They may be out of next year’s Super Rugby competition, but the Kings could be given a free ride into the Currie Cup Premier Division.
Sport24
According to a report on Die Burger’s website, strong rumours are doing the rounds that this proposal was made at a SARU Executive Council meeting earlier this week.
Kings president Cheeky Watson was reluctant to confirm the rumours but stated he would definitely welcome such a ruling.
“I am willing to look at anything which could ensure that top-class rugby remains in our region,” said Watson.
According to the report, the Kings would then not play in next year’s promotion-relegation series against the lowest-ranked South Africa Super Rugby side. They lost their Super Rugby status after losing over two legs to the Lions a few weeks ago.
However, should the Kings be promoted to the Currie Cup top flight, a decision about what team will take part – the Southern Kings or the Eastern Province Kings – would need to be taken. Even though most of the Southern Kings players are from EP, their franchise partners, SWD and Border, would want to know where they stand.
Also, the Currie Cup format would need to change. Will the Kings just be promoted as the seventh team or will another First Division team go up with them to make it an eight-team Currie Cup?
The Currie Cup Premier Division currently consists of six teams, with eight in the First Division. The winner of the First Division plays the lowest ranked team in the Premier Division in a promotion-relegation series at the end of the season, so the Kings could play themselves into a position where they automatically qualify.
But as things currently stand, the Kings will find it tough to win the First Division, as they are currently in fourth position, trailing the unbeaten Pumas by eleven points.
Therefore, with Super Rugby not on next year’s agenda, it could be a wise move from SARU to at least ensure some sort of top flight rugby will take place in the Eastern Cape next season…
A move like this would leave the Pumas aggrieved. But they supported the Kings when they voted for the Lions to be booted out of SR. SARU’s mess is getting even worse. If they go this route, then it would be fair to promote the Pumas too. But then the CC would be a longer competition, so SARU would have to be very clever in how they schedule games.
1 @ Lion4ever:
Saru sure messed up this year. They messed the Lions team up by relegating them unfairly and then give Kings one year to prove themselves with a Promotion/Relegation game. No team can build in one year. It was just simply the a clueless thing that saru done by bringing in Kings into SR before 2016 where they would not have to play a Promotion/Relegation game at the end of that year. That way the could steadily build their side. Now they have ruined both Lions and Kings SR sides. Lions lost many players that have no left and have to start all over again for SR next year. Kings players have left in droves as well. A huge mess up for both teams. Felt for your team and now also feel for the Kings.
The right way should have been to promote Kings into Currie Cup this year and let them play there until they are in SR in 2016. That way they would be have been far more ready for that tourney as well. So I personally think it is the right thing to bring them into CC next year. They should have been brought in this year. The Pumas will have to be brought in then next year as well, otherwise it will be unfair to them.
We will just have to start CC two weeks earlier. That would not allow enough rest for our SR players that still play CC. Also means more rugby again for the players. Super Rugby should be shorter to be honest.
This is Saru’s mess and they have to fix it.
2 @ Puma:
sorry for typos up there, please ignore.
@ Lion4ever:
I agree, this would be ridiculously unfair towards the Pumas who are dominating.
8 team currie cup where teams play eachother once.
once.
To all of the erstwhile Sharks supporters out there, before condemning this move, please go and check your own team’s history.
Natal were a B division Union who failed to beat the likes of Eastern Transvaal and Northern Free State for promotion year after year.
SARFU at the time decided that it needed all of the “test” unions to play in the top flight and subsequently expanded the Currie Cup to include Natal.
That expanded format included all of the B divion teams and was trimmed again a few seasons later.
That move allowed the Sharks to develop to where they are now.
Personally, I applaud SARU for taking an initiative like this, BUT it must include the likes of Boland, The Pumas and the Leopards.
If it doesn’t I think it could just rip SA Rugby apart, or maybe cause a “palace coup” at SARU. (Perhaps that’s what is needed.)
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