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, 12:41 pm
This is not a situation any Dragon can be proud of.
9 May 2012, 12:45 pm
Mitchel will say that because it is the only way the Lions will feature in next years supper rugby
9 May 2012, 12:46 pm
oops….supper = super
9 May 2012, 12:49 pm
@cane(cane)-1:
Cat’s record certainly nothin’ to be proud of either,yet Mitchell makes sense,far more depth and talent in a super cats team.
9 May 2012, 12:50 pm
You Keo boys did not get the memo – no way in hell those political harlots from PE will be playing supperrugby anytime soon.
9 May 2012, 12:53 pm
Actually makes sense that the two weakest teams merge. Which would have Lions and Kings combining.
Naturally, the Kings guarantee of entry makes this improbable, but in purely rugby terms, would ensure the best chance of getting good results.
9 May 2012, 12:53 pm
@RL(RL)-5: Saru officially announced their promise to the Kings…in January already: http://www.keo.co.za/2012/01/27/kings-to-play-super-rugby-in-2013/
9 May 2012, 12:53 pm
A Cats team will be a strong team.
9 May 2012, 12:59 pm
@Gareth(GarethDuncan)-7: and the follow up letter from the existing super franchises telling SARU this …
“None of the existing franchises shall be prejudiced by such inclusion [of the Kings] in any way whatsoever; 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.”
Gareth D, I see through the spin that Keo is forcing you to spin.
9 May 2012, 13:01 pm
@willievz(willievz)-8:
I believe so,the question will be how well the coaching staff gells?Naka vs Mitchell,2 totally different sets of coaching cultures.
9 May 2012, 13:01 pm
@RL(RL)-9: Saru make the decisions unfortunately, not the franchises.
9 May 2012, 13:01 pm
Yes I do believe a Cats team will be a strong team.
This then leaves the Kings to be the new whipping boys on the block.
9 May 2012, 13:02 pm
Just will not work. the history and fan bases will struggle to support the ideal. But if it matter of survival, then guess no other option.
It is tragic that SA RUgby has come to this – where Politics is the motivation behind a team being pushed into a professional competition.
9 May 2012, 13:05 pm
A Lions and kings team can be called Simba
9 May 2012, 13:06 pm
@greatest13gerber(greatest13gerber)-13:
EP is not weak, EP is strong!
9 May 2012, 13:08 pm
Ja, maybe in Danie Gerber’s day EP were strong.
9 May 2012, 13:11 pm
@WP Till I Die(WP-Forever)-15: Strong in what….”ou mens marbles” it sure isn’t rugby
9 May 2012, 13:11 pm
@Gareth(GarethDuncan)-11: the same SARU that guaranteed the EC a spot in superrugby way back in 2006?
admit it I’ve got you cornered
9 May 2012, 13:15 pm
Logistically, it would be much better if the Lions and Bulls merge. Maybe it will add a bit of class to the Bulls.
9 May 2012, 13:18 pm
@RL(RL)-18: Not at all
Kings will play Super Rugby in 2013
9 May 2012, 13:18 pm
@TooMuchRugby(TooMuchRugby)-19:
The classy Lions will never allow that merger!
9 May 2012, 13:19 pm
@WP Till I Die(WP-Forever)-15:
yes. to see the Mighty Elephants again on tv again would bring a tear to the eye. Despite the political puppetmasters who are pulling the strings.
aah to see those famous colors again..
9 May 2012, 13:19 pm
@TooMuchRugby(TooMuchRugby)-19: actually the EC Kings must marry the WC Queens … a match made in heaven.
9 May 2012, 13:19 pm
@TooMuchRugby(TooMuchRugby)-19:
Logistically a merge between Sharks and Kings makes the most sense imo.Keep it coastal and might just do something for sharks backline.
9 May 2012, 13:22 pm
Mitch:
Can’t get a Job in Europe .
Fired form a Job in NZ.
Not wanted in Oz anymore.
Soon to be expelled from Lions Country.
The CV is not looking to sharp.
9 May 2012, 13:23 pm
@Superbru(Superbru)-24: Agree, the Guppies will end below the Cheetahs anyway.
9 May 2012, 13:26 pm
@cane(cane)-25:
Got a currie cup title,gotta stand for something surely?
9 May 2012, 13:28 pm
The Kings will not play in the 2013 tournament. And that’s a concrete cold fact.
9 May 2012, 13:29 pm
@Superbru(Superbru)-24: What’s coastal gotta do with it? Will they take the boat to practice.
