Kings deserve Super Rugby
7 Mar 2012
MARK KEOHANE, writing in Business Day Sport Monthly, says the Eastern Cape franchise doesn’t need to justify its place in next year’s competition.
It never ceases to amaze me how often the South African Rugby Union gets it wrong. What should have been a monumental announcement – that the Kings would play in Super Rugby from 2013 – turned into a debate of uncertainty as to whether or not South Africa would lose a franchise or convince New Zealand and Australia to accommodate a sixth South African team.
The wizards at Saru once again want it both ways.
The Kings deserve to be in Super Rugby, purely by virtue of promises made to the South African government when bidding to host the 2011 and 2015 Rugby World Cups. This time there was no escape, but instead of fronting the situation and making a decision on who falls out, the clever guys went cap in hand to Australia and New Zealand pleading for the expansion of the tournament.
The layman argument that the Kings don’t deserve to be in the competition is flawed on so many levels, as well as being an incredibly ignorant view.
The Kings are as deserving as any team and the rugby public forgets that the Lions and Cheetahs hardly won for 10 years and when the two sides combined as the Cats the results were as diabolical. The Kings can’t be a greater embarrassment than the 17 successive Lions defeats, as just one statistic.
The rugby argument aside, the decision to accommodate the region is an ethical one because a promise was made.
To recap for those suffering amnesia, Saru only stood a chance of hosting the 2011 World Cup if the government gave a financial guarantee and an endorsement. It was at a time when the sports ministry was fed up with the lack of transformation and continued neglect of rugby in the Eastern Cape.
Saru’s representatives promised a new beginning for the region and invested nearly R12-million in forming the Southern Spears, arranging friendly matches and promoting the region’s entry into Super Rugby in 2011. Then South Africa botched the bid, New Zealand struck a deal with Ireland and the rugby authorities backtracked on their enthusiasm for the region.
There was apparently too much division between Border, Eastern Province and South Western Districts. There was misadministration, claims of corruption and the convenient decision was that there was no way Saru could invest further in an Eastern Cape Super Rugby region. Saru then paid nearly R10-million to close down the region.
Very little happened between World Cup bids and when word was that South Africa was a guarantee to host 2015, again the emotional carrot of the Eastern Cape was dangled. Again it fell flat when South Africa cocked up in Dublin.
Only this time things were changing in the Eastern Cape. Cheeky Watson had been elected president and he declared that they would get their house in order and would be competitive in 2013.
He signed former Stormers and Ulster coach Alan Solomons and EP went from being the bunny boys to Currie Cup First Division champions in 2010 and runners-up in 2011. Support for the promotion-relegation match exceeded 40 000 and there were very good crowds for pre-season friendlies against the existing Super Rugby franchises.
The Kings, playing without a team sponsor, hammered the Bulls in a 2011 warm-up but the win was dismissed as the Bulls fielded an inexperienced side. Either way the Kings would be damned.
But in Watson and Solomons they have two rugby men who won’t give up and are prepared to put in the hours. The Kings became competitive with a limited squad because without Saru confirming their entry into the competition in 2013 it was impossible to attract top players.
The aim, with moderate talent, was to get the interest and the public responded. When EP hosted a Springbok Test against the All Blacks in 2011 the match was a sellout.
The region is ready to play and those who use the team’s performances in the First Division as a yardstick miss the point that the bulk of the 2013 squad will be imported from other regions and overseas. Transformation will be a big part of the Kings, but what will make them a success story is if they win and not how many black players start each match.
Solomons initiated a campaign of keeping the players home and bringing them home, given there were more than 40 players born and schooled in the Eastern Cape playing elsewhere.
The argument that the Kings had to earn the right through the Currie Cup has no merit. The need to have the Eastern Cape as a stronghold and growth point in South African rugby takes priority.
It was a similar situation to when the Natal Rugby Union couldn’t win a place in the six-team Currie Cup A division in the amateur era. A compromise between Natal and the national governing body was to expand the Currie Cup to eight teams and accommodate the Banana Boys, as they were then called.
