In a major development for the Super Rugby competition, the SANZAR Executive Committee this morning formally confirmed that both the Japan Rugby Football Union and the Union Argentina de Rugby have been admitted into the Super Rugby tournament from 2016.
The official press release from SANZAR reads as follows:
‘The Japanese team will be based at Tokyo’s Prince Chichibu Memorial Rugby Stadium with three home games per season to be played at the Singapore Sports Hub
The Argentine and Japanese national teams are currently ranked 9th and 10th in the world respectively
There are nearly a quarter of a million rugby players in Japan and Argentina combined
Japan will host the 2019 Rugby World Cup and 2020 Olympic Games
Super Rugby’s expansion to 18 teams from 2016 is officially complete with SANZAR formally confirming the participation of the Japan Rugby Football Union (JRFU) and Union Argentina de Rugby (UAR) at an Executive Committee meeting in London today.
The confirmation is the final stage of formalities and paves the way for the Tokyo and Buenos Aires-based franchises to start contracting players and staff ahead of their historic entry to Super Rugby in a little over 12 months from now.
SANZAR Chief Executive Greg Peters said, “It gives me great pleasure to welcome the JRFU and UAR who will join the Kings from South Africa as Super Rugby prepares to expand into a bold and exciting new era.
“As Top 10 ranked rugby nations with established high performance level leagues and over 100,000 players each, there is no doubt as to Japan and Argentina’s rugby readiness and passion for the sport.
“With a heritage stretching back some 115 years, Japan also offers tremendous infrastructure and an active fan base that we view as pivotal to the ongoing sustainability of the team.
“Japan has also been the focus of strategic investment by the International Rugby Board (now World Rugby) and we view the region as a high growth, high potential sports and economic market with the 2019 Rugby World Cup, the 2020 Olympic Games and now Super Rugby on the imminent horizon.”
Tatsuzo Yabe, Chairman of the JRFU said, “It is a great pleasure and honour to be able to announce the historical decision of Japan’s entry to Super Rugby.
“It is absolutely essential for us to participate in the competition as we move toward a successful Rugby World Cup here in 2019.
“Joining the world’s highest international league is a challenge that will require significant transformation and tremendous efforts by us. However, it will certainly bring innovation to not only Japan, but also the Asian region as a whole.
“We are also convinced that participating in Super Rugby will encourage greater interest in our domestic rugby and it will become a big dream and goal for those who play rugby in Japan – especially younger generations – to compete at this level.
“We believe that such positive development will be a driving force for Japan rugby to move forward on the world stage and we will continue to make every endeavour to be successful at this level as we look toward Super Rugby in 2016, the 2019 Rugby World Cup and beyond.”
The JRFU has also forged a relationship with the Singapore Rugby Union and Singapore Sports Hub that will see the state-of-the-art venue host three games per year, delivering Super Rugby to new Asian audiences.
Carlos Araujo, President of UAR said, “The entry of an Argentine franchise to Super Rugby will allow our sport to continue its growth, underpinned by participation in this great tournament which is something that fills us with joy and pride.
“We now face a huge challenge both on the sporting and organisational fronts. Ahead of us we have six very enjoyable years, first with Rugby World Cup and then this opportunity to enjoy our teams in the Southern Hemisphere elite, playing in Super Rugby and The Rugby Championship.
World Rugby Council member for Argentina, Agustin Pichot added, “Since we started with this project of insertion in the game´s elite, at the end of 2007, it was crucial to have regular competition for our players.
“Playing in The Rugby Championship was crucial for this process but we still needed this final and key step of having an Argentine franchise in the world´s top tournament, Super Rugby.
“With this, we now complete the pathway for Argentine players from grassroots to the professional game. Entry to Super Ruby will give our top players an incredible opportunity to grow and our fans the chance to enjoy an Argentine side playing against the best players in the world for more than half a year every season for at least five years.”
Both the Japanese and Argentinean teams will play in the South African Group and will be positioned in opposing conferences. The final composition of these conferences are subject to approval by South African Rugby Union’s General Council.’
Statler and Waldorf
Roar Guru
"What’s the alternative?" leaving it how it is now?
Oz Rugby fan
Guest
I agree with all of this, that would be a great end result.
I'll certainly be attending!
