke at the beginning of the season and I think it was Polly [flyhalf Handre Pollard] who said that in four years he hasn’t won a game overseas,” Odendaal said. “So it really is something we are working on. “It is coincidental that we haven’t won against an overseas side at the moment, but the game against the Chiefs was really an off day for us.”

Video Spacer
ADVERTISEMENT

LIVE

{{item.title}}

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

0 Comments
Be the first to comment...

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

N
Nickers 26 minutes ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

I thought we made a lot of progress against that type of defence by the WC last year. Lots of direct running and punching holes rather than using width. Against that type of defence I think you have to be looking to kick on first phase when you have front foot ball which we did relatively successfully. We are playing a lot of rugby behind the gain line at the moment. They are looking for those little interchanges for soft shoulders and fast ball or off loads but it regularly turns into them battering away with slow ball and going backwards, then putting in a very rushed kick under huge pressure.


JB brought that dimension when he first moved into 12 a couple of years ago but he's definitely not been at his best this year. I don't know if it is because he is being asked to play a narrow role, or carrying a niggle or two, but he does not look confident to me. He had that clean break on the weekend and stood there like he was a prop who found himself in open space and didn't know what to do with the ball. He is still a good first phase ball carrier though, they use him a lot off the line out to set up fast clean ball, but I don't think anyone is particularly clear on what they are supposed to do at that point. He was used really successfully as a second playmaker last year but I don't think he's been at that role once this year. He is a triple threat player but playing a very 1 dimensional role at the moment. He and Reiko have been absolutely rock solid on defence which is why I don't think there will be too much experimentation or changes there.

41 Go to comments
LONG READ
LONG READ Freddie Thomas: 'OMFG, I've been selected for Wales - my mum was bawling her eyes out' Freddie Thomas: 'OMFG, I've been selected for Wales - my mum was bawling her eyes out'
Search