The Central Unions have retained South Africa’s fifth Super 14 franchise, South African Rugby Union (Saru) president Brian van Rooyen confirmed on Wednesday.
However, the South-Eastern Cape franchise — comprising South-Western Districts, Eastern Province and Border — will play in the 2007 and 2008 Super 14, with the South African team that finishes last in 2006 dropping out to make way for them.
In the meantime, Saru will provide financial support for the South-Eastern Cape franchise and assist them in getting sponsorship.
That means the Stormers, Bulls, Cats, Central Unions and the Sharks will all play in the 2006 Super 14, with one change. The Bulls will no longer incorporate Eastern Province, but they will include the Falcons as part of their franchise.
The Saru president’s council met in Sandton on Wednesday to finalise the five franchises for 2006.
Saru deputy president Andre Markgraaff failed to attend the meeting.
Markgraaff did send his apologies, as he apparently had another meeting, but Van Rooyen made it clear that his vote was not necessary, as there had been no vote. The agreement was reached with the full consensus of the president’s council.
Van Rooyen said SA Rugby will examine the whole competition structure in South Africa, and a report on competitions in the country will be completed within the next 21 days.
”We will extend and replan the whole competition system,” said Van Rooyen. ”There will be no restriction on the movement of players, but we want to promote continuity in teams. We also need to ensure that the best 200 players are included in the six franchises. The Currie Cup will remain the premier competition in South Africa.
”We just need to manage it,” said Van Rooyen.
Asked how Saru expects the government to respond, chairperson of the executive committee Gideon Sam said he does not anticipate any objections.
”The leadership of rugby in South Africa was making decisions about rugby. It was rugby people deciding what was best for rugby in South Africa.”
A member of the management committee, Dolf van Huyssteen, said the sixth franchise, which is not playing in the Super 14, will play against the five other franchises, and will also play matches against the second tier of international teams, such as Argentina, Fiji, Samoa, Tonga and Namibia.
”This is in line with the aim of the International Rugby Board to develop rugby in areas other than the traditional rugby-playing countries,” he said.
The meeting was much shorter than had been expected. There were several breaks, during which various groups got into huddles and tried to get their points across. At one stage, Sam was surrounded by at least eight other people, and was seen to be talking volubly.
When he was asked whether everyone was happy with the decision, Van Rooyen would only say: ”We reached consensus.” — Sapa