Mitchell backs Cats solution
9 May 2012
John Mitchell says Saru’s handling of the Southern Kings saga has been poor and unfair and believes a Cats merger will be the best way forward.
It’s been four months and 14 days since Saru dropped the bomb that the Kings will play Super Rugby in 2013. While the decision is great news for the Eastern Cape region, the fact that the national union made this decision without a solution as to how all six franchises will be accommodated next season, and its delay in announcing one, has caused more harm than good.
Saru has asked Sanzar for permission to enter all six teams next year. But this request was declined because of Super Rugby’s broadcasting commitment to the current 15-team conference format that only expires in 2015. Saru then planned a rescue mission trip to Australasia in March and put together a delegation that it believed could convince its partners to reconsider. However, this never materialised.
This lack of progress has caused a lot of speculation within the South African rugby fraternity and media. There have been talks of a relegation process, with the Lions picked as the likely option for the drop because of their poor Super Rugby record, while there also suggestions that the Lions and Cheetahs should play as the Cats again, like they did from 1998-2005.
Saru has set a date on 17 May to meet with all local franchises to discuss the Kings debacle. However, Lions head coach John Mitchell has criticised the union for their poor handling of the matter.
‘As a national body, Saru should be more transparent about their thought process,’ Mitchell told keo.co.za from New Zealand. ‘It should have made a decision on how the Kings will be accommodated by now so that all the parties can plan ahead. It [the criticism] is not something one wants to talk about, but Saru needed to be clearer and it is being unfair on all the teams, players and management being speculated about.’
So what is the best way forward, from a Lions point of view? Mitchell believes the Cheetahs and Lions should merge to create a franchise that will boast quality depth and compete for the title.
‘South African rugby should be entering teams into Super Rugby that have a strong chance of winning the competition. As separate franchises, the Cheetahs and Lions have struggled, especially when there are injuries. If we had to combine teams, we would have a squad strong enough to deal with issues and that will be capable of winning on a regular basis.’
The initial Cats initiative broke down because of financial and logistic issues. Both teams complained about living out of hotels, being away from their families, while the two unions had to share the profits accumulated. There is also the question about appointing a management team.
Mitchell argued that these issues can be resolved.
‘The problems you mention are just hurdles in the way of the best solution. If the necessary input is given by both teams, we can build a strong community and culture, and appoint strong leaders to take this merger forward.
‘We have a similar structure in New Zealand, where players from different provinces – sometimes five different teams – have to play as one Super Rugby franchise. This is what I experienced when playing for the Chiefs, and look how they’re doing now. The Cats were also once successful, so there are no reasons why they can’t achieve similar results if the necessary work is done.
‘In terms of management, we have to offer the player the best resources to work with. So a management team that consists of coaches from both the Lions and Cheetahs will have to be drawn up. I won’t mind working with the Cheetahs coaches.’
In the past, Cheetahs CEO Harold Verster and other management have argued strongly against the possibility of merging with the Lions. But considering the threat of relegation and Saru hosting a meeting with all South African franchise next week, Verster did not rule out the possibility of an amalgamation.
‘We are joining Saru and the other franchises for a meeting on 17 May,’ Verster also told this site. ‘We will not comment on this matter until we have discussed the situation with the other parties. Once there is more clarity, we can speak about possible steps forward.’
By Gareth Duncan
116 Comments
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9 May 2012, 22:38 pm
@Wanderer(Wanderer)-100: Nope he’s a true Lions supporter who ain’t allowing his brain to get mesmerized by melodramatic melancholic prestige and reminiscences and sees some writing on the wall and embraces whats going down rather than gooi wal and panic stations frenetic hanker to all the history that’s already gone wafting down the Jukskei river already…
9 May 2012, 22:48 pm
@skopskiet(skopskiet)-101: True supporter my @ss, roll over and take like a true bergie just to please this crowd and fit in.
nobody is panicking, just a question of true loyalty.
9 May 2012, 23:00 pm
@Wanderer(Wanderer)-102: He’s saying.. (which funnily enough Mitch is almost acclimatizing his own mind to)… that ..
Lions on their own.. and Cheetahs on their own are a train smash roll over Beethoven team of willing trying grafting solo artists but simply do NOT have the financial clout NOR the talent depth to EVER become serious contenders in this Super Rugby scenario..
So read the goddamn SIGNS already if you haven’t been able to read them since 1999 – 2000 or thereabouts that Lions and Cheetahs are practically almost dead men walking on thin ice in a world full of money grubbing mercenaries who steal all their thunder before it leaves the cannon..
AMALGAMATE and grow strong in depth and numbers and bring in a decent DOR like Mallet and have Mitchell and Naka pooling resources and I betcha that in couple years time a combined Wildcat team will whip the Bully Boys a fancy new arsehole for free…
9 May 2012, 23:15 pm
@skopskiet(skopskiet)-103: If it did not work previously and ruined both the unions financialy why will it work now?
If the Lions could win it once before then I believe they can do it again.
The Stormers have never won it since the inception of the super comp in 1993, yes they have reached the playoffs more times than the Lions, but they cannot lay claim to having won the title.
9 May 2012, 23:31 pm
@Wanderer(Wanderer)-104: Only ONE team from 15 can win the title once a year.. so reaching playoffs or even top half of the table is still some kind of achievement over a season..
