| Team | P | W | B | Points |
| SA Conference | ||||
| Bulls | 11 | 8 | 2 | 46 |
| Cheetahs | 12 | 8 | 1 | 40 |
| Sharks | 12 | 6 | 1 | 33 |
| Stormers | 11 | 4 | 2 | 30 |
| Kings | 11 | 3 | 2 | 24 |
| AU Conference | ||||
| Brumbies | 12 | 7 | 2 | 46 |
| Reds | 13 | 8 | 1 | 44 |
| Waratahs | 12 | 7 | 2 | 38 |
| Rebels | 12 | 3 | 2 | 28 |
| Force | 13 | 2 | 1 | 19 |
| NZ Conference | ||||
| Chiefs | 12 | 9 | 1 | 48 |
| Crusaders | 11 | 7 | 2 | 42 |
| Blues | 11 | 6 | 2 | 41 |
| Hurricanes | 12 | 6 | 1 | 34 |
| Highlanders | 11 | 1 | 2 | 16 |
Originally based on a design by Upstart Blogger.
SARU have finally come to a decision regarding Super Rugby 2013, with the Lions missing out in favour of the Eastern Cape outfit.
We will confirm the exact detail as it comes out, but the just of the story is that the Kings will play Super Rugby in 2013, after which a promotion relegation match will be played between them and the Lions to decide the participant in Super Rugby 2014.
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Paging Megatron!
Well I feel sorry for the Lions supporters!
best news i have heard for a long time.bring top rugby to the eastern cape again. goodnight to the lions.please turn off the lights
as you leave. 
@pete69 (Comment 3) : LOL ” top rugby and eastern cape in the same sentence ”
“…after which a promotion relegation match will be played between them and the Lions to decide the participant in Super Rugby 2014.”
It seems you are already predicting a last place finish for them next year then?
@pete69: Dude, they can’t even get into premier currie cup, they going to be an even bigger embarrasment!! The political wheel in motion, don’t worry if you not good enough, all in the name of “development”
@13 (Comment 5) :
I didn’t mean to hide the fact that I think they will finish last..
So I’ll say it again.. the Kings WILL finish last not only in the SA conference, but off all 15 teams..
Where is the “vomit” smiley?
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 7) : what will give the Lions the”privilage” of playing the last placed SA S15 team??
Why dont they put Griquas in rather?
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 7) : Unfortunately I don’t think it will make much difference.
The Lions will battle to hold on to their best players, making it very difficult to win any type of promotion/relegation match next year.
@CLASSIC SHARK (Comment 9) :
What gives the Kings the ‘privilege’ to walk into Super Rugby?
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 12) : Exactly.
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 12) : Has SARU said anything about a promotion/relegation match for the Currie Cup or will the same 6 teams take part next year? Know anything?
I hope Mega can take as good as he gives
Welcome to big league boys.
i need a hug …
@Ben (Comment 14) :
Apparently there will be a promotion relegation match, so we will most likely see the Kings taking on Griquas for that spot..
I am not sure if a guaranteed spot has been negotiated with their freebie into Super Rugby?
@13 (Comment 11) : Agree, I feel sorry for all the Lions supporters…… What about the R40 million story.
@Zibbie (Comment 16) : Don’t worry, you’ll be back soon :hug:
Let the bidding begin…
@Zibbie (Comment 16) : Zibbie you are my enemy this week, but my deepest condolonces! I really feel for the Lion supporters!
@Argex (Comment 20) : on the floor weve got Elton Jantjes… First bid from the guy in the blue (bulls) shirt in the corner…
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 12) : Exactly my point, esp over the CC champs. Something the Kings can only dream of being..
@VanWilder (Comment 22) : Next bid from the man from PE looking to reunite Elton with the prodigy that is Earl “the Pearl” Rose.
anyways thats just awesome, 10 free points for each SA team.
Just heard the Kings signed Katrakilis from wp! Apparently its been confirmed! Let the signings begin!
@Evan 101 (Comment 26) :It would still be a gamble for players to sign with the Kings, as they stand a chance of only playing there for one season… Anyways, the next few months will be quite interesting to see who goes where…
@JarsonX (Comment 19) :
man its hard to see the Lions get past this . Will loose players in heaps ..
@Sharksmad – The Blog’s Dudette (Comment 21) :
thanx
hahah . not even sure i can generate to strength to hate the Sharks this week 
@VanWilder (Comment 27) : Agree 100% Just want to know? What happens if say the Cheetahs end bottom or maybe the bulls?
Just seem a bit unfair if they end lets say third and still have to play promotion relegation!