Critics of the Kings’ entry have short memories. Natal built and bought a potent team and within a decade became the leading province in South Africa. With the right people, finance and commitment anything is possible.
Saru should have announced officially two years ago that the Kings would play in 2013, but they held back in the hope of an expanded competition. In the end Sanzar forced a decision out of them.
The Kings are there and that should not be a debate. A promise has finally been honoured and the embarrassment is in how long it took Saru’s administration to confirm it all … not in what the Kings will produce in the competition.
– This article appears in the March issue of Business Day Sport Monthly, which is on sale now at selected outlets. The April issue will be distributed FREE with Business Day newspaper on Friday, 23 March.
225 Comments
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7 Mar 2012, 15:40 pm
Once Cheeky Pty Ltd gets their slice of the pie, I hope there is still change left to spend on real development and transformation. But I guess that wount be priority in the short term. First need to adequately address that bottom line of Cheeky Pty Ltd.
7 Mar 2012, 15:40 pm
No Keo, they don’t deserve to play super rugby, nobody deserves the right to play super rugby, you have to EARN it!!!! Geddit? If …. IF (that’s a BIG if) they can prove themselves as Currie Cup title contenders, i.e. semi-finalists them maybe, just maybe they should be considered to play in the super 15. That’s life I’m afraid, nothing is free … At times you can write brilliant articles, this one however, comes straight from you a$$
7 Mar 2012, 15:41 pm
How about a structure like this….
Cheetahs union…. feeder union to the 3 bigger unions(they send all their better players to Bulls, Stormers and Sharks….it s happening now anyway… Most Grey kids dont end up playing there
Kings… rugby institution for the previously disadvantaged .. they get to play every year..
Lions and Cheetahs can rotate every second year, cos they both **** anyway..
We end up having 3 very strong teams almost always challenging for the title…SA conference becomes less arduous for our players… Transformation box is ticked, and we may even end up fast tracking some players of colour to the Bok team…
SA is ultimately the winner… Oh, and cheetahs fans, the Lions may be bankcrupt soon, then u guys can have that No. 4 spot all to yourselves…
7 Mar 2012, 15:41 pm
@welcome to my life, hugh…(i_love_u_bakkiesbotha)-143:
Pos Name Pld W D L F A +/- BP Pts
12 Bulls 11 0 0 11 232 500 -268 1 1
The Bulls were considered one of the worst teams in the Super 14 competition, finishing last or second to last for five consecutive seasons from 1998-2003. In 2002, they became the first team ever to go through an entire Super Rugby season without winning a single game.
7 Mar 2012, 15:41 pm
Who-ever gets relegated if anyone:…Should SUE the living **** out of SARU….wakey wakey SARU…you have litigation coming to you like a bad shitstorm!!!! The next thing we’ll hear is that SARU is insolvent….
7 Mar 2012, 15:43 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-154: True, no bollies there….Keo is ravelling in the oppertunity for the Lings to play as his pockets will be properly lighned with blood money…
7 Mar 2012, 15:44 pm
@BWA(Dusktill)-142: I think you were trying to demonstrate to the world that imbeciles can type in english… well done. I watched a few programmes about how you can get apes to use a keyboard to communicate. In both these cases we can quite clearly see that it is possible
7 Mar 2012, 15:45 pm
@Horing(Horing)-151: The South Eastern Cape franchise is not Cheeky’s brainchild, he was nowhere near EP Rugby management when the three unions bid for a franchise in 2005.
if you’re playing to the gallery of the verkrampte then gaan aan
7 Mar 2012, 15:47 pm
@Horing(Horing)-114: from bloem or born in bloem?
7 Mar 2012, 15:48 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-150:
now do the same for the lions/cat/cheetahs, transie.
and when done please tell me if the bulls were still a ‘consistent’ team in getting their ‘arses whipped’.
its easy to make numbers look good, hey…
7 Mar 2012, 15:48 pm
@XhosaKid(XhosaKid)-146: Rubbish. He has been shown up good and proper in at least 30 posts here. But I guess you’re also of the “deserve” school of thought.
