1. “If this is a financial decision this make total sense” – Nope……it doesn’t. Yes the Golden Lions have been running at a loss with their pathetic attendance and the rubbish results they’ve had for the past 4-5 seasons……BUT…….the Eastern Cape is one of the poorest regions in the country…..and how long do you think it’s going to take the rugby watching public to fall OUT of love with a team that’s taking a hammering week in and week out? No-one is going to shell out their hard earned rands to pay for tickets to watch a 3rd bunch of no-hopers get smashed 87-3…..it will only be a matter of time before the wonderful new stadium is empty…..while the rubbish Kings play in front of nothing more than empty seats and dust bunnies.

So….no…..not a good financial decision.

2. “If this is a transformation decision it also makes sense”….. How? It will take 10 years at least before the kids in the region begin to stay and play for the Kings…..so this in the short term (and this all the Kings are….short term) is going to do nothing for transformation. In turn……the Kings will be taking a huge paycheck from SARU and going on a shopping spree…..buying other franchises players. This now weakens the other franchises – especially if they manage to garner some big name players. So we now have an overall slightly weaker South African contingent playing in the Super15 just for the sake of forcing the Kings into it……and in all likelihood just for a single season….as we all can’t see them winning their promotion/relegation match at the end of the season.

So no…..this is a very short term thing and wont do anything for transformation.

3. Where I agree with you completely is in your assessment of SARU….and just how little it’s done for rugby in SA….along with it’s ZERO outlook for the future of the sport. Their planning and long term idea’s for the sport are putrid….but then what could we expect from a bunch of incompetent politically appointed muppets?

If SA Rugby is too survive and prosper…..this lot need to be thrown out into the street on their collective ears….and we need to bring in proper rugby men with a love of the game the best interests of the sport at heart to administrate. SARU should be a vocation…..not just a job.

Rugby is without question the most successful sporting code in the country and the most financially successful sport without peer.

In normal business a company of this financial magnitude would only accept top successful executive to run it……sadly we employ muppets due to political influence…..

Only in Africa…….only in Africa……

Bunch of thieves.

@phearlessphred-86: Couldn’t agree with you more.

BOYCOTT, BOYCOTT, BOYCOTT.

In your dreams Slappes. We’ll be back and when we return, we will be stronger than before. The only ones doing the disappearing act will be the entitlement boys from PE.

Ultimately, a province widely regarded as the most corrupt in the country – and housing a rugby union that has done fokkal…that’s right, fokkal…won fokkal of value…in its history will sink without a trace when weighed up against a rugby union in the heart of South Africa’s – and the continent’s – economic engine.

Yes, we’ll be gone next season, but long term there is only one loser: the bankrupt, corrupt, nepotistic, ****** useless Eastern Cape and its entitlement Kings.

Enjoy 2013, it’s all you’ll ever get. From then on, it’s merit, promotion/relegation stuff, no more crying to the government, demanding what you don’t deserve.

Those days are over, mate…and with them, the Kings.

> until recently EP were one of the bigger provinces

Don’t get your hopes up, EP has never even played in a Currie Cup final

But looks like the problem goes back to …the GLRU and JHB metro.. not getting together and fixing the stadium – Ellispark…. getting it up to standard. For supporters to want to go there.

One of the most major differences between the Bulls and the Lions – looks at the bank account.
Full stadiums pay the players, the coaches and programs.

So it goes back along way. Or did Louis Luyt leave with all the money? Or was he the last good news the Lions had. Or was he bankrolling the Lions.

Will Ellispark park be there in 10 years’ time?

It remains to be seen what EP Kings can do with one year, or even three years for that matter. There are LOADs of current top players from that region playing elsewhere, and until recently EP were one of the bigger provinces(way better than the banana boys, remember Danie Gerber). If they can make it work, then SA rugby will benefit.

If this is a financial decision then it makes total sense. The GLRU is barely making money, if any and attendance for a big city like Johannesburg has been shocking for years. If the PE area is rugby hungry then there will be a better chance of financial success than JHB. It is a gamble worth taking from a business prospective.

If this is a transformation decision then it also makes sense in the long run. Although they may not have the players now it could inspire younger players of the region to strive for local greatness and pride in their region’s team. It is a gamble worth taking.

If this is a rugby decision then I feel SARU failed miserably because didn’t go far enough and as Pissant said, they have no clear vision for rugby in SA. First, to give the Kings just 1 year to establish themselves and get good players is ridiculous. It is a setup for failure. No sensible professional player with long term dreams of making rugby a career will become a mercenary player. Only over the hill has-beens will do that. The fact that Toulon has succeeded with this kind of growth policy is because of some crazy Frenchman with too much money and lots of rugby passion. It won’t work in the corrupted world of Eastern Cape politics/rugby. Second, if SARU has the power to make decision like this then why not also merge the Bulls and the Lions? Why have 2 teams that are only 50 kilometers apart? Geographically it makes perfect sense from a rugby and financial viewpoint. SA is too small from a spectator and support point of view to have the luxury of 2 teams in the same and smallest province. That has been proven the past 10 years with the Lions. Individual team history is not important since SARU is supposed to look for forward not backwards. But seeing that there is no chance of the Bulls merging with the Lions, the Lions will probably become extinct in the near future from a S15 view. And even if they are to be included in a future S16 or S20 the competition will just become watered down with more mediocre teams.

Notwithstanding the usual pessimism that rules this website let’s hope rugby still has a long life and stays a game we can enjoy and appreciate. After all it is just a game to enjoy not oxygen.

i know the greeks are basically white turks after the ottomans got ahold of their women but i dont think they will take kindly to this.

i expect a lot of plate smashing.

Seems the world didn’t end, despite the Kings being given Super Rugby status.