The Lions Rugby franchise has been booted into Super15 touch by the SARU bigwigs. The highly controversial and much-maligned Southern Kings will replace the Gauteng union, in a move that has been pegged more for its strategic developmental and politically expedient benefits than pure merit.

IOL has more:

The top four teams in the South African Conference in 2012 (Stormers, Bulls, The Sharks and the Cheetahs) would join the Southern Kings in the 2013 tournament.

The teams were confirmed after a sitting of a Saru general meeting in Cape Town on Thursday. The proposal was first tabled by the executive council in January.

A proposal that the franchise occupying the lowest log position of the five franchises at the end of 2012 be relegated, was passed.

The Lions would be the team to sit out next year, having finished at the bottom of the South African Conference.

The Lions would have a chance to regain their status in 2014.

The executive council previously determined that the bottom team in 2013 would play in a two-legged promotion and relegation series against the relegated franchise.

The promotion/relegation series will also be in place in 2014 and 2015, at which point the broadcast contract expired.

Spicy spice.

[Source : IOL]