The role of Zacks and Smal in Treu saga
In an excerpt from this week’s popular @rugby365com podcast, @king365ed looks at the role that Western Province Rugby Group CEO Paul Zacks and WPRFU Director of Rugby Gert Smal played in the Paul Treu saga.
Ongoing media reports claim that new WPRFU President Zelt Marais is the driving force behind moves to remove Smal and replace him with Treu.
Marais, in a hard-hitting interview on the @rugby365com weekly podcast, made it clear he is not involved in the reported shenanigans being reported on in the media.
He also, succinctly, revealed that Zacks and Smal “approved” the new role proposed for Treu.
* Listen on the podcast from nine minutes 16 seconds …
@King365ed asked Marais about the claims in the media that he (Marais) wanted Paul Treu to replace Gert Smal as Director of Rugby?
@ZeltMarais: There was a role that Paul [Treu] had discussed with the Director of Rugby [Gert Smal] and the CEO [Paul Zacks], that he wants to fulfil. They agreed to that. The terms of that role have nothing to do with coaching and are completely off the field. That subject is still under discussion, but there was never any intent – never, ever – that Paul Treu will replace Gert Smal as the Director of Rugby. We need to, in terms of the companies act, when a contract comes to an end and a new job comes up, that job must be advertised. There will be a new recruitment process so we can give the opportunity to everybody to apply.
@King365ed: Just to make it clear, that role that Paul Treu proposed himself, that position was approved by both Gert Smal and Pau Zacks?
@ZeltMarais: That was the understanding. As I said, they haven’t got finality on that role at all yet. And of course, that matter is currently under discussion.
@King365ed: It wasn’t a proposal from you?
@ZeltMarais: I can assure you, I was never involved in the creation of that vacancy. If there is anybody that suggest I was involved, that person or people must come forward. I at no stage proposed any role in that regard.
* Listen to the full podcast here!
