Kings: SARU to decide next month

The South African Rugby Union will, hopefully, bring an end to the protracted Super Rugby participation saga next month.

SARU said in a statement on Tuesday that a meeting of the General Council of the union will now take place in Cape Town on August 16.

This meeting replaces the postponed July 13 General Council gathering – which was scheduled to decide on which five teams will represent South Africa in the 2013 Super Rugby competition.

The Southern Kings have been 'guaranteed' a spot in the 2013 competition, with the participation of the other four teams still had to be decided.

While the official line is that the Kings will play Super Rugby next year, the flipside of a very confusing coin suggests that it will not be at the expense of any other South African team.

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SARU  Chief Executive Officer Jurie Roux said on Tuesday that reports of proposed alternatives to be considered at the meeting were purely speculative.

"Media are reminded that the responsibility for deciding South Africa’s participants in the Super Rugby competition rests with the General Council of SARU," the statement said.   

Each of the 14 provincial unions has two voting seats on the Council (one of whom must be the union president or his deputy).

The SARU president, Oregan Hoskins, also has a vote, making 29 votes in all.

Roux confirmed an Executive Council decision not to comment on any deliberations.

"This is clearly an important issue of wide interest," he said.

"But the decision rests with the General Council and until they have made that decision it serves no purpose to become involved in speculation on any scenarios."