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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16 Aug 2012, 15:27 pm
@phil72-149: luke watson and big thumpings oh how the crowds are going to flock to see that!
16 Aug 2012, 15:28 pm
Yes the SARU news article clearly states that the Southern Kings with take part NOT the EP Kings. Keo just mentions the Kings (unclear and confused as usual).
16 Aug 2012, 15:28 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-150:
Totally agree!
16 Aug 2012, 15:29 pm
Will be a brand new team running out for the Kings next season …
16 Aug 2012, 15:30 pm
Who is who in the zoo?
Now I have to get used to these nics all over again…
Not easy for a pensioner…
16 Aug 2012, 15:30 pm
Good wake up call for the kitties, at-least they cant finish last next year…..
16 Aug 2012, 15:31 pm
AB de Bieber putting the poms to the sword.
16 Aug 2012, 15:31 pm
@ Xhosakid – Those Aussie teams were not put in at the expense of another team. You have completely missed the point. What you saying is…promo relagation does not work and the last placed team should simply be replaced by another team. Why were Griquas, Leopards and Pumas not considered? How did the Kings get in above them? The rules have been broken but to you its OK. It’s also OK to get a hiding every weekend as long as the Kings are playing Super Rugby. That’s the wrong attitude to have…FFS Wake up! If the Kings deserved it by way of promo relagtion game them even I would support them in their campaign. But this is wrong…!!
16 Aug 2012, 15:32 pm
@gunther-157:
Score Gunts?
16 Aug 2012, 15:34 pm
Hasn’t anyone here worried about the effect this will have on the Pumas and Leopards? Not only have the Lions screwed them financially in the past, they’ve now left them without a franchise. So, for all those Golden Lions fans, it’s not just your CC province that’s affected.
16 Aug 2012, 15:36 pm
@XhosaKid-145: So that is your belief?
Boy, am I glad you’re not involved in the running of my team…
16 Aug 2012, 15:37 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-132:
amen
its pretty clear nothing sincere or serious was ever going to be done by those filthy lions execs.
the union died a long time ago and this super rugby franchise was just a shell maintained for the upkeep of year end bonuses, company sponsored overseas and local travel holidays, gravy train’ing, 14th cheques, free losies with comlimentary booze and cocktails snacks, late ‘company sponsored’ lunches at touchdown restuarant, free tickets to springbok games for family and friends, free tickets to super rugby games for family and friends…
and sweetheart deals and contracts for friends and family to either play rugby or to coach it or to be speel speel technical advisers and video analysts….
if al qaeda targeted ellis park with a boeing full of c4 tomorow the sa rugby world would be the better. fark, then at least we could refer to it as ‘ground zero’…run by a right bunch of zero’s…
16 Aug 2012, 15:39 pm
Good thing that Kings get a chance. Good for Eastern Cape rugby. It will also give the Lions time to build a team in the CC without thinking about the Super 15.
As for the number of teams in the S15 and Argentina’s involvement in the future. I would allow each franchise to sign 1 or 2 Argentine players for the next two years. After that, Argentina should start competing in the comp.
I would go:
NZ – 5 teams
SA – 4 teams
Aus – 4 teams
Arg – 2 teams
16 Aug 2012, 15:39 pm
@Blitzbok-142: Calm down to a mild panic Romeo. Accountability is the key word here. Whether in govt, or in Sporting unions, it has been decidedly absent for many years.
Why reward incompetence just because it has SUPPORT?
Now we can’t do anything about govt. But, the threat of relegation and losing $$$$$$ might just make provincial rugby unions in SA a little more accountable.
I.e: Kak management in the boardroom, eventually leads to kak on the field, which will eventually lead to a union ending last and having to play to save their S15 spot (and the millions this spot guarantees)
IF SA aren’t given a 6th franchise, so that the Lions and Kings can both play S15, the union in danger of ending last might just pull out all the stops to prevent this from happening.
I feel sorry for the Lions fans, and the loyal servants of the union….but sadly, the circus that was Lions rugby went on long enough. Time for a reality check.
16 Aug 2012, 15:40 pm
@Gumboots-159:
99/4 Omar.
@David-160:
I’m busy worrying about the cricket now.
Will worry about the Puma’s later.
maybe the Bulls can adopt them.
Leopards not so much.
16 Aug 2012, 15:44 pm
@gunther-165:
Vielen Dank
16 Aug 2012, 15:45 pm
@greegs-158: Before, you start concerning yourself about other teams, why not ask, WTF have the Lions been doing with SANZAR moey for the last decade?
16 Aug 2012, 15:46 pm
@gunther-165:
The ball moving around? We had a poor start. I hope the middle order can put a few on the board.
16 Aug 2012, 15:46 pm
Jeez guys are we going to have the same arguments over again.
