With just hours to go, the time is right to pour some petrol on those propaganda flames. Once again, I found myself reflecting on the possible curve balls SARU (South African Rugby Union) can toss at SANZAR in effort to justify their Southern Kings bid.
Will they get additional government funding? Will the fact that they have the infrastructure and stadium ready to go play part in the decision?
What about the 74 professional South African rugby players playing for overseas clubs?
The conclusion to this speculation though led me to feeling a bit like a magic eight ball: logic dictates Melbourne will win.
It’s become apparent that News Corp recommended that Melbourne get the nod, this in itself should be enough to justify the decision as money talks in the professional era, yet it did nothing to easy burning sensation in the pit of my stomach.
The primary cause of my paranoia must be the Australian media who have made us all well aware of the in fighting and politics around finalising the Rebels bid.
First, there’s three bids uniting, then VRU is sidelined, next thing we know VRU is back in favour, and VicSuper15 withdraws interest.
It’s been all but a smooth ride to the submission, but to give credit where credit is due, the ARU pulled all the parties together and submitted a bid backed by all remaining stakeholders, and everyone is happy.
The Southern Kings bid, on the other hand, seems to be going backwards.
More than a month after their bid to become the fifteenth franchise was submitted, the Currie Cup stakeholders cannot find a place for the new team in the current first division of the primary regional competition.
This comes after the (Currie Cup) President’s Council voted to not let the Southern Kings participate in the first division of the Currie Cup in 2010 at the cost of a team that rightfully qualified for the spot, and the problem is compounded by the fact that the Southern Kings will essentially be made up of the top players of three of the existing provinces in the second division of the Cup.
Are they doomed to fail, even with player numbers, infrastructure, a stadium?
Mismanagement seems to be the order of the day as it looks to me like they drew a pretty picture of the destination (Southern Kings), with no idea of what the route would be to lead them there.
Give them three years.
And when Super 15 expands to Super 18, they might have sorted out the domestic requirements to make the Southern Kings a natural conglomerate rather than a forced entity. But until such time, they’ll remain Kings without a kingdom.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.
Sometimes it’s best to start at the finish. The Waratahs winning the Super W final 50-14 against the Drua was the cap to a…
So many Australian rugby fans look back on 2023 as a complete disaster for the game down under, with million-dollar blowouts, an Eddie experiment…
After three losses, the Crusaders are not the powerhouse of previous seasons, while Rugby Australia is set for a new Chief Operations Officer to overcome financial issues.
While fans may have anticipated an exciting game based on some big-name signings, the Rebels failed to create a cohesive unit for effective rugby.
Prior to Christmas, there were several articles discussing the precarious position of several entities linked to Melbourne Rebels chair Paul Docherty and the Rebels’…
The benefits of a rugby centralisation model will be streamlined development, a united front, and becoming a rugby powerhouse on the global stage.
