Kings in, Lions out

Kings in, Lions out

16 Aug 2012

Saru has confirmed that the Kings will play Super Rugby at the Lions’ expense in 2013.

This ends months of speculation about how the Kings – who were promised Super Rugby entry by Saru – would be accommodated in the tournament. After Saru’s hopes of getting a sixth franchise were dashed by Sanzar, the Lions, who finished last on the combined Super Rugby log this year, were always likely to make way for the Eastern Cape franchise.

The Lions will now have to settle for Currie Cup and Vodacom Cup rugby before getting a chance to get back into Super Rugby by playing a two-legged promotion-relegation tie against the team that finishes last in the SA conference next year.

‘All rugby provinces have been consistently in support of the need for an Eastern Cape team in the Super Rugby competition,’ said Saru president Oregan Hoskins. ‘That decision was first taken in 2005 but their inclusion has twice been postponed.

‘We made a commitment to the Kings to include them in 2013 and rugby has delivered on that commitment. The franchise represents more clubs than any other region – apart from the Stormers – and contains numerous leading rugby schools. It has been starved of top-class rugby competition for a decade and a half and now it has the chance to show what it can do.’

Hoskins said that Sanzar’s decision to grant the 15th franchise to Melbourne in 2011 – rather than the Kings – had created a dilemma for them. He said that the organisation and players had wanted a ‘rugby solution’ to accommodate six franchises in five places and this had been delivered, as challenging as it was for the relegated team.

‘The provinces asked for a rugby solution and we believe that this was the fairest and most transparent method to respond to what is undoubtedly a less than ideal situation,’ he said. ‘We also canvassed Super Rugby players before the start of the season, through the Players’ Association, and this was their preferred mechanism.’

Saru CEO Jurie Roux said that the decision to apply a promotion and relegation system from 2013 was standard practice in sport.

‘We operate promotion and relegation in all our Currie Cup competitions, with the bottom-placed team being relegated unless it wins a play-off,’ said Roux. ‘Our strategic goal is to have six strong franchises covering the whole of South Africa and this decision keeps all of them in play on an annual basis.’


342 Comments

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  • 1.garth: Reply to this comment
    16 Aug 2012, 13:01 pm

    Now at least the Bulls can get some decent dragons.

  • 2.Transformation: Reply to this comment
    16 Aug 2012, 13:02 pm

    yeehaaaaa

  • 3.Big Hit: Reply to this comment
    16 Aug 2012, 13:05 pm

    @garth-1: Jantjes at 10 to replace their mis-firing flyhalf? :)

  • 4.Fleckie: Reply to this comment
    16 Aug 2012, 13:07 pm

    Stormers please buy Cilliers, Maku, Josh, Elton and Taute. All good players.

    Seriously need some depth at hooker, Maku is a big guy who will offer more than Deon at 2. Cilliers , well we need a strong tighthead with experience. He can rotate wit Frans Malherbe.

    Josh can cover 7 and 8 esp wit all the injuries in the flank department, ELTON is a must, he’s young and has a experience. We neeed this oak to come if we wanna win the Super 15 next year, can reali punt the ball.

    Jaco Taute will be great in the backline, he’s quick and BIG unlike our other guys, he’s also young and has a big future.

  • 5.gunther: Reply to this comment
    16 Aug 2012, 13:08 pm

    @Fleckie-4:

    stormers have no cash.

    they’ve just got thelo’s room service bill for the super 15.

  • 6.grant100: Reply to this comment
    16 Aug 2012, 13:09 pm

    as elton OP Kings toe kom, kak ek in my broek! please japan buy webster!!! EP KINGS ON THE RISE!!!!!

  • 7.Fleckie: Reply to this comment
    16 Aug 2012, 13:09 pm

    Well we need to find the bucks or we aint winning sh#t

  • 8.ali: Reply to this comment
    16 Aug 2012, 13:09 pm

    Special Commiserations for all those Lions players currently tied-up in long-term contracts.

  • 9.JA-JA: Reply to this comment
    16 Aug 2012, 13:10 pm

    So how long will the court case last between SARU and MTN I wonder. This might cost SARU a lot of money.

  • 10.Atlas: Reply to this comment
    16 Aug 2012, 13:11 pm

    Best for SA teams
    Now we can put 70 to 80 points on the Queens twice
    Bonus points and points for and against will help us for the play offs
    Beat that O’Neil

  • 11.JA-JA: Reply to this comment
    16 Aug 2012, 13:12 pm

    Bulls need to buy Taute ASAP not just for the sake of the Bulls to have a decent 15 but for Meyer to stop picking Zane for the Boks.

