Still no clarity for Kings
3 Feb 2010
While Regan Hoskins and Cheeky Watson have met there’s still a question mark on the future of the Southern Kings.
The Melbourne Rebels were awarded the 15th Super Rugby franchise on 11 November. Nearly three months later, the Kings still haven’t been approved by Saru’s board to officially create the franchise in order to gain entry into Super Rugby.
With the Saru presidential elections set for 26 March, the Kings matter is likely to drag on as the presidential candidates are uncertain of their future.
Last month Watson called for all of Saru’s promises to be put in writing to ensure they aren’t duped like the Spears before them, but he hasn’t gained his wish.
‘I’ve personally had talks with Cheeky on the issue,’ Hoskins told keo.co.za, ‘and it’s still a work in progress. They’ve been fruitful talks and we’ve discussed as many options as possible. I don’t want to disclose the details as that might cause dissension.
‘I haven’t put any of our promises in writing. I met with Cheeky after he asked for that and I confirmed all our discussions are bona fide.
‘When we have reached finality on the decisions then we’ll put it in writing.’
Watson was unavailable for comment as he is out of the country for two days.
Meanwhile, Sanzar are mere weeks away from confirming that Argentina will be added to the Tri-Nations to make a four-country competition in 2012. Sanzar’s new broadcasting deal is also set to be finalised.
The major stumbling block to Argentina entering the competition was the availability of their leading players, the majority of who play in France’s Top 14. Last year the French clubs agreed to their release and the only other concern is Argentina’s commercial viability and sustainability.
‘The Argentina matter has been decided on a long time ago,’ said Hoskins, ‘but Sanzar officials just had to meet with the IRB. The IRB said they’ll fund the deficit of Sanzar’s costs for allowing Argentina in, so it’s a case of finalising those costs and scientifically working them out so it’s not a thumb-suck.
‘New Zealand and Australia believed they would incur serious losses for their home matches against Argentina as they wouldn’t get too many full houses. We don’t believe we’ll be as badly affected as them.’
Hoskins also confirmed that Sanzar’s five-year broadcasting deal with News Limited from 2011 is in the final stages of the negotiation process. Reports have suggested the new deal could be worth as much as US$400 million, which would be US$77 million more than the previous deal.
‘[Saru acting MD] Andy Marinos is representing us on that issue and he confirmed to me that putting pen to paper will happen soon.’
By Grant Ball
155 Comments
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4 Feb 2010, 00:01 am
@ Pearl Rose
He, however comes across as a sick joke.
You do know tho’ that WPTID claims to be a descendant of the General of those times.
4 Feb 2010, 00:01 am
Carol you just not her pardon, his cup of tea
4 Feb 2010, 00:06 am
@elliott2: Give Rosie a moment and he will find the original comment and date that WPTID made that comment!!
He is our archivist!!
Cheer up, I am OK really!
4 Feb 2010, 00:08 am
@JL1: Not sure either of us are!!
Think he got out of bed on the wrong side today, or perhaps he is just a Lions Supporter….That must be stressful!
4 Feb 2010, 00:08 am
@JL1: not the old General de la ReY, but the Bok van Blerk version, hence the inverted commas…you are so quick to lap up compliments chill.
4 Feb 2010, 00:11 am
Pearly both versions are the same if you really knew anything about Afrikaners
We do not bite, you do not have to be afraid of us
4 Feb 2010, 00:13 am
@carol: relax Carol elliott is just testing your temeperant, he will soon see you are harmless. Only thing though he should not spell out any secrets to you, you know how you are
4 Feb 2010, 00:17 am
@JL1: firstly you assumed that i did not know who the real de la Rey was and now you figure i do not know afrikaners. What is next, am i n*ger*an too?
4 Feb 2010, 00:17 am
@103
No opportunist is ever “OK” to me. They are all unprincipled oafs. They always tend to bite the hand of those that succoured them.
4 Feb 2010, 00:20 am
@Pearl Rose: Harmless…..I have been described in more interesting ways before!!
But harmless will do!!
