Lions, Saru in make or break meeting
LIONS president Kevin de Klerk believes that next week’s crunch meeting between the South African Rugby Union (Saru) and franchise bosses would “draw a line in the sand” on the Super Rugby participation saga.
In January the Port Elizabethbased Southern Kings were guaranteed their place in the 2013 Super Rugby tournament by unanimous decision at a general council meeting in Cape Town.
The Golden Lions Rugby Union (GLRU) was one of the 14 unions that voted for the Kings. But at the same meeting no solution was reached on a mechanism for the accommodation of the Kings in the competition.
With South Africa, New Zealand and Australia Rugby having all-but ruled out solving that problem by extending South Africa’s representation to six franchises, it’s still unclear who would drop out, and how it would happen.
“There is still a long way to go on this but it has to happen quickly because the confusion is affecting our supporters and the union in going about its business,” De Klerk said.
“I wouldn’t like to pre-empt anything but it will be an interesting meeting.”
De Klerk could not confirm if the franchises had an alternative solution to relegating the team which finishes fifth in the South African franchise.
On Thursday Saru issued a statement that gave context to the increasingly confusing scenario: “The franchises requested that a decision on the mechanism of qualification was postponed to allow them time to make alternative proposals.
“The general council meeting accepted the request. Jurie Roux, Saru chief executive, asked for it to be recorded that the delay in a decision was at the franchises’ request, therefore precluding them from criticism of delays in any decisions.”
The Lions are currently last on the SA standings with 14 points after eight losses in nine matches and face relegation if the proposed structure is applied.
But Lions vice-president and investor Altmann Allers, who bought a 49.9% stake in the GLRU, expects next Thursday’s meeting to be crucial to all the franchises.
“It has never been stipulated or agreed that the team coming last will be the franchise to be rele Allers said, adding that whatever decision would be made they want to be treated fairly.
“How do you make rules twothirds of the way through the competition? It’s unacceptable.”
Allers, speaking in his personal capacity, dismissed the idea of the Lions and Cheetahs combining to reform the Cats franchise.
Lions coach John Mitchell earlier this week said that the only way either the Lions or Cheetahs could win Super Rugby was to combine their resources.