The future of the Kings, the South African Super Rugby franchise based in Port Elizabeth, appears bleak. If Harold Verster, the boss of the Cheetahs, is to be believed, Super Rugby will be pared back to 16 teams from next year. "There is much discussion about the current series and the format and two teams of South Africa will fall out and a team of Australia. That would suggest the Kings, who made their Super Rugby debut in 2013, but who weren't included for the next two years, are most vulnerable. They are absolutely confident now that we are in one of the better financial shapes of the Super Rugby teams [in Australia]," Kennedy told Australian media last month.

Source: New Zealand Herald March 14, 2017 04:38 UTC