The South African Rugby Union (Saru) has distanced itself from speculation that a Japanese team might be included in an expanded Super 14 competition.
The idea was floated by Australian Rugby Union (ARU) chief executive John O’Neill who was quoted in Japan on Wednesday as saying the idea of adding a Japanese team and almost doubling the length of the tournament to 26 weeks was on the agenda of Sanzar (South Africa New Zealand Australia Rugby).
An enlarged Super Rugby competition would cut across the long-established inter-provincial competitions in South Africa (Currie Cup) and New Zealand (National Provincial Championship).
”The views being expressed by Mr O’Neill are his own/those of the ARU and are not those of Sanzar, nor are they endorsed by South Africa,” said Saru in a statement.
”We have established internal competitions with a long and proud history and will not embark on any restructuring that does not recognise our own rugby heritage and traditions.
”The inclusion of Argentina, the Pacific Islands and Japan within southern hemisphere rugby structures remains an important focus within our deliberations; how this inclusion takes place, remains part of an ongoing and future debate.” – Reuters