Whatever happened to sport and politics dont mix? This is a joke! Without sounding negative, I think the Kings should try and get sponsorship from Vaseline because they will be taking it dry the whole season!
@Zibbie (Comment 28) : i truely feel for you. Ellis Park is the closest venue to my home, thus ive watched alot of games there, even though my beloved sharks did not play. Will miss it…
Kings won 23-6 apparently, from now on I will only support the Lions and the 2 others teams that voted with us(as soon as I find out who they are) all the rest of the SA teams are dead to me
Surely the Lion players won`t really want to commit to the Kings if it`s only gonna be for one season so they`ll look at us, wp, Cheetahs or that other blue team?
@Original Pierre (Comment 34) : its going to be a 50/50 call for the lions players. play vodacom cup for one season and risk other players climbing the pecking orders, or move and risk a one season contract…
WP to open their checkbook wide open now. I actually feel for the guys currently playing for the Jesters(Can’t really call them Kings). The Kings are gonna buy players like crazy and at least 80% of that so called home grown E.P players are gonna lose out on has-beens, never-will-be’s or nameless overseas players. As much as this is going to affect the current players at the Lions, so to will it affect the current players at the Jesters
Tell you what as an EC man,I am bloody chuffed,the manner in which it had to happened is unfortunate,just wish we had gotten an extended period of atleast 3 years,see what we can do when we retain our talent
Ta Megs,hay yiyo le buth’ omkhulu…nezethu intwana mazifumane ithuba lokuzibonakalisa
And at the end of the day, will it really be so bad for the Jesters to be in the SupeRugby? They can’t do any worse than the Lions did the last couple of years. At least there will be no Lions team for the Sharks to lose to
@Mutley (Comment 33) : So you got 6 votes in total?
@Mutley (Comment 33) : Guess that Mapoe deal came back to bite you after all…
@Argex (Comment 39) : actually, they got 4 votes in total… the other 2 were presumably their own delegates
@robdylan (Comment 41) : Will be interesting to see who voted for them as well, if they ever reveal it. But what’s done is done…
Time for Rhodes and Pat Cilliers to come back home.
@robdylan (Comment 41) : All politics, reality is that out off all the unions, EP has the most politically savvy leader in Cheeky Watson. My guess will be that the other two unions who voted against it was the Pumas and the Leopards
@GreatSharksays (Comment 43) : Rhodes and his dodgy knee can stay there
Can’t say that I’m too disappointed with the prospect of not having the Lions prop up the Super rugby log next year.
New team and supporters to ridicule, all still very wet behind the ears and all hopeful that somewhere somehow the Kings can do what no other noob team has been able to do since the inception of the S14….get anywhere near a top 8 finish.
Tough for the Lions supporters, they deserve more, but the Lions management – all the way to fat cat KdK deserve exactly what they got. Hopefully the rot at the core of Lions rugby can now finally be eradicated.
Can’t see this news not affecting the Lions for Saturday’s game, we all know how fragile minded they are when life happens.
@robdylan (Comment 45) : Agree, plus he likes to go ‘rest’ on the sidelines for 10 inutes most games, but Pat Cilliers can come back.
big money and huge sponsorship been put in place so a lot of new faces will be coming to the kings. now perhaps all the local talent will stay home in the e.c
@Vince (Comment 31) : Whatever happened to sport and politics dont mix?
Thanks for pointing out the obvious of which we do not speak.
I think the Lions had ample opportunity to prove their worth in SR, even the Tjietas managed to pip the big guns for their fair share of upsets.
Every year the Lions had the same excuse:
Ludeke = the Coach’s fault
Loffie = the Coach’s fault
Muir = the Coach’s fault
Mitchel = the Coach’s fault
Anyone else see the pattern emerging…
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 12) : Perhaps the potential to develop into something that being sidelined all these years has denied them.
So will you be as bitchy about the Lions attempt to return ad you are to the Kings now?
To the Lions fans; hard luck. Your union has failed you, hopefully this leads to a good clean-up.
@pete69 (Comment 48) :
More money does not necessarily mean more players will sign contracts. Most of the best players in SA are already tied into their current contracts.
Case in point would be the Lions themselves. Before the whole Guma deal went south, the Lions had plenty of money yet we didn’t see a huge amount of new signings.
Think the best you will be able to do is a couple of young untested players as well as a few journeymen looking for a nice payday.
Will this be enough to compete in Super Rugby…who knows?
@pete69 (Comment 48) :
All the best to you guys. Hopefully some folks can swallow the bile by next year. Not too sure about that though.