  • 12.super_adi: Reply to this comment
    16 Aug 2012, 13:12 pm

    @ali-8: Maybe loan moves just for next year’s super rugby?

  • 13.The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food: Reply to this comment
    16 Aug 2012, 13:14 pm

    @Fleckie-4: The Bulls will buy plensch (already done deals in some cases) as I’m certain Heyneke has told them to get Taute and Cilliers for starters.

    Other Lions players will move to the Eastern Cape in order to continue playing Super rugby.

    A few to the Cheetahs, Sharks and Stormers = How the fuckwillthey win any promotion/relegation match yo get back into the S15, when they have no quality players left?

    Interesting times ahead in SA rugby – as usual :)

  • 14.willievz: Reply to this comment
    16 Aug 2012, 13:15 pm

    @Fleckie-4: And Andries Coetzee, probably the BEST player at the Lions.

  • 15.BrumbiesBoy: Reply to this comment
    16 Aug 2012, 13:15 pm

    And so the “transformation” of South African sport takes a giant step forward…

    What a bunch of you-know-what.

  • 16.SamM: Reply to this comment
    16 Aug 2012, 13:16 pm

    Cheetahs need locks urgently !

  • 17.Lions_Soutie: Reply to this comment
    16 Aug 2012, 13:16 pm

    I will continue to be a Lions supporter and will support any South African team against a foreign team. Kings will be k@kking themselves for the playoff game. A year is a very short time and Lions will be back.

  • 18.The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food: Reply to this comment
    16 Aug 2012, 13:18 pm

    @gunther-5: You are correct. We won’t be able to buy a Taute or a Cilliers in any event. The Bulls already be having them I reckon.

    At the very least, I would hope we make a HUGE attempt to get Maku, and Andries Coetzee……
    Damn, when you think of it, there are some quality players on the market.

  • 19.The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food: Reply to this comment
    16 Aug 2012, 13:19 pm

    @willievz-14: Yes, he is on my wish list.

  • 20.Jeraldjay: Reply to this comment
    16 Aug 2012, 13:20 pm

    @Transformation-2:
    No more fence sitting.

    You in for a rough ride.

  • 21.gunther: Reply to this comment
    16 Aug 2012, 13:21 pm

    @The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-18:

    I think the bulls will be buying Coetzee and Cilliers and either Strauss or Minnie.

    Sell Zane to Japan.

    Happy days.

  • 22.Transformation: Reply to this comment
    16 Aug 2012, 13:22 pm

    franco come to the kings boytjie! depth is paramount in super rugby

  • 23.The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food: Reply to this comment
    16 Aug 2012, 13:25 pm

    @Transformation-22: The Kings will buy quite a few of the Lions players. Mapoe, Murray, Whiteley (wouldn’t mind the Stormers grabbing him either to be honest….)

    And I wouldn’t be surprised if the Kings now manage to sign a few ‘biggish’ names…..I believe negotiations have been underway for some time with certain players.

  • 24.sparticus: Reply to this comment
    16 Aug 2012, 13:26 pm

    Finally a Decision !! Feel for the Lions players and fans but at the same time I am also looking forward to watching the Kings !! Hopefully now Solly and Co can contract some much needed players for their team !!

    I am a little worried though that they only getting one year to prove themselves , thats hardly fair. I feel they need at the very least 3 years to start making real progress

  • 25.Lions_Soutie: Reply to this comment
    16 Aug 2012, 13:27 pm

    I would like to blame a few people now:

    - Hoskins for having no backbone when negotiating anything
    - Mitchell for his kamikazi game plan. Not suited to players with limited skillsets
    - Andries Strauss for taking Wikus (our whole tight 5) out for the season with one spear tackle.
    - The Spears (ag .. Kings) for making the mightly leap from Division 1 to Superrugby without merit.

    Thank you

  • 26.wnbb: Reply to this comment
    16 Aug 2012, 13:27 pm

    Interesting.In all fairness ,lions should have been a gonner three years ago.They brought this on themselves.

  • 27.Transformation: Reply to this comment
    16 Aug 2012, 13:27 pm

    @Jeraldjay-20: no doubt!!

    SOUTHERN KINGS forEVER!

    :-)

  • 28.The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food: Reply to this comment
    16 Aug 2012, 13:27 pm

    @gunther-21: Kallie Visagie another good buy at 2. Look, I will be happy with Maku or Visagie, but a half decent hooker is needed down here.

    Fuckawicket.Petersen gone.

