🔒 Boardroom Talk – RW Johnson ventures where angels fear to tread – argues rugby may be abolished

Alec Hogg’s newsletter for Premium members. Thursday, 22 November 2023

After watching the 2015 movie “Concussion” starring Will Smith and Gugu Mbatha-Raw (daughter of an exiled South African doctor), I came to an obvious realisation. If there were such negative consequences for American football players, who have helmets and padding, surely our local rugby heroes, lacking such protection, were in even greater danger.

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So, I asked my friend Bob Skinstad, a former Springbok captain, 2007 Rugby World Cup winner, and an athlete blessed with both brains and brawn. Bob pointed out that the impact in rugby is a lot less and very different compared to the American version. But I recall him mentioning that the rugby establishment was aware of the risks and was increasing precautions.

Our tribe’s favourite columnist, Oxford University Don R.W. Johnson, has tackled the subject in his latest contribution. His sobering conclusions come at a time when our beleaguered nation enjoys a fourth week of celebration after the Springboks rewrote the history books at the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France.

It provides a pause for thought, especially as Johnson poses the obvious question: Will the sport itself be abolished? You’ll find the story by clicking on the headline below:

RW Johnson: Springbok mania obscures real question – will rugby itself be abolished?

A couple more fresh Premium stories for you to read – again just click on the headline to access:

From the FT: Anglo American’s high-stakes bet on polyhalite fertiliser – A new way to feed the world

FM editor Rob Rose: ‘Rand rigging’ and the ANC’s innumerate leadership

I’ve republished a fascinating piece today about the drama surrounding OpenAI, from our partners at The Financial Times of London. Look out on the site this morning for the South African angle in my interview with FNB’s AI guru, Mark Nasila. And for those who replicate our BizNews model portfolio, there’s good news in all this for Microsoft, one of our top performers. Again, click on the headline below:

Sam Altman’s rapid return to OpenAI strengthens Microsoft’s position in AI race: Parmy Olson

*PS On Tuesday at noon, join me for an update on the BizNews model share portfolio in our webinar that’s exclusively for Premium members. Your seat is reserved but you do need to register beforehand – click here.