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![Not allowed!](images/buttons/up_dis.png)
SA's five Super 14 franchises could withdraw from the regional competition next year if SA Rugby does not ensure that the Lions (Cats) play in the 2007 competition.
That threat was made in a letter, leaked to The Weekender this week, sent by the five franchises on August 14 to Johan Prinsloo, MD of SA Rugby at the time.
The letter, written on Golden Lions Rugby Union stationery but endorsed by the Sharks, Bulls, Stormers and Cheetahs, covered grievances relating to the Spears' competence.
The letter urged SA Rugby to meet the Spears and their constituent unions to impress on them that they are not ready to play in the Super 14. The letter also said that if SA Rugby did not resolve the Spears issue, the five franchises would take action.
A highly placed source told The Weekender that the intended action would mean the franchises withdrawing from the competition.
"It would be problematic for any franchise to compete in the Super 14 in the current climate, and if the Spears are not withdrawn, we would reconsider our future participation in the tournament," the source said.
"The Spears' participation would undermine the whole competition, and we cannot be party to that."
If the threat is carried out, SA Rugby would be in breach of the Super 14 contract, to which New Zealand, Australia and Rupert Murdoch's News Corp are co-signatories.
The media company owns the rights to the Super 14 and Tri-Nations tournaments, and would certainly take a dim view if five teams from SA withdrew at short notice.
The strong bargaining position the five franchises enjoy is based on the fact that they are not signatories to the contract, so technically they would not be in breach if they withdrew.
The ramifications of such a drastic step would be disastrous for SA Rugby, leading to a split between the ruling body and the five leading unions.
The franchises have control over players as they pay their salaries through the member unions. Even the 24 contracted Springboks are paid largely by their unions, and could become pawns in a political game.
Since the letter was sent, SA Rugby has managed to buy controlling stakes in the Border and Eagles unions. But it has hit an impasse with Eastern Province, the third union in the Spears region. The matter will now go to the high court.
Last month, SA Rugby won the right to appeal the decision of Judge Dennis Davis, who had ruled that SA Rugby had reneged on a deal to allow the Spears to participate in the Super 14 next year.
If the ruling body loses the appeal, scheduled for November 23, the franchises will either have to make good on their threat to leave the competition, or back down.
Dear Lord, if you give us back Johnny Cash, we'll give you Justin Bieber.
Well, its a shit fight. Unreal!
Spears suck balls...
Every forwards dream is to become a back...
Can't say that it comes as a surprise to see the SA S14 teams rally around to keep the Spears out, after all the debate this year is for the Cats to be replaced in the Comp but to be fair the Stormers and Cheetahs were a matter of 2 or 3 victories away from being in the same position and who knows what might happen next season. This is their way of securing their position and removing once and for all the threat of relegation.
Reading between the lines it appears they (franchisees) have the ability to threaten this action while the SARU cannot be seen to support it I wouldn't be sure they (SARU) aren't behind it though.
I've stated my point of view on other similar threads and still maintain the Spears deserve a place in S14 this season, SARU have messed up big time (its not the fault of the Spears Shaun), lets hope there is little truth in the rumours that we could be inviting SA rugby to play in the NH on a regular basis, what a shambles.
Oh well, eighteen home and away rounds of five matches per week (assumably SA will play the Spears!), ladder leader wins. With the first seven weeks free of All Blacks, the Aussie teams are looking the goods!!!
"Bloody oath we did!"
Nathan Sharpe, Legend.
Wow, talk about throwing the toys out of the pram.
Looks like they are picking up their Gilberts and going home.![]()
Exile
Port Macquarie
"Let me tell you something you already know. The world ain’t all sunshine and rainbows. It’s a very mean and nasty place and I don’t care how tough you are it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain’t about how hard ya hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done! Now if you know what you’re worth then go out and get what you’re worth. But ya gotta be willing to take the hits, and not pointing fingers saying you ain’t where you wanna be because of him, or her, or anybody! Cowards do that and that ain’t you! You’re better than that!" - Rocky Balboa
hehhee someone must have told them there's a Springbok game this week and till now the bok campaign hadn't been derailed by stupid SARU politics.... easily fixed though
hehehehe - I emailed this to my saffa mate (Sage you met him at the 49-0 game ; the one who rucked my Wallabies jacket at the end of the game)
His response
GoldOriginally Posted by Saffa mate
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Last edited by Moses; 31-10-06 at 08:22. Reason: Automerged Doublepost
Flat-top I never said it was their fault, I just said they suck.
Every forwards dream is to become a back...