Super 14 expansion plans being considered, ARU boss says 04/02/2009 |
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A proposal to expand the southern hemisphere's Super 14 competition from 2011 is back on the drawing board, Australian Rugby Union boss John O'Neill said on Tuesday.
O'Neill said South African, New Zealand and Australian Rugby (SANZAR) officials had reopened talks on the issue after they initially broke down last year.
O'Neill said the plans were still at an early stage but the proposal was to invite another team, either from Japan or the Pacific Islands, into the competition from 2011.
The season, currently played from February to late May, would also be extended to run from March to August, while all teams would play extra matches.
"There's a range of options, the one in favour at the moment is a Super 15 competition, going from March 1 to the beginning of August, everyone playing each other once and then each of the teams playing in their conferences," O'Neill told reporters in Australia.
"That gets you to 23 or 24 weeks and that's still a very attractive offer as long as we are rewarded for it."
O'Neill said SANZAR officials were looking at a range of new proposals to present to their broadcasters before their current television deal expires in 2010 but any plans would need unanimous support before being passed.
"People ask me what are broadcasters thinking, we actually don't know yet," O'Neill said.
"We know they have an appetite for Super rugby and we know they have an appetite for expansion but the big unknown is what will they pay.
"We won't know that until we give them a proposal."
(Source: Reuters)
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