Next time go to Hobgoblin pub in Roppongi - that's where I watched both Super Rugby and tests when I was living in Tokyo 2011-2013. More broadly, yes Japan is obsessed with Football and (especially) baseball, but that argument applies equally well to Australia - Rugby is at best the #4 sport after Cricket, AFL, Rugby League, and not much different from football given the growth of the A League. Does this mean the Australian teams shouldn't participate in Super Rugby too?
kingplaymaker
Roar Guru
It doesn't maximise their playing resources or safeguard them against league. If you're not getting SBW and Benji Marshall then you're not getting all the talent available, while the mooted second Auckland NRL team and league raiding of Auckland rugby's junior player pool should encourage the NZRU to act now to protect the future.
Worlds Biggest
Guest
I think this is fantastic for Japanese and Argentinian Rugby. It certainly presents many logistical challenges. Upon the next expansion stage I would love to see a Pacific Islands outfit and a team from Western Sydney.
Cantab
Guest
I'm pretty happy with it all, it's a great opportunity for rugby. Certainly better result than most of the options
Cantab
Guest
For NZ and Aust teams, there won't be more travel.
Cantab
Guest
NZRU doesn't want another Super rugby team, they currently have a model that works really well on and off the field.
kingplaymaker
Roar Guru
Brett and Eddard I don't disagree with the financial value of Asia and Argentina at all, I just can't see why there couldn't have been one in Australia and New Zealand too. Australia I think does have the players, but they are lost to league as juniors because of a lack of playing opportunities or all get logjammed at the Waratahs/Reds. I think the long term value of growing the game in those areas would be vast and would create totally new players. Playing numbers in New Zealand and Australia are similar, but the New Zealand partial draft distributes them better and fewer are raided by league. I think it has much more talent than is realised and an extra team would help it do so.
Tony
Guest
The Singaporean government will have offered good money for those 3 games in Singapore. And there are a tonne of Japanese, English and Australians here that will flock to it.
boomeranga
Guest
I have issues with 3 more teams, the outrageous geographic reach of the competition, and the further complication of the draw. But apart from that, I'm happy with the three teams they have added. All three are sides I will be interested in watching.
Brett McKay
Expert
I don't disagree with any of that Eddard. The market and support for the Southern Kings is already there..
Eddard
Roar Guru
Brett, the player population in Australia doesn't really matter too much as rugby has a growing global player pool. What matters more is whether Australia has the rugby market to support a 6th Australian side. The answer to that is unclear. Maybe a 2nd Sydney team or a Newcastle side could work. But they'd be risky. And their potential upside, in terms of bringing extra commercial value to the competition, would be far lower than the potential upside of making a success of expanding into Asia and Argentina.
Eddard
Roar Guru
But it's achieved significant growth in broadcast revenue coming from the UK, which we will benefit from. As Super Rugby becomes a more global tournament there is potential for the broadcasting and sponsorship revenues to sky rocket. What's the alternative? An 8-10 team Australian only competition with no star players (because they've all gone overseas)? I don't think the ARU would get any extra money for that, and it would be split among more teams.
Aidan Loveridge
Guest
I wish everyone had your attitude. Everybody has already written it off whilst i think any true lover of rugby still has hope it'll sort itself out and provide interesting new styles of rugby from the Japanese and Argies.
Brett McKay
Expert
I don't think both could have been done at all. While we can certainly question the quality of the sixth RSA side, they certainly have the playing population to justify another team. NZ might, but Australia certainly doesn't, not yet anyway. Regardless, the answer to the question is almost certainly 'politics'..
kingplaymaker
Roar Guru
The absurdity is that both could have been done. Why if South Africa gets an extra team don't New Zealand and Australia?
DJW
Guest
At least Japan is on similar timezones. No new fans are going to engage with games being played in the middle of the night. The big driver he is obviously money, whether this best outcome for Australian rugby long term in terms of grass roots and new fan engagement I don't know. I guess we have to remain solvent first and foremost. (I'm looking at it with my Australian rugby cap on first). I still think long term the goal has to be for strong domestic leagues that the best teams for a given seasons qualify for a Heinekin cup style competition. I love rugby so will support it and hope it delivers.
Rower who wishes he could play rugby.
Roar Pro
Higher quality with a team that has only won one game in the RC so far? Or by adding the Japanese that couldn't beat a team of disorganised fringe super rugby players? I don't see how the quality of rugby will get better. Add in the fact that the Aussies and Kiwis play the South African teams less, the standard of rugby will probably get worse.