Expansion is SA’s ‘only option’
12 Feb 2012
Saru says there are no plans to boycott the 2013 Super Rugby tournament but has admitted that the five South African franchises view a tournament expansion as the only solution.
Saru has moved quickly to dismiss a media report that the Bulls, Cheetahs, Lions, Sharks and Stormers will boycott the 2013 tournament if Sanzar decides not to include all six South African franchises (including the Southern Kings) in future tournaments.
It was suggested that the threat was part of a letter sent by the five franchises to Saru president Regan Hoskins. While Saru has denied such a threat exists, CEO Jurie Roux has confirmed that none of the franchises will support a format that doesn’t include all six teams.
‘No threat of a boycott was made,’ said Roux. ‘But the franchises have made it plain that the only option to them is the expansion of Super Rugby.
‘They also pledged their support for the Kings’ inclusion in 2013 as well as for Saru’s efforts to persuade Sanzar to include a sixth South African franchise.’
The letter from the five franchises to Hoskins stated the following:
‘After lengthy discussions between the franchises, we unanimously decided that it is imperative:
* That such inclusion will benefit South African rugby in general;
* That none of the existing franchises shall be prejudiced by such inclusion in any way whatsoever;
* That none of the existing franchises shall be eliminated from the tournament in 2013 or at any stage thereafter as a result of the inclusion of the Kings;
* That Saru as custodian of the South African leg of the tournament will ensure that the Kings are included without prejudice to any of the existing franchises.
‘The existing franchises will endeavour to provide all necessary assistance and support to Saru in its negotiations with Sanzar to ensure the inclusion of six South African franchises in 2013 onwards.’
Roux said that Saru would continue discussions with its Sanzar partners around participation in the 2013 tournament. A final decision on the matter is expected on 31 March once all discussions have concluded.
15 Comments
12 Feb 2012, 18:36 pm
Sary Marais?
12 Feb 2012, 19:14 pm
so what are they saying? if there is no expansion? And SANZAR says there won’t be an expansion till 2016 at earliest? SARU, all-round, has cocked this one up
12 Feb 2012, 19:32 pm
I guess the Kings will have to wait until 2016 then. And then only if our Australian and NZ partners in SANZAR agree to a different format.
If they do, they will have to change the boring conference system. One conference can’t have 6 teams while the other two have 5 and I highly doubt NZ and Aus want another team each. I would firmly support a change from the boring S15 conference format. But I do not see the Australians agreeing at all now that they have their own “domestic league”.
The best idea is a 16 team 2 division competition of 8 teams each with promotion and relegation between the leagues and home and away fixtures. Simple. Short. Sweet. Strength vs strength. Exciting.
But this can only happen after 2016. So what to do with SARU promising the Kings super rugby from next year? I am embarrassed by South African rugby administrators continuing to live up to the stereotype of them being extremely dof. The only viable solution I can see is (1) retracting the promise to the Kings of super rugby from next year. (2) Offer them a guaranteed place in the 6 team team Currie Cup (yes, the Kings – combined EP, Border and SWD) until 2016 to raise their standards (apologies to Griquas) and (3) promise them that SARU will do everything possible to bring about a tournament format change with them included in 2016.
A tournament format change is needed. By 2016 we will all be incredibly fatigued by this long winded conference format.
12 Feb 2012, 19:46 pm
the kings is a non negotiable. They are in – as it was a promise to the government. SANZAR has also accepted Kings being there.
The refusal to address who drops out before agreeing to kings is what is biting them in the arse now. They made assumption they would get the six team expansion. They may still do so, but if NZ and Aus say no then one SA team falls out for at least 2 years
12 Feb 2012, 19:50 pm
If it is a promise to the government then they are in, no doubt.
I can’t see SANZAR breaking the contract mid flow. Sponsors are in it, and so are many other logistical ties and contracts. That’s not the way it works, and they are not going to do it to simply accommodate the SA government.
Rather than seeing any other team sit out I would then propose a Super rugby merger between the Bulls and Lions.
Both are practically in the same place. One is insolvent and needs the help. And then there is Soweto stadium which can accommodate Bulls and Lions fans and then some.
12 Feb 2012, 19:53 pm
What a bunch of gutless and idiotic morons to promise the Kings’ inclusion BEFORE (1) seeing if SANZAR would accommodate a format change or (2) working out how 5 SA franchises will become 4 in 12 months time.
Typical of SA. We must be the laughing stoock in NZ and Aus.
12 Feb 2012, 20:55 pm
Jurie Roux is doing a great job. its about time that SA flexed their muscles. Without SA, Super Rugby is dead. Keo I do not agree with you on this one. In fact I think Roux and the franchises have played a master stroke. At long last there is 100% support for all regions.
12 Feb 2012, 21:42 pm
Who cares if they promised it to the government. Just tell the government:
“Sorry, SANZAR says no. We’ll get back to you in 2016. Ok, bye.”
What’s government gonna do? What can they do?
12 Feb 2012, 22:23 pm
5 Wooden Spoon
WTF, bro? As the only SA team who has won the Super Rugby title (3 times, need I add), the Bulls are untouchable. The Lions and Cheetahs, as the poorest performing sides, should be given two options: combine as the Cats or the worst performing of you in the 2012 S15 misses out for two years
12 Feb 2012, 22:31 pm
@Tacitus-8: I agree 100%.
These people ( government, SARU, SANZAR etc. ) all lie all the time, what differance does it make if they lie to the Kings this time round?
Like Tac said just say sorry and see you in 2016. This will also give SARU time to get them ready, I see no issue with this.
12 Feb 2012, 22:58 pm
Easy…. get the team who wants in to play against the team who ends last in SA conf. Guess you have better chance in beating a Super team than a 1st dev team. :roll
13 Feb 2012, 01:28 am
No matter how poor they might be (not even Currie Cup material), I can still see the NZ and Aus media fawning over the Kings no matter what. They will be the darling SA team in their eyes. If you are a black/brown SA rugby player you are cool and ‘IN’, Afrikaans and white then you are on the opposite end of the prejudice scale. Man, it is unbelievable how a 9% minority population is being subjected to legalised racial policies in a so-called democracy….in 2012 some 20 years after the end of Apartheid. How the western media continues to remain silent on what is REALLY happening in SA is beyond understanding. The Kings fiasco is just a small sample of the wider racialy-based social engineering well under way under the ANC government. And please don’t tell me it is justified. In SA a minority is under attack on all fronts but yet in the civilised world, everything is done to protect minorities. 800 000 Afrikaners are now very poor, many homeless but they are neglected by the government just because they are white. Silence. Strange world we live in.
13 Feb 2012, 03:32 am
Another circus act from Saru…………..maybe PdV should put his hand up for President. If you are going to act like a bunch of polooka’s at least then it is done professionally
14 Feb 2012, 03:10 am
There is too much rugby as it is — the Super 14 was as big as was sensible, but the Super 12 was ideal. S15 is a shambles.
14 Feb 2012, 08:06 am
Any South Africa team that falls out for the sake of the BEE Southern Kings is going to cause a legal storm that will last for years.
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