4 Feb 2010, 00:21 am
Pearly you are the assuming one
Well are you a Nig?rian?
4 Feb 2010, 00:23 am
So Elliot you still out to insult the lady?
4 Feb 2010, 00:26 am
@elliott2: Are you a Lions supporter?
4 Feb 2010, 00:27 am
@107 Pearl Rose
You surprise me that comment. As the South African of principles that I read you to be, You know that NO opportunist is ever harmless. They always only do harm even if in ignorance. And I know you will understand that.
4 Feb 2010, 00:29 am
@JL1: Make a joke about ‘formal introductions’ …….and whooshhhhhh, Elliot is on me like a heat seeking missile!!
4 Feb 2010, 00:31 am
Carol she does not like you what have you done to her?
4 Feb 2010, 00:32 am
@carol:have you registered for superBru?
@elliott2: relax man, i have too much dirt on carol, so even in the event that her “opportunistic” tendencies pop up i can neutralise her.
4 Feb 2010, 00:32 am
@elliott2:
4 Feb 2010, 00:33 am
@JL1: A mystery to me !!
4 Feb 2010, 00:34 am
Carol
Dirt? Spill the beans
4 Feb 2010, 00:35 am
@112 JL1
Why don’t you fight on your own behalf and not on her behalf, you so chivalrous one. Besides, what lady? All I note is a girl maybe a woman but definitely an opportunist never qualifies for the term lady surely I ask?
4 Feb 2010, 00:37 am
Are we not but all opportunists, Elliot and what is wrong with being an opportunist
4 Feb 2010, 00:38 am
@Pearl Rose: I am doing two 6 Nations ones and two Super 14 Superbrus.
I somehow don’t think I will be able to retain my 6th Position that I gained in the Keo’s Night Owls pool after last years Super 14.
A small triumph for an English female that had never really heard of The Chiefs or The Brumbies before!!
Oh yes the dirt on me, the nation holds it’s breath!! Hahahahah
4 Feb 2010, 00:38 am
@117 Pearl Rose
Hey! I know that,@carol: and that is why I made that specific comment to you and only you because you are to understand its significance.
4 Feb 2010, 00:39 am
@JL1:
I have NO idea!!!
4 Feb 2010, 00:40 am
Elliot you sound like a real drama queen
4 Feb 2010, 00:40 am
@elliott2: elliot, i am deeply offended by your tone.
do you not trust me because i am white?
judging by your posts, you may be punching above your weight anyway. i am sure you are able to hold the floor with your buddies by showing your zeal and shouting people down but i asked you a question and you didnt answer it.
that tealls me you are uncomfortable with the question. this leads me to a whole host of conclusions about your views and the shifting moral ground you find yourself on.
as i said, i am sure we will have the opportunity to engage one another.
i look forward to a rugby post from you at some stage of your keo sojourn.
until then, have a fine evening.
4 Feb 2010, 00:41 am
Anyway I off to Neverland cheers
4 Feb 2010, 00:42 am
@113
Lions! what lions? They are the beasts, kings of the African jungle. They will devour all before them so why should I like them when they will clearly kill me? What a silly question girl.
And don’t even try any other animal because the asnwer will be the same.
4 Feb 2010, 00:42 am
@elliott2: This is great, you are managing to make me sound ‘interesting’!!
No, I was not the ‘other woman’ in John Terry’s life either, but then again you may not be subject to that nonsense in S.A!! Our England football Captain playing ‘Away form Home’!!
4 Feb 2010, 00:43 am
@elliott2: funnily enough, your writing style reminds me of a certain latvian.
again, farewell my undercover brother from another saffa mother
4 Feb 2010, 00:43 am
@JL1: See you JL1 – Have a lekker slaap
4 Feb 2010, 00:49 am
Night All –
Elliot, I am delighted that at last someone does not find me to be ladylike!!
So refreshing!
4 Feb 2010, 00:54 am
@127 rangerman
What do you really expect when you burst, so uncalled, through the door like that with questions out of the blue that I had never made a comment on.
Also I have never yet, on this planet, seen a white person, as you say, and I have surely never seen you yet, so why the reference to colour (a wrong one at that).
