Southern Kings to play Super Rugby from 2013

[ExcaLiBuR]

South African Rugby Officials have confirmed that the Southern Kings will be included in Super Rugby from 2013.The announcement was made at the appointment of the new Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer.While SARugby announced that the Southern Kings will be included in Super Rugby from 2013 they have not yet confirmed how this will be done.Super Rugby adopted a new format in 2011 made up of three equal conferences containing five teams for a total of 15 teams.SARU CEO Jurie Roux has suggested that South Africa could field six teams in their geographic conference but the likelyhood is that one of the current South African teams will drop out.As the Southern Kings have now been gauranteed a place in the 2013 Super Rugby tournament SARU will hold a Special General Meeting on March the 30th to identity the four other South African Super Rugby franchises."The decision to include the Southern Kings in the 2013 Super Rugby tournament was unanimously confirmed by the members," said Roux."We will now look at the options to identify the other entrants to the competition, which will include further discussions with our SANZAR partners on the possibility of including a sixth South African team in the competition."The Unions will also be making their own recommendations and the outcome of those discussions and other proposals will be tabled for the Executive Council and ultimately a General Meeting to consider."SANZAR who own and manage Super Rugby have signed and agreed a 15 team format with the broadcasters of the tournament until 2015 and it is unlikely that SANZAR will agree to South Africa having 6 teams as it would imbalance the conference.A source close to SuperXV has suggested that the most likely plan scenario is to include the Kings for only 2013 and then a promotion and relegation system will be adopted thereafter. Teams will then have to qualify to play in Super Rugby.The most likely early casualty from the Southern Kings inclusion in Super Rugby is the Cheetahs as the Lions won the Currie Cup in 2011 and they are believed to be in a better position than the Cheetahs.The Lions however are currently fighting off rumours that they are about to go bankrupt and their former partners have recently started the legal process to claim back the funds they invested or loaned the Union.​

 

[TRF_heineken]

http://www.sport24.co.za/Rugby/Lions-hopelessly-bankrupt-20120127

This article in conjunction with the Kings sounds more and more like a big conspiracy with Cheeky Watson the mastermind behind it all... oh well, now the other Franchises can just go and pick which guys from the Lions they want...

 

[Seaton]

Good old SARU, never fail to make me smile.

I say drop the Bulls, after all they did finish behind the other unions in the CC last year...

 

[Shosoloza]

As the Southern Kings have now been gauranteed a place in the 2013 Super Rugby tournament SARU will hold a Special General Meeting on March the 30th to identity the four other South African Super Rugby franchises."​

WOW!! it sounds like the southern kings all of a sudden is our top franchise

 

[Scan]

What's the point of having the Southern Kings in the competition at all? They were competing against the Rebels for the 15th spot and didn't make it. Australia deserved to have 5 teams to balance it out and the Kings should have been disbanded there and then. Anyway, if any South African team should be added to Super Rugby it should be the Griquas. The Kings's Currie Cup side are a First Division team who (as far as I know) where nothing spectacular before they changed from being the BA Mighty Elephants to the Eastern Province Kings.
Super Rugby should tell the Southern Kings to forget about Super Rugby. It would make a mockery of the competition to add a new South African side (whether that brings the number of teams up to 16 or not) and not add an Argentinean representative or even a Japanese or Pacific Island team.

 

[William18]

I don't get the obsession with the Southern Kings. The SARU have been trying to get them in for years. They have their right to choose their 5 teams but they can't just add in an extra one.

 

[TNT88]

This "Southern Kings will be joining the super15" joke is becoming an annual event. They should have these press releases on April 1st to stop confusing people.

 

[Nielsch]

I don't get the obsession with the Southern Kings. The SARU have been trying to get them in for years. They have their right to choose their 5 teams but they can't just add in an extra one.

From what I take that's exactly what will be happening; SK will replace another SA franchise.

 

[Amobokoboko]

Mostlikely the Cheetahs or Lions.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

I know it is a joke but this a SA and it's a race/political issue so all sense goes out the window. At the end of the day rugby in SA is just too white.

 

[TRF_heineken]

Good old SARU, never fail to make me smile.

I say drop the Bulls, after all they did finish behind the other unions in the CC last year...

I get the feeling that you hate the Bulls... yeah sure they were 5th in the Currie Cup, with most of their guys playing in the World Cup... but I don't think that's a fair assessment on who should be dropped, rather look at super rugby performance... and by that statistic it should be the Lions, and now with all the bankruptcy issues, it would most probably be the easiest move

 

[Seaton]

Boo-yah B)

Like shooting fish in a barrel

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

I don't think simply dropping someone is the right answer. A promotion/relegation system seems the fairest route to me so if they REALLY want the kings to get into Super rugby, buy the best from whatever union they are looking to 'down' and/or get in foreign-based players like Pienaar, Steyn, Mostert, Van der Merwe etc; you could put together a very decent squad that would earn their spot.

I think the Kings have potential in that PE is a very good base for a franchise. It's bigger and less isolated (financially) and thus more sustainable than Bloemfontein and it doesn't have a crap stadium, major regional competition and (supposed) major debt like the Lions.

One thing is for certain though, combing the Lions and Cheetahs again to form the Cats will only end in disaster LOL.

Well, we'll just have to wait and see as the joke unfolds.