@FireTheLooser (Comment 50) :
Please don’t impose logic – apparently it’s all just politics. Even their results.
Cheeky Watson declared on radio a few minutes ago that he wants to appeal the decision. He is not satisfied with the 1-year guarantee. He wants a 3-year guarantee of Super Rugby participation. What an ungrateful tool!
I hope the Jesters can lure Cecil Africa to them. At least then they will have one very dangerous weapon
@FireTheLooser (Comment 46) : Force where 7th in ’07 (a fact many Sharks fans forgot with the rest of that year) and 8th in ’08 and ’09
@TRF_Ezequiel (Comment 54) : Hahahahaha!! Bet SARU did not reckon on that!
All in all – if the relegation of the last team was known and pronounced, this would not have been such a big deal. BUT, SARU made promises and they are not doing a good thing of covering up their mess : 1. Should Griquas not be next in line to get a shot at SR then? 2. What’s this about SARU having shares in the Kings?
This is far far from over..
@Ice (Comment 57) : The Griquas are already in SR. The Cheetahs is a Griquas and FS Cheetahs Franchise.
@KSA Shark © (Co mment 58 ) : do they just borrow 1 ør 2 players or is it a proper agreement?
@Die Kriek (Comment 56) : And yet the Lions have not even come close to breaking into the top 10.
@Big Fish (Comment 53) : So many argue that the Kings have done nothing to earn their spot in SR (I was one of them), yet nobody has been able to argue why the Lions still deserve their spot in SR.
The final straw for me with the Lions was when they once again, knowing that this year is make or break, decided to AGAIN blame their coach because the poor little old players got their feelings hurt.
Good riddance to bad rubbish, let’s give the Kings as much time as the Lions had and see whether they’ll be willing to grab the opportunity given to them, because the Lions seemed to be content with simply earning SR wages year in and year out.
@Zibbie (Comment 16) : (hug) (hug)
@Zibbie (Comment 28) : yip – that would be my worry that the better players will not stick around, though unlikely that they will move un- masse to the Kings. Probably the bigger unions will raid the Lions.
Still some hope of beating the Kings.
@VanWilder (Comment 32) : me too. it
venue (at least for me)
@Ice (Comment 59) : It’s an agreement.
@Mutley (Comment 33) : do you know who voted for the lions?
@FireTheLooser (Comment 60) : Lions adminstration / coaching and I would also say the players probably played a part in the demise of thefranchise over the past few years. Makes me wonder how have they won the CC last year – I really thought that would give them the required kick up.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 64) : oh ok, although I am sure they would have jumped at the opportunity to be an individual team in the comp.
@Ice (Comment 67) :
Ja Ja Ja. Scramble for a new reason to hate the Kings now. Times a-wasting.
@Big Fish (Comment 68) : fck?!? Who said anything about hating?? I don’t agree with how this was done, but I don’t totally disagree with the concept either, just think the rightful first in line should get the shot..
What is with you guys on here lately?? You are worse than woman with PMS – making it a really uncomfortable sometimes! Its a public forum and are u not one for people are entitled to their opinions always? LTFU!
@TRF_Ezequiel (Comment 54) : they deserve as much,why should EP Kings only get 1 year when the Lions have had plenty opportunity,the reality is that at the end of 3 years,if they aren’t up to scratch,then it can be reviewed.
@FireTheLooser (Comment 60) : thank you sir
Who are the Kings sponsors?
To be honest the way this has gone down is shameful. Cheeky Watson showing his true colors , there’s a rotten apple called Luke pretty close to this bent over decrepit apple tree. I feel sorry for the apple to some extent ,one wonders how much is down to nurture and how much is down to nature?
All the best to the Kings…not. How much will this weaken SA rugby? To have a team jump in and out of super rugby every year?
Only upside is competition among the conference will be epic ,no one wants that bottom spot ,doubt we will ever see anyone but the Kings there(unless they change it to a three year plan)but nonetheless desperation from the Cheetahs should encourage them to play better.
@Ludz (Comment 70) : Ludz me thinks this was a concilation prize to get the Kings off their backs after they made a (not well thought-through) hasty decision…but its backfiring left right and centre as Cheeky will not leave it at that.And I doubt Lions will either.
One has to wonder what the legal implications are. Does unions have contracts with SARU to play in the SR etc.
Like I say, I am not against the concept and perhaps it should have been implemented a long time ago. I do however have a problem with how this was handled. And if the next in line (griquas) were happy with their Cheetah arrangemnet, then rightfully it is the Kings turn as log toppers of the 1st Div CC and coming in after Griquas.
