REPORT: NZ Rugby tables three Super Rugby options
SPOTLIGHT: Fresh reports emerged that New Zealand Rugby has drafted three options for a new trans-Tasman competition to replace Super Rugby in 2021.
According to 1News, New Zealand Rugby has revealed their desire to form an eight or 10-team competition with the season pencilled to start in late February or early March and conclude with a June 19 final.
The three drafted option will include Australian teams and a Pacific Island side.
The Union is adamant about having all their five Super Rugby franchises involved, with two spots available for the Australian and one for the Pacific Island side in the proposed eight-team tournament.
However, the eight-team competition is indeed the proposal that has resulted in a very public spat between NZ Rugby and Rugby Australia.
On Friday, RA chairman Hamish McLennan expressed his resentment over the idea and it was reported that Australia are working on a plan B competition without New Zealand, an eight-team competition featuring all five Australian professional teams, as well as teams from Fiji, Argentina and Japan’s Sunwolves.
*Read: RA rejects NZ’s Super Rugby plans
Meanwhile, the report in 1News stated that NZ Rugby’s two 10-team competition proposals are set to consist of the five New Zealand sides, four Australian sides and one Pacific Island representative.
One of those options will see each team play four teams twice and five teams once, the second would reverse that order, with each team playing five teams twice and four teams once.
Including semi-finals and a final, option one would create a 68-game season, whole option two would increase that number to 73 games.
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With Super Rugby Aotearoa concluding in just three weeks, the NZ Rugby urgently need to find a solution that will make its current private investors and his trans-Tasman brothers happy.
1News added that the Investor representatives are insisting upon more details regarding the competition entity, while some are also baulking at the requirement to greatly increase their capital commitment.
New Zealand Rugby and club representatives are scheduled to meet on Tuesday to discuss the new format and the renewal of licences.
Purposed Competition structures 2021:
Three options
Option 1: 8 Teams
Play all teams home and away.
15-week regular season
Semifinals + Final
TOTAL GAMES: 59
*TEAMS: Five NZ, two Australia and one Pacific Island
Option 2: 10 Teams
Play 4 teams twice, 5 teams once
14-week regular season
Semifinals + Final
TOTAL GAMES: 68
*TEAMS: Five NZ, four Australia and one Pacific Island
Option 3: 10 Teams
Play 5 teams twice, 4 teams once
15-week regular season
Semifinals + Final
TOTAL GAMES: 73
*TEAMS: Five NZ, four Australia and one Pacific Island
Source: 1News
