Oh what a mess! And it’s been hanging around since June 8 2005, when SA Rugby, now Saru, took a President’s Council decision to include the three Eastern Cape rugby unions in Super Rugby from 2006 …
It’s now February 2012 and still we have no solution … Matt Pearce and I were chatting about it on Monday, and at the time the new Boots & All presenter was hoping to get Saru CEO Jurie Roux onto the show this week to get answers from the only man who can give them. And after initially saying yes to appear on the show, he was a late withdrawal, leaving us sans answers sadly …
Not that Roux will be the man making the call, as that, like all other decisions made by the national body, will have to be made by the blazer brigade that is the President’s Council … on 31 March.
There has been a lot of waffle on this subject, so instead of adding to it, perhaps a look at the pertinent questions …
Do the Kings deserve a place in Super Rugby?
The obvious answer based on current form is no. But given that it is my strong belief that none of the three SANZAR countries actually has the depth to field 5 sides (especially Australia, and to a much lesser extent, New Zealand), and that Super Rugby would be infinitely better served via a Super 12 with the SA sides determined by the semi finalists of the previous year’s Currie Cup, one could ask the same question of the Cheetahs and the Lions …
So try answering this question – do they deserve to NOT be part of Super Rugby? By being part of the tournament, the current five franchises have had the time and money needed to develop as sides. Were one of them to drop out and the Kings to receive the player and financial resources that come with participation in the tournament, it would not be long before they were performing on a par with the Lions or Cheetahs – which to be honest, does not take much!
Does it matter whether the Kings deserve Super Rugby status?
No. Decision made. Finish and klaar. Different discussion. Now make a plan …
Should Saru be fighting for a 6th franchise?
No – mainly because we do not have the depth to field a 5th, let alone a 6th franchise, but also because they have signed a participation contract with SANZAR that obliges them to play their top FIVE teams in a Super15 tournament until 2015. Yes our players seem to treat their contracts with unions as nothing more than serviettes, but this is a real and binding contract – respect it and the people with whom you signed it!
Do the current “Big 5” have a contractual right to play Super Rugby?
It’s the one area that I do not have a definitive answer as I have not seen the SANZAR contract with the national unions, but I think it’s safe to assume that the answer is no. If it were yes, these franchises would not have needed to have a braai and revert with a thinly veiled threat to boycott the tournament via a letter to Saru should their participation be threatened by the inclusion of the Kings.
Speaking of boycotts …
Lots of talk about Saru playing SANZAR’s bluff and the current franchises standing together … This mass action and strike thing is so South African … And to be honest, it’s horse manure. Yes there is a history of people getting the rough end of the stick in our country, and perhaps some sort of mechanism was needed to stop the bullying. But this is not some schoolyard playground or nationalized company that can be used as a political toy. Participation is governed by real world contracts and policed by real world lawyers who charge real world Dollars, and not the ones that come from Zimbabawe! Grow up! You can’t just change the rules of the game because one of the boys did not play nicely! And let’s not forget that it’s the self same people that voted for the Kings participation (the unions, via the President’s Council) that are now threatening the boycott …
Amalgamations like the CATS?
No chance. Proven not to work, and none of the current five franchises want to walk that road. Will just spread the pain wider than it currently is …
And what about SA generating the biggest TV audience and subsequent rights revenue?
It’s a fact. And a fact that should have been used when negotiating the current tournament structure. Instead SA were out negotiated by Australia, who got a built in domestic tournament via Super Rugby while our participation in the bloated Super15 comes at the expense of the Currie Cup! But you can’t cry over spilt milk now. Here’s hoping Saru learn from this debacle and actually use the power at the next round of negotiations, but you cannot pull that power card mid tournament!!
So what now?
Saru need to be doing what they should have been doing since 2005 … Exploring the best and fairest method to determine which of the current franchises will make way for the Kings in 2013.
My suggestion?
Keep it simple. The franchise that has the worst aggregate performance on the Super Rugby log (for the period that the teams have been in their current guise, and including 2012) makes way for the Kings in 2013.
The future?
