The head of rugby in the Eastern Cape is confident the province will hold its own in a new, more competitive Currie Cup format and that the changes will benefit rugby.
Following a decision last Thursday by delegates from the South African Rugby Union’s (Saru) 14 provincial unions, the Absa Currie Cup will be run according to a different format next year.
The head of rugby in the Eastern Cape is confident the province will hold its own in a new, more competitive Currie Cup format and that the changes will benefit rugby.
Following a decision last Thursday by delegates from the South African Rugby Union’s (Saru) 14 provincial unions, the Absa Currie Cup will be run according to a different format next year.
A majority vote ruled in favour of a six-team Premier Division tournament in 2012, as opposed to the current eight-team format. “Our unions debated this proposal, as well as a counter-proposal, in a robust and mature manner and in the end they made a decision which will ultimately benefit South African rugby,” said Saru President Oregan Hoskins in a press release.
The decision was influenced partly by the extended 2012 Super Rugby tournament, which will push the Currie Cup starting date to August.
This will throw a spanner in the works for local franchise, the Eastern Province Kings, of Port Elizabeth. The Kings are currently playing in the Absa Currie Cup First Division and reducing the number of teams in the Premier Division may make their promotion more difficult.
President of the EP Rugby Union, Cheeky Watson, is nonetheless confident that the Kings will play in the 2012 Premier Division.
At this point, Watson believes the Kings can achieve this by “playing a promotion/relegation match”, which is obviously dependant on the Kings winning the First Division.
This is looking possible, as the PE side are unbeaten after five matches. In an interview with Grocott’s Mail, Watson echoed Hoskins, saying, “It is a good rugby decision, which will produce a stronger Springbok team.”
Watson feels that in the past, unions have selfishly focused on their own agendas and believes the decision is in the interest of rugby.
Saru has already guaranteed the Kings a spot in the 2013 Super Rugby competition, where they will play as the Southern Kings, also with headquarters in Port Elizabeth. This is very exciting news for Eastern Cape folk, who have long been starved of top-flight rugby.