But if your team is sucking the hind titty backside of the comp year in year out ad infinitude forever and again to eternity and back.. where on earth you ever going to see it turn around again in the foreseeable future under current strained conditions?..
this year Lions were going to transpose their CC success on the S15.. so wtf happened..?? they found out watered down CC is NOT super rugby and never will be..
Cheetahs and Lions are perennial bottom feeders along with Force and now Melbourne and Blues .. but NZ teams at least keep bouncing up and down the table.. Lions however have entrenched themselves at the arse end of it for ever since Kitch parted company with Oberholzer..
When any company starts staring at a liquidity drain either in player resource or financial.. then there is two options facing the CEO.. pull the plug and call it a day.. or try find a loophole and a way out the debilitating labyrinth of seeming no return.
If merging with Cheetahs bring the best of both unions together rather than focus on a traditional rivalry preventing a marriage of compromise and convenience, it could actually bring about a new force in the SA landscape rather than two limp lame ducks trying to stay afloat year after painful year.. they could even aim at shooting for the top dog position within a pretty short time of it if they can get it right.
9 May 2012, 23:38 pm
WP were relegated in this comp in 1997 .. it didn’t kill us.. we came back stronger a year or two later and vowed never to go down again..
can’t have everybody winning this thing.. only one team can do so once a year.. but a good fight for the playoffs is a worthy achievement .. winning ain’t everything you know.. its actually how you play the game that actually counts..
Winning is usually a by product of playing the game well.. and not the be all end all focus of the coach and team.. rather go game by game to achieve a good pattern of performance.. if you win at the end of the exercise then that’s a well earned bonus.. but shouldn’t be the primary focus from the beginning.
10 May 2012, 00:22 am
Mitch and Carlos want to move back to NZ to coach the Blues so they’re trying to make themselves redundant.
10 May 2012, 02:02 am
It is not only the future of Lions players that are at stake but also the two feeder
provinces Leopards and Pumas (northwest and Mpumalanga) The Free State
draws players from Free State, Griffons and Griquas,.
It is mainly the vast geographical distance that has been a stumbling block in
a successful merger between the Cheetahs and Lions.A far better solution
would be to have the first Currie Cup Round before the Super 15
starts.In this competition all Currie Cup teams should compete in two pools
as before.The winner and runner up of pool B to challenge 4 and 5th placed team of pool A for place in the Super 15.If you are not good enough to make it locally, you not going to make it internationally. The top 3 teams of pool ‘A” qualify automatically.
10 May 2012, 02:10 am
@BillTong(BillTong)-63:
Loubscher Park or something like that (probably got a fancy new name now), the 2500 supporters will fill it to the brim every match day!
Anyway, on the subject of another Cats merger…Einstein had a great definition of insanity…need I say more!
10 May 2012, 02:18 am
As for Mitch, useless coach following the blueprint set with every team he has coached to the T. Great in year 1 and downhill from there, this article was just a hint of the blame game he will start playing now until some unsuspected team decides he is the next big thing….and the cycle will start all over again.
Someone mentioned above how hard it must be for him to motivate the players…say what! What more motivation than being dropped from Super Rugby do you need? Injuries? Sure but other teams suffer as well and how does injurie explain poor or non-existent gameplans and tackling and handling like 15 Pierre Spiess’?
Nah, i feel sorry for the Lions but they did not listen to advice.
10 May 2012, 02:54 am
@Slartibartfast(Slartibartfast)-110:
Lions thought they were on to a winner with Mr Mitchell, but he is not a good coach……. a limited coach as in his playing days.. a limited player…. and a bit of a sulk.
10 May 2012, 03:51 am
It seems that all conferences are suffering a bit compared to the good old super 12 days. I think with the power of European money taking players from all three SANZAR members, (Particularly that middle layer of players, experienced but not 1st choice test players). has left us all weaker then we were 10 years ago. I think even 12 teams now would be pushing it in terms of depth. This problem will only get worse as European teams get richer and we get poorer trying to keep up financially. Either they change their policies and focus on home grown players or we accept the player drain will eventually take everyone of quality. If it continues the French league will become a higher standard with more exciting matches than international rugby. Teams will be littered with all star players who pull out of representing their nations for anything but a world cup. It seems European rugby is following the football model and is already becoming too powerful to stop.
10 May 2012, 04:31 am
@Te Rangatira(Te Rangatira)-111:
Well they should have had a closer look at his track record and maybe spoken to a few of the Force players and officials…feck, they could have read some comments on keo to help them out. But no, they had to go and waste money before they learn…assuming they have!
10 May 2012, 09:50 am
@skopskiet(skopskiet)-105: Again you are not following the news 13 of the starting line up injured and you ask what happened, the Stormers loose 4 players and then they import the players from Canada.
Like I said LIONS4LIFE!
10 May 2012, 10:41 am
Uhm… John. With this merger it will be 6 unions combined into one. The distance between these unions is larger than the size of NZ. No way in hell it will ever work sufficiently.
10 May 2012, 13:28 pm
The reason why the Cats COULD work this time is if they base it in free state… Being that the cheetahs were better and the lineup would be very strong
1. Conie Ooshuizen
2. Adriaan Strauss
3. WP Nel
4. Franco Van der Merwe
5. Paul willemse
6. Derrick Minnie
7. Heinrich Brousouw
8. Joshua strauss
9. Piet Van Zyl
10. The Goosman
11. Willie Le roux
12. Alwyn Hollenbach
13. Robert eborsohn
14. Andries Coetzee
15. Jaco taute
And jantjies I have a feeling will move to stormers
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