It’s not about Super Rugby
August 18, 2012 in Uncategorized
This week 11 of South Africa’s rugby unions, together with SARU, voted the Lions out of Super Rugby. While superficially this may seem a simple matter, it’s not.
Basically, these 11 unions, and SARU, said that SA rugby can do without the Golden Lions Rugby Union, their clubs, their junior rugby structures and their schools rugby structures. These 11 unions said that, compared to three minor unions who haven’t achieved anything of note in their entire existence, the GLRU is irrelevant.
Let’s face it, with their struggles over the last year or so, the chances of the GLRU surviving, financially once they lose their sponsors or competitively once they lose their best players, is minimal. But that’s what SA’s rugby unions and bosses decided they want – South African rugby without the Lions or any of their subordinate structures.
It is a difficult decision for me as a longtime Lions supporter to accept but reading the comments on many of the web sites it seems that most people are OK with it. They accept the fact that the politicians have taken over SA rugby.
Oh, they will complain when the Springbok emblem finally disappears in a year or to but they will accept that as well.
Let me tell you: any rugby supporter who accepts the way the Lions were stabbed in the back by the senior unions who promised their support (currently the only thing that is certain is that the Free State Rugby Union is one of the back stabbers but with only two unions voting for the Lions at least one of the Sharks, WP or Blue Bulls also stabbed us in the back), any supporter who continues to support these unions deserve it when the Springbok emblem disappears, they deserve it when the Springbok team includes players not selected on merit, they deserve everything they get in future.
The way I feel at the moment I will not be watching Super Rugby anymore, I will not support a Springbok team that includes players from unions that voted to kill off the Lions; in short, I will not support South African rugby.
I deleted my Baylion blog after SARU’s decision was known and later created this one but maybe that was a mistake. I gave it a lot of thought today, this whole issue is still too raw and maybe I need to take a break for a while.
But for the the moment:
Go Golden Lions!!!
Go All Blacks!!!
Edit: Having slept on it I think I will try and use this blog to get some closure, hopefully without out being too negative.
AliM said on August 23, 2012
I’ve had enough of this! I refuse to sit around and watch as South African politics destroy the GLRU, and SA Rugby.
They forgot about one massive steakholder in this entire process, and that was the fans!
I’ve started a petition against SARU’s decision. If anyone reading this feels as passionate about this as I do, sign the petition at http://www.sportsbanter.co.za.
I would have organised a protest outside of SARU’s offices, but seeing that I’m a taxpayer that actually contribute’s to SA’s economy, this was the best way I could fight this decision from my desk at work…
FERDINAND MASSYN said on August 21, 2012
Can we spread the word that all Lions SUPPORTERS boycott the Test that is going to be played at FNB Stadium.
COME ON LION SUPPORTERS ,LETS STAND TOGETHER NOW.
LETS DO IT .SPREAD THE WORD
Michael said on August 20, 2012
Jurie Roux can’t call himself CEO if he doesn’t even know how relegation works. I have a feeling he doesn’t even know the meaning.
For the past couple of years SARU have been destroying the game of rugby with their poor knowledge of the game and selection just so that they can fill their pockets.
It wouldn’t surprise me whether the other unions were threatened by the SARU if they did not give the right vote to oust the Lions from Super Rugby.
It is time for change in the SARU whereby Jurie Roux and his bunch of dictators need to step down and let someone who has passion for the game take over.
Lourina Paterson said on August 20, 2012
Ek weet net die ouer garde wat saam met Transvaal in die 60ger jare soos ek die Leeus begin ondersteun het, het ‘n leeftyd van op en af, sukses en flaters, beleef het, maar nog nooit kon droom dat mede uinies hulle in die rug sal steek net om een man…(cheeky)met sy seun…(luke) te help om vir sy seun darem “groot” rugby te laat speel. Dis rerig ‘n jammerte dat so dag aangebreek het. Ek sal altyd vir my span…LEEUS(Transvaal) ondersteun. Ek is ‘n LEEU en is trots daarop. Die unies wat teen ons gestem het…onthou…die wiel draai en as hy terugkom na julle kant..pasop…die regering het julle ook in hulle visier. Hulle benodig nog spanne om hulle vriende te akkommodeer.
Michael said on August 20, 2012
Ek stem saam met jou oor daai een. Die regeerings weet dat die LEEUS ‘n bedreiging is al het ons jong onbekende spelers. Daar is net jaloesie in die ander kampe waant ons het die beker gewen sonder bekende spelers.
BosBeFonk said on August 20, 2012
Welkom terug! Ek geniet jou blogs want dit lig my altyd in wat by ons Leeutjies gebeur. ‘n Strategie wat ook vir die Leeus kan werk (aangesien meeste van die senior spelers bly) is om die hou op die ken te vat en dan volgende jaar Vodacom beker te speel. Finansieel is dit definitief nie wat die Leeus wil he nie maar die spelers sal fiks bly, selfvertroue opbou en dan reg wees vir die westryd teen die Kings waar die Kings by daardie tyd al moeg na die SR seisoen is. Al probleem is die finansies
Baylion said on August 20, 2012
Kon maar nie wegbly nie, te veel op die hart. Ek dink die Leeus sal van hulle spelers “uitleen” want die salaries rekening is hoog – onthou hierdie ouens is op Super Rugby salarisse (minimum R31500 pm) en vir ‘n groep van 30 is dit amper R1m pm minimum.
