Home games mooted for the Bay brigade

SOME home games in England are being mooted for the Southern Kings if they are included in an enlarged European Pro12 competition next season.

Saracens’ Allianz Arena in London has been mentioned as a potential venue in a bid to cut back on travel expenses in a revamped league which is also likely to include the Cheetahs.

If this happens, organisers will be hoping that the large South African community living in and around London will come out to support their teams at the Allianz Arena.

The Kings and Cheetahs are expected to be cut from Super Rugby next Friday when governing body Sanzaar reduces the size of the competition.

That will pave the way for them to join teams from Wales, Ireland, Scotland and Italy in a 14-team league.

Teams will play on a home and away basis but what has yet to be agreed is the format of the competition and whether it will be played as one 14-team league or two conferences of seven.

This would be the first major change to the Pro Rugby competition since the introduction of Italian sides in 2010.

Welsh and Scottish sides first combined in a league in 1999, before an agreement with the Irish Rugby Football Union saw the Celtic League formed in 2001 with 15 teams.

SA Rugby is apparently eager to align with a northern hemisphere tournament, which has a similar time zone, to make cross-border games compatible for television broadcasters.

This latest development could also open the door to North American participation for the 2018-19 season.

Welsh Rugby Union chairman Gareth Davies insisted nothing had been finalised but welcomed the future prospect of South African sides joining the Pro12 competition.

“I can’t tell you probably any more than has already been stated,” Davies said.

“There is a desire from the South African teams I think to join the Pro12 and I think the Pro12 would like them to join. The Pro12 itself is a cross border competition already and this just extends this.

“At the moment it looks like the two teams from Super Rugby that will not be in the competition next year will join (the Pro12).

“It just expands the tournament and I think it’s an opportunity to develop the game within the northern hemisphere.

“There is still a lot of work to be done in terms of the legal complexities with issues such as broadcasting, commercial and most important, player welfare with all the travelling that has to be done and the logistics associated with that,” Davies said.