EP fans asked to vote: Should 'Kings' name be ditched?

Cape Town - Southern Kings fans have been given the opportunity to vote whether they want the franchise’s name to be changed.

The Kings name and logo have already been removed from the union’s Currie Cup and SuperSport Rugby Challenge teams, with the union reverting back to being called the EP Elephants.

The Southern Kings endured a torrid debut season in the PRO14, winning only one of 21 games and the top brass of the franchise feels a clean slate is needed.

Supporters have been urged to e-mail the EP Rugby Union on whether they want the Kings name to be ditched and to also suggest a new one.

“Rugby belongs to the people and we will go with them on this,” EP Rugby president and Southern Kings chairperson Andre Rademan told the HeraldLIVE website.

“It is no use us sitting in a boardroom taking a decision and the public does not like it.”

Rademen said he would like to see a name change.

"There is a lot of baggage around this name. When you speak to sponsors there is a lot of negativity around the Kings.”

Rugby fans can e-mail EP Rugby official Amie Kuhn at amie@eprugby.co.za (for the attention of Nadia Njomba) with their views.

In the e-mail they must indicate whether they are in favour of a name change, and if so, what they would like the new name to be.

The deadline is May 17.