Southern Kings OUT of Super Rugby next year

[kiap]

Looks like the impasse *may* have been resolved.

with cash.....

Saru broker deal with Kings, save Lions

July 15 2012 at 12:30pm
By Zelim Nel

The Lions will not be relegated from Super Rugby next year as the Southern Kings have accepted an offer from the South African Rugby Union (Saru) to postpone their inclusion.

According to reliable sources close to the negotiations between Saru and the Eastern Cape franchise, the Kings have agreed to delay their entry into the southern hemisphere regional competition, the toughest provincial competition in world rugby, in exchange for R40-million and guaranteed inclusion in the Currie Cup Premier Division from next year.

Spoiler: Read More

In January, Saru controversially announced that the Kings would participate in Super Rugby from next year. The national rugby union have been back-pedalling ever since as it has emerged they were oblivious to the fact that the tournament cannot be expanded to accommodate a 16th team until the current broadcast deal expires. The five-year deal, signed last year, is based on a 15-team format.

“Sanzar have sold the current structure of Super Rugby to broadcasters and commercial partners for the period ending December 31, 2015, so until then, expansion of the competition is not possible,” Sanzar (SA, New Zealand and Australia Rugby) chief executive Greg Peters said in February.

Under the agreement brokered by Saru, the Kings will join Super Rugby in 2016 when a new broadcast deal is tabled. It appears that Saru are banking on winning the bid to field a sixth South African side (the Kings) to safeguard the future of the Lions.

Spoiler: Read More

Saru’s mystifying silence on the matter had given rise to the expectation that one of the current South African Conference contenders would be relegated at the end of this season. And with the Lions languishing in last place, and Cheetahs chief executive Harold Verster having ruled out a possible merger between the teams, the Joburg franchise were deemed to be on the chopping block.

Such a development would likely tip the scales for the Lions, who are reportedly on the verge of bankruptcy and in the throes of a disciplinary investigation regarding suspended coach John Mitchell, who guided the team to the 2011 Currie Cup title.

It is believed that the Kings have been less successful in luring top-flight players to the region than they anticipated and, rather than suffer the embarrassment of being routed from the unforgiving front-lines of Super Rugby battle next year, they will use the cash injection and Currie Cup Premier League opportunity to prepare for their future promotion to the Sanzar competition.

– Sunday Independent

http://www.iol.co.za/sport/rugby/saru-broker-deal-with-kings-save-lions-1.1341427#.UAKl9fXzr2Y

 

[p.Tah]

A logical decision by SARU? Wow!

The Kings wouldn't be ready for next year. They need to better develop their pathways to the top level. This will give them the money and time to do better. 40m rand is approx 4.5m AUD

I wonder if this was the plan all along.

 

[thierry dusautoir]

good idea

 

[TOCC]

disappointing but obviously the logical choice... smart move

 

[barbarian]

Their twitter account have denied this is taking place, and have said they still plan on playing in the 2013 S15.

 

[kiap]

Yikes. Could be more infighting to go then if the journo has taken the wrong punt. Same old.

 

[Bardon]

If they do sort it out and the plan for them to enter in 2016 is actually agreed then it would be a good time to rejig the Super Rugby format. Unless they boot the Lions or Cheetahs out to let them in then the competitions current format wouldn't work with 6 SA teams. So it's a chance to come up with a better format and also to possibly expand the competition further.

If I were a member of the Argentinian or even Japanese Union I'd start lobbying now to try and get a couple of teams included in any new format.

 

[Linebacker_41]

2 Japanese sides would be good.

1 in the Aus conference the other in the NZ conference.

Logistically Argentina fielding a side in a weekly competition is proabably a step too far to get appropriate balance to the competition, and most importantly television rights into Japan would hopefully fund this expansion.

 

[kronic]

If they do sort it out and the plan for them to enter in 2016 is actually agreed then it would be a good time to rejig the Super Rugby format. Unless they boot the Lions or Cheetahs out to let them in then the competitions current format wouldn't work with 6 SA teams. So it's a chance to come up with a better format and also to possibly expand the competition further.

If I were a member of the Argentinian or even Japanese Union I'd start lobbying now to try and get a couple of teams included in any new format.

How so?

You still play the same amount of teams, from each conference. Instead of missing one SA team, you miss two, that's the purpose of the conference system.

 

[Bardon]

How so?

You still play the same amount of teams, from each conference. Instead of missing one SA team, you miss two, that's the purpose of the conference system.

But the current structure is set up so that each team plays 8 games outside their own country and then each team in their own country twice to give 8 home conference games. This format works because their are an even number of teams in each conference.

It might be easy for Aus and NZ teams just to skip 1 extra SA team, although this would lead to even more complaints about the unfairness of which teams get to avoid the best SA teams.

For the SA conference it wont work that easily as now you have 8 games to be spread against 5 opponents. So instead of 4 home and 4 away against each other team in your conference you either have to not play one team in your own conference at all or only play 2 teams once and the other 3 home and away.

So whatever about the current system creating imbalance from one conference to another, having 16 teams with increase that imbalance and introduce an extra imbalance in the SA conference.

On top of that what do you do with the bye system? With 16 it's possible that all teams could play ever week so is the bye scrapped or do you lengthen the season to keep it in there? Instead of their being 120 games there will be 128 in the conference section of the comp. So Either the season gets 1 week longer or the Bye system gets revamped also.

Since the current system doesn't have too many fans because of the unfairness it makes more sense to rejig it if the opportunity arises rather than increases the inequity in the system.