7 Mar 2012, 15:48 pm
shaun if you have any complaints email me at : 2955850@uwc.ac.za or pinkkisses069@gmail.com
7 Mar 2012, 15:48 pm
@Stormtrooper(Stormtrooper)-120:
an excellent point you make…
ep cricket had not won a single trophy in over a hundred years…
then kepler came back from aus and joined the province…
and within 3 years they were the one-day and four-day champions in the country…
amazing what can be done with the right personnel in place with the right motivation and drive…
food for thought…
7 Mar 2012, 15:49 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-140:
I’m sure the shelf packers enjoyed their day out.
boerie roll, t-shirt cool drink.
@>^..^< katman(katman)-141:
our mikey wouldn’t know a bong from a cockpump.
7 Mar 2012, 15:49 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-150: Don’t remind Tac of the dark dark days….
7 Mar 2012, 15:49 pm
South Africa having a sixth team is total BS. What is this sixth team suppose to do? Compete with the Lions & Cheetahs for the wooden spoon and strain the Sharks/Stormers/Bulls with more games/injuries within the conference?
If SA has quality surplus players (which they don’t really have), establish a fourth conference in the US and reinforce the American teams with surplus SA/NZ as well as maybe some Argie & islands players. Super rugby sits perfectly on the American sporting calendar to make inroads in this part of the world. The NFL Superbowl happens early February which concludes American football and Americans are stuck with indoor Ice Hockey & Basketball till April when baseball starts (and baseball with its 165 games per season usually starts slow – interest picks up when the season moves deeper) Some big US mild winter cities (like Los Angeles, San Antonio, Memphis, Las Vegas, Portland, etc) do not have NFL teams which may give them more reason to embrace an outdoor contact sport team. And the surplus of huge NFL and college football stadiums should be very happy to stage additional events that generate income.
Super Rugby anyway seems to be driven by television. More games in another timezone will almost give you 24 hours of game after game over weekends. Looking at how poorly some S15 matches are attended within SA, NZ & OZ, you may just see larger attendances in the US!
7 Mar 2012, 15:49 pm
@PieterJordaan(PieterJordaan)-156: i’m not concerned about Keo’s motives.
7 Mar 2012, 15:50 pm
@Tacitus(Deucalion)-149: And you took that to mean specifically that I was talking to you???
Again, not sure how I created that impression.
But the facts support my argument pretty well. You’ve given me nothing supported by any empirical evidence other than your opinion that for some or other reason the Bulls guys were also watching the Stormers to support whatever point it was you were trying to make. I’m not sure what it was quite frankly, it seems to me that you just can’t bear the thought that more people support the Stormers than the Bulls.
Please supply me with facts to the contrary. I’ve given you two pieces of evidence: Stadium attendance and viewer stats.
I don’t see how those facts support the opposite opinion.
I know I’m not going to convince you. You don’t think logically when it comes to the Bulls. This was a comment for all the bloggers out there who love to throw out unsupported statements. If you feel that you are one of them, well I can’t stop you.
Ironically if the post was directed at you then I wouldn’t have put that statement in it. I try and shape my message according to the recipient, and in your case I usually try and keep it respectable. Hence my (not feigned) indignation.
Take it or leave it.
7 Mar 2012, 15:50 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-154:
ok, you force the point, thank you for the info, transie.
are the bulls still considered sonsistent when measured against the lions/cats?
or will they then be considered a somewhat less consistent team at getting their arses whipped?
7 Mar 2012, 15:51 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-167: How ever pure they are…?
7 Mar 2012, 15:51 pm
@the artist formerly known as gunther(gunther)-164: I believe some models are interchangeable.
7 Mar 2012, 15:55 pm
@welcome to my life, hugh…(i_love_u_bakkiesbotha)-160: when some says “don’t forget, even the bulls were beaten consistently for a number of years” it is not to make a comparison to let’s say the lions or cheetahs. the point is, continued participation in super rugby – exposure, sponsors (basically money) – and good structure can in some instances reap success.
don’t be defensive. quoting other people’s kak records won’y minimise your own
7 Mar 2012, 15:56 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-154:
in the history of the competition the lions/cats have come last of second to last a total of 9 out of a possible 16 times….does this make the bulls inconsistent relative to the lions/cats..?… or just poorly consistent (i.e. inconsistent)..?.