It would be pretty simple to suggest a post Super Rugby promotion relegation match between the last placed SA side and the team that missed out, but the reality is that the team missing out will lose both sponsors and players and really struggle to compete with a team playing Super Rugby – as is the case with the Kings now. It would also entail South Africa having to maintain six franchises which, as said previously, I don’t think is possible. I also do not think it would be fair on the Kings to give them only one year in the tournament before having to play for their place …
We also cannot use the Currie Cup in it’s current guise to determine the Super Rugby participants as the Kings do not play in it, but more importantly, it is now basically another mini Vodacom Cup given the current rugby calendar and player availability …
So … Man up and take the pain for the ineptness to date, play the Kings at the expense of either the Lions or Cheetahs until the current contract runs it’s course (2015), and then send an angry and skilled bear to the SANZAR negotiating table rather than the starving mouse that pitched up last time …
Good post, Tank. First I see that highlights the issue of sponsorships and player contracts to a degree. It can become a legal minefield. Needs to be carefully managed. At the same time the decision has been taken. Live with it, as you say. Perhaps the answer is in looking at geographical representation of the teams. For that reason dropping the Cheetahs will be sad, given Free State’s ongoing contribution to SA rugby as a whole. This then begs the question: does Gauteng justify two teams? Yes it is by far the economic hub of SA, but there is no reason why a sponsor with a Joburg HQ cannot gain mileage from involvement with the Kings. Tough decision that will no doubt have a long-term impact on the Bulls and Lions, but perhaps the best one to ensure access to SuperRugby via the country’s main centra: Joburg/Pretoria; Cape Town; Durban; Bloem and PE.
I’m a Cheetahs fan, so there’s no way I can look at something like this objectively. All I know is that if a relegation system is put in place, you’re guaranteeing a South African franchise the wooden spoon for the foreseeable future. No ways a team can enter the super Rugby competition and *not* receive the spoon. Look how long it took the Force to sort themselves out. But they have some continuity now and are very slowly improving. Continuity is key. Give the Cheetahs / Lions a few more years, and something will eventually click. Relegate them and you have to start the whole process again … and again … and again …
I agree Biobot. Promo / Relegation won’t work … And I feel your pain as a Cheetahs fan, as they or the Lions will no doubt have to make way. Also traumatic for Grey high school. But Saru cannot carry on making this sweeping decisions without some payback
Great post Tank. As an ardent Cheetahs fan, a few observations I simply have to make with my one-eyed goggles on:
Your point that a Super 12 would be best option with Currie Cup semi-finalists making the cut, and then your major points against the Cheetahs, here are some interesting facts:
Taking into account Currie Cup semis over the last 5 years this would have been the resulting effect:
2011: No Bulls in 2012 SR
2010: No Lions in 2011 SR
2009: No Lions in 2010 SR
2008: No WP in 2009 SR
2007: No WP in 2008 SR
So the only teams to make the cut every time are the Cheetahs and Sharks. Needless to say I would be very happy with this solution. Take it back a few more years and it favours the Cheetahs even more.
That said, I know SR is a different ball game to Currie Cup and the Cheetahs have not performed as well as they should have. Working with your suggestion of aggregate results, unless the Lions have a blinder of a year in the 2012 Super 15 then I am afraid they are the ones to go, because that is just how the figures stack up.
Finally, another observation. You may find that the French are even better at striking. I have been to Paris plenty of times and odds are always exceptionally good that the metro (and other services) is down because of strike action 🙂
Well said Green Man! 🙂
As I mentioned too – for sheer, absolute, administerial incompetence and a union with political and other rubbish agenda’s – it should be the Stormers! The way Carel du Plessis had to fall on his sword back then – as a consequence of the failure of their official union policy of “no players from outide” – when resources in the province (especially at tight five) were very thin – was an absolute disgrace!! The entire WP management – deserve to be relegated… !!
Hahahahaha – let’s see SARU try handle that one… Team that comes last this season – must go down (if we don’t get a 6th team).. Hopefully – the Stormers!
Hey Green Man … Yep, the Lions would have to go … I did not want to carry on and on, but if the CC were to determine the SR participants, then the CC would need to be played with the Boks available, and the teams would then play SR and not franchises … Or franchises would have to play CC …
The Kings are absolutely useless. Full stop. Even with Solly as coach, players brought in – Luke as captain – they still got thrashed by Boland – twice – last season…
Their inclusion is a political decison – not a rugby one, and like all other AA/ BEE driven ideas in SA – they will fail…
Yes – they are in Super Rugby next season. In principle they should be compelled to field a min of, say, 10 black players – as it was on those grounds – the mythical “home of black rugby talent in SA” – they pushed for inclusion… Well – now – “haal uit en wys” as they say in Afrikaans… No doubt a plethora of white and coloured players will need to be brought in to boost their ranks…
As for who should get dropped – if no 6th team allowed – it should be the team that comes last in the SA conference this season – and, for sheer administerial incompetence and other agenda’s – I hope it’s the Stormers!
