By Craig Lewis
The South African Rugby Union has promised to find a place in local rugby for the Eastern Cape's Southern Kings, but when and how this will happen is still shrouded in mystery.
Having seen the Kings' bid to become the new team in the Super 15 go up in smoke, Saru will now be desperately looking at a means to fulfil promises made to the government as well as the Southern Kings that the Eastern Cape would have a sustainable franchise to be proud of in the future.
Saru president Oregan Hoskins has made it abundantly clear that the union was not about to abandon ship.
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"We literally have the Eastern Cape as our number one priority in South African rugby and we never have a meeting without Eastern Cape rugby on the agenda," he said. "We will continue to do this because we want it to be something that will endure so that the Eastern Cape will be able to go into the future with a sustainable rugby franchise."
He said finding a solution was crucial for the growth of the game in South Africa.
"We can't have the grassroots level of the game suffering. We understand that the Eastern Cape has hundreds of clubs from communities across the colour divide, and realise that by uplifting the game in that area it will bear fruit for us in terms of our goals in transformation."
There has been talk of introducing the franchise into the Currie Cup and then, in time, perhaps bringing them into the Super 15 at the expense of the worst-performing South African franchise.
Although many regard such suggestions as little more than hot air, Hoskins said Saru was determined to resolve the matter, and even looked at the possibility of establishing a new competition in which the franchise could compete.
"We mustn't lose hope in the sixth franchise we have got going. It will find its place in South African rugby sooner rather than later... There is talk of another tier competition that has been thoroughly discussed and literally every single possibility that has been uttered is being looked at," he maintained. Clearly, the foundation has been laid for the franchise to flourish, but it remains to be seen whether this foundation is built upon in the future to take Eastern Cape rugby to new heights.
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