Spears sign SAA as Official Carrier

South Africa’s national flag carrier, South African Airways, stunned South Africa’s rugby community and today signed a 2 ½ year agreement with the Southern Spears, as their Official Carrier through till the end of 2008.

South African Airways (SAA) is the official carrier of the Super 14 and is proud to extend their official carrier status to all teams participating in the Super 14. Thus, with the current inclusion of the Southern Spears in the Super 14, this official carrier status would thereby also be extended to the newest entrant to the competition. This is part of SAA’s agreement with the local and international rugby authorities to be the Super 14’s official carrier.

SAA will become the exclusive airline and carrier of the Spears with immediate effect, both domestically and internationally, up to December 2008, which is the final year of entrenchment in the Super 14 series, guaranteed by SA Rugby in their 8^th June 2005 agreement with the Spears.

This follows the landmark ruling on the 4^th August in the Cape High Court, in which Judge Dennis Davis declared the 8^th June 2005 agreement legal and binding on SA Rugby.

The CEO of the Southern Spears, Tony McKeever, said he was absolutely delighted that the CEO of SAA, Khaya Ngqula had the vision and foresight to recognise the value that the Spears offered rugby, not only in the Eastern Cape but all of South Africa.

The Southern Spears were specifically created to participate in the Super 14 rugby competition and to achieve that purpose, a path to participation in the 2007 and 2008 Super 14, was created through the 2006 ABSA Currie Cup.

Following the High Court ruling in favour of the Spears, South African Airways are the first South African corporate to step forward and contract with South Africa’s 6^th Super 14 franchise, through till December 2008.