SA Rugby knew of Kiwi 'walkout' plans
REACTION: South Africa was well aware that New Zealand was planning a future without one of its main SANZAAR partners.
NZ Rugby on Friday revealed plans to cull SA and Argentinean teams from Super Rugby next year.
It will be the most ruthless shake-up yet for the ailing competition.
NZ Rugby’s planned revamp of the flagship Southern Hemisphere franchise tournament would contain New Zealand’s five existing teams, two to four from Australia and one newcomer from the Pacific – giving the sprawling competition a strong Trans-Tasman focus.
South Africa, which co-founded the original SANZAR body with New Zealand and Australia back in the early 1990s, would see its five teams dumped – along with the Buenos Aires-based Jaguares.
In reaction, SA Rugby confirmed that they were aware of New Zealand’s plans to divorce from SA Rugby.
“SA Rugby has been kept abreast of the thinking in New Zealand and of the outcomes of the Aratipu Report to address the immediate challenges of travel restrictions that may stretch into 2021,” the national body said.
SA teams will almost certainly join up with the European-based competition – most likely an expanded version of the Pro14.
There has been much talk of a Pro16 or Pro18 competition involving teams from SA, Ireland, Wales, Scotland and Italy.
“The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has had a massive human impact and, in our sport, has asked fundamental questions of the viability of competitions and fixture scheduling,” SA Rugby said.
“As part of the SANZAAR joint venture, we will be examining how the mooted new competition will fit into the existing contracted competitions.”
NZ Rugby Chief Executive Mark Robinson did not provide details of whether the governing body, SANZAAR, would oversee the new competition, the franchise ownership structure or even whether it would be called Super Rugby.
Super Rugby had its origins in the amateur South Pacific Championship, evolved into the Super 10 competition – between 1993 and 1995 – featuring franchises from Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.
It became Super 12 in 1996, when the game turned professional.
Once lauded as the best franchise competition in the world, SANZAR’s problems began when the administrators launched an ambitious expansion programme and the number of franchises ballooned to 18 at one stage – as teams were added in Japan and Argentina.
A confusing conference system did not help, nor did the competition’s giant geographic footprint, which meant supporters wanting to follow their team’s fortunes on the road had to tune into games in the middle of the night.
Also worth reading …
New Zealand dump South Africa from Super show