Let’s just hope the Kings that run out next year will not be quite the same as the one currently playing.
16 Aug 2012, 15:47 pm
Let’s think how the voting went.
Votes in favour of the Lions:
Bulls
Lions
Sharks
Cheetahs
Votes in favour of the Kings:
EP
SWD
Border
Boland
Griquas (else they’d fall out of the 6 team Currie Cup when the Kings get their place as a consolation prize)
Pumas
Leopards (the last two because they hate the Lions guts)
Not sure:
WP (Because they are treacherous political farkers)
Griffons
Falcons
Did I leave anyone out?
16 Aug 2012, 15:49 pm
of course don’t for one minute think we’ll get any better from the kings, no sir.
not gonna happen.
but at least now the bulls have two extra byes (with bonus points) in the season.
nice.
16 Aug 2012, 15:49 pm
@gunther-165: When that dodgy umpire gave Smith out at Leeds, I was p1ssed, but it didn’t affect the outcome, but this Petersen decision really p1sses me off.
BTW, this is an opportunity for all the non-centurions on this tour to get their 100′s, it will be such a strong message for the future, squicky-bum time for the next 3 hours
16 Aug 2012, 15:50 pm
@TooMuchRugby-169: Let us rather concentrate our comments on the real culprits in this saga – SARU.
While the kings are there, they should have our support as a SA side.
16 Aug 2012, 15:50 pm
lol dont do that trasformation, WP fans are gana get pissed if Demitri left for the kings
players that are likely to be on their radar are: Brent Russel, Big Joe, Shuan Sowbry, Any decent Griquas player whose contract is expiring, Maku, Mapoe, either Jantjies brother but not both, Akona or odwa cause odwa likely to be replaced by the highly promising Sithole at the sharks and EP could benefit for his wealth of expierence, expect Ashley johnson to sign there once he comes back, he was there before and players love being a the coast. thats part of why the rebels have so many good players already, their coastline is awesome
heres there current squad, not to bad, there is some dead wood, but they also have quality player like Stick, killian and nokwe.
good luck to them
Name Position DOB Nationality Caps Points Debut
Kevin Buys Prop (1986-04-26) 26 April 1986 (age 26) South Africa 2 (0) 2012
Charl du Plessis Prop (1987-04-08) 8 April 1987 (age 25) South Africa 4 (0) 2012
Jaco Engels Prop (1980-12-17) 17 December 1980 (age 31) Namibia 24 (15) 2011
Schalk Ferreira Prop (1984-02-09) 9 February 1984 (age 28) South Africa 4 (0) 2012
Lizo Gqoboka Prop (1990-03-24) 24 March 1990 (age 22) South Africa 4 (5) 2012
Clint Newland Prop (1980-03-26) 26 March 1980 (age 32) New Zealand 25 (15) 2011
André Schlechter Prop (1986-10-13) 13 October 1986 (age 25) Namibia 23 (0) 2010
Wayne Swart Prop (1986-03-10) 10 March 1986 (age 26) South Africa 2 (0) 2012
Bobby Dyer Hooker (1986-12-04) 4 December 1986 (age 25) South Africa 32 (25) 2008
Hannes Franklin Hooker (1981-10-06) 6 October 1981 (age 30) South Africa 33 (10) 2011
Frank Herne Hooker (1989-10-31) 31 October 1989 (age 22) South Africa 29 (20) 2011
Rynier Bernardo Lock (1991-08-27) 27 August 1991 (age 20) South Africa 8 (0) 2012
David Bulbring Lock (1989-09-22) 22 September 1989 (age 22) South Africa 14 (5) 2012
Darron Nell Lock (1980-08-03) 3 August 1980 (age 32) South Africa 34 (35) 2010
Barend Pieterse Lock (1979-01-23) 23 January 1979 (age 33) South Africa 16 (25) 2011
Johan Snyman Lock (1986-07-09) 9 July 1986 (age 26) South Africa 4 (0) 2012
Wayne van Heerden Lock (1979-03-29) 29 March 1979 (age 33) South Africa 21 (10) 2011
Thembelani Bholi Flanker (1990-01-18) 18 January 1990 (age 22) South Africa 0 (0) —-
Boetie Britz Flanker (1987-07-28) 28 July 1987 (age 25) South Africa 15 (15) 2011
Cornell du Preez Flanker (1991-03-23) 23 March 1991 (age 21) South Africa 9 (10) 2012
Thabo Mamojele Flanker (1986-07-29) 29 July 1986 (age 26) South Africa 4 (5) 2012