Eggball said on August 19, 2012
I am so disappointed at the way in which the unions voted, the reality been that in one year’s time they will stab the Lions once more and the relegation match will not take place. This was a self preservation vote,” rather you than me”, the Kings will never have to play this match it would have to one of the other unions and they will vote this down before we get there.
I would think the two who voted for the Lions would have been WP and Bulls they have both been at the bottom of pile, when people put the boot in.
This is a long road ahead for the Lions the Valke and Leopards are going to be removed from the Lions club matches and you will probably find the Schools who join the Lions schools festivals will be excluded as well; the Lions need to look after their own before helping others. This will not be because of vindictiveness this will be because of money.
I will still be going to Ellis park and I hope the arm chair Lions supporters stand up and be counted.
I will be protesting by not purchasing tickets to the Test match at FNB stadium as this is a SARU initiative and the Lions supporters are supposed to cough up.
Baylion said on August 19, 2012
Unfortunately this is one time I agree with Cheeky Watson (never thought I’d say that!) but it is ludicrous to bring in the Kings for one year. Unless they have same big names (still unknown) lined up they will finish last next year and to involve them in a play-off then means that this whole exercise has been a waste of time.
So they will either change it to the last team other than the Kings or they will guarantee the Kings 3 years.
Rassie Venter said on August 19, 2012
Ek kan nie verstaan hoe daar so min reaksie is op hierdie grootste ABORSIE in die beataan van Rugby in SA nie, maar dan moet ‘m mens nie verbaas wees nie want elke enkele sport waarin die ANC betrokke geraak bestaan net maar sal nooit weer wees wat dit was nie. Die Lions Pres het net soos sy ANC Kaders ‘n verlede wat mooi inpas en hy kon maar net so wel in die Parlement gesit het. Maar die ding wat die seerste maak is jkom ons begin met die Vrystaat hulle het nou na jare finaal daarin geslaag om die Leeus te sink, na hulle die CATS gesink het was dit hulle persoonlikke misie om die Leeus uit te haal. Was dit nie ook hulle wat klagtes by SARU ingedien het toe daar op een stadium vir enkele minute nie genoeg spelers van kleur op die veld was nie. Na hulle volg die WP en Natal wat agteraf gegaan het en onwettig met Leeu spelers gaan onderhandel het en toe gehelp het mnet slinkse regsadvied om moontlikkr skuiwergate in die kontrakte te soek nie. Nou is dit nie eers nodig nie werk saam sink die Leeus en al die goeie spelers val in hulle skoot. Ek sal nooit weer ‘n SARU span op alle vlakke steun nie, en ek wens daar is meer mense wat so voel, maar mens moet dit op ‘n manier doen wat saak sal maak. Dit is vir my baie stil uit die Leeu hoofkwartiere hoop nie hulle het sommer net handoek ingegooi nie, het gedink Kevin sal hoself laat geld soos in sy spelers dae. Al wat baie duidelik is is dat een van die groter Unies die ding gegryf het, wonder hoeveel geld het hande verwissel soos met die Vrystaat se toelating ‘n paar jaar gelede. Groete, ek is in
Baylion said on August 19, 2012
Daar’s blykbaar Dinsdag ‘n perskonferensie by die Leeus.
Volgens wat ek kan aflei uit gesprekke op verskillende forums het die Leeus nie net stilgesit al die maande nie. Daar’s hard gewerk en ook alternatiewe ondersoek insluitend alternatiewe kompetisies. As ons wag vir SARU om alternatiewe te reel sal ons vir ewig wag.
Laat ons maar hoor wat Kevin de Klerk Dinsdag te se het
Amalionlion said on August 19, 2012
Ek het gehoop die ouens maak ‘n punt na wat die hopeloos onbevoegde SARU hierdie week aangevang het maar veronderstel na als wat die laaste klompie maande gebeur het was dit sekerlik te veel gevra. Ek kan nie anders as om te voel dit is die einde van die Leeus as ‘n rugby unie nie. Kan jy glo!!… wat ‘n skande!!… ‘n Unie wat alreeds finansieel nou-strop trek en dan op so ‘n tragiese manier uit die Super reeks gestem word sal nie in vandag se wereld ‘n bestaan kan maak nie… Die groot unies wat teen die Leeus gestem het, julle lot kom kerels.
Hierdie besluit gaan julle almal nog lekker in die agter-ent byt. RIP my Rooi-bontes. RIP SA rugby.
guntz27 said on August 18, 2012
I am dissapointed that my union voted against you! It doesn’t make sense! I can only imagine that it is because you guys are a threat and we don’t want to merge again!
I have a problem with the whole situation, the Kings doesn’t deserve this, if they played against you guys in a 3 game promotion-relegation series and won I would be ok with it but not with how it was handled.
In the end I would still say the biggest back stabbers are the SARU they were not man enough to make a decision and used voting so that they had a easy way out, don’t count against it that they manipulated unions to vote against the Lions save their backs!
SARU is a bunch of spineless cowards heading our countries best performing sport! Not healthy!
Baylion said on August 19, 2012
Just on a point of order, there cannot be a promotion relegation match(es). Promotion/relegation implies that there is a second tier competition where you are promoted from/relegated to as in the Currie Cup. This also implies that your player contracts, sponsorship agreement, etc. remain intact, albeit at reduced values.
Super Rugby hasn’t got a second tier to be relegated to so the Lions haven’t been relegated, they have been kicked out. There is no alternative competition available for them to play in.