SANZAR debates Super expansion
Sat, 03 May 2008 12:31
SANZAR officials will explore the possibility of involving the Pacific Islands, Argentina, Japan, the United States and Canada in Super Rugby.
The Press newspaper reports officials have scheduled meetings around the Super 14 play-offs and Tri-Nations, and others in Wellington and Samoa over the next few weeks, and hope to have concrete options for expansion of the competitions in the next six months.
The about-face from SANZAR comes as the threat from northern hemisphere clubs increases.
New Zealand has recently lost leading players to European clubs, which are now attracting younger players and All Blacks with offers that cannot be matched by the New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU).
SANZAR, particularly New Zealand, had been ignoring calls from such countries such as Samoa, Fiji and Argentina to be included in the Super 14.
"We are sort of recognising publicly if you like that Sanzar's got some work to do to ensure that its competitions are the best in the world," NZRU chief executive Steve Tew said from Dublin Friday.
"We're identifying ... that the rugby economy here [northern hemisphere] is posing a real serious threat to what's happening to our countries.
"We've made a very strong commitment to work together on a very tight timeline to come up with some options in future and in that regard we'll be talking face to face with the Japanese, the Canadians, the US, the Argentinians and the Pacific Islanders."
All Blacks including Carl Hayman and Doug Howlett moved north after last year's Rugby World Cup and now players such as Daniel Carter are being lured with offers they almost cannot refuse.
