Saru listens to fans

Friday 22 January 2010
Published By: David Rawlings
International Rugby > South Africa

Critics have accused the rugby higher-ups of ignoring the wishes of the fans lately, but it seems the South African Rugby Union (Saru) is aiming to avoid any such attacks.

A questionnaire has been launched on the body's website in a bid to canvass the opinion of followers of the game in the country.

The Springboks have enjoyed a significant run of success in the last couple of years - despite being overtaken in the world rankings by the All Blacks at the end of 2009 - but Saru brand manager Sarah Williams explained that they're still keen to develop the game.

"Making [rugby] more accessible to the greater South African public is essential for us to maintain the long-term popularity and prosperity of the sport," she said.

How much the comments are taken on board does, of course, remain to be seen, but questions include how much are people are willing to pay for tickets and - interestingly - their general opinion of sevens.