Oliver Wynn’s Post

BOK VERDICT | History makers live to thrill another day, but when will complete performance come? www.fundityres.co.za The Springboks have once again etched their names in rugby history, leaving fans breathless and All Blacks bewildered. In a fortnight of unprecedented success, South Africa's finest turned imperfection into magic on Cape Town soil, reclaiming the Freedom Cup and taking a giant leap towards Rugby Championship glory. Like a finely-tuned engine with a slight misfire, the Boks have shown they can overcome deficits and still cross the finish line first. Their ability to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat is nothing short of remarkable, reminiscent of a perfectly balanced tire gripping the road on a sharp turn. Yet, as we bask in the glow of these thrilling triumphs, a question lingers in the air like the scent of freshly cut grass on a rugby pitch: when will we witness that elusive, flawless 80-minute performance? Until then, let's savor every heart-stopping moment of this exhilarating Springbok journey. After all, in rugby, as in life, it's not about perfection – it's about rising to the occasion when it matters most. #Springboks #RugbyWorldCup #StrongerTogether #RugbyUnion #FundiTyres https://lnkd.in/dSY_r4A6

As the first light of dawn swept over the vast savannahs and settled upon Nairobi, Kenya's rugby community found itself at a critical juncture. The absence of several key warriors from the Olympic rugby squad seemed, at first glance, to signal a decline for a nation that had once reigned supreme in the fierce and fast-paced world of sevens rugby. Critics, ever eager to declare a downfall, overlooked the vibrant resurgence beneath the surface—a new generation of talent, poised and hungry for the challenge. Into the void left by the departed veterans stepped a band of young, determined athletes, their eyes ablaze with ambition. They brought with them fresh energy and innovative strategies, born from a fierce desire to carve out their own legacy. Though the transition was fraught with obstacles, and the youthful squad faced seasoned adversaries on the field, each encounter was a lesson, each match a stepping stone towards a stronger tomorrow. This perceived period of underachievement was, in truth, a tactical pause—a moment of reflection and renewal. Kenya was not faltering; it was recalibrating, investing in its youth to cultivate a new era of rugby prowess. The narrative was not one of decline but of hope and rebirth, as Kenya laid the foundation for a future rich with promise and potential. #KenyaRugby #RugbyRenaissance #RisingStars #YouthInSport #NextGenTalent #Underestimated #AthleticRenewal #FutureChampions #LegacyBuilding #KenyanPride Grace Buri

Following on from my post concerning England Futsal and its public statement last Friday, I've been very surprised that only a few people have taken to media to express their anger and disappointment. Sitting in silence is not the answer. Too many are afraid to speak out and I simply cannot understand why, when our FA are actually engaged in suppressing futsal. Mark Bullingham will be rubbing his hands with glee as this is exactly what he wants. His view will be that no one cares about futsal and the community haven't bought in with cash to fund the England Futsal National teams, so why should the FA.!!!! I will remind you all again that England Futsal Ltd was doomed from the outset. It was a vanity project from Dell, Mitchell and Skubala. As EF needs everything signed off by the FA, it's still the FA calling the shots, and NO organisation/company will sponsor or subsidise the world's richest FA. What exactly was in the contract between the FA and England Futsal Ltd? Bullingham set out to destroy futsal and he's achieving his aim. He can look on with pride in himself and congratulate himself on a job well done. I offered immediate solutions in my post on Friday. To take this one step further, I would advise every futsal player, coach, manager and fan, to email the Football Supporters Association (FSA) and complain about the situation we find ourselves in. If everyone does this, then the FSA can raise these matters at senior FA Council level and it CAN effect change. Sitting in silence thinking "it's futile, what's the point" is not the answer. I said many times that the futsal community needs to come together, get rid of the ego's and start to build a better community. By remaining silent, you are doing Bullingham's work for him. He's the one laughing at us. Email the FSA (Google the website) and also email Bullingham Mark.Bullingham@thefa.com to express your anger and demand change. There's nothing stronger than people power. #futsal #truth #Accountability #change

Your goals outweigh the noise of strangers and acquaintances. Secure your supporters, and ignore the detractors. Lock it in. . . . #Yoursportsresource #Sportsleadership #Youthsports #Nonprofit #Youth #Sports #Sportsclub #Swimming #PositiveMindset #StayFocused #FocusOnYourGoals #IgnoreTheDetractors #PrioritizeYourDreams #GoalsOverOpinions #LockInSuccess

