CAPE TOWN – After 25 years on their council and nine years as the deputy president, Neville Jardine was finally voted in as the president of the Golden Lions Rugby Union on Monday night.
The long-serving Jardine is the son of anti-apartheid activist and sportsman Bill Jardine, after whom the stadium of Raiders Rugby Club in Roodepoort is named.
Bill Jardine was a convener of selectors of the non-racial South African Rugby Union before unity, and became a Springbok selector for the 1995 World Cup.
Neville Jardine is currently employed by a global biopharmaceutical company and has been a player, referee and administrator for over 40 years.
Neville Jardine replaces Kevin de Klerk, who retired last month.
“It is an honour to serve the Lions as president. After 25 years on the Chairman’s Council and serving as Deputy President since 2009, I feel ready to take on this new role. I look forward to working with all the clubs to strengthen club rugby,” Jardine said in a statement.
“Altmann (Allers, vice-president) is a very important financial investor in the company, and I look forward to working with him and his team to strengthen our financial position in the coming years.”
Neville’s brother Roger is also a director on The Sharks board, and the Jardine family have been involved in sport for many decades.
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