SA Rugby Union bosses defy fresh election order

CAPE TOWN - Warring factions in the South African Rugby Union have made a surprise about-turn, presenting a united front to defy a call from the Minister of Sport to step down.

Union president Brian van Rooyen's deputies, Andre Markgraaff and Mike Stofile, withdrew their resignations and closed ranks with van Rooyen, defying a directive from the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (Sascoc) to leave the way clear for fresh union elections on June 17.

Stofile's brother, Sports Minister Makhenkesi Stofile, had also backed the directive.

After his deputies' u-turn, van Rooyen insisted they would keep control of the union and said the June 17 elections would no longer take place.

- REUTERS