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Kings reign over Lions – Eastern Cape joins Super Rugby

Stuart Fazakerley August 16, 2012 10

No GravatarThe South African Rugby Union has confirmed that the Southern Kings, based in Port Elizabeth on the Eastern Cape, will replace the Johannesburg-based Lions for the 2013 Super Rugby season.

You might remember the Kings as the franchise that, perhaps optimistically, looked to take the fifth place in the Australian conference when the 15th Super licence was awarded in 2010 — a position that, after arbitration, went to the Melbourne Rebels. Since losing the bid, they have been consistently lobbying SARU for a place in the league, which they were awarded in February of this year.

Since that announcement, SARU has kept mum on how it would facilitate such expansion, especially after having calls for a 16th licence rebuffed continually by SANZAR, the ARU and NZRU, and broadcasters reaping the benefits of the conference format. The future of the Lions franchise, in particular, had been debated, given their last-placed finish in both the South African and overall ladders. Today, the Union announced that the Lions, as the last-placed team, would be relegated for 2013, and a promotion/relegation match will be held from next season to decide who earns the fifth South African Super Rugby position.

This announcement seems to raise more questions than it answers. What becomes of the Lions players and their contracts? Will the SARU devote as much attention (not to mention finances) to a dormant Lions outfit as it did the Kings?

And when the Kings, who have failed to make even the Currie Cup Premier Division, are smashed around the park for all of 2013 and again face relegation, will all of this be worth it?

What do you think of this massive decision?

TAGS » , ,
POSTED IN » Rugby, South Africa, Super Rugby
About the author: Stuart Fazakerley View all posts by
Stuart Fazakerley is an enigmatic prop/inside centre for the Melbourne Rebels and Wallabies, who holds records for the most tries scored inside both a Super Rugby and Rugby Championship season. Outside of Rugby Challenge on Xbox, Stuart is a general battler who has been spreading the word of the game they play in heaven from all the benches he warms.

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Discussion »

  • JimmyC

    It gives the tahs someone to beat.

  • Cantab

    Won’t it just be the same 30 blokes running around the park? Its hard to imagine there is 30 players in south Africa who are better than the ones already being picked by there existing 5 teams but choose not to play super rugby this yeah?

    • Fin

      that’s probably fairly accurate however the organisation that performs poorly will be put under pressure to survive ( coaches, managers boards etc) some of the aussie franchises could do with that sort of pressure put on them.

    • Dally M

      Can’t see the Kings taking in too many of the white Lion’s players.

      Typical Sth African clusterf*ck.

    • AJ

      The Eastern Cape is pretty far from Johannesburg, where the established Lions players have made a living. While I can see fringe players making the move, I reckon it’ll just be a matter of the other four teams cannibalizing the top Lions players.
      I seem to remember a few years ago, the Lions played a pre-season match against the Kings. Obviously, the Kings were out to prove a point that they belong at the top level, and fielded their top side. The Lions fielded a B-team. The result was an absolute slaughter to the Lions.
      I feel like the gap between bottom of Super Rugby and top of “everything else” is still quite wide, and will take a lot of time and infrastructure to bridge.

  • NTA

    The contracts will be tied up in the existence of the franchise no doubt. Only those players with any central links to SARFU (and let’s face it, there aren’t many in that team) will need placement elsewhere.

    It seems to me that the Lions and Cheetahs both have great rugby attitudes, but one had a dud coach and the other was let down by depth (Goosen is a star). Compare that to the kick-happy Bulls who seem to have all the resources on the veldt, while the coasts are dominated by WP and Sharkies in the east.

    Will be interesting to see how the “little brother” on the Eastern Cape goes.

  • Larkhage

    Dammit, I was hoping to see them merge and form the Lion Kings

  • Nabley

    Good company for the Blues and the Force. Every country has at least one team in that state. Come to think of it, the Tahs are pretty close to that standard so perhaps they will now have someone they can beat to boost their placing on the ladder.

  • Cave Dweller

    How will a team stand a chance in a relegation match when their best players have been stripped away and must face a Super Rugby team who were able to get quality players mainly due to playing SR?

    Why do the Lions have to play a relegation game and the Kings not? Why do the Kings brag about a talent pool in their region then go and import players from other regions?

    Anyone seriously think this is a good thing either do not know the full story or need their heads examined.

  • Cave Dweller

    Oh btw SARU owns 50 percent of The Kings which is not showing any profit not playing SR. Conflict of interest?

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