Johannesburg - Golden Lions Rugby Union (GLRU) president Kevin De Klerk said the current five Super Rugby franchises met on Thursday to find a solution to the conundrum created by the SA Rugby Union’s decision to include the Southern Kings in Super Rugby in 2013.

"We’ve been mandated by SARU as the five franchises to look at the possible methodology how this will take place in 2013," he said.

"We have met today, we’ve tabled communication to the president and he will comment on that in the next I assume 24 hours."

De Klerk said the unions reached consensus, and the possibility of any of the franchises merging was out of the question. "It is sincerely a tough one, but I am sure that we will in the interest of rugby arrive at the right consensus."
 
De Klerk was speaking after the Lions announced a new multi-million rand sponsorship deal on Thursday.

The GLRU, reportedly in a deep financial crisis, signed a three-year deal with Redefine Properties.

De Klerk said the signing of the sponsor will assist with "legacy issues" at the union.

"It will fall into the budget and we are projecting to have all these legacy issues sorted out in the very near future," De Klerk said.

"We project to be cash flush in months. We are not saying that we are not [cash flush], but this has gone a long way in alleviating the situation at the Lions."