Bulls investigating alleged fraudulent activity by a former employee - reports

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.

“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.

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.”