Currie Cup under threat
8 Jul 2009
South Africa’s premier domestic competition faces an uncertain future.
During Sanzar’s Super Rugby expansion negotiations, acting SA Rugby MD Andy Marinos insisted his organisation would not allow the Currie Cup – South Africa’s premier domestic competition – to be devalued in any way. So it was somewhat surprising when Sanzar announced a new Super 15 format that will see the southern-hemisphere regional tournament finish in early August (instead of late May) and the Springboks’ Tri-Nations campaign wrap up in late September (instead of early September) from 2011.
Considering the Currie Cup final has to be played at the end of October, at the latest, because of the Springboks’ Test commitments in November, the Boks will only be available for two or three matches of the Currie Cup league stage (out of 14) and the play-offs (if their teams qualify). That’s four or five weeks in a tournament that runs for three months.
Of course, in all his public statements, Marinos failed to mention that SA Rugby had no choice but to fight for the Currie Cup in its Sanzar meetings because in 2007 it sold the TV rights for all incoming Test tours and Currie Cup tournaments from 2011-2015 to SuperSport.
You may recall the controversy it caused at the time, with SuperSport paying R700 million – considered to be a bargain – including a R30 million ‘sweetener’ that allowed SA Rugby to show a profit when it released its financial statements in early 2008. SA Rugby also didn’t give rival broadcasters e.tv and the SABC a chance to tender, which infuriated then-Saru vice-president Koos Basson, who described the agreement as ‘flawed’.
However, the fact remains that the Currie Cup will have to be played until 2015, but what will happen to it after that? Discussions have already been held between Sanzar members about increasing the Super 15 to 18 teams in 2013 (one more South African side and possibly two from Japan).
While Marinos insists there would just be more conference matches, and the tournament wouldn’t be much longer, who’s to say that SA Rugby won’t buckle again and agree to a Super 18 that ends in late August, with the Tri-Nations finishing in mid- October? The Currie Cup would then become a glorified Vodacom Cup, with Springboks playing exclusively for their Super Rugby franchises and the national side.
Perhaps it’s time South Africans accepted that while the Currie Cup is a special competition with more than a century of history, there’s simply not enough room for it and an expanded Super Rugby competition in the calendar.
By Simon Borchardt
– This first appeared in SA Rugby magazine
250 Comments
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8 Jul 2009, 09:17 am
Drakie!
8 Jul 2009, 09:18 am
modern game…new world….all about tv!
8 Jul 2009, 09:20 am
Its actually very simple: start with the vodacom cup, scrap the super 14, have the currie cup and then a couple of rugby tours throughout the rest of the year.
Scrap the tri-nations, its getting v boring and never really worked anyway.
8 Jul 2009, 09:21 am
Ok. So you are saying we should accept it and just let the Currie Cup go. And from August there shouldn’t be a domestic competition?
8 Jul 2009, 09:25 am
Simon let’s be honest here.
For years now the Currie Cup, apart from arguably the final 2 or 3 round robin matches and the play-offs is nothing more than a glorified Vodacom Cup.
8 Jul 2009, 09:25 am
Ecclesiastes 10:19 but money answereth all things
and 1 Tim 6:10 For the love of money is the root of all evil
This means that money is important in this life yes and we should work hard etc, BUT once you start putting money ahead of morals and human ethics, that is when it starts being abused and brings to your destruction.
IRB & SANZAR all fall in the same trap as what this banking crisis is showing us. When you go too far with money and sell youself out at the price of your moral fiber, it will destroy you!
8 Jul 2009, 09:26 am
Ag, the Currie Cup is old news. The Boks hardly play in it as it is.
Contrary to the view above, I find the S14 and 3N’s very exciting!
8 Jul 2009, 09:27 am
Can Andy Marinos please accept a position at the IRB. Stop feeding us (rugby public) the manure he’s been dishing out the last few months. Kill the 3 nations. Go back to a true Super 10 (back to provinces that qualifies) and bring back extended tours. No more Friday night ****. Saturday afternoon 15:30 kick-off, for all games.
