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Cape Town - Sport24 readers are strongly opposed to the idea of a merger between the
Kings and Lions after reports of talks between the teams.
The two teams are set to square off in two Super Rugby promotion-relegation matches after the Kings were confirmed as the lowest-ranked South African team in this year's competition.
The matches are set to take place on July 26 and August 2.
Yet, despite vehement denials of any such negotiations from Kings Director of Rugby Alan Solomons and CEO Cheeky Watson, rumours of a possible amalgamation of the teams are rife.
According to reports, the Kings and the Lions were still locked in negotiations about a possible merger in Super Rugby next season.
Lions and Kings' fans on Sport24 however, would rather risk the threat of relegation than entertain any notions of a possible amalgamation.
Some Lions and Kings fans even suggested they would refuse to support a merger of the two teams, should it occur.
This is what Sport24 readers had to say:
"Please do not merge! We need the extra pressure on SA teams to do well in the Super 15." - Anthony Van Bosch
"Pleeeez, just put the Kings down... put them out of their misery and give us back our Lions spot..." - Squeegee Pilot
"The Kings have no reason to amalgamate with the Lions because they are going to beat the Lions in the play-offs to be in the 2014 Super rugby competition. Go Kings go...we love you!" - frankgerald
"When the Lions thump the Kings where will all these played go." - Timothy Martin
"Lions, don't even think about it you will lose lots of fans. I am a lions all my life and I am 45 now, but believe me, I will also write them off if something like that must happen. I don't want anything to do with the Watsons." - Bill Cosby
"The Kings have more fans than the Lions. When the Kings play they are supported by big crowds, unlike the Lions where the stadium is always empty. It is clear the Kings will bring more money to SARU." - Njabula Mzolweni
"The system will make sure that the Kings win the playoffs." - Anton Anton
"Merge? Never! Just put the Kings back where they belong - out of Super Rugby!" - Peter Hampshire
"The Lions Kings? It is going to look like the stampede that ran over Mufasa! If they do this, they are gonna get hurt!" - Dirk du Plessis
"Merge the Cheetahs and the Bulls. Their jerseys can be green and gold...." - Niel Van der Walt
"The relegated Lions and BEE pavement special Kings will mutate into the most hideous creature yet." - Steve Trenam
"A bit late for April 1st?" - Alfred Joseph
"We can call them Klingons." - Arno Louw
"The only thing they'll Klingon's the last spot on the log." - Jahendel Daniels
"Please, no! The Watsons will use Lions and stab them in the back!" Reggie Reginald 3110
"That will never happen the Lions is to clever to emerge with the Kings. This is stupid. How can a inland team emerge with a coastal team. The Kings must emerge with Sharks and call the team 'KING SHAKA'." - Charl Lloyd
"This is not even a consideration:
"Perish the thought that this could ever happen." - Steve Ritchie
"Awful if they merge I have no team to support." - Charl Badenhorst
"Lousy idea. The Kings are not in the same class." - Fanie Viljoen
"Never, why don't the Bulls and Lions join. They in one province after all..." - Alan Patrick
"Disaster waiting to happen - failed before with Cats venture and the Coastal Sharks." - Tim Kilpin
"Won't work. The whole idea of the Cats was dumb and that was Lions and Cheetahs. How will they work something spread over two provinces 1000 miles apart. Absolutely stupid." - Lee Richard Parke
Demetri Catrakilis of the Kings and Elton Jantjies of the Lions. (Gallo Images)
HAVE YOUR SAY: What do YOU think about a possible merger between the Lions and the Kings following recent news reports? Send your thoughts to Sport24!
The two teams are set to square off in two Super Rugby promotion-relegation matches after the Kings were confirmed as the lowest-ranked South African team in this year's competition.
The matches are set to take place on July 26 and August 2.
Yet, despite vehement denials of any such negotiations from Kings Director of Rugby Alan Solomons and CEO Cheeky Watson, rumours of a possible amalgamation of the teams are rife.
According to reports, the Kings and the Lions were still locked in negotiations about a possible merger in Super Rugby next season.
Lions and Kings' fans on Sport24 however, would rather risk the threat of relegation than entertain any notions of a possible amalgamation.
Some Lions and Kings fans even suggested they would refuse to support a merger of the two teams, should it occur.
This is what Sport24 readers had to say:
"Please do not merge! We need the extra pressure on SA teams to do well in the Super 15." - Anthony Van Bosch
"Pleeeez, just put the Kings down... put them out of their misery and give us back our Lions spot..." - Squeegee Pilot
"The Kings have no reason to amalgamate with the Lions because they are going to beat the Lions in the play-offs to be in the 2014 Super rugby competition. Go Kings go...we love you!" - frankgerald
"When the Lions thump the Kings where will all these played go." - Timothy Martin
"Lions, don't even think about it you will lose lots of fans. I am a lions all my life and I am 45 now, but believe me, I will also write them off if something like that must happen. I don't want anything to do with the Watsons." - Bill Cosby
"The Kings have more fans than the Lions. When the Kings play they are supported by big crowds, unlike the Lions where the stadium is always empty. It is clear the Kings will bring more money to SARU." - Njabula Mzolweni
"The system will make sure that the Kings win the playoffs." - Anton Anton
"Merge? Never! Just put the Kings back where they belong - out of Super Rugby!" - Peter Hampshire
"The Lions Kings? It is going to look like the stampede that ran over Mufasa! If they do this, they are gonna get hurt!" - Dirk du Plessis
"Merge the Cheetahs and the Bulls. Their jerseys can be green and gold...." - Niel Van der Walt
"The relegated Lions and BEE pavement special Kings will mutate into the most hideous creature yet." - Steve Trenam
"A bit late for April 1st?" - Alfred Joseph
"We can call them Klingons." - Arno Louw
"The only thing they'll Klingon's the last spot on the log." - Jahendel Daniels
"Please, no! The Watsons will use Lions and stab them in the back!" Reggie Reginald 3110
"That will never happen the Lions is to clever to emerge with the Kings. This is stupid. How can a inland team emerge with a coastal team. The Kings must emerge with Sharks and call the team 'KING SHAKA'." - Charl Lloyd
"This is not even a consideration:
- 1. Golden Lions Rugby AKA the Lions have two subordinated partners - The Leopards & the Pumas - with debt of R30-50m
- 2. The Southern Kings - with subordinated partners Border and SWD with SARU as 51% shareholders have debt of R20-30m
- 3. So 6 Unions to morph into on franchise from 2014-2015 is to much of a crackpot idea and too desperate a notion to even consider.
"Perish the thought that this could ever happen." - Steve Ritchie
"Awful if they merge I have no team to support." - Charl Badenhorst
"Lousy idea. The Kings are not in the same class." - Fanie Viljoen
"Never, why don't the Bulls and Lions join. They in one province after all..." - Alan Patrick
"Disaster waiting to happen - failed before with Cats venture and the Coastal Sharks." - Tim Kilpin
"Won't work. The whole idea of the Cats was dumb and that was Lions and Cheetahs. How will they work something spread over two provinces 1000 miles apart. Absolutely stupid." - Lee Richard Parke
Demetri Catrakilis of the Kings and Elton Jantjies of the Lions. (Gallo Images)
HAVE YOUR SAY: What do YOU think about a possible merger between the Lions and the Kings following recent news reports? Send your thoughts to Sport24!