  • 29.Fleckie: Reply to this comment
    16 Aug 2012, 13:29 pm

    BULLS just leave us some players please, WHY the hell don’t we have the cash to buy good players??
    1)Kitsie
    2)Maku If not Maku then Callie Visagie
    3)Cilliers/Malherbe

    10) Elton

    15)Taute

    We just need to plug a few holes, get some depth and we’l start winning comps.
    Come Alister time to wake up and get these players

  • 30.The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food: Reply to this comment
    16 Aug 2012, 13:31 pm

    @sparticus-24: When it comes to the promotion/relegation game, the Lions will at that stage be without 90% of the players they currently rely on. (All will have moved…). The Kings on the other hand, will be richer in quality players with a S15 squad of 30 (many of the squad members BEING ex-Lions players…).
    The Lions will struggle to win a promo/relegation match.

  • 31.Atlas: Reply to this comment
    16 Aug 2012, 13:31 pm

    @Transformation-22:
    Welcome to the BIG league, boet

  • 32.The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food: Reply to this comment
    16 Aug 2012, 13:31 pm

    Oh fuckfuckfuckfuck Amla gone as well.

  • 33.i_love_u_bakkiesbotha: Reply to this comment
    16 Aug 2012, 13:32 pm

    wow!

    i honestly did not think it would happen

  • 34.gunther: Reply to this comment
    16 Aug 2012, 13:35 pm

    fuckpants.

  • 35.wnbb: Reply to this comment
    16 Aug 2012, 13:36 pm

    Well done Cheeky.

  • 36.i_love_u_bakkiesbotha: Reply to this comment
    16 Aug 2012, 13:36 pm

    @Transformation-27:
    congrats transie
    i cant say its gonna be easy
    in fact i can its gonna be painful
    but congrats all the same

  • 37.i_love_u_bakkiesbotha: Reply to this comment
    16 Aug 2012, 13:38 pm

    can say its gonna be painful

  • 38.grant100: Reply to this comment
    16 Aug 2012, 13:39 pm

    King Kallis will have to do everything again … best batsmen the world has ever seen .. and he can bowl aswel

  • 39.gunther: Reply to this comment
    16 Aug 2012, 13:39 pm

    batting first on a greenish wicket.

    perhaps not the best call.

  • 40.wnbb: Reply to this comment
    16 Aug 2012, 13:40 pm

    Comisserations to all Lions supporters.Keep the chin up lads.

  • 41.goodstuff: Reply to this comment
    16 Aug 2012, 13:40 pm

    The lions were once the biggest and richest union in SA rugby, what happened? The officials in charge should be held acountable and shown the door. The Kings will not make it past the #15 spot on the log, I predict a record points against for a total season and at least a biggest loss record to be broken at least 4 times.

  • 42.Robzim: Reply to this comment
    16 Aug 2012, 13:40 pm

    @gunther-39:

    Who splitted on KP?
    Any idea?

  • 43.The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food: Reply to this comment
    16 Aug 2012, 13:40 pm

    @gunther-34: HuckleberryfuckingFINN???? Roids?

  • 44.The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food: Reply to this comment
    16 Aug 2012, 13:41 pm

    @gunther-39: Exactly why Strauss said, “Not a bad toss 2 lose…” Fok.

  • 45.John Galt: Reply to this comment
    16 Aug 2012, 13:42 pm

    What happens to the Lions player who still have contracts with the Lions?

    Surely they cant just jump ship and play for the Kings?
    Will be interesting to see the backlash from the Lions for loss of revenue etc.

    One thing is for sure, the SA pool just got a whole lot easier.

    All SA teams will regard their game against the Kings as a guaranteed 5 points and will use the opportunity to rest their big players.

  • 46.XhosaKid: Reply to this comment
    16 Aug 2012, 13:42 pm

    This is still a k@k deal for the Kings, they should have been given time to entrench themselves and be in a position to sign long term deals with players, with this current arranged they are still farked. At least a guaranteed 5 years, then a promotion/relegation game, I see no reason why a team like the Lions which has been milking SANZAR for years can’t be excluded for 5 years.

  • 47.The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food: Reply to this comment
    16 Aug 2012, 13:43 pm

    Kallis given out…..totally wrong call. Ohfuckwhatthefuck.

  • 48.greegs: Reply to this comment
    16 Aug 2012, 13:43 pm

    What a joke? I can’t believe this has happened? SARU has forgotten who the real fans are. Boycott the stadiums until they reverse the decision. Promo relegation match should have happened first….

  • 49.goodstuff: Reply to this comment
    16 Aug 2012, 13:44 pm

    What a shocker by the Lords tv official!!!

  • 50.gunther: Reply to this comment
    16 Aug 2012, 13:44 pm

    @Robzim-42:

    the british press are accusing the saffers.

    but quite frankly they are about as fair as a kiwi ref.

    @The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-43:

    dangerman.

    he’s their morne morkel.

    when he get’s it right he’s like my morning glory.

    more than a handful…

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