It's too much of a coincidence that on the day World Rugby elects Brett Robinson as its new Chair, the news of a #LIV style breakaway Rugby league, backed by US and Middle East funding, is leaked to the press, it's a clear challenge to the #establishment. Let's see how this plays out, but it comes down to the fact that compared to other high-profile sports, elite Rugby players play too much, and get battered week-in week-out for quite frankly relatively little #remuneration. Owen Farrell is reportedly the highest-paid player in the world, earning $1.2m. It doesn't take a PhD in mathematics to do the sums and work out that for a pittance of what it took to fund LIV Golf, you could buy control of most of the top Rugby players and fund your own global rugby competition. No matter how much tinkering is done with rules, governance, player vs country contracts, concussion protocols, etc. this lack of money paid to its stars, leaves the sport more vulnerable than ever for a group like this to come along with a big cheque and mix things up a bit. Those of us with long memories have been down the Rugby breakaway road before and it failed. It is probable that the establishment has game played this scenario and will have plenty of power-plays of their own to bring to the table to prevent what some feel is inevitable. Therefore, the nuanced cause-and-effect, #fragmentation, and #revolution this disruption may cause is up for debate. Ultimately the sentiment of the players will be key. The disrupting protagonists have played their first card, so it's game on! In the meantime, I'm looking forward to a nice day out in #Cardiff on Sunday, hoping against hope, that my beloved #Wales can somehow avoid a record 11th consecutive international defeat against the Aussies! 🙏 #Rugby #WorldRugby #Disruption WRU - Welsh Rugby Union England Rugby Scottish Rugby South African Rugby Union (SA Rugby) Rugby Australia New Zealand Rugby FFR - Fédération Française de Rugby Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) RugbyDAO World Rugby AYNE - are you not entertained? podcast Public Investment Fund (PIF) CVC

Springbok Rugby: The Present and Future Look Bright Rugby in South Africa has always been more than just a game. The Springboks represent national pride and unity, and nowhere was that more evident than in Mbombela yesterday. The packed stadium, buzzing with excitement, was a perfect example of how the Boks bring the country together. Black, white, young, and old — all united in their love for the green and gold. The game showcased just how much the sport has grown across all corners of South Africa. Rugby, once seen as a sport for a select few, is now played by kids everywhere. Schools in Soweto, rural KwaZulu-Natal, and the Eastern Cape are producing the next generation of stars, and it's paying off. Look at the young talent playing for the Boks now, players like Kurt-Lee Arendse, Cheslin Kolbe, Aphelele Fassi, who light up the scoreboard with their tries, showing that the future of Springbok rugby is in good hands. These players represent a new era of Boks — diverse, fast, and fearless. They're proving that rugby is for everyone and that the Springboks have no shortage of up-and-coming talent. With youth programs growing and rugby reaching more kids across the country, we’re set to see even more players like Moodie and Arendse. The excitement and skill coming through the ranks mean the Boks will be a force to reckon with for years to come. Mbombela wasn’t just a great match; it was a reminder that South African rugby is stronger than ever, and the future is looking bright.

Last week showed the broken side of cricket, but you had to look beneath the surface to see it. In the space of a few days, across a few miles in the capital, two events happened which showcased the tricky situation sport (and in particular cricket) has got itself into. On a gloomy morning at the Oval, Surrey Cricket Club found out they were champions. We should congratulate Surrey for the third county championship win in a row. Three seasons, three wins. They are by far the most well funded, well supported club with an ever growing membership base. On a similar gloomy afternoon a few days earlier, Foxton Granta won the Voneus Village Cup. They chased down 240. A great victory, but it could be their last. They have no funding, and have a declining playing base. Cast your eye around the county structure and in most counties the story is the same. Small clubs are struggling to generate enough players, at a junior and senior level. Less players means less funding. Less funding means less opportunity. Less opportunity means less competition. Less competition means less sponsors. Less sponsors means… Surrey distribute some of their income through Surrey Cricket Foundation, which does create more opportunities, but that’s in some of the wealthier parts of the capital and beyond. The grant fund that we’ve started at Next Bigger Better aims to bridge some of the gap and provide a kick start to small projects at ambitious clubs. As the skipper of Foxton Granta said “There are always teams dropping out of the junior leagues in Cambridgeshire cricket. There do seem to be less and less teams every year." Hopefully we can do our bit to stop the rot. If you’re a club that’s interested in accessing funding, than get in contact. #cricket #funding Surrey Cricket Foundation Kent Cricket Community Trust KCCT Lancashire Cricket Foundation

𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐔𝐒 𝐇𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐦 𝐅𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐝❓ Ever wondered how USA Team Handball, the governing body for #handball in the United States, is funded? The reality is, compared to other national governing bodies for sports in the U.S., handball receives relatively low funding, and here’s why: 𝟏. 𝑼.𝑺. 𝑶𝒍𝒚𝒎𝒑𝒊𝒄 & 𝑷𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒍𝒚𝒎𝒑𝒊𝒄 𝑪𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒊𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒆 (𝑼𝑺𝑶𝑷𝑪) Historically, USA Team Handball’s primary funding has come from an annual grant provided by the USOPC, around $225,000 per year in recent years. However, this funding has been decreasing over time due to our team's lack of Olympic success. 𝟐. 𝑰𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒏𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒂𝒍 𝑯𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒃𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝑭𝒆𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 (𝑰𝑯𝑭) Recently, the #IHF has begun providing some grant funding to support #college development efforts in the U.S., although the specific amounts are not publicly disclosed. 𝟑. 𝑼.𝑺. 𝑻𝒆𝒂𝒎 𝑯𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒃𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝑭𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 Established with leftover funds from the 1984 #Olympic Games in Los Angeles, this foundation has contributed around $34,000 per year in recent years to support national team competitions. 𝟒. 𝑷𝒓𝒊𝒗𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝑪𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒓𝒊𝒃𝒖𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔 Charitable donations from individuals have been a source of revenue, averaging about $88,000 per year over a recent four-year period. Every bit helps, but it’s still a relatively small part of the overall budget. 𝟓. 𝑪𝒐𝒓𝒑𝒐𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝑺𝒑𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒐𝒓𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒑𝒔 One of the most significant revenue boosts has come from our partnership with #Verizon. While the exact amount isn't publicly disclosed, Verizon's support is substantial for our federation's current situation. 𝟔. 𝑷𝒍𝒂𝒚𝒆𝒓 𝑺𝒆𝒍𝒇-𝑭𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 In most instances, national team trips for competition have been 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳-𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗳𝗳. This speaks to the dedication of our teams, which are willing to invest in their passion for the sport. Currently, the average total annual revenue for USA Team Handball has been roughly $540,000 in recent years. This is a significant constraint when compared to the budgets of other national sports governing bodies in the U.S. The limited funding is partly a reflection of handball's low popularity in the United States and the resulting minimal support from the USOPC. However, change could be on the horizon. With growing interest and new initiatives, there's hope that more funding and support could be directed towards handball in the future. It’s a challenging landscape, but one that we’re ready to tackle head-on.

I've had 24 hrs to reflect on the announcements yesterday from England Futsal. The first post was the England Men's training squad announcement which I was very pleased to see, and congratulated those that made the squad. Then not 2 hrs later, England Futsal posted (please see below) news that they are still £95k short of their fundraising target. This figure was the same 2 months ago. So in this time they have not managed to raise a single penny. This situation in English futsal is no longer acceptable. I find the announcements very unprofessional, unacceptable and very disturbing. I'll post more on this tomorrow but for now there needs to be solutions and I suggest the following: 1. The contract that the FA have with England Futsal Ltd needs to be terminated immediately. 2. Those responsible for this fiasco, Graeme Dell, Steve Mitchell and Michael Skubala need to sacked immediately from the FA. 3. The FA need to intervene and embrace all the players and coaching staff because they have all put so much effort in, believing they were going to play in the qualifiers. 4. The FA need to take the National teams back in house and provide the funding necessary for the Men, Women and u19s teams and also confirm this will be forever just like they do for the National football teams. The FA are the NGB and it should never have been handed to an outside private company in which Michael Skubala is the 100% shareholder. 5. Ex NGB Chairman Bob Cotter needs to brought back, in an interim position, to oversee the national teams until new personnel can be found to lead futsal forward. I'm sure the FA would welcome some steady hands on board who can be trusted to lead futsal forward. If EF couldn't raise the money this time, the chances are it will never happen. Would you trust £95k in the hands of EF? Finally, and I may sound like a broken record but, no company or organisation will sponsor or subsidise the world's richest FA. I would urge everyone to email FA CEO Mark Bullingham Mark.Bullingham@thefa.com and lobby him to take futsal back in house. You all have a voice and no doubt are very angry with the situation. #futsal #truth #accountability #leadership #TheFa #UEFA #FIFA

Challenge negative self-talk with positive affirmations. Flip the script and believe in your potential. You've overcome obstacles before, and you can do it again. . . . #yoursportsresource #youthsports #nonprofit #youth #sportsleadership #sports #sportsclub #athlete #swimming #positivevibes #selftalk #believeinyourself #growthmindset