Saru must find cash for Kings

IF South African Rugby wants its ambitious Southern Kings project to take off, it must find the cash to boost the team significantly with new signings.

So far the Kings’ entry into the European league has been a dismal failure and 11 consecutive defeats underline the need for an urgent SA Rugby intervention.

Because of the cash crisis that left EP Rugby in chaos, the Kings are being bankrolled by Saru, which does not appear to have the will to transfer the team into a winning entity.

Despite the best efforts of head coach Deon Davids and his players, the team have struggled to keep their heads above water against stronger opposition.

However, with SA Rugby losing R23.3-million in its last financial year, it may not have the spare cash needed to put the Kings back on their feet.

Any team Davids puts out always plays with guts and this season has been no different, despite the lack of results.

But, after watching their team lose game after game, even the patience of die-hard Kings supporters is starting to wane.

The losing sequence has led to small crowds watching games in Port Elizabeth and the Kings have now opted to take their home match against Munster to the Outeniqua stadium in George on April 7.

SA Rugby has asked fans to be patient and only pass judgment at the end of their PRO14 rugby season.

In September EP Rugby president Andre Rademan said the process to eventually hand the PRO14 rugby team back to his union had begun.

Rademan said a board would be formed comprising three EPRU members and three members of the Nelson Mandela Business Chamber who would assist in obtaining sponsors for the union.

However, there has been no further news on how far this process has evolved.

With a tough series of matches on the horizon, fans will be hoping either the SA Rugby Union or EPRU find a solution to the Kings’ current woes.

The team cannot be allowed to continue on its current downward spiral.