Super 14 rugby officials postponed an expansion of the competition’s finals series until 2010 after failing to agree on a format.
The South Africa, New Zealand and Australia rugby alliance (SANZAR), proposing two extra teams in next year’s playoffs in a bid to refresh the provincial championship, failed to find a consensus on a teleconference on Tuesday, SANZAR said.
“We would all like to have gone to a six-team playoff series in 2009 and accepted that principle at our July meeting in Perth, but we could not agree on the playoff structure that was to be adopted,” SANZAR managing director Andy Marinos said in an e-mailed statement.
South African officials had wanted the finals to be based on a geographical conference system, rather than just the top six team qualifying, the Christchurch, New Zealand-based Press newspaper reported on Oct. 17. New Zealand and Australia wanted the latter format because fans would understand it better.
The three partners also failed to agree on a common approach for the so-called experimental law variations next year and opted to keep rules unchanged.
South Africa wanted to adopt variations used in the northern hemisphere because it will host the British and Irish Lions next year using those laws.
The New Zealand and Australian rugby unions were committed to continue playing under the same rules used in this year’s Super 14. The major difference is that most penalty offenses are reduced to free kicks.
“After reflection we have recommitted to that principle as an organization,” Marinos added.
The Super 14 will start on Feb. 13, SANZAR said, adding that the schedule would be issued in “due course.”
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