Publications
Partners
Cape Town - Will the Currie Cup feature six or eight teams next season? That's a question rugby bosses will again meet to answer later this year.
The proposal to expand the Currie Cup from six teams to eight next year was not passed during a special general meeting held in Johannesburg last month.
The proposal, which was tabled with the SA Rugby Union (SARU) at the end of the Super Rugby season, was initially presented to the unions at a special general meeting held on September 19, but the vote was delayed until the 30th for further consideration.
While the final vote was in favour of the amended structure of the competition, with a 19/10 split, the motion didn’t carry because it required a 75% majority vote.
The Kings and the Pumas were set to be added to next year's competition before the voting process scuppered those plans.
However, there were rumours that some unions were calling for a revote which now looks likely.
According to the Beeld website, the issue will again be discussed at a SARU meeting on December 5.
Some of the smaller unions have reportedly had a change of heart and would like to see the Currie Cup Premier Division be expanded to eight teams.
However, those smaller unions are not in favour of the two teams who are promoted getting the assurance of staying in the Premier Division for more than one year.
Therefore, they will vote in favour of an eight-team Currie Cup, provided there is no assurance to any team staying there for more than one season.
Should this revote take place and the Currie Cup is expanded, then the current promotion-relegation series between the Pumas and Griquas will be of pure academic value, with both teams to play in the top division.
The EP Kings - who were runners-up in this year's First Division - would be the eighth team joining the top tier.
The proposal to expand the Currie Cup from six teams to eight next year was not passed during a special general meeting held in Johannesburg last month.
The proposal, which was tabled with the SA Rugby Union (SARU) at the end of the Super Rugby season, was initially presented to the unions at a special general meeting held on September 19, but the vote was delayed until the 30th for further consideration.
While the final vote was in favour of the amended structure of the competition, with a 19/10 split, the motion didn’t carry because it required a 75% majority vote.
The Kings and the Pumas were set to be added to next year's competition before the voting process scuppered those plans.
However, there were rumours that some unions were calling for a revote which now looks likely.
According to the Beeld website, the issue will again be discussed at a SARU meeting on December 5.
Some of the smaller unions have reportedly had a change of heart and would like to see the Currie Cup Premier Division be expanded to eight teams.
However, those smaller unions are not in favour of the two teams who are promoted getting the assurance of staying in the Premier Division for more than one year.
Therefore, they will vote in favour of an eight-team Currie Cup, provided there is no assurance to any team staying there for more than one season.
Should this revote take place and the Currie Cup is expanded, then the current promotion-relegation series between the Pumas and Griquas will be of pure academic value, with both teams to play in the top division.
The EP Kings - who were runners-up in this year's First Division - would be the eighth team joining the top tier.
