PRO14 to welcome South African teams with open arms

As New Zealand mulls their participation in Super Rugby in the future it seems ever more likely that South Africa will look North to their existing relationship with the PRO14.

The European super-league appear keen to expand their ranks which already include the Cheetahs and Kings from South Africa.

PRO14 to welcome South African sides

The PRO14 started life as the Welsh-Scottish before first expanding to include the four Irish Provinces then later two Italian sides and the South African participants.

After New Zealand Rugby’s Super Rugby review leaked earlier this week speculation around South African teams joining a European competition has grown with PRO14 CEO Martin Anayi telling Welsh reporters greater South African participation in the competition would be welcomed on Thursday.

While it seems that Super Rugby is intent on shrinking down to a more manageable size it appears that the PR014 has no such qualms.

“We have always been very interested in South Africa,” Anayi said. 

“We like them and see them as a key part of our future. 

“The tournament works well at the moment but could work better if you added teams to it. So that’s one avenue potentially.” 

Participation in the PRO14 would also seemingly allow South African teams to qualify for Europe’s two continental showpieces the Champions Cup and the Challenge Cup.

Trans-Tasman squabbles

Australian press reported this week that there is a divide within New Zealand Rugby (NZR) regarding the future of the franchise game. There is some suggestion that some on the NZR board are not keen on having more than two Australian sides in a reformed regional competition which is also slated to include a team from the other Pacific islands.

Another camp are eager to create a ten-team tournament including four Australian teams (not the Western Force), the five teams from New Zealand and a team from the islands.

Across the Tasman, Rugby Australia are keen on a Big Bash style extravaganza which would include all five of their franchises. Rugby Australia are confident they could attract talent from South Africa, Argentina and Japan to reinforce their ranks.

Australian teams have struggled to keep pace in recent Super Rugby seasons adding to their financial and administrative woes and they risk being lost in the shuffle if they cannot address the slide in the popularity of the union code.

New Zealand and Australia have been able to restart rugby with new domestic tournaments, while SA Rugby waits for government to approve a restart.