7 Mar 2012, 15:57 pm
@>^..^< katman(katman)-171:
7 Mar 2012, 16:00 pm
Anyway, out for the arvie
Cheers all.
7 Mar 2012, 16:00 pm
@stormersboy(stormersboy)-168: are you disputing that the Bulls are the Man Yoo of rugby?
7 Mar 2012, 16:01 pm
@stormersboy(stormersboy)-175:
enjoy the tease without the slease.
7 Mar 2012, 16:04 pm
@stormersboy(stormersboy)-168:
Hehe.
Who it was directed at has not the slightest thing to do with whether the conclusions had merit or not.
If your statements are questionable – and amount to “fighting talk” in the way they were articulated – then who cares who you directed it at? Anyone is free to respond.
You’re waffling now, and you know it.
7 Mar 2012, 16:07 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-172:
the stormers have played 180 games winning 89, losing 86 and drawing 5.
the bull have played 195 winning 92, losing 96 and drawing 7
can we say these teams are consistently average over time..?…
even though one has three super titles and the other has none..?..
7 Mar 2012, 16:10 pm
@XhosaKid(XhosaKid)-146:
Let me direct you to post 24.
It is most worthwhile.
7 Mar 2012, 16:12 pm
@>^..^< katman(katman)-161: Nope, they don’t deserve it, they must get it.
7 Mar 2012, 16:20 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-172:
in 1996 the stormers played 11, won 3, drew 1 and lost 7
in 1997 the were farking relegated…finito…nada…zip….
in 1998 the stormers played 11, won 3 drew 0 and lost 8
is it appropriate to say they were consistently getting their arses kicked..?..
7 Mar 2012, 16:20 pm
@XhosaKid(XhosaKid)-181: What does that even mean?
7 Mar 2012, 16:20 pm
@John Galt(John Galt)-180: Been down that road before, 2001 both EP and Border cricket were broke and bankrupt as church mouses, the University of Port Elizabeth cricket was none existent. Then the Warriors franchise was formed with professional administrators, today the Warriors are probably the best provincial franchise in the world.
During the dark days of the late 90′s and early 00′s, Border and EP were leaking all the talent out to the likes of Lions, WP, Dolphins, now every youngster’s that plays and dreams of playing for the Proteas, knows which is the franchise to join, even the likes of Kallis went to join the Warriors in the Eastern Cape for a season or two, which would never have happened.
7 Mar 2012, 16:21 pm
@>^..^< katman(katman)-183: They must get it.
7 Mar 2012, 16:23 pm
Great article Keo, I agree with you 100%
7 Mar 2012, 16:29 pm
@BWA(Dusktill)-162: Yes the deal young man.. we have an idea of where you live and in that respect it is a matter of finding the local twat.. I understand that this could be difficult because there are so many where you live. Now there has to be moments where forget where you are and start bragging about your exploits on Keo and then someone will arrive here on Keo and I identify you.. and then you will have to watch your back for the rest of your life… Now that may happen any day so start panicking.. I would not trust your closest friends if I were you
I remember: I am connected… One phone call
7 Mar 2012, 16:29 pm
@welcome to my life, hugh…(i_love_u_bakkiesbotha)-182: hahahaha clearly this vexes you
7 Mar 2012, 16:31 pm
Julle lol weer met Tacitus
7 Mar 2012, 16:35 pm
@XhosaKid(XhosaKid)-185: From the man who was just lamenting the lack of substance in the other side of the argument.
7 Mar 2012, 16:36 pm
@PatrickC(PatrickC)-186: Patrick Craven, is that you?
7 Mar 2012, 16:37 pm
@Dawn(Dawn)-189: Tacitus LOL nie, punt.
