Sanzar

Super Rugby franchise Western Force has today (Monday) hit out at multiple reports suggesting it will be the Australian team cut as a result of a reduction in size of the southern hemisphere rugby union tournament.

Sanzaar chief executive Andy Marinos has said the umbrella body for the Argentinian, Australian, New Zealand and South African rugby unions will put together a 10-year strategic plan with a view to overhauling its Super Rugby club competition.

Greg Peters has resigned as chief executive of Sanzar, the umbrella body for the Australian, New Zealand and South African rugby unions, to take up a new position as general manager of the Argentinian Rugby Union (UAR).

The addition of Argentine and Japanese franchises to the Super Rugby pan-regional club competition was officially confirmed today (Thursday), with Tokyo set to share hosting rights to the latter team with Singapore.

Japan is set to host Super Rugby’s 18th team when the pan-regional club competition expands in 2016 after organiser Sanzar confirmed today (Friday) that the Japan Rugby Football Union (JRFU) had edged out a rival bid from Singapore.

Japan is poised to be awarded a Super Rugby expansion franchise after agreeing a hosting deal with rival bidder Singapore, according to reports.

Bids from Japan and Singapore will compete to land the final expansion slot for Super Rugby, according to the club competition’s governing body Sanzar.

New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) chief executive Steve Tew has moved to allay fears over player welfare through the planned expansion of Super Rugby, adding that new teams in South Africa and Argentina will boost broadcast revenues and enhance the development of the game.

Super Rugby organiser Sanzar has announced that a “preferred model” has been drawn up for the southern hemisphere rugby union competition to expand to 17 teams from 2016 through the addition of new clubs from Argentina and South Africa.

Sanzar (South African, New Zealand and Australian Rugby) and the South African Rugby Union have confirmed that a sixth franchise from the country will play in Super Rugby from 2016 onwards.