Johannesburg: Wednesday, 1 February 2012: South African Rugby Legends Association (SARLA) announces the resignation of SARLA CEO, John Allan. John will be taking up a position with the newly created programme which is to be called “Legends Emerging Elite Rugby Academy” (LEERA).

2011 has been a year of mixed emotion for us at SA Rugby Legends with many of our events having been so successful, then the news that our friend and former team mate Joost van de Westhuizen had been struck down by Motor Neuron Disease (MND) at such a young age and our rugby friends in Christchurch New Zealand being hit by a devastating earthquake, which saw the 2011 Rugby World Cup pool games being moved to other parts of that beautiful country not to mention the great tsunami in Japan.

It was pleasing to hear that BMW have come on board as the motor vehicle sponsors of the Springboks and with official announcement having been made in Johannesburg 25 May we at the SA Rugby Legends Association are also proud to announce that BMW have also become our vehicle sponsor as well.

Celebrating milestones in ones lifetime is indeed very special. This is why it was even more special for Springbok coach Dick Muir and a number of ex Natal players to join us at a very special Tribute Dinner for a true humble icon of the game Chris Edwards in Empangeni recently.

With the start of the newly revamped Super 15 this last weekend it certainly brought to many of the older past players attention just how fast the game has grown since their playing days. We barely have time to come up for air these days and we are all back preparing for yet another season. For the modern day professional players life in the fast lane has become a lot more hectic of that there is no doubt. The powers that be have to have a serious look at the make up of the rugby season and decide what is important for the game and which players play in which competition.

We trust and hope that you have all had a good break over the festive season and welcome you to 2011, the year of the seventh Rugby World Cup, which this time around will be hosted by New Zealand.

We start by wishing you all a fabulously successful year with health wealth and happiness and all the other things that you wish yourselves. In the year 2011 May the wind be always at your back, the rain wash away your fears and the Sun shine warm upon your face and let you achieve your goals.