Rohan Janse van Rensburg fined for signing with two clubs

Gloucester

Sale Sharks centre Rohan Janse van Rensburg and his agent Matthew Ginvert have been penalised for contravening rule 5:12, for signing playing contracts with two Premiership clubs – Gloucester Rugby and Sale Sharks.

Sale Sharks were charged with breaches of RFU Regulation 7.5 (approaches to players) and Ginvert was charged with breaching RFU Regulation 8.5.2 (Registered agents must at all times observe the highest standards of fair dealing).

The punishments

The club, van Rensburg and Ginvert accepted the charges and the following sanctions were given by the independent disciplinary panel:

  •  Rohan Janse van Rensburg was given a two week suspension, the dates of which will be confirmed when more details of the playing calendar are available, and a fine of £32,500, of which £25,000 shall be paid on by the RFU to Gloucester to reflect an advance of monies paid by Gloucester to Mr Van Rensburg which has not been repaid.
  • Sale Sharks were given a points deduction of 5 points suspended for two forthcoming seasons on terms that Sale does not act in breach of RFU Regulation 7 during that time and a fine of £20,000. The panel did not order compensation to be paid to Gloucester.
  • Matthew Ginvert received a reprimand, a fine of £3,750 and was directed to undertake the agent’s education programme.

There is a right to appeal the decision, but it is not yet known whether any party involved will do as such.

Witnesses called by the RFU:David Humphreys (Director of Rugby, Gloucester), Johan Ackermann (Head Coach, Gloucester), Stephen Vaughan (former CEO of Gloucester and now CEO of Wasps), and Martin St Quinton (Chairman of Gloucester).

What happened?

Well, in the complicated scenario of contract signatures let me explain the finer details.

Rohan Janse van Rensburg signed on 10 October 2017 a contract to play at Gloucester from 1 November 2018 for the next three seasons and her was paid an advance of £25,000 under the contract. He then signed a contract on 11 January 2018 to play for Sale Sharks from 1 July for the next three seasons.

 

“Main photo credit”