South African Saracens investors confirmed
Sun, 06 Jan 2008 13:35
A South African investment firm, South African Investments Limited (SAIL), have reportedly emerged as the group behind a multi-million pound investment into Watford-based English club Saracens. SAIL already has joint ownership of South African provincial sides the Blue Bulls and Western Province, as well as the Griffons Rugby Union and Border Bears cricket franchise. The company is littered with a number of former South Africa players who have made it in business, and former Springbok captain and Laureus award patron Morné du Plessis sits on their board of directors and they are now eyeing expansion into the South African expat market in Britain. SAIL chief executive officer Brand de Villiers told South African newspaper Sondag: "There is a big South African rugby market in Britain. "We hope that Saracens will become a home away from home for South Africans living in Britain." The investment will go into Premier Team Holdings, which controls Saracens as well as two other businesses - RT Marketing and MBN Promotions as it links in with SAIL's South African businesses. SAIL hope the investment will enable player swaps between the South African provinces and Saracens. "We never managed to get synergy between our different rugby investments in South Africa over the past few years. We are looking at doing that here, but we will have to see what we can do," De Villiers added. The deal is likely to be finalised in the next six weeks. South African billionaire Johann Rupert, chairman of Swiss-based company Richemont - parent company to Cartier and Mont Blanc among others, was origionally thought to be the investor.