Mpho Mbiyozo Flanker (1983-02-07) 7 February 1983 (age 29) South Africa 27 (5) 2010
Devin Oosthuizen Flanker (1988-05-28) 28 May 1988 (age 24) South Africa 30 (30) 2010
Wimpie van der Walt Flanker (1989-01-06) 6 January 1989 (age 23) South Africa 7 (5) 2012
Jacques Engelbrecht No 8 (1985-06-10) 10 June 1985 (age 27) South Africa 22 (25) 2011
Luke Watson No 8 (1983-10-26) 26 October 1983 (age 28) South Africa 10 (45) 2011
Boela Abrahams Scrum-half (1988-07-23) 23 July 1988 (age 24) South Africa 12 (0) 2009
Danie Faasen Scrum-half (1989-11-11) 11 November 1989 (age 22) South Africa 19 (10) 2011
Scott Mathie Scrum-half (1983-02-01) 1 February 1983 (age 29) South Africa 0 (0) —-
Falie Oelschig Scrum-half (1979-01-14) 14 January 1979 (age 33) South Africa 19 (39) 2011
Reynier van Rooyen Scrum-half (1990-04-25) 25 April 1990 (age 22) South Africa 5 (0) 2012
Wesley Dunlop Fly-half (1987-05-12) 12 May 1987 (age 25) South Africa 7 (31) 2012
Shane Gates Fly-half (1992-09-27) 27 September 1992 (age 19) South Africa 5 (5) 2011
Louis Strydom Fly-half (1980-10-21) 21 October 1980 (age 31) South Africa 11 (88) 2011
Justin van Staden Fly-half (1990-06-03) 3 June 1990 (age 22) South Africa 7 (66) 2012
George Whitehead Fly-half (1989-03-17) 17 March 1989 (age 23) South Africa 19 (145) 2011
Siyanda Grey Centre (1989-08-16) 16 August 1989 (age 23) South Africa 15 (45) 2010
Tiger Mangweni Centre (1980-06-20) 20 June 1980 (age 32) South Africa 31 (15) 2010
Lonwabo Ntleki Centre (1992-08-07) 7 August 1992 (age 20) South Africa 1 (0) 2012
Wayne Stevens Centre (1988-05-17) 17 May 1988 (age 24) South Africa 25 (35) 2010
Matthew Tayler-Smith Centre (1987-04-22) 22 April 1987 (age 25) South Africa 28 (24) 2010
Scott van Breda Centre (1991-12-12) 12 December 1991 (age 20) South Africa 14 (43) 2012
Michael Killian Wing (1983-11-22) 22 November 1983 (age 28) South Africa 6 (5) 2012
Norman Nelson Wing (1983-08-10) 10 August 1983 (age 29) South Africa 39 (125) 2010
Jongi Nokwe Wing (1983-08-10) 10 August 1983 (age 29) South Africa 4 (10) 2012
Paul Perez Wing (1986-07-06) 6 July 1986 (age 26) Samoa 10 (35) 2010
Marcello Sampson Wing (1987-03-27) 27 March 1987 (age 25) South Africa 25 (70) 2011
Andile Witbooi Wing (1991-11-17) 17 November 1991 (age 20) South Africa 6 (20) 2011
SP Marais Full-back (1989-03-16) 16 March 1989 (age 23) South Africa 26 (88) 2011
Mzwandile Stick Full-back (1984-10-05) 5 October 1984 (age 27) South Africa 14 (14) 2010
Denotes team captain, Denotes that a player is unavailable indefinitely due to injury
16 Aug 2012, 15:52 pm
@XhosaKid-172:
Pietersen? What about the diabolical TV umpire giving Kallis out and reversing the onfield umpire?
16 Aug 2012, 15:54 pm
Am gonna enjoy this brawl
16 Aug 2012, 15:55 pm
@David-175: Missed Kallis’s dismissal, ooh!!! shyytt!!, you should have told me, now my day is seriously spoilt
16 Aug 2012, 15:57 pm
@XhosaKid-172:
Agreed.
there were actually 2 dodgy ones at Headingley.
If you think Petersen was bad you will hondkak yourself when you see the wicket of ukallees.
16 Aug 2012, 15:58 pm
The wicket is becoming easier to bat on.
Hopefully JP won’t dissapoint.
16 Aug 2012, 15:59 pm
@Gumboots-168:
moving around in the first session.
not sure batting first was the right call there.
16 Aug 2012, 15:59 pm
@ Xhosakid – somebody has to come last on the log. Has nothing to do with what has happened to the money? Nobody is asking that! They are also last years CC champs but I guess that also counts for nothing. What you are so carefully avoiding is the question I have been asking……why the Kings? What have they done to get Super Rugby status? Aaaaaah the silence!!! Most people around 95% agree with me….and you still think your 5% holds water! No boet…Kaizer Chiefs for you! Oh and by the way….I’m from the Eastern Cape!!!