8 Jul 2009, 09:27 am
#5 PissAnt: My point exactly. Its been watered down for a few years now.
8 Jul 2009, 09:29 am
Tri-Nations should only be every 2 years. Not in the same year as the WC.
Shorten it to only playing 4 games again, one home, one away.
8 Jul 2009, 09:30 am
No Mellow, it is the LOVE of money, not money that is evil. Money is GOOOOD.
Morals and ethics are all relative anyway. One wife, two wife, five wife, underage wife? its all relative.
The main thing to remember about the bible is that God hates shell fish and shrimp and it says so if you read the book properly. Shrimp is an abomination and you can go to hell for eating it.
Rather stick to money.
And try be more mellow
8 Jul 2009, 09:33 am
#10 Blouste: That’s a good suggestion, but add in Argentina home and away (maintain 6 games).
8 Jul 2009, 09:34 am
In Europe the Heineken Cup runs concurrently with domestic leagues. Let the Vodacom Cup become a reserve league, with the Currie Cup still being the premier domestic league, with the S14 being like the Heineken Cup. Simple really. It will just mean that the various provinces will have to have decent squads.
8 Jul 2009, 09:34 am
#2 grant10:
#3 Nancy:
I agree with both of you.
We are stuck in this whole as long as the Sanzar “alliance” holds. Damn *uckhead money grabbing *icktwats!
I seriously do not even want to watch rugby anymore. And that from a guy that watches at least 2 games a week on average. Seriously??? Japan??? I mean what happened to the days when the Stormers would meet the Blues in full strength in the early 2000′s??? And don’t say “the glory days are over, get with the times!”
This is sad…
8 Jul 2009, 09:39 am
Yes Greenpoint, I didn’t watch the super14 because they didn’t have mnet in the clanger, but i heard it was boring.
scrap it.
Look north, same time zone, more money, easy beat opposition.
what more could we ask for?
8 Jul 2009, 09:40 am
#8 dirkdk:
#10 Blouste:
Agree and agree again.
Woodenspoon and Pissan, I have to agree with you guys as well. But don’t you think that something should be done about this. I mean, the Currie Cup can’t be scrapped, and it can’t really continue in the it’s current form…
8 Jul 2009, 09:40 am
#14 Greenpoint-Gunner: overkill….too much rugby means the mystique gone….
8 Jul 2009, 09:41 am
#15 Nancy: yip….worse news ever when the SAanzar Alliance survived the last spat…..SA always on the recieving end…
8 Jul 2009, 09:42 am
#15 Nancy:
I watched it and some of the games were REALLY REALLY boring. I know people say that it is boring every year, but this year took the cake, so to speak. Mind you the elves didn’t help since most teams are convinced that the best way to play with them is to kick as much as possible…
8 Jul 2009, 09:42 am
#17 grant10:
exactly
8 Jul 2009, 09:43 am
#13 lion4ever: I think you got it right there… move the currie cup to start earlier with alternating games of super 14. like the Heineken cup and the various donmestic competitions in Europe.
The only problem is the extended travelling for the SA sides, and it will be quite a missison to time everything perfectly well.
They will also need to ensure that while there is squad rotation each player somehow plays an equal amount of super 14 to currie cup to avoid watering the games down.
8 Jul 2009, 09:45 am
#11 Nancy:
Which part in the text did you miss – I wrote the LOVE of money.
Try reading again and in cotext – thats exactly what i said – the LOVE of money makes people err – I know money is good!!
Chop!!
8 Jul 2009, 09:45 am
Scrap the anti-podean countries. Weaken them. Persuade them to sign up with japan and the pacific islands, who will hopefully injure them at the same time. Lets see how well richie mcaw plays with a broken neck!