7 Mar 2012, 16:37 pm
@XhosaKid(XhosaKid)-185: don’t bother, you will never get anything honest from most lions supporters because they know in 2006 they dodged a bullet as they were slated for relegation up until they called up their favour from Regan Hoskins! now 6 years later, the same lions are STILL being talked about in relegation circles and they are hellbent on fudging the whole discussion and make it about politics/races/quotas/200 000 black players etc.
what they won’t talk about his how in the past 6 years they have gone NOWHERE instead just being a financial blackhole!
talking about ENTITLEMENT!!!!
Loffie: Spears fiasco never rattled us
17 Nov 2006
Lions coach Eugene Elloff says the Spears saga had no bearing on their preparation for the Vodacom Super 14.
The Southern Cape franchise were involved in a protracted battle with Saru and SA Rugby (Saru’s commercial arm) over their participation in the regional tournament, until they abandoned their legal action yesterday.
The Lions were the franchise standing to lose out had the Spears been successful and, as the lowest placed South African team, would have been relegated from tournament.
While Elloff conceded that relegation had been a reality that he had to deal with daily, he said it never affected his team’s preparation.
“We were never burdened by the whole Spears saga,” Eloff told keo.co.za. “While everything was going on around us we went ahead with our preparation as usual and this debacle didn’t affect my team in the slightest.
“I am a rugby coach not a politician and my players focus on their games and not the political sideshows,” he added.
Asked what the consequences of a Spears victory would have meant for the Johannesburg-based franchise, Eloff was adamant that they would have taken it on the chin.
“At the moment this team is so motivated as a result of the way they finished off the Currie Cup that it wouldn’t have rocked the boat at all.
“We would have re-focussed our attention on preparing for next year’s Currie Cup and while it would be stupid to think that they [the players] would not have been disappointed, everyone here knows we are working towards a goal of being the best South African team.”
Eloff was reluctant to comment on what he thought of how the Spears had conducted themselves throughout the saga and added that he doubted his players would’ve been open to any player-sharing proposal from the Spears.
The Lions have routinely delivered poor performances in Super Rugby, but Eloff insisted that the Spears decision would not place them under any further pressure to prove that they could compete with the best teams in the southern hemisphere.
“We don’t have to justify anything to anyone,” he snapped. “We will go out and play our game and try to wave the flag for South Africa.”
7 Mar 2012, 16:40 pm
@Dawn(Dawn)-189: wat is to “lol’?
7 Mar 2012, 16:43 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-188:
hehe
you’re right.
ok i accept, there was a time when the bulls were ‘arse whipping boys’… its true…
thankfully is was just for 5 out of 16 ocassions.
and need i remind you they are currently first on the log.
7 Mar 2012, 16:43 pm
@youknowwho(youknowwho)-187:
pipe down little buddha.
your low rent cape spanish wannabe gangster threats don’t impress anybody.
unless you intend to sit on them.
If you don’t behave I’m going to put you in a cell with JonnyMongril.
by the time he’s finished with you your @ss is going to resemble a windsock.
you will be smuggling in cellphones for the whole block.
7 Mar 2012, 16:56 pm
@youknowwho(youknowwho)-187: Lol I doubt many people take a rugby blog quite as seriously as you.
Besides, it could take you 3 or 4 days to get a standby seat on Air Nigeria Livestock Class from Slough or Sludge or whatever toilet council estate you live in to CT.
And then, your mismatched looted Nike’s and half-full papsak under one tubby arm would put you such at a speed disadvantage, you’d never catch him anyway.
As for making a call, you’d have to get a whole new pre-paid card for that, (so there’d be no cash left for KFC this week) and try get your stolen 3310 unblocked for inernational roaming.
7 Mar 2012, 16:57 pm
@welcome to my life, hugh…(i_love_u_bakkiesbotha)-195: see, how difficult was that? if jake doesn’t pull the brumbies out the poo then even their supporters wont be able to deny that they’re in a bad space currently.
7 Mar 2012, 16:58 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-198: How are they looking? I’ve missed their games so far….
7 Mar 2012, 17:03 pm
@Atreides(Atreides)-197:
Hooliha!
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