Am I compelled to answer your question? Really?
Further again you make assumptions in the complete dark and you lie by saying I never answered your question because I said that he is not a citizen and therefore does not qualify for the national team.
Your fishing and assumptions bothers me not one bit. Go and fish somewhere, anywhere on your Natal coast and not here ny me you superficial one.
Now get further irritated and see whether I care.
4 Feb 2010, 00:55 am
@carol: do you miss Hater?
@elliott2: think of it as form defensive counter-intelligence.
4 Feb 2010, 00:58 am
@131 rangerman
Good on the Latvian. he must have some quality then but I am 150% South African and can you claim the same?
4 Feb 2010, 01:00 am
@135 Pearl Rose
I understand and am with you on that score.
Okay I have had enough fun for this day, got to do some urgent work now.
4 Feb 2010, 01:12 am
@elliott2: cheers elliott, it is about time i turned it myself.
4 Feb 2010, 05:25 am
Evem liberal minded Watson must be pulling clumps of his hair out over the ineptitude of his simian brothers.
Jy wil mos maaitjie naaier…
4 Feb 2010, 14:43 pm
@carol: Don’t take Elliott seriously ( I’m sure you have figured that out for yourself).He’s just typical of a certain type of person who thinks he’s smarter than he really is and then continually proves that he isn’t.
4 Feb 2010, 17:13 pm
@Transformation: Tannie this is a little late but I wanted to respond to your post. The big issue is this. People are confusing the beautiful game and the commercial viability of the sport with S15. S15 is irrelevant to establishing rugby in Port Elizabeth & East London.
What is important is establishing rugby as an entertainment destination first, then moving it upstream as demand and viability takes hold.
I would suggest that the administrators do more than waffle around about S15 franchises and actually do stuff to build the game now – a solid CC team with exciting players who are “draws” in and of themselves – character & personality and “star power” in the region. SARU need to establish a/THE Center of Excellence in PE or East London. Every player of potential from a young age should be given boarding school scholarships to the excellent rugby schools in the region, and then in to the universities. At least 6 competitive club sides need to be nurtured.
PE & East London MUST host a Test match every year so that there is more immediate relationship with the national side. PE & East London must host fringe tours ahead of the larger unions.
Developing a culture of rugby with personality and character all of it’s own is the opportunity.
The faffing around on S15 is counter productive. S15 is not the be all and end all of rugby in the Eastern Cape, and it is the red herring in the net of personal political chicanery.
The Mighty Elephants is a much better name than the Southern Whatevers.
This is a business, it is an opportunity like no other in South African rugby, we seem to be too dof or to self-absorbed in the ever disappearing nature of our belly-buttons in the expanding girths resulting from too much gravy on the train.
Focus on the game. Don’t focus on the tournament.
4 Feb 2010, 18:37 pm
@SodaJoe: thanks for responding soda…you express very noble ideas and thoughts. The current leadership as mentioned has been in-charge for a year & 2 months, and i can tell you in that time they have dedicated more time and energy at reviving the Mighty Elephants, making the brand visible to the public, they got de wet barry in and all sort of other things. It is a work in progress.
Now Soda i would like you to tell me whether the same culture of star-studded rugby you are referring to exists in the free state with the cheetahs or in gauteng with the golden lions?
These regions were HANDED franchises by SARU, were all these things you are talking about in place when this happened? Are they in place now?
Everyone seems to either have their own grandiose ideas of what the Eastern Cape needs or should do or putting up hurdles and flaming hoops for EP to jump over & through!
Point me to a succesful case study of what you are talking about Soda!
4 Feb 2010, 18:55 pm
@Transformation:
The Free State were playing in Currie Cup finals back in 1997, not to mention winning Currie Cups in 2005, 2006 and 2007.
They punch way above their weight. Same as Griquas, who are currently a GIANT on the field compared to the “Mighty” Elephants.
For what reason can EP not beat all of the smaller unions? Griquas is surviving largely on the sponsorship of a single company – Wildeklawer.
