‘Super Rugby changes speculative’ – Andy Marinos

Editor

SANZAAR CEO Andy Marinos said reports that a Super Rugby franchise will be axed and the competition’s format changed are speculative.

A report on Monday suggested that SANZAAR are considering reverting back to a 14-team Super Rugby competition and doing away with the tournament’s conference system from 2021.

According to a Sydney Morning Herald report, the Tokyo-based Sunwolves are set to be culled from Super Rugby as Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Argentina battle to reach agreement about a competition format which suits all unions.

But Marinos refuted the report on Tuesday.

“The recent reports in the media around the next iteration of the Super Rugby tournament are nothing more than speculative,” he said via a press statement.

“As a business we are presently looking at our future competition structures from 2021 onwards, a matter that has been widely reported in the media. We have not reached any definitive decisions around our future competition including the number of teams that will participate in the future structure.

“We will continue to engage with our stakeholders specifically the national unions (Argentina, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa) and our broadcasters, as we plan ahead for the future and the next broadcast cycle that commences in 2021. If there are any changes to our structure we will communicate this at the appropriate time.”

Super Rugby’s inaugural competition started in 1996 with 12 franchises from New Zealand, South Africa and Australia after rugby turned professional and the tournament underwent further expansions over the next decade taking the competition to 18 teams.

The 18-team format, which included expansion into Argentina and Japan, was dumped after the 2017 season when South Africa’s Cheetahs and Kings as well as Australia’s Western Force were axed.

Argentina’s Jaguares have shown steady improvement since joining the tournament in 2016 and made the play-offs in 2018 after finishing in seventh position on the overall standings.

The Sunwolves, who also played in the competition since 2016, have struggled, however, with their best finish registered last year when they ended second last on the overall table.