8 Jul 2009, 09:48 am
Scrap the vodacom cup and create a national club league, ala varsity cup but for the big boys as well. Get those fringe currie cup players back in the club system to improve the level of skills etc, will be great for developing rugby to a higher level and increase player retention
8 Jul 2009, 09:48 am
#16 Greenpoint-Gunner:
The competition and the rivalries have to re-invent themselves in pro rugby.
8 Jul 2009, 09:49 am
Just as well Mellow, i thought you were getting a bit religious there.
So many people forget about how ***** stole that donkey and lied about faith being able to move a mountain which believe me, the vaalies would do if it was possible.
they have been eyeing table mountain for years.
8 Jul 2009, 09:56 am
Why not build the CC into the s14?
Local games will then be CC fixtures and s14 games.
I think the s15 is already watered down to much anyway .. and if they go s18, it will devalue it more.
More does not always equal better .. sometimes less equals more. S12 the bast, and at the most s14.
8 Jul 2009, 09:57 am
bast = best
8 Jul 2009, 10:01 am
I disagree that the Currie Cup would be a glorified Vodacom cup (V Cup) as the V Cup is played during the S14, meaning that 4 teams x 30 man squads equals 120+ top players that are not part of the V Cup.
The Currie Cup only misses 30 players (bok team), I don’t know about you but the two currie cups that did not have the boks in it before the world cup was brilliant, it is much higher plain of rugby than the V Cup.
SARU needs to keep promoting the Currie Cup and teams need to push the level of play and it will stay exciting.
8 Jul 2009, 10:05 am
#15 Nancy: Whoever told you this year’s S14 was boring should have their brain scanned. It was one of the most exciting ever. 6 or 7 teams were in it right up until the last round of games.
I guess it was boring if your mate is a Lions or Cheetahs fan…
8 Jul 2009, 10:08 am
On another note, is there going to be another announcement of the Tri-Nations squad or the current squad selected for the Lions series going to continue into the Tri-Nations?
The boks should anyway be released to play for their provinces this weekend or else by the time the AB arrive, we will be complaining about players being rusty
8 Jul 2009, 10:09 am
To me the MOST IMPORTANT priority is to keep our top players in South Africa. Whether they’re playing in the Currie Cup or S14, we still get to see them running out 7 or 8 times a year at their home stadiums in front of their home crowds.
So, if you need the maximum amount of Broadcast Dollars from SANZAR to make that happen, then so be it. That is preferable to Keo’s solution, which is to let them go play for Toulon or Leicester or whoever, and just pick our Boks from overseas based players.
I DO NOT want South Africa to end up as the Brazil of the rugby world, with our Boks being top class, but all our players playing for European clubs.
Whatever it takes for the Bulls to retain World Class stars like Victor Matfield, Pierre Spies, Fourie du Preez, Bakkies Botha and Bryan Habana, it is worth it.
Even if it means watering down our Currie Cup.
8 Jul 2009, 10:10 am
scrap the vodacom cup, that will help to fit the CC in. It will be a real shame if the currie cup ceases to exist…
8 Jul 2009, 10:13 am
If I see one more Valke game on Sky on a Friday night this year I’m gonna kots!
Feel totally deflated after the lions series; in fact: ek’s nou so lui my hol hang oop…
8 Jul 2009, 10:15 am
I think we should all pass around a hat and take a contract out on 1 certain Mr J.O’Niell. The Evil Emperor will not stop until the very last vestige of rugby traditions have been squeezed of the game as we know it. The Kiwis and Safas have stood quietly by as he has raped his SANZAR partners of their very last hint of a backbone and come away as the only winner once the dust has settled. And now theyre talking 18 teams ?! FFS, their teams are already 38% non-Australian and thats before the 15th team to be based in Melbourne. I only hate 1 person involved in rugby that is J.O’Neill. I feel positively overflowing for adoration of Stephen Jones compared.
8 Jul 2009, 10:18 am
Super 14 (or whatever) should stay, period.
