Southern Kings Lodge Their Super 15 Bid

When SANZAR announced that the new team to enter Super rugby would be based in Australia, within the same countries “new conference” it was naturally assumed that the new side would obviously be an Australian team.

A long and detailed process has ensued. 

Two audacious bids from New Zealand have since not been approved by the NZRU.  While the two submissions (Taranaki and Hawke’s Bay) came from the Hurricanes catchment area—a collection of provinces containing a huge amount of depth that in theory could support a new franchise—it was unlikely that the status quo would be changed with the model within New Zealand rugby working efficiently as is.

In Australia, it has not been so simple.

Bids from the Sunshine coast, Central coast and Western Sydney have since not been approved by the ARU.  The latter’s non approval of the Expression of Interest was met with some raised eyebrows around the country, with many believing that this area of New South Wales had the depth and support to sustain a team.

The three bids then were approved to Victoria, but the waters have been distinctly muddied by the contrasting nature and relationship of the three bids.  Officially, the VRU, the VicSuper15 consortium and a third bid from the Belgravia group came in. 

In theory, one represented the official rugby union of the state, another represented a breakaway group with numerous key members’ former members of the VRU, while another was a dark horse, but was said to have represented a more pure business model.

Rumours and hearsay has since plagued this bid, with allegations that the VRU has been passed over, rumours that financial backers from all groups have walked away, and a general state of confusion over the actual position of the bid itself.

It now appears that the ARU itself will control the bid.

A statement released read "The ARU will now construct and may have to fund an ownership model for the new entity and the structure will be separate from the VRU to enable it to focus on its core responsibilities of managing and growing Community Rugby."

So could this in theory give the South Africans a slight advantage, with their Expression of Interest based around the Southern Kings?

SARU have from day one taken firm control of the bidding process and it appears that this in itself could be a significant advantage in their application.

Of course, the concept of a sixth team is not foreign to the South African landscape, with the now defunct Southern Spears saga dominant on the minds of many locals.  In premise, this team should already be operating.

When the Super 12 expanded to the Super 14, and South Africa gained a fifth team, the concept of a promotion and relegation system was to be introduced.

This system on the surface made perfect sense, as the current five South African Super rugby franchises do not spread their catchment to all 14 of the country’s domestic unions.

However, controversy, legal proceedings, changing of the guard with the SARU presidency, as well as alleged issues of non competitiveness (the three unions that the Spears would have drawn on were not premier division Currie Cup teams) conspired against the “sixth team.”

The Spears, as a rugby entity, now no longer exist.

In some respects, the Kings are re-born body of the doomed Spears franchise.

So in this, there will many very determined people to make sure that rugby in the South Eastern Cape of South Africa is represented at the highest level.

And perhaps SARU themselves will want to rectify what some people believe are the wrongs of the past in relation to the sad demise of the Spears team.

South Africa has submitted their official bid to SANZAR, with the 60 page bid and EOI document forming a compelling case for inclusion into the expanded 2011 Super 15 tournament.  With a decision to be made on the team due on October 21, the realities are that it may go beyond a simple SANZAR vote.  If a consensus cannot be reached the matter will likely proceed to arbitration.

But Andy Marinos is confident for the Kings inclusion.

"The Bid document makes a very exciting and compelling case for the Southern Kings' inclusion," said the acting managing director of SA Rugby.

"SA Rugby has taken the lead in the organisation and preparation of the Bid Document with input from all stakeholders in the three provinces and, all together, it makes for an outstanding case.  We have put together a strong and sustainable business plan based on realistic sponsorship and attendance projections."

"In addition, the Kings' Bid is not a case of having to reinvent the wheel - they can be operational very quickly: the Kings have a ready audience; they have a fantastic stadium; there is a rich heritage of rugby in all communities and a significant number of schools that continue to produce outstanding young players,” Marinos stated.

While Melbourne holds the advantage of being situated within the Australian conference, and being an international class sporting city, beyond this, the actual details of the “Victorian team” are still vague.

In this, the Kings represent an undeniable dark horse to the bidding process.

"Key personnel with Super Rugby experience in Alan Solomons (director of rugby) and Stefan Pretorius (managing director) are ready to fill the main leadership roles and they have already identified players with top-level experience who are willing to sign in due course."

Solomons coached the Kings in their inaugural match against the British & Irish Lions, losing with a respectable 20-8 scoreline.

"We have already identified the coaching team and have taken soundings with Super Rugby quality players both here and overseas and are convinced we can put together a very competitive squad."

"The assumption has been made that that the 15th team has to be based in Australia because it will feature in the log of the Australian Conference, but that is far from the case," said Marinos.

"SANZAR has to make a decision that makes rugby sense and business sense and the Southern Kings fills both criteria. Even the claims that it makes logistical sense to be based in Australia do not stack up to close examination - the Kings would have only one more match overseas than does a South African franchise at the moment."

While there are fears, as there was with the Spears, that the Kings would not be competitive, Marinos strongly disagreed.

"There are 74 South Africans playing in the French Top 14 and English Premiership compared to 20 Australians and plenty more where they came from looking for the opportunity of top flight rugby," said Marinos.

"The Kings pulled together a very competitive team to take on the British & Irish Lions in June and only Derick Kuün could be counted as a current Super 14 player - it shows the depth that we can tap in to.”

"The Kings are a franchise waiting to burst to life."