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Bulls vs. Highlanders (Getty Images)
New Zealand’s rugby chief admitted that the future of club play in the southern hemisphere was unclear on Wednesday after South Africa pulled most of its teams from Super Rugby, ending the once-admired competition after 25 years.
Executive Director of NZR Mark Robinson He said the next step must be taken quickly after South Africa, whose national team won the World Cup last year, chose to explore the possibility of joining Europe’s PRO14.
South Africa’s move, prompted by New Zealand’s decision to push for a national or trans-Tasmanian Super Rugby competition, spells doom for the series that was first weakened by excessive expansion and then plunged into crisis by the pandemic of coronavirus.
However, Robinson said it was impossible to predict what the future holds for the Super Rugby teams after the South African Bulls, Lions, Sharks and Stormers departed.
“There is currently too much uncertainty about what the future will look like on different horizons. They are changing daily and weekly,” Robinson said.
“There is going to be a change … and it’s something we just have to work on quickly,” he added.
The All Blacks and Springboks are the most successful international rugby teams, holding three World Cup titles each, and the loss of South African competition deprives Super Rugby of much of its quality.
The NZR previously tried to downplay the withdrawal, saying it was “not a surprise.” It follows months of turmoil since the pandemic brought Super Rugby to a halt in March, prompting New Zealand, Australia and South Africa to go solo with temporary national tournaments.
On Tuesday, South Africa said it was seeking four teams to enter the European PRO14, following New Zealand’s “unilateral decision” to seek a national or trans-Tasman version of Super Rugby.
His withdrawal confirms that South Africa, New Zealand, Australia and Argentina will not be able to deliver the 14-team Super Rugby competition already promised to broadcasters in a five-year contract.
The world-spanning Super Rugby, long attacked for being unwieldy despite its handsome and fluid rugby, had planned to cut 14 teams out of 15 next year, kicking out the Sunwolves from Japan. But the pandemic has proven to be the catalyst for its disintegration.
Sanzaar declined to comment on South Africa’s move, saying he would wait until an executive council meeting is expected in the next few weeks. Rugby Australia also declined to comment when contacted by AFP.
South Africa said the world champion Springboks remained committed to the Sanzaar Four-Nation Rugby Championship, the scheduling of which has prompted complaints from the All Blacks as their players face spending Christmas in quarantine.
As the Bulls, Lions, Sharks and Stormers look to join PRO14, the South African Cheetahs will be available for a possible ‘Super Series’ formed from the remnants of Super Rugby, provided their participation is “at least cost neutral”.
“Our members are excited about the prospect of a closer alignment with PRO Rugby and the pursuit of a future in the Northern Hemisphere,” said SA Rugby CEO Jurie Roux.
“However, we would not have made this decision if it were not for actions elsewhere,” he added, referring to the decisions of New Zealand and Australia.
A significant part of PRO14’s appeal to South Africa is the time zone, with the widest difference to Great Britain and Ireland of two hours over six months each year, compared to New Zealand’s 11 hours.
During the quarter-century of Super Rugby, South Africans have had to watch games from New Zealand and Japan before breakfast, from Australia at mid-morning and from Argentina after midnight.
New Zealand is working on plans for a second national Super Rugby Aotearoa competition, with the possibility of its five national franchises teaming up on one side of the Pacific islands.
Australia supports a trans-Tasmanian competition, although the two sides have disagreed on how many Australian teams will participate.
However, Robinson denied Rugby Australia president Hamish McLennan’s claim that relations were at a “low point”.
“We are working through extraordinary times with extraordinary pressure,” Robinson said. “We know there are challenges. We know there is tension, but in the end we believe in a common goal.”
