Either someone doesn’t know how to do maths or ... well, the South African Rugby Union knows something no one else does.
According to the CEO of Sanzar, Greg Peters, the Super Rugby competition will remain a three-conference, 15-team competition next year but, if a statement by Saru is to be believed, South Africa will have six teams in the competition next year… but six teams can’t play in a five-team South African Conference, right?
It seems the whole issue around the Southern Kings playing Super Rugby next year is becoming more farcical by the day, with Saru on Tuesday saying the Eastern Cape-based team were guaranteed their place, but in the same breath making it clear none of the current five teams – the Bulls, Cheetahs, Lions, Sharks and Stormers – would be affected by such a move.
“The Kings will play in the competition in 2013, but not at the expense of one of the other franchises,” Jurie Roux, CEO of Saru, told the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Sport yesterday. Huh?
A delegation of Saru leaders made a scheduled appearance before the committee to discuss a number of issues, including the Southern Kings.
This comes just a day after Saru and representatives of the franchises met for the second time in five days to discuss the Kings’ entry to Super Rugby.
“Resolving that part of the equation (getting six teams to play in a five-team conference) is the issue at hand and we have a number of proposals to take to the Executive Council and ultimately to the General Council for a decision in July,” added Roux.
So then the Kings won’t necessarily play in Super Rugby in 2013? But, if they do, then surely it will be at the expense of one of the other franchises?
It can thus be deduced that whatever is said to Parliament, or was said during the recent meetings in Joburg, the only people who matter in this case are the members of Saru’s General Council – two representatives of each of the 14 provincial unions plus Saru president Oregan Hoskins. They will ultimately be the people who decide whether the Kings play Super Rugby next year, and no one else. If the majority vote is in favour of the Kings, then it’s certain the team which finishes last in the South African Conference will be “relegated”. Right now that team is the Lions.
Saru also briefed the Committee on their strategic transformation plan – which has been newly aligned to the Department of Sport’s National Sports and Recreation Plan – and also on progress towards establishing four Saru academies as a pilot project in Boland, SWD, Border and Eastern Province. – The Star