8 Jul 2009, 10:22 am
#32 Tacitus: CC & S14/15 TV rights appear to be the only way to keep the majority onshore. Overseas clubs will always try to lure up and coming talent, it has always happened but if the rand/dollars (where ever youre from) are sufficient our crops will remain stronger. The funding to keep players in their countries come from media and the sooner folks realise that the better.
One can argue for old is best and the bible says this but the facts remain… if we want our talent to remain local then we need the funds to keep them local.
8 Jul 2009, 10:22 am
wow , they can’t do away with the CC . Always good to see good rugby between our own provincal teams. Some whould say but why do the boks need to play CC for 4 weeks , why not let the youngsters finish the CC because they been working hard troughout the year. But than again , supporters want to see the best in action at each game. Don’t think the CC will be sell out at any of the games this year , maybe the final will be. Hard times out there and i hope SA rugby will come down with ticket pricess so everybody can go watch some CC rugby and 3N rugby this year.
8 Jul 2009, 10:22 am
#35 WakaNathan:
The man’s a genius… SARU could learn from them… wait… nope maybe they couldn’t…
8 Jul 2009, 10:22 am
#36 Nils: It can stay but not at the cost of our Currie cup
I say this with no disrepect mate as i know you would’nt understand what the Currie cup has meant to SA or its rugby
How they will fit it in i dont know , but i know the Currie cup is issential to our rugby and cannot ever be undermind and put at risk
8 Jul 2009, 10:23 am
the s14
is now
way too
cumbersome
it
should have been
streamlined
and they did
the opposite
marinos
is every bit
as stupid
as div
8 Jul 2009, 10:25 am
#35 WakaNathan: Waka you can blame whomever you wish to blame for the downfall of the NPC but you will find the core of that lies in disillusionment of the AB performance. They win the majority of tests but falter at the big one. The NZ public are a loyal bunch, they love their rugby and support their teams… but they can take only so much. The NPC went pro not so long ago, it was never viable and NZRU has said as much. Be honest with yourself and stop trying to find a scapegoat.
8 Jul 2009, 10:26 am
Wow. An entry on Keo that is not fixated on bashing and insulting our national coach !
I just googled around and found this:
“It was reliably learnt that Hewitt, a law student who previously worked under Mark Keohane at Keo.co.za, was given an ultimatum on Monday to resign or be fired.”
Could that be part and parcel of the hatred and bile being poured out here 24/7 ?
8 Jul 2009, 10:27 am
Lol Limerick Bok, I feel the same, Dublin Bok.
8 Jul 2009, 10:29 am
#32 Tacitus: Those are all Bulls players. Was that deliberate, or just some freakish coincidence?
8 Jul 2009, 10:29 am
#35 WakaNathan: NZ and SA are the ones bending over and taking it from O’Neil, NZ has the NPC, we have the CC, Australia have club rugby, yet we are willing to let our domestic competitions go to the dogs just so that Australia can sustain their third choice sport, SARU should be ashamed of themselves
8 Jul 2009, 10:30 am
#43 klingon_x: Well, he won’t be clinging on to his job now will he?
8 Jul 2009, 10:32 am
#46 XhosaKid: Suggest you research the NPC’ state of finance. You will find when they went pro and how they have performed… that should explain it fully.
8 Jul 2009, 10:33 am
#46 XhosaKid:
‘Aus have club rugby’… that’s where you’re wrong… have you not been paying attention… on top of their club rugby Aus are getting another S14 team and with that an entire National comp funded by the Foxsport’s S14 coffers… the man is a genius par excellence!
8 Jul 2009, 10:35 am
#46 XhosaKid: You also should research Australian club rugby and then make an informed comment… you know absolutely nothing about it.
Rugby in Australia a 3rd choice sport. Hmmm I don’t even think it rates that high. Goes to show how down the scale it is yet draws so much vehemence from you.
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