New Zealand demands cuts to number of Super teams

Super Rugby will change next year and an Australian team could be in the firing line after it emerged New Zealand argued strongly for a reduction to a 15-team competition.

Reports out of New Zealand suggest the NZRU went into a Sanzaar meeting in London at the weekend with the strong position that Australia cut one team and South Africa cut two.

Given any change to the competition requires a unanimous vote, Australian Rugby Union officials Bill Pulver and Brett Robinson – or their South African counterparts – could have vetoed the NZRU position, but it is not known if they did or not.

South African Rugby is under severe financial pressure, but political influence is also strong, and it is not clear whether there was an appetite to cut one team, let alone two.

All national unions deferred to Sanzaar after the meeting. An official statement from the joint venture said a decision had been reached and would be announced in coming days.

Consultation will now be had with broadcasters in each territory, meaning Australian teams will remain in limbo until at least next week in regards to whether or not a team will be pulled from the competition.

‘‘Following two days of robust discussion there are a number of tournament considerations that now require further discussion and consultation,’’ Sanzaar chief executive Andy Marinos said after the meeting.

‘‘This includes final consultation within the national unions and discussion with key stakeholders that would allow the adoption of changes proposed by the strategic plan.

‘‘Sanzaar will make a formal statement on the future of the organisation, Super Rugby and the tournament format in the coming days.’’

The Western Force, Melbourne Rebels and ACT Brumbies - the three franchises most likely to be axed - now face another frustrating period of uncertainty just when they thought they would get some closure.

While the ARU took two secret options into the meeting, Fairfax Media understands New Zealand’s preference was for a 15-team competition whereby one Australian and two South African teams would be punted.

If NZR did in fact flex its muscle, and given all unions have to agree on the make-up of the competition, the ARU may have been left with no other option but to get rid of one of its teams.

However, for South Africa to give up two teams seems a little less likely given they pushed so hard to expand from five sides to six not long ago.

Sanzaar is yet to put forward any concrete information on how the format will look in 2018 but is in the process of speaking with broadcasters, including Fox Sports, to tweak the Super Rugby broadcast arrangement which was supposed to last until 2020.

An 18-team model could still get the green light, with the idea being to introduce a three-conference system consisting of six teams apiece, with Japan joining five Australian teams and Argentina linking up with the five New Zealand outfits.

Nonetheless, Australian Super Rugby clubs want an answer as soon as possible as confusion continues given they have been given zero reassurances about their existence beyond this year.

This was no more apparent than when the ARU advised Super Rugby clubs this week to refrain from signing non-wallabies players until after the official make-up of Super Rugby had been determined.

The ARU would have already spoken to Fox Sports about its requirements before they went into the London meeting, which is another reason why a final announcement is expected to come sooner rather than later.

The new proposal that came out of the meeting will also have to be approved by each country’s boards and relevant stakeholders.

The other interesting thing to come from Sanzaar’s release was the fact that a statement will be made on the ‘‘future of the organisation’’.

There are still many questions to be answered but it appears all will be determined shortly.