New Zealand Rugby (NZR) yesterday revealed plans to cull South African teams and Argentina’s Jaguares from Super Rugby next year, in what would be a ruthless shake-up for the competition.
NZR’s planned revamp of the flagship southern hemisphere club 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 cofounded Super Rugby in 1996 with Australia and New Zealand, would see its five teams dumped, along with the Buenos Aires-based Jaguares.
Photo: AFP
NZR chief executive Mark Robinson blamed the COVID-19 pandemic for the “extremely tough” decisions made around the new competition, saying it meant long-distance travel was impossible.
“We have a huge amount of sympathy for what’s happening to rugby in Argentina and South Africa and their inability to play at the moment and the uncertainty that’s creating,” Robinson said.
This year’s Super Rugby season was halted in March as lockdowns were put in place amid the pandemic, with New Zealand and Australia setting up domestic versions of the competition, while South African clubs and the Jaguares remain sidelined.
Robinson said that Pacific participation was a priority.
“As we know, our Pacific nations and Pasifika players in New Zealand have added so much to the rich history of rugby in Oceania and our game here in New Zealand. To have a team that would provide an additional pathway for Pasifika players to perform on the world stage would be hugely exciting,” he said.
Rugby Australia (RA) acknowledged NZR’s plans in a brief statement, recognizing the need to review Super Rugby’s “sustainability and practicality” in the current environment.
South Africa Rugby said it would give a full response next week, but addded that COVID-19 had “asked fundamental questions of the viability of competitions and fixture scheduling.”
Proposals for a Pacific team in the past have suggested players from Fiji, Samoa and Tonga who could all be based in Auckland, but Robinson declined to say what NZR had in mind.
He was also unable to provide details of whether governing body SANZAAR would oversee the new competition, the club ownership structure or even whether it would be called Super Rugby.
Robinson said that the NZR blueprint was a chance to revive Super Rugby.
“We want teams that are competitive and that fans will want to watch go head-to-head, week-in, week-out,” he said.
The announcement from New Zealand Rugby followed a three-month “Aratipu” review led by the chief executives of New Zealand’s Blues, Chiefs, Crusaders, Highlanders and Hurricanes, which recommended a move to an eight-team Super Rugby tournament.
If that provincial competition went ahead, Australia would have only two teams, down from four in the full Super Rugby competition.
The Rugby Championship involving the national teams from South Africa, Argentina, New Zealand and Australia might continue.
On the field, the Queensland Reds downed the Western Force 31-24 in the Super Rugby AU clash at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane yesterday.
Additional reporting by staff reporter and AP
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