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South African rugby officials have admitted they are looking at the possibility of breaking away from SANZAR.

Dr Jan Marais, chairman of the South African Rugby Union (SARU), acknowledged that the relationship with counterparts from Australia and New Zealand, the other two countries that are part of SANZAR, the body that governs the sport in the three nations, had taken a knock in recent months.

He revealed that a decision had been made at the executive council meeting of SARU last week to look at alternatives to the Tri Nations and Super Rugby tournaments beyond 2015 – when a broadcast deal between the three member unions expires.

Speaking to the Sunday Times, Marais said: "The council gave the instruction that we should look at other possibilities beyond 2015.

"We can't do anything about the current agreement because we are locked in until the contract expires.

"However, there is the strong feeling that we should at least look at possibilities we can explore at the conclusion of our current broadcasting deal."

The move comes amid tensions between the SANZAR countries in recent months, including suggestions from South Africa of a refereeing conspiracy in the Tri Nations.

But Marais insisted no concrete decisions had been taken at this stage, saying that things could change over the next few years.

He added: "We won't automatically opt for a renewal of the current deal.

"I think by then anyway we'll have new people running the game but given the present climate we have at least decided to start looking at options."

SARU president Oregan Hoskins, however, was much more conciliatory.

He said: "Tri Nations rugby is a robust game and we have robust conversations in the boardroom and occasionally knock each other down and have to pick each other up, dust ourselves off and get on with it. But it has been like that since day one.

"The bottom line is that this is the toughest rugby competition in the world and we're fully part of it with our neighbours.

"In that spirit, we'll be having discussions with New Zealand and Australia when they're over here and after that we'll get on with ensuring we continue to produce the best rugby tournaments in the world."