As for SANZAR – hopefully our 5 franchises DO stick together – I’m of the opinion we should stuff the contract – who cares? We owe them nothing – SA is the financial TV revenue powerhouse behind the deal – time to tell those Antipodean twats to f##k off!! Super Rugby has, without doubt, as a franchise system – benefitted NZ rugby the most. When it was the Topsport Super 10 – and only provinces playing – Transvaal won the first in 1993 – beating Auckland 20-17, Queensland won the next two in ’94 and ’95 – beating Transvaal and Natal. No kiwi teams in sight. Along came 1996 – and a Super 12 as regional teams – and it’s been mostly NZ all the way – with the Auckland Blues dominating initially…
I hope the entire SANZAR deal breaks down! At the latest by 2015 (end of the current deal) – at which time – we must join Europe and a new-look Heineken Cup – and take Argentina with us.. 🙂
F##k New Zealand – perennial cheats (from the days of Andy Haden jumping out a line-out in injury time vs Wales at Cardiff Arms Park in 1978 – to ‘steal’ a penalty – it worked) – and home of Paddy O’Brien – prime cheat through the subtle tactic of match-fixing – by means of certain referee appointments to certain Tests… Paddy O’Brien was New Zealand’s “man of the tournament” at last year’s RWC… !
Reality is that SARU didn’t think from the start on a proper plan to include the Kings in Super Rugby. I agree to make the format S12 again or even S10 and have like a B league (Super League) with all the teams having to fight for a place in the top competition. Let the bottom 2 SR teams take on the 2 top SL teams in a round robin and the 2 top teams in the “pool” play in SR. Also in this way the Kings can be accommodated as well as 2 or 3 Argentinian clubs can join. After all, Argentina is now part of the Rugby Championship (4 Nations)
The suggestion of a Super League is a great idea, I am suprised this idea has not been touted already! Good thinking Stephan. Think of it like the Varsity Cup and Shield, the two run concurrently and successfully, and the fact that the divisions are separated by ability means that the matches are closer, more intense, and ultimately better rugby for the viewer.
I can not believe that any one can suggest that the Cheetahs fall out of this comp to make way for a second string side! To be honest if there is no Cheetah rugby there will be no SA rugby! The Cheetahs are the BREEDING ground for Sa rugby and all of its unions!! So before any one make a comment like that again think of all your favourite past and present Boks and you will know where they came from!!
I tend to agree with Tank on this one,there is an old sumurai saying : “In order to defeat the enemy,you have to be become it” , we will have to stick it out to the expense of the Cheethas or the Lions,and when the time comes for re-negotiations , put the pedal to the metal & send someone to negotiate a better deal for us once and for all (obviously this negotiator should be just as sneaky & cuniving as the Ausie & NZ guys ) because we can do stuff like that as we are the SANZAR “Anchor” if you think about it.*BOOM*
Not a good article at all. You can see Mark Keohane is the leader of your gang, Tank. You should have asked someone objective to read this peace before posting it, I refer to you confidently saying that SA does not have the depth to field a sixth side in super rugby and should not attempt it and at the same time you justify the participation of the sixth side (which has the least depth) at the expense of SA’s 5th best team. You are contradicting yourself through this whole peace. 6 Teams IS the best answer for SA. The benefits are financial, exposure to super rugby for more SA players and ultimately SA rugby, which is what first priority should be. Depth schmepth! Look up the word ‘adapt’. Example – Italy in Six Nations, Kenya in 7’s and this year the Pumas in Tri Nations.
Why not just relegate the team that ends last in 2012? Oh wait, it might be the Stormers, the team of the union with no cups in their cupboard for the last 12 years……
Good article, Tank. Glad to see that someone is looking past the question of the Kings being in or out. Far too much already been wasted on that because the deed is already done.
It’s not ideal, but I would take out the lowest placed team in 2012 and replace them with the Kings. Then next year I would put the Lions back in again to replace the lowest placed team that was not the Kings. And again the following year – by then it will be a new format and we either have 6 SA teams or we give up Super Rugby for something else. Keep the Tri-Nations – that’s what draws the crowds, sponsors and TV money.