 

[Gena_ZA]

This is South Africa and this is politics.
This region has more registered rugby players that all in Australia. This is a massive opportunity to enhance the grass roots development of the black player base and transformation in the sport will take care of itself.
For the "blessing" from the government and the well being of the sport this region has to be included.

How is another question - getting rid of the poor Cheetahs or merge the near bankrupt Lions with the Cheetahs or even the Bulls and Lions as some suggests will cause huge issues
Including another team from SA is the better option, but is this tournament then becoming a joke based on size and under performers?

 

[Seaton]

Indeed, this is one of those no-one can win situations.

A sixth team, more games and the upsetting of the Antipodeoans (sp)
Five teams and one disgruntled set of supporters and a region with plenty of talent with-out exposure.
Relegation/ promotion system puts Kings at risk of relegation, ANC and others non-plussed and ever-changing squads for the bottom teams.
Situation stays as is, well same as above with regards to ANC and others.

I still reckon that if SARU were to base it's decision on what would be best for SA, that well KZN barely brings through a fraction of the talent of the other unions. When it does, we look at Lambie, and then look at handful of Michaelhouse boys who have only got their chance at the Lions.

I just don't want to say it, but you know what I mean...

 

[TRF_heineken]

The Southern Kings in it's entirety is a bloody joke...

this past weekend they played against the cheetahs in a warm-up game, but the players for the kings mostly consisted out of Boland and SWD players... WHY?? it's not like EP's players are now in an elite training camp, getting ready to play some big game very soon... this match was the perfect game to actually show whether they can compete against the Super 15 teams of SA, but now they went and left their main source of players at home and used guys from other unions who are going to play vodacom cup and didn't make the cut for the other super rugby teams.

SARU was blasted in the press conference about their decision. And the biggest irony was that with the Appointment of Heyneke Meyer also during the same press conference, they kept on talking about merit, and picking teams and players based on merit and then they go and sneak this announcement in which has NO MERIT whatsoever!! they should rather give that spot to Boland who beat them in the First division final... and best of all played as the Kings against the Cheetahs!

 

[smartcooky]

I don't get the obsession with the Southern Kings. The SARU have been trying to get them in for years. They have their right to choose their 5 teams but they can't just add in an extra one.

Exactly.

It simply cannot be made to work with 6 teams in one Conference because the way that the system is currently set up, South Africa teams would end up playing two additional games in their Conference. This would give them the potential to earn 10 more points that any other teams on the consolidated ladder, virtually guaranteeing them four qualifiers in the Top 6

The only way it can work is for the SA conference to have two local derby matches with no home/away leg, and a complicated arrangement in the cross conference games.

The only way I see it happening is to drop the bottom placed SA team in 2012, which is likely, on form, to be the Lions or the Cheetahs.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

PE is a rugby mad place and you can bet they'll fill their stadiums unlike the Lions and Cheetahs. My only worry is that they will become a political playground (or rather remain a political playground LOL) when they enter the tournament. There will be heavy pressure on them to at laest have 50% black (not non-white but traditional Nguni) representation which will see them struggle at first IMO.

 

[Shosoloza]

This is South Africa and this is politics.
This region has more registered rugby players that all in Australia. This is a massive opportunity to enhance the grass roots development of the black player base and transformation in the sport will take care of itself.
For the "blessing" from the government and the well being of the sport this region has to be included.

Hi Gena, I agree with your statement to a degree. The thing is that transformation/ development is taken place in that region and all over the country at a frantic pace. If the politicians think that by merely include the kings in the S15 will enhance transformation, they are in for a big surprise.

To be at least a bit competitive they will have to get (buy) decent players from outside the E.C. How is that helping the region. The other thing is, how will the supporters feel after 2 or 3 seasons without winning a single match in the S15/ S16, because lets face it, it is a very strong possibility.

This is more about Cheeky and his "brothers" own personal agenda's than anything else.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Hi Gena, I agree with your statement to a degree. The thing is that transformation/ development is taken place in that region and all over the country at a frantic pace. If the politicians think that by merely include the kings in the S15 will enhance transformation, they are in for a big surprise.

To be at least a bit competitive they will have to get (buy) decent players from outside the E.C. How is that helping the region. The other thing is, how will the supporters feel after 2 or 3 seasons without winning a single match in the S15/ S16, because lets face it, it is a very strong possibility.

This is more about Cheeky and his "brothers" own personal agenda's than anything else.

Yes, Kings will struggle considerably if they don't rely on 'imported' player at first. That said the region does produce loads of quality players who mostly go over to the Sharks, Cheetahs and Stormers. If those guys have a home franchise to aspire to I'm sure the team will benefit as these guys come in at the lower end and slowly but surely start to take over.

SA has some good talent based overseas and if we can lure them back and get round the tricky business of the contracts they have with foreign clubs there is more than enough talent to form a formidable team. I can't resist;

Diretor of rugby: Alan Solomon
Head coach: Brendan Venter

1 Heinke van der Merwe / Guthro Steenkamp / Wian du Preez
2 Schalk Brits
3 Brian Mujati
4 Gerhard Mostert / Danie Rossouw / Gerrie Brits
5 Hottie Louw / Johan Muller
6 Gerhard Vosloo / Joe van Niekerk
7 Francois Louw
8 Ernst Joubert
9 Sarel Pretorius
10 Ruan Pienaar
11 Stefan Watermeyer
12 Francois Steyn
13 Jaque Fourie
14 Corne Uys
15 Mzwandile Stick

That team plus getting rid of the Watson cancer (politics) should do very well.