16 Aug 2012, 16:00 pm
fuckstciks
there goes santas favourite.
16 Aug 2012, 16:00 pm
Whether they win or lose, it’s certainly going to be refreshing seeing a new SA side after years of:
Bulls boring us to death
Stormers choking
Cheetas faffing about
Lions embarrasing us
Sharks promising but not delivering
16 Aug 2012, 16:01 pm
@greegs-181:
Cos they black?
16 Aug 2012, 16:02 pm
@gunther-180:
Was the right call. Headlingly’s 1st innings, 1st session was much harder and they survived.
They had to get the early moment, which thus far has unfortunately backfired.
16 Aug 2012, 16:03 pm
moment = momentum
16 Aug 2012, 16:04 pm
@ Dawn – me thinks so too!
16 Aug 2012, 16:05 pm
@Jeraldjay-185:
I disagree.
We were put in at Headingley so no comparison.
To bat first on a cloudy day with a greenish wicket at Lords.
Have you seen the english bolwers averages there?
We don’t need to win the game, they do.
And now we have given them the opportunity to do so.
16 Aug 2012, 16:05 pm
@greegs-181:
Why the Kings?
1) Because they represent a part of the country rich in rugby tradition that has not been adequately represented.
2) Because they can’t do worse than the Lions. In fact they might even give some of the Aussie sides a scare.
16 Aug 2012, 16:06 pm
In all honesty there are far too many teams and too much rugby being played. They neeed to split it like the Currie Cup or we will see more and more players opting to play in Japan rather than the Currie Cup.
16 Aug 2012, 16:07 pm
I heard from a little bird that the Lions had made agreements between themselves and the existing franchises to loan them their player for next season, this way they do not lose them. The Kings will have to find their own players as they not coming from the Lions. The Pumas, Leopards and Valke are going to be struggling even more as the Lions will not have the money to allow them into the club system which was run by the Lions.
I am going to ask all Lions supporters to boycott the FNB test match, lets see if SARU feels the pinch.
16 Aug 2012, 16:09 pm
@gunther-188:
Our batsmen have dominated this series so the current collapse definitely wasn’t expected.
Also Lords offers spin on day 4 and 5 so they wanted Swann out of the equation.
16 Aug 2012, 16:17 pm
Welcome Kings are they playing their home games at the old Boet Erasmus stadium
Good old days
Bye pussycat dolls
16 Aug 2012, 16:19 pm
@TOOMUCHRUGBY – What a crock of ****? Do you believe that nonsense? If the Kings deserve to be there then yes I would agree with you. They lost 88-0 to a Lions B side. So for you it’s about representation? It’s not about having a side that can compete? You and the Xhosa kid must have season tickets for Bush Bucks in Umtata. What has happened is not a good example of correct practices followed and will cause more damage to SA rugby in the future!
16 Aug 2012, 16:23 pm
So, the Stormers side??
15.) Jaco Taute
14.) Gio Aplon
13.) Jean de Villiers
12.) Juan de Jongh
11.) Bryan Habana
10.) Elton Jantjies
9.) Dewald Duvenage
8.) Duane Vermeulen
7.) Schalk Burger
6.) Siya Kolisi
5.) Andries Bekker
4.) Eben Etsebeth
3.) Pat Cilliers
2.) Tiaan Liebenberg
1.) Steven Kitchoff
16.) Deon Fourie
17.) Brok Harries
18.) Rynhardt Elstad
20.) Josh Strauss
21.) Louis Schroeder
22.) Peter Grant
16 Aug 2012, 16:23 pm
@Jeraldjay-192:
why?
no boet, we dominated Swan at the oval.
look at the stats for england bowling first at Lords. they love it.
it was madness.
you don’t often win a game by batting first but you can certainly lose it.
16 Aug 2012, 16:25 pm
Fck SARU, fck the Kings, fck Cheeky Watson and fck the Eastern Cape (minus the three nice people I know there).
May the Kings get snotted, may SARU get sued, may Cheeky suffer from a crippling ulcer and may the Eastern Cape remain under ANCYL rule for the next 100 years.
16 Aug 2012, 16:26 pm
@RugbyStudent-195:
do the stormers automatically get all the Lions players?
is that how it works?
16 Aug 2012, 16:28 pm
@gunther-196:
You thinking like a bowler…..
The plan was to bat for 3 days at a gentle pace and bat them out the game, which has backfired.
All is not lost JP is at the crease.
16 Aug 2012, 16:28 pm
@umkhonto-191:
This loan business is a bit questionable as the Lions can’t honour their S15 contracts, for the simple reason that the GLRU and the Lions Franchise are different legal entities. Theoretically, any franchise can contract non franchise players and SARU can also move players to a Franchise.
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