Bok teams must head for Europe says Gold

EUROPE’S finest must linkup with South Africa’s six franchises to form a box office-busting competition to replace the European Champions Cup, says Worcester interim boss Gary Gold.

Gold, who has vast experience working in both hemispheres, describes the current 18-team Super Rugby structure as “beyond ridiculous” and reckons aligning the Premiership, Top 14 and Pro 12 with South Africa is a “commercial nobrainer.”

Former Sharks head coach Gold said: “If you took the best six teams from those three competitions and added in six from South Africa, geographically that would work and it would be an unbelievable competition.

“South Africa’s an overnight flight, it’s in the same time zone and you’re not asking players to travel through six time zones. However you structure it,

you would attract massive TV viewership, sponsorship and spectator interest.

“You still continue with the Premiership, PRO12 and Top 14, but you could run a new competition over a three-month period and then go back to domestic rugby, while having separate windows for internationals.

“Get everything aligned so we’re all playing at the same time – it makes perfect sense and is an absolute commercial no-brainer.”

Gold describes the current Super Rugby format as “beyond ridiculous”.

“The shape of Super Rugby is laughable. Even the most ardent followers can’t understand the format or play-off permutations it produces. The travel is equally shambolic.

“Last season, my Sharks team spent three weeks in New Zealand, flew back to play the Hurricanes, then on the Tuesday had to fly to Argentina to play Jaguares. It’s beyond ridiculous.

“The balance is all wrong. There needs to be common sense employed when it comes to geography.”