In the PE region you have probably 5 times as many corporates as in the entire Free State and Kimberley areas combined.
So why can’t you manage it? And why could the “old guard” manage it, before it as all “transformed?”
4 Feb 2010, 19:12 pm
Transman
Unyaka omtsha oyokozela amathamsanqa xhego!!!
You are wasting your time by trying to reason with these self appointed experts of the need for top rugby in the Eastern Cape. Vested/selfish interests will make it extremely hard for Cheeky’s union to get top rugby. Remember Cheeky is/was a veraaier(umngcatshi) to some of our compatriots. Imagine Cheeky getting credit for bringing top rugby in that part of the world and he has done some excellent work in terms of reguvenating rugby there.
I saw EP during the Vodacom playoffs – very competitive. Nobody is asking for what was never done in the past. Natal was promoted from the B division of the old currie cup and was proven to be an excellent move. Are people asking too much for EP rugby?
Logic will take you nowhere here.
4 Feb 2010, 20:15 pm
@Transformation: Well that’s my idea, if I owned the franchise.
If people have better ideas that move beyond court cases, sniping in the media, and focus on getting some good young players who are athletic, talented, good looking, good with media and good in community relations then be my guest.
De Wet Barry is not that guy.
I don’t think you’re comparing apples to apples, and anyway it is fruitless and moot anyway. The franchises exist, no one is going to take them away – and it’s just posturing to think so.
So let’s do Job 1. Build up a helluva team in Port Elizabeth AND East London.
4 Feb 2010, 20:22 pm
@Peter Mkata: Peter – Natal was promoted as you correctly state. They were not given a free ticket up. And there was tremendous angst when they were “relegated”.
Again, S15 for E Cape is an emotional argument, not a rational commercial argument. And in my opinion just a dof focus on the wrong thing – a tournament vs the game itself.
Flok it. Let the Mighty Elephants get built on a foundation of a terrific rugby culture, and that should not be hard – it’s there already.
Here’s an analogy. For my sins in this and past lives I have supported Leeds United for 40 years. Leeds attendance was teh 5′th highest in the league the year we were relegated to Division 1 (haha – 3′rd Division) and deducted in effect 20 points. Because people love the club and the game, not the League they are in.
That’s what we have to do in E Cape rugby.
4 Feb 2010, 20:30 pm
@SodaJoe: yes….agree…but soda….the other 5 franchises cannot be allowed to do as badly as some have without ramifications….surely a last team gets relegated is not too much to expect?
5 Feb 2010, 00:19 am
@grant10: I have no issue with a promotion relegation match between the bottom SA S15 side and the franchise who lost out.
Cumbersome, as the promotion chasing “team” is not a team, as for a year they will not have played really.
The economics become very very fragile for the relegated franchise.
I doubt this is ever going to happen.
And my argument is that a sustainable business needs to be nurtured, not thrown in to Walmart first go around. Start in Spar and move your way up. Take the knocks and learn the lessons when you can afford it.
5 Feb 2010, 00:21 am
@SodaJoe: spar > walmart
5 Feb 2010, 00:24 am
@SodaJoe: hahaha i know you love leeds united and i admire you for it, i also was partial towards them for obvious reasons…
BUT you lose the plot when you start comparing leeds and the Premiership to the helter skelter, skulduggery & unprofessional way rugby is run in this country!!! YOU are comparing apples with peas…
Case in point, is Newcastle United, they played k@k last year and what happened? They’re in the Championship today, no sentimentality that the Geordies have been in top flight since nineteen-v*etsek, they didn’t get the required points so CHEERS to them! No sentimentality!
This is professional sport i am talking about! Burnley, Wolverhamton Wanderers you’re up! We don’t care how many fans your stadium can take or fanbase you have, you’re up!
Now is south african rugby you do not have that and the so-called Big unions that prop up the bottom of the S14 every year will never agree to it and some here want to tell me about “sound business principles”? Not a chance soda!
Until rugby becomes professional it will always be manipulated by the minority verkrampte who think it is their birth right and they and only they can run it!
Goeie nag!
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