Personally i dont think there is need for any of these arguments above, the simple fact is that the kings will not b able to make it in super rugby simple as that… it is impossible to think they can make a jump to super rugby from where they are and their quality of players, to actually put up a fight to include the team will just cause Embarrassment if they do eventually take the field. they should wait and first let them play currie cup rugby where once in a while they will play against a full strength team that plays super rugby allready, but by the looks of how the kings play against the supper rugby teams in the warm up games they still need a couple of years before they would even be a challenge.
Do u really wana fight and field a team that will be laughed at by Aus and NZ… we are suppose to bring a challenge spread as much tallent and xperience between the 5 teams we have in the super rugby, not thin it out even more by adding another team.
Your other point about negotiating like an angry bear – I’m not sure you understand the difference between negotiating and bullying.
The other two won’t agree to something that harms them, no negotiater can hope to make turkeys vote for Christmas. It’s not majority voting, any changes have to be supported by all three. News Corporation are less interested in the relatve TV viewer ratings than they are in how much Supersport, and the other broadcasters, pay them. In this game they are simple traders, buying the global rights and selling them again, often to subsidiaries where they have a minority stake. Do you know how much Supersport pay them? No. Me neither.
The last big negotiation was a HUGE success for SARU, but nobody is saying this. They probably don’t want it broadcast just how huge it was. They took the Currie Cup, the June tests, and future Lions tours out of the SANZAR pot and that money now goes straight from Supersport to SARU. That’s worth R700 million. Roughly $100 million US dollars. More or less the same as our one third share of the SANZAR revenue for Super Rugby plus Tri Nations (Now Rugby Championship). That means SARU now earns twice as much as Australia from rugby TV rights. Why do you think Jon O’Neill gets so agitated about us, or the June tourists, sending understrength teams? They need every ticket sale they can get.
There are a lot of other figures being bandied about, but be careful – the most used deception is to simply say that the new contract is worth $437 million (US), an increase of $114 million but that actually includes the SARU/Supersport R700 million. They justify this by saying it has to be included for a fair comparison to the last contract. There is also some reporting online where figures are quietly converted to Aus or NZ dollars.
Ask SARU to confirm or refute these figures. I’ll bet you a case of beer they won’t.
@ Slider: You seem quite sure it’s going to be the Lions that will fall out…… What if it’s the Shark, Bulls or Stormers?
@ Charl, you are 100% here my friend. This is thing everyone is missing. I have a good feeling that it will be one of them. One does not realise that Bulls have had many years of struggling at the bottom same as the reds. Both those teams have turned it around and this year I have a good feeling that the Lions and Cheetahs will have upped thier games. Understand they are the 2 teams that will be going into this season as tight units, coming with new stars and I have a feeling that the bottom 2 will either be the Bulls or Stormers.
Love to see how SARU dodges this one if it is one of them.
Interesting article – you say and I am not disagreeing with you,”the current 5 franchises have had the time and money needed to develop as sides”. The same can be said of the Kings with regards to the ‘B’ section and Vodocom Cup. You probably are aware of the huge salaries paid to certain players at the Kings in order to build a side which would win the Vodocom Cup and CC ‘B’ section. To say that it has failed dismally is putting it mildly. Like me, you were probably at the 2 Boland games played in Wellington – I am sure you will agree it was not so much the margin of the well deserved Boland wins, but the manner in which a very expensive and experienced EP Kings capitulated.
It is very easy for us to say so&so must go down based on the past CC results or whatever other fomula one wants to choose. However, it does not happen like that in SA. My 10c worth is that no matter what happens,this will end up in the courts,whether it is the Cheetahs,Griquas,Lions or whoever suing SARU. Why? Because it is all about money.
Tank,it may also be interesting if you did a bit of research as to which committee of SARU made that decision in 2008. You may(emphasis on may) just find that they did not have the complete constitutional authority to do so – I am sure it may have happened before.
Here is an option no one is looking at, bring the Currie Cup forward, to be played Feb to May, have the june tests and Tri-nations, then top 4 teams of each conference goes into Super-rugby. We also struggle every year how the Currie Cup must be played. Add the EP Kings as the 6th team and since they will have time to develop and eventually get into a Semi or 4th Place they can then get into Super Rugby.
The issue here is once again NZ who use the regional system for the Super rugby, we started it but the only team in SA that still uses it Cheetahs and Griquas. The other 4 unions still have the same teams for CC and SR.
SR is starting to become the black hole of rugby, consuming everthing to the point that everything else needs to take a back seat, tests, currie cup, tri-nations.
Sometime the simple answer is overlooked.
I like your thinking on this …