Early days, as SARU meets Lions

A delegation from the South African Rugby Union met Golden Lions Rugby Union officials in Johannesburg on Thursday to discuss ways of managing the impact of the exclusion of the Lions from the Super Rugby competition in 2013.

SARU President Oregan Hoskins, Deputy President Mark Alexander and CEO Jurie Roux, met Kevin de Klerk, president of the GLRU, Altman Allers, Deputy President and Ruben Moggee, acting CEO of the GLRU.

The meeting, as revealed on Wednesday by this website, was to review the effects of the Lions' relegation from the tournament, following last week's vote by SARU provinces.

"This was an exploratory conversation and it's too early to predict what the outcomes will be," said Roux.

"We reviewed the Lions' Super Rugby business model and considered the financial impact.

"The exclusion of any of the existing five franchises was a last resort for SARU.

"We will look at options for support for consideration by the Exco [Executive Council of SARU] in the short term."

De Klerk, who revealed to this website that they are keen to engage SARU to find a solution, said they are hopeful of a positive outcome.

"The conversation was a very serious discussion on the future of the Lions and hopefully we can work together to some positive outcomes," De Klerk said.

Roux said that SARU had noted the decision of the arbiter in the case for compensation brought by the Leopards and Mpumalanga Rugby Unions against the GLRU, their partner in the Lions franchise.

He said the matter had not been discussed with the Lions as it would have been inappropriate to do so in the absence of the junior partners in the franchise.