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Saru CEO Jurie Roux.
EXPANSION ... or else: These are the only options available to the South African Rugby Union regarding the inclusion of the Southern Kings in next year’s Super Rugby tournament.
This much is clear following reports on Sunday suggesting the five current South African teams will boycott the competition should one of them have to stand down to make way for the Kings in Super Rugby from 2013.
While Rapport newspaper on Sunday said the five local franchises would pull out of Super Rugby were one of them to be relegated, Saru said they had in fact not threatened to boycott.
“No threat of a boycott was made,” said Jurie Roux, CEO of Saru. “But the franchises have made it plain that the only option to them is the expansion of Super Rugby.
“They also pledged their support for the Kings’ inclusion in 2013 as well as for Saru’s efforts to persuade Sanzar to include a sixth South African franchise.”
In a letter sent to Saru president Oregan Hoskins last week, following a meeting between the five franchises, the teams say they “unanimously decided that the inclusion (of the Kings) will benefit SA Rugby in general; that none of the existing franchises shall be eliminated from the tournament in 2013 or at any stage thereafter as a result of the inclusion of the Kings; that none of the existing franchises shall be prejudiced by the Kings’ inclusion in any way and; that Saru will ensure that the Kings are included without prejudice to any of the existing franchises.”
What exactly the existing franchises mean by “that none of the existing franchises shall be prejudiced by the Kings’ inclusion in any way” is unsure, but it would appear none of them are open to the idea of merging with any other existing franchise.
The letter to Hoskins continues to say, “The existing franchises will endeavour to provide all necessary assistance and support to Saru in their negotiations with Sanzar to ensure the inclusion of six South African franchises in 2013 onwards.”
Roux said that Saru would continue discussions with their Sanzar partners around participation in the 2013 tournament.
A decision on the mechanism by which SA’s entrants in Super Rugby in 2013 would be identified was postponed in January. A special General Council meeting delayed the decision until the annual general meeting of Saru on March 31 to allow time for further discussions with Sanzar.
The current format of the competition will run until 2015, when a new structure can be discussed.
Two weeks ago Saru deputy president Mark Alexander said his union would try and negotiate with Sanzar for an expansion to 16 teams from next year. – The Star
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Lionel @ Mike, wrote
Disagree as top players go where the financial reward is the greatest. I very much doubt that this will be the Kings in PE, who will most likely also play some games in Slummies (East London).
Mike, wrote
The issue of the Kings is to promote Black rugby in the region - that was the ideology behind it. Should they be included, many top players will go to PE - will that promote black rugby? Just a question, that's all.
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