Kings to play Super Rugby in 2013
27 Jan 2012
The Southern Kings will be included in Super Rugby in 2013, but how they will be accommodated has not been decided yet.
Saru CEO Jurie Roux confirmed the news at the Springbok coach announcement in Newlands on Friday afternoon, where Heyneke Meyer was unveiled as Peter de Villiers’ successor. While the main focus from the national media was on Meyer’s appointment, keo.co.za got clarification from Roux about the Kings’ Super Rugby future.
‘There were many topics discussed at our executive meeting. On the Southern Kings specifically, it has been decided that they will play in Super Rugby in 2013, and this was supported by all parties concerned,’ Roux told this website. ‘However, we haven’t decided on how we will accommodate them with the five other South African franchises. We will bring this up at our AGM [annual general meeting] in March, and have further discussions with our partners at Sanzar about how we will accommodate six teams. We will also allow the Southern Kings to give their suggestions for possible solutions.’
The fact that the Eastern Cape has been given definite Super Rugby participation is a great step forward for the national sport and for a province that’s rich in black talent and has been starved of top quality rugby. However, with Saru confirming this news without a decided solution is a major concern.
With this decision to come into effect next season, how does Saru plan to accommodate their six franchises should Sanzar decline the proposal of including all teams in an already extended and lengthy tournament format? Will the Cheetahs and Lions’(South Africa’s least successful franchises) Super Rugby participation be under threat? Will they be forced to return to the Cats amalgamation initiative or duel in promotion/relegation play-offs?
A complex decision like this should’ve been finalised before the Kings’ Super Rugby participation was confirmed. Saru will now be pressurised in finding a solution that will ensure the happiness of all parties. The chances of achieving that, however, is highly unlikely.
Meanwhile, EP president Cheeky Watson, who was one of the several union bosses present at the press conference, said he was delighted with the Kings’ Super Rugby inclusion.
‘That is the main prize and we are delighted,’ said Watson. ‘Whether Saru is late in deciding on how they will accommodate us is debatable. The most suitable solution would be to have all six franchises playing Super Rugby.
‘The Southern Kings can only grow from here now,’ he continued. ‘We have struggled to recruit top-class players in the past because you have to be playing Super Rugby to be in contention for Springbok selection. And that’s a requirement for the best players. But knowing that we will definitely play in next year’s tournament will help us build a strong and competitive squad.’
By Gareth Duncan
74 Comments
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28 Jan 2012, 14:52 pm
@grant10-50:
C’mon Grant, it’s not the same. The S15 requires all our best players to participate. Besides unlike soccer, their isn’t a league for a S15 team to be relegated to.
28 Jan 2012, 15:23 pm
@David-51: well what other way?
more teams?
amalgamations?
I dont have the answers….
Just seems fairest would be a promo relegation type thing…
28 Jan 2012, 15:40 pm
Kings will be able to aggressively recruit now that the decision ratified….going to be interesting ….
28 Jan 2012, 15:50 pm
@grant10-53: I still don’t know how this is going to work. Most of the top players are contracted to existing unions. They will not just let them go. Also the super teams all have domestic CC teams too. So these players have dual contracts with both the Super Rugby union and the domestic union. How are the Kings going to keep a player in the Super Rugby franchise and then expect them to play B section CC? or are they going to be just gifted a spot in the CC as well?
I’d really like to know the detail here.
Never once in the history of SA teams, even when they have been relegated, have the Unions not been in the Premier CC league.
And the kings are by no means guaranteed that.
Just doesn’t make sense.
28 Jan 2012, 16:02 pm
@stormersboy-54: going to be interesting.
I did hear a few overseas saffas were interested, I wouldnt be surprised if Solomons is talking to a few….
Perhaps the aussies and kiwis may take pity and grant us a 6 th team……failing which some Franchise is ending up in tears…..or an amalgamation
28 Jan 2012, 16:05 pm
@grant10-55: I must be honest and say that it worries me as it’s been a mess from start to finish.
Anyway the team to be relegated is unlikely to be the stormers this year, judging from what I’ve seen so far.
Looking forward to seeing the Cheetahs game.
28 Jan 2012, 16:30 pm
The deceptive and cowardly SARU is simply clearing the way for an SA team to replace the Lions in the event the liquidation process of the GLRU succeeds.
Is the writing on the wall for the GLRU?
28 Jan 2012, 17:27 pm
@grant10-52: as things stand, relation/promotion cannot work. As David has identified, there is nowhere for the relegated team to go…
Let’s just say the Stormers are “relegated” this year. How will this impact on the Boks if the likes of Bekker, Habana, Burger, JDV etc play no super rugby?
The only workable solutions I can see are:
1. Add one extra SA team and make it a S16, each team to play each other once.
2. Add one more team from each of the countries, and create 2 separate divisions of 9 teams each. Have promotion and relegation between these two divisions.
