Super Rugby: 18 divided by four?
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A major restructuring is on the cards for Super Rugby which will see a new 18-team, four-conference model introduced.
Australian Rugby Union Chief Executive Bill Pulver let the proposed changes slip on Wednesday, when the official SANZAR announcement was only due to be made next Monday.
The new structure would see two new teams, as well as the Southern Kings, added to the tournament to take the number of participating teams to 18.
The intended changes are yet to to confirmed, but are planned to be introduced in 2016.
The New Zealand and Australian conferences are set to remain the same in terms of structure, but the major alterations will occur in the South African section of the competition.
There will be two South African-based conferences of four teams, with the current five South African Super Rugby teams to be joined by the Kings, a team from Argentina and one more team – which is touted to be from Asia.
Those two conferences based in SA would only face one of the two Australasian conferences each year, to make sure that there is not an increase in travel.
Australia and New Zealand's Super Rugby teams would play two less 'local derby' matches in a 15-game regular season but would strengthen their Anzac ties by increasing their four cross-Australasian conference matches to five.
A SANZAR press announcement is due to be released shortly.
Source: AAP
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