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This just in from SANZAR HQ:
Only 12 teams will play Super Rugby in 2016. Participation will be solely based on whether a franchise (or predecessor franchise) has ever qualified for the semifinals since 1996.
This limits the field to the Blues, Brumbies, Bulls, Cats (now Lions), Chiefs, Crusaders, Highlanders, Hurricanes, Reds, Sharks, Stormers, and Waratahs.
Thus, 5 teams from New