Also possibly introducing a couple of Japanese teams would allow SANZAR to grow the game in what will be a very lucrative Asian market. This is important as already some of the big NH teams are trying to capture market share there and it would be a shame if Rugby went the same as soccer with many Asian fans supporting big European clubs rather than their local team playing in a top competition.

 

[flat_eric]

Flying to Japan every season on top of Australia, New Zealand and South Africa is a bridge too far in my opinion. Does anyone think we will be in any position to add another home grown team to our conference in 2016? Probably not, but we need more teams in this country to compete with the other codes.

 

[Woodenspoon]

I don't see an expansion of the competition to Japan or Argentina (or wherever outside Sanzar) possibile in the next future, unless you have a japanese franchise based in Townsville or an argentinian one based somewehere between New Zealand and South Africa.
In my opinion the best way to expand the competition is to increase steadily the number of the teams of each conference up to 8, so to have three national conferences of teams playing each other twice in a year and then at the end of the regular season the first 4 of each conference play each other in a knock-out stage to contest the trophy, the same way it happens in Europe for Heineken Cup

 

[kronic]

But the current structure is set up so that each team plays 8 games outside their own country and then each team in their own country twice to give 8 home conference games. This format works because their are an even number of teams in each conference.

It might be easy for Aus and NZ teams just to skip 1 extra SA team, although this would lead to even more complaints about the unfairness of which teams get to avoid the best SA teams.

For the SA conference it wont work that easily as now you have 8 games to be spread against 5 opponents. So instead of 4 home and 4 away against each other team in your conference you either have to not play one team in your own conference at all or only play 2 teams once and the other 3 home and away.

So whatever about the current system creating imbalance from one conference to another, having 16 teams with increase that imbalance and introduce an extra imbalance in the SA conference.

The way to view a conference is like a mini competition. If you look at the NFL, they irregular matches within the conference etc. It'll simply be the case that SA teams won't everyone on a home/away basis.

Many officials have been on record as stating that the conference system won't change. It's too popular with crowds and TV. Why should NZ & AUS have to change because SA need to appease a political injustice?

 

[Joe Mac]

A Japanese Club in the Aussie Conference and a Pacific Islander team in the NZ comp seems quite feasable to me...

Japan is only 9-10 hours away and is in the correct time-zone...

 

[Linebacker_41]

A Japanese Club in the Aussie Conference and a Pacific Islander team in the NZ comp seems quite feasable to me.

Japan is only 9-10 hours away and is in the correct time-zone.

I could live with this, the only problem is that I dont believe that the PI team would generate the revenue to support the extra costs of inclusion in the competition.

Having the Japanese teams included would create a lot more fatigue from a travel perspective but is still achievable.

 

[redstragic]

I could live with this, the only problem is that I dont believe that the PI team would generate the revenue to support the extra costs of inclusion in the competition.

Having the Japanese teams included would create a lot more fatigue from a travel perspective but is still achievable.

Like the idea that the Japanese could come in, would ultimately be good for world rugby. The pi players all end up playing os anyway, so don't know that could ever get off the ground.

Edit: just thought about it some more. All the travel would kill the Japanese players. The flight is at the just a bit too long mark.

 

[liquor box]

I think you would have to have 2 Japanese teams in the competition, and if possible make all teams play both teams in succesive weeks to help with the travel.

I think there has to be more thought given to adding Argentinian teams, what is the point of the Rugby Championship if we dont get play them in Super Rugby? It would be hard for travel, but even if it is a struggle, it would be a struggle for all teams equally.

 

[en_force_er]

My thoughts on expanding Super Rugby and fitting the Kings in:

In my mind by 2016 we could easily have a team in Japan (probably with a similar ownership model to the Rebels, made up mostly of foreigners) and the Southern Kings. Setting up any other teams would be a huge push and here lies the issue, despite some issues in competition fairness the conference system works (season length, less travel, etc) and for it to work you need even numbers.

Other teams that could exist (but are more far fetched) are, 1-3 of Argentinian teams, a Hong Kong team, a Singapore team, maybe another Japanese team or two, or a PI based team.

But these all have their issues:
Argentina- Travel time, attempts at professional rugby is constantly vetoed there, what conference would you put them in?
Hong Kong/Singapore- They'd probably have the corporate backing but they probably wouldn't have the fans and wouldn't be able to provide much (if any) local talent.
More than 1 Japanese team- Is there anywhere that there is enough of a focus of Japanese fans outside of Tokyo?
A PI Team- Tongans, Samoans, and Fijians are NOT the same thing and nobody would accept a "PI Team" (see the attempted international team). If this team was to exist it would have to be either Fijian or Samoan and be run on the smell of an oily rag. It'd have to exist almost entirely to develop players for overseas and would likely lose most of its games and have a high player turn over.

 

[jermano]

I can see Fiji or Tonga wanting to fill a side in a competition where they can improve to a higher standard. One for the Aust conference and one for the N.Z. conference.

 

[en_force_er]

I can see Fiji or Tonga wanting to fill a side in a competition where they can improve to a higher standard. One for the Aust conference and one for the N.Z. conference.

Of course, but wanting and perhaps producing the necessary quality of players does not equal viability. We are shackled by viability lest we become a revolving door league like the A-League and the NBL.

Super Rugby teams in smaller rugby markets are all about the corporate dollar and there just isn't that much of it in the Pacific Islands.

Perhaps they'd best set up a deal with a Japanese investor to send their players to a Japanese franchise in exchange for a home game? Just a thought.