3. Combine 2 other SA franchises, like the Lions and Cheetahs (but please do not name them the Cats).
We are stuck with S15 (and its ridiculous format) for some time now before an increase/change can be sanctioned by SANZAR, so the only workable solution is number 3 above, in my opinion.
28 Jan 2012, 17:33 pm
Personally, I’d prefer it if we could revert back to the S12 format. Strength vs strength. But that will never happen.
My next choice would be the 2 division Super 18 with relegation/promotion. That would add both strength v strength and the extra element of excitement of promotion and relegation.
28 Jan 2012, 20:51 pm
The answer seems simple.
Present the super 15 teams with an ultimatum.
The bottom team gets relegated OR two teams get amalgamated.
Let’s bear in mind the most succesful period for the lions and cheetahs in super rugby was as the cats.
I must say a combo of the cheetahs and the lions would look pretty good.
How hard can it be?
28 Jan 2012, 21:02 pm
@the artist formerly known as gunther-60: Gunth
I thought the general consensus was that the Cats union was a bit of an unworkable flop? Sure, Mains took them to two consecutive home semis but where would they play, where would their official home be, where would they train?
Re your other option, where would the team be relegated to?
28 Jan 2012, 21:07 pm
2 semis hardly constitutes an unworkable option.
Not when the alternative is rugby wilderness for a m$ajor union.
28 Jan 2012, 21:14 pm
@the artist formerly known as gunther-62: some rugby is better than none but, no, the question was, after the last time, didn’t they say they’d never want to do it again?
If one or both of the Cheetahs or Lions don’t finish in the bottom 2 SA teams, why should they be the ones to merge. What if the Bulls and Stormers are last?
28 Jan 2012, 21:15 pm
I think the semis were down to Mains.
No Lions or Cheetahs or Cats team has ever been able to replicate even a single semi. I would suggest Mains was the shot in the arm.
Maybe Mitchell could do it? What would Drotske do?
28 Jan 2012, 21:20 pm
There is no solution that doesn’t involve some pain somewhere.
I suggest that both teams would be a deal more sanguine when staring down the barrel.
Nakkaers can like to be mitchell’s forward coach.
28 Jan 2012, 21:24 pm
And if, say, the Bulls and Stormers finish 4th and 5th in the SA conference this year?…
28 Jan 2012, 21:28 pm
The horsetrading starts before the comp not after.
You don’t bet on your nag after the race is run.
Laters.
28 Jan 2012, 21:36 pm
Kings 2013……with superrugby participation CONFIRMED thus TV money is the CARROT that led teams like the Rebels,Force to get marquee signings otherwise it would have been pointless…
1.Kirsten 2.Maku 3.Mujati 4.Francois vd Merwe 5.Mabeta 6.D.Potgieter(c) 7.Deysel 8.Kolisi 9.S.Pretorius 10.S.Eberson 11.Sithole 12.JdV 13.Mjekevu 14.A.Ndungane 15.O.Ndungane
I can dream….
28 Jan 2012, 21:42 pm
@grant10-53:
Exactly. The prospect of Superrugby for those who are on outskirts of starting XV in Cheetahs,Sharks,Bulls,Lions,Stormers who are on 2 yr contracts will be hella enticing…
Sharks loosefwds-likely starting xv loosies-Daniel,Alberts,Kanko…. That put Deysel,Botes,Marcel Coeetzee,Lubabalo Mthembu in precarious position…wana bet one/2/3 of those would rather start and be paid starter money and NATIONAL recognition??
You betcha…
28 Jan 2012, 21:55 pm
@mshiniwami-69: yes those guys AND about another 30 recently out of a job.
28 Jan 2012, 22:11 pm
Wow it’s so so nice to be elitist isn’t it. Hop aboard the transformation gravy train and get a free pass from playing Currie Cup and go straight to the super duper big league.
The Southern Queens would barely scrape a win against the Big Four in Currie Cup, so chaps imagine the whoopin’ these fellahs are going to receive from the rest. 40 to 50 point drubbings will be the order of the day.
Have SARU learnt nothing from Pieter de Villiers.
29 Jan 2012, 12:44 pm
I think allot of people are getting confused about this and seem to think that the Southern Kings will be the wipping boys of Super Rugby.
The EP Kings are not the Southern KIngs, dont forget about SWD and Border.
Being able to pick from all 3 teams,bringing in a few stars and having a proper academy in place with make the Super Kings one of the top 3 sides in the South African Franchise.
I honestly believe this and think this is a major step in the right direction.
29 Jan 2012, 14:31 pm
@PatrickC-72: SWD and Border hardly set the world alight either. Not one EP, SWD or Border were in the Currie Cup top flight last year.
“…make the Super Kings one of the top 3 sides in the South African Franchise.
Better than the Sharks, Bulls and Stormers?
Lol. What a hoot.
29 Jan 2012, 22:58 pm
is this a transformation influenced decision?
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