Sanzar said on Monday it wants the Super 12 rugby union competition expanded to 14 teams and an extra round of Tri-Nations Tests under a new broadcast deal being negotiated with media giant News Corporation.
A Sanzar statement released by the Australian Rugby Union (ARU) said South Africa and Australia would each have an extra team in an expanded Super 14 competition.
Sanzar — which represents the South African, New Zealand and Australian rugby unions — said its proposal would also include a third round of Test matches between the Springboks, Wallabies and All Blacks.
Sanzar chief executive Chris Moller said the proposal underlined the strength of the organisation’s competitions and the demand for top-class rugby on television.
”The Sanzar proposal reflects the value of these premier rugby competitions and also the demand from fans, players, our participating rugby unions and global broadcasters, for more teams and more matches,” said Moller, who also heads the New Zealand Rugby Union.
Sanzar’s 10-year deal with News Corporation comes up for renewal next year and boss Rupert Murdoch warned last year it was unlikely to match the original sum of $550-million.
Sanzar said it was awaiting a response from News Corporation to its proposal, which would renew the current terms of the agreement for another five years from 2006.
There has been a global trend for television rights to fetch lower prices in recent years, with News Corporation writing down the value of contracts for gridiron, Major League Baseball and Nascar.
But the ARU said there was keen interest in Sanzar’s competitions, with this year’s Tri-Nations series recording its largest ever cumulative television audience for Australia’s Channel Seven.
ARU managing director Gary Flowers said the 14-team Super 12 competition and expanded Tri-Nations Test series would represent the most significant development for rugby union in Australia since the game went professional in 1995.
”It’s a landmark decision,” he said.
”While it might not surprise people, its impact will be felt for many years to come.”
ARU officials said the location of a fourth Australian provincial team had not been determined, although Perth and Melbourne are considered early front-runners.
The expanded Tri-Nations series would allow for a deciding third Beldisloe Cup Test between Australia and New Zealand after criticism recent series have been locked at one match each, with the holder retaining the cup.
South African Rugby Union president Brian van Rooyen said the expansion was timely for South Africa, this year’s Tri-Nations champions.
”Both Super 12 and Tri-Nations have achieved great success in South Africa and internationally, and following the success of the Springboks in this year’s Tri-Nations competition, we now have an opportunity to build further on these competitions.”
The proposal will be a disappointment for the Pacific Islanders, the composite team combining the talents of Fiji, Tonga and Manu Samoa.
The experimental team played three Tests against the Sanzar nations in Australia earlier this year and had expressed interest in joining an expanded Tri-Nations or Super 12 competition to maintain its momentum. – Sapa-AFP