9 May 2012, 13:30 pm
A lot of Lions players stay in Pretoria anyway and vice versa.
9 May 2012, 13:32 pm
Die Lions is so k@k ek dink selfs Mitchell is bly EP Kings gaan hulle vervang. Die lions gaan ook nie gou weer Super Rugby speel nie …. EP kings on the rise!
9 May 2012, 13:32 pm
I wonder how the sponsors will feel if they merge?
9 May 2012, 13:33 pm
@TooMuchRugby(TooMuchRugby)-29: read up on the Coastal Sharks … the original Shark and EC superrugby franchise that was created. Easy for SARU to include the corrupt harlots from the EC back into the guppy franchise.
9 May 2012, 13:35 pm
what sponsors? Lions doesn’t even have enough money to buy “black like me” – hairgel for Elton J
9 May 2012, 13:36 pm
@cane(cane)-25:
It seems that Mitch and King Carlos are being recalled back to middle earth.
” Breaking news: The Blues franchise heaped even more pressure on embattled coach Pat Lam by revealing that they are going to put his job up to tender.”
9 May 2012, 13:42 pm
@Superbru(Superbru)-24: That was the original idea with the franchise system in SA, to pool different unions in close geographic proximity into one franchise.
Didn’t the Sharks franchise start off with the name Coastal Sharks? It included the Kings.
Likewise with the Northern Bulls and Western Stormers.
Those prefixes have been done away with, which essentially killed any attempt to install a sense of regionalism with our franchises.
At current, the five “franchises” are merely the big 5 unions. Provincialism rules, unfortunately.
The only franchises that actively employ players from other unions are the Lions and especially the Cheetahs.
9 May 2012, 13:45 pm
@RL(RL)-35:
Mitch and King Carlos are to Rugby Coaching circles what Bonny and Clyde were to the Banking Sector.
All style , no substance.
9 May 2012, 13:47 pm
@willievz(willievz)-36: Yep,certainly been down this road before with hardly any pleasant memories,SARU must decide and I have less than faith in them either.
9 May 2012, 13:51 pm
@Superbru(Superbru)-24:
The Sharks have been signing the best young players from the EC region for a few years now. Why should they now have to share the spoils?
9 May 2012, 13:54 pm
@David(David)-39: The Guppies have signed all their player from other unions…..they can’t breed their own.
9 May 2012, 13:58 pm
@cane(cane)-37:
Or Whatever and Grant100 are to the Sa education system.
9 May 2012, 13:59 pm
@David(David)-39: @TheJoker(TheJoker)-40:
In a professional era, buying and recruiting players from different parts of the map is part of the game.
I agree that the Sharks are doing it excessively though, but ultimately from a SA Rugby perspective, this conundrum is a red herring.
The real concern should be where all the talented Natal schoolboys end up in the SA Rugby system.
9 May 2012, 14:17 pm
Gareth mate, did simon poke you and john with a stick and make you agree to this stupid idea??
9 May 2012, 14:22 pm
solution…
the CATS are the official team to play…
then rotate the entire teams…
play the cheetahs on even weekends…
and the lions on odd weekends…
reckon they’ll more quite a few teams…
9 May 2012, 14:22 pm
more = moer…
9 May 2012, 14:25 pm
If there is a Cats team they will always be the ‘cheetahs’ to me whether or not there are lions players…
9 May 2012, 14:25 pm
Ahhhh my pussycats.
I told you to do this at the start of the season.
Now you are negotiating from a position of weakness.
This will end up in court.
And there will be no winners.
Except the lawyers.
Always the ******* lawyers.
9 May 2012, 14:37 pm
@Gareth(GarethDuncan)-20:
No they wont, this whole thing is just a political attempt to get fans attentions, there will be no Kings next year, I highly doubt it especially if you consider that last week they lost the quarter finals of the vodacom cup… A team capable of playing super rugby would dominate the vodacom cup… Even the lions
9 May 2012, 14:40 pm
@cane(cane)-25:
Mitch is a good ocach – to get the results with the players he had last year is an archievement itself.
@the artist formerly known as gunther(gunther)-47:
lawyers make a good living these days
9 May 2012, 14:55 pm
What’s the issue here. WP/Stormers got relegated in 1997…1998 was the The Stormers biggest year. New kit, attitude, coach, etc. I would like to see the Kings play just so that I don’t have to see the lousy Lions again.
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