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In an ironic twist of fate, within a few hours Southern Kings and Cheetahs will face off in a fixture that will be both sides Super Rugby swan song. And as the curtain begins to close, an announcement has yet to be made on what will become of Super Rugby’s outcasts.
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There appears little doubt however, that both teams will be competing in a re-invented Guiness Pro 12 format from September onwards. Cheetahs CEO Harold Verster all but confirmed what many have presumed when speaking to Bloemfontein based radio station OFM.
The CEO of Cheetahs rugby, Harold Verster, speaks of the teams expected inclusion into Pro14 rugby #Rugby #Pro14 pic.twitter.com/UvYk3a1ZhA
— Morgan Piek (@MorganPiek) July 13, 2017
“We have opted to accept a settlement with SA Rugby, rather than fight the issue in court because we have a contract to play Super Rugby until 2020.
“We have negotiated an amicable solution and there is a wonderful opportunity for us up north, for the Cheetahs and Kings. It will be easier to travel and so on, so we’re excited about the new venture.”
The fixtures for the upcoming Pro 12 season have yet to be released, by comparison the Aviva Premiership fixtures were released almost a week ago. The reason for the uncertainty and delay in making a formal statement appears to be due to the Pro 12 board wishing to make the announcement themselves.
“Unfortunately they have opted to make the release themselves once everything is in place,” said Verster.
“That will be around about the 15th of July, once their board is in place. It’s a company and SA Rugby will be joining and be a part of the company as shareholders.
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“Once those things have settled they will make the big announcement as to exactly where, when and how it will work.
Mohoje returns for Cheetahs against Southern Kings #SuperRugby #Cheetahs https://t.co/pqSeJXh4Yl pic.twitter.com/PA3VpDAl3V
— Super Rugby (@super_rugby) July 12, 2017
The Pro 12 in its current format, just about squeezes into an already chaotic Northern Hemisphere schedule. The addition of two new teams will be no small feat when attempting to take player welfare into account.
A re-imagined structure could see the league split into two conferences, seven teams in each and an expanded play-off system. Whatever structure they roll out by July the 15th, it’s apparent that sticking with the status quo would not be in the best interest of the players.
