Dump South Africa now
SPOTLIGHT: SANZAAR’s South African CEO Andy Marinos is protesting forcefully, but another report emerged that New Zealand should ‘dump’ South Africa in exchange for a Trans-Tasman deal.
The Newshub website reports that SANZAAR’s days of running Super Rugby could be over by next year already.
The ‘revelation’ is contained in leaked details of New Zealand’s ‘Aratipu’ review – commissioned in April, when the Kiwis revealed would expand their existing review into Super Rugby.
Named Aratipu, and chaired by Don Mackinnon from the Blues, it appeared to signal that some radical changes may be on the horizon from 2021 – including a Trans-Tasman competition with the addition of a team from the Pacific.
This is in stark contrast with the eruption by Marinos earlier this week.
“I have actually been quite bemused by it all, because it is more just coming out of certain sectors within New Zealand – around not wanting to play in South Africa and wanting to do their own thing,” Marinos said.
“It just seems to be a bit of a chorus in this part of the world [Australasia].
“SANZAAR, as a joint venture, remain committed to working together and whilst we appreciate coming out of 2020 is going to be slightly different, we are busy working through those permutations.”
However. the Newshub report claims SANZAAR would focus only on the Rugby Championship.
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Super Rugby was to have proceeded with teams from New Zealand, Australia, South Africa and Argentina, following the axing of Japan’s Sunwolves from 2021.
But Newshub says sources have revealed “SANZAAR’s days of running the [Super Rugby] competition appear to be over from next year.
“Southern Hemisphere rugby’s united front could soon be over,” the report stated.
Aratipu also wants any new competition to feed into a bigger international tournament, the report claims.
That might involve the winners going into play-offs against the champions from other countries.
The proposed changes to the competition have been welcomed by those involved.
“As long as it keeps the qualities that are making this competition really successful – strong teams right across the board, strong games,” Blues coach Leon MacDonald is quoted as having said.
“There’s a little bit of a recipe here that, as long as they don’t deviate too far away, would be well received.”
It’s understood the missing piece to the Super Rugby puzzle was identified by review chair Don Mackinnon from the outset.
“Do we look at a European Cup-type play-off model in the short-to-medium term, whereby we’re looking at the best of the best playing,” Mackinnon wondered at the review announcement in April.
Three-time champion Crusaders coach Scott Robertson has also expressed his desire for something more for the Super Rugby winners.
“I love the idea of how we can connect up, if we have a competition down here and then we can link to the north,” Robertson suggested in May.
“That would make it pretty special.”
SANZAAR’s sole purpose moving forward would be to oversee the Rugby Championship, but latest developments suggest that after quarter of a century, southern hemisphere rugby’s united front could soon be over.
Sources: Newshub & RugbyPass
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