They should just have announced the relegation at the beginning of the season and not sprung suprises on people / unions. They should also have layed down how it was going to work in future, so everyone was under the same understanding. And they should nt have worked this backwords. Making a decision and then saying how its going to work. BAD communication etc.
Badly handled by SARU – but thats just my opinion.
I have not read any of the comments yet…..but does this swing things in favour of the Sharks this Saturday? Or will the Lions players play like demons in order to “sell” themselves to other unions?
@Vince (Comment 31) :
Whatever happened to sport and politics dont mix?
Of course it mixeas sir!! Where do you think Fikile Mbalula fits in as sports minister
@Ice (Comment 73) :
Surely you can’t claim it’s a surprise. The Kings have been promised a slot for 2013 for several years now. This was confirmed again in January, with only the “how” postponed until now to give all parties opportunities for input.
Griquas have never asked for a team by themselves. They have been in a joint bid with the Cheetahs from the start.
Next in line is not the next best team. If this was a rule then the Sharks would not have been allowed into the Currie Cup in 1990.The next in line would be the next biggest market ie. Port Elizabeth.
I understand that you can’t please all the people all the time. SARU however have pi**ed off all the people all the time. Both and Kings and the Lions are going to appeal against the decision!! The Lions because they’ve been thrown out and the Kings because they know they’ll be relegated again after 1 year. What a joke! Why do our administrators have to make us the laughing stock?
Overall the whole Kings thing has been a joke and an embarrassment! Even Kings supporters in general (not the one eyed ones) have to agree.
JustPlainShark
You of all people have been around long enough to know discussing politics is not allowed on this site.
To all of you guys saying the Lions don’t deserve their place in Superrugby and the King should get a chance. The Superrugby is between the top 5 of each country, regardless where the Lions end, they are within the top 5 teams in the country, the Kings are 7th at best. So now SA won’t sent the 5 best to represent us but rather 4 and a B division team. The reason why the Lions deserve their spot in because they are in the top 5 no matter where they ended in Superrugby
@fyndraai (Comment 76) : well, untill I read it last night, I did not know about How long this has been in the planning. And u know griquas has not asked or would have like their own team in, how?
In any relegation system, the team last in one tournament plays the team topping another tournament…its common sense! Why would you take a weaker (not the best) team of a lesser tournament to play the bottom team in a better tournament? That would be daft!
And please – Clicks sell reading glasses – buy one get on free on reading glasses…do yourself a favour.. I said I am not against it, I said I just don’t like the way it was done AND I said if GW were not intereseted – by all means then the Kings are next in line. Unlike you, I did not know all the ins and outs and all about SARU, you forgot I stalk players, not administrators.
This is the best news ever. Since 1998 the SA teams have been on average 1.3 log points worse off than the aussies and 1.8 points worse of than the kiwis because of the Lions participation. They never pitch for the games against the overseas teams but they always try to smash their South African counterparts. They nearly eliminated the Sharks from the race this year and a couple of seasons back they actually did eliminate the Stormers in the last round of the season.
@Mutley (Comment 79) : Valid argument, although I am willing to bet that if the Kings were given a couple of seasons to play Super Rugby, they would vastly outperform the Lions. Have a look at how many of the top players in SA come from there. The Bulls and Sharks are both filled to the brim with players from the Eastern Cape.
@King Shark (Comment 82) : What do you think the average points difference will be in future with the participation of the Twatsons?
@Mutley (Comment 79) : One more thing: doing the same thing in the same way will not yield different results. The Lions “tried” to change things. They had Ludeke, Loffie, Muir, Mitchell and they kept on sucking. If they can’t fix things at a lower level, then perhaps SARU is right to change things at the top by taking them out and bringing in another team.
Purely from a business perspective it makes sense to bring in the Kings. You cannot keep throwing money at a losing outfit. At some point you have to back someone else that has the potential.
@diablo (Comment 84) : I think it will be even because everybody will get their free 5 pointer!
@diablo (Comment 84) : @King Shark (Comment 86) :
As much as I dislike the Watsons, this is not about them but about providing opportunities for the region of the Eastern Cape.
Were the Bulls always competitive in Super Rugby??
Last time I checked they lost ALL their matches during the 2002 season.
Stop being so narrow minded. This decision is for the greater good of rugby in SA.
@Ice (Comment 80) : Ice… why are you still going on about Griquas? This has nothing to do with them. Griquas ARE already part of a Super Rugby franchise… it’s called the Cheetahs
@wpw (Comment 86) : Ah, optimism – I’ve read about that somewhere!
@Ice (Comment 69) : Im, glad you as a women mentioned the PMS thing, its something I’ve bitten my tongue about many a time lately. Normally a good performance and/or a win helps clear it up but in this case (Kings eligibility), it may take a bit longer.
So the Sharks are the only S15 union with only one feeder union?
Cheetahs : Free State, Griffons & Griquas
Lions : Golden Lions, Leopards & Pumas
EP Kings : Border, Eastern Province & SWD
Bulls : Blue Bulls & Valke
Stormers : Boland & Western Province
Sharks : Sharks
@Argex (Comment 90) :
True.. BUT,
Do the Lions use any players from the Leopards or the Pumas? No
Do the Bulls use any players from the Valke? No
Province have only ever used Bolla Conradie from Boland.
So that makes the Cheetahs the only union to use other players, and they are still kak!
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 91) : have to agree with you..the bulls would never choose players from the valke as they can’t even put together a decent training run..watched them the other week..we were training on the same field as them..one or two line out calls and they done..
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 91) : Yeah that makes sense. So in theory that’s the case, but in reality it doesn’t really work that way.
Not a single comment from Megatron yet
Is he ok?
@shaniboi (Comment 92) : Those poor smaller unions…
@JarsonX (Comment 94) : Probably babbelas from the huge party after yesterday’s news
@shaniboi (Comment 92) : The Valke stopped pretending to be a professional union about 3 years ago.
That they still have any seats on SARU’s exco is a disgrace.
@JarsonX (Comment 94) : I think he might be busy setting up his “KingsWorld” supporters blog
@robdylan (Comment 97) : What happened to them?
@FireTheLooser (Comment 98) :
Brilliant 
@robdylan (Comment 87) : I AM NOT GOING ON?!? I am trying to ANSWER people on what I said or ENQUIERD about in the firts posting – as they clearly did not read it properly. Can’t one ask a bloody question? And IMO its a valid question.
@Ice (Comment 101) : why are you getting so worked up, Ice? Do you know that typing in caps is like shouting?
@Argex (Comment 96) : @FireTheLooser (Comment 98) :
@Argex (Comment 99) : they took a look at the tapes and realised how shit they were?
@robdylan (Comment 104) :
Can it be saved though?
@Ice (Comment 101) :
Ice, the problem is that you keep using the invalid Griquas example – this is not the first time. Fyndraai made an excellent point – the Sharks snuck into top-flight rugby via the back door and should be the last ones to be sanctimonious.
In any event, despite it being the usual suspects with the usual inclinations firing away at the Kings, perhaps can at least agree to support them as an SA side next year. After all, it’s not like they set out to target the Lions.
@Ice (Comment 101) : Hey Look!! Dan Carter in underwear
@robdylan (Comment 87) : Regardless whether they are a part of a Super 15 franchise or not, they would jump at the opportunity of playing in the competition as an independent union (franchise), as would the Pumas and the Leopards and Boland. The Eastern Cape crowd were also part of a franchise but they opted to be bought out.
@Salmonoid (Comment 108) : and that is what I was trying to get across. But ja..
@robdylan (Comment 102) : want julle donners frustreer my.
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 91) : They only used Bolla because they were DESPERATE.
@lostfish (Comment 110) :
But they could..
And I only put that in there, because I knew some oke would correct me with the Bolla situation..
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 111) : Yup they could but they always seem to go to the varsity teams instead.
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 111) : or Canada
Unconfirmed reports suggests that the Bulls and Sharks voted for the Lions.
@lostfish (Comment 112) :
@lostfish (Comment 113) :
True!
We should know by now that SANZAR decisions are never about rugby only. There are always other factors at play – the main two usually being money and power plays. I’d venture a guess that the ‘top 5 teams’ argument has little to no bearing on these decisions.
Don’t blame the Kings for this decision, SARU made promises to them that they reneged on twice and in the process painted themselves into a corner. The Kings inclusion was always going to come at the expense of another union and the Lions were the perfect fall-guys due to their record in Super Rugby and the general mismanagement in their union.
I still think there’s a silver lining here though – this might be the kick up the backside the Lions’ management need and hopefully regardless of how long the Kings remain involved in Super Rugby – come 2015 when the tv rights are renegotiated, the Kings will have a very good idea of what it takes to participate in the competition. I honestly wish our East Coast cousins the best of luck next year!
I guess I’m a glass-half-full kind of guy
@vanmartin (Comment 116) : thanks Van
@robdylan (Comment 102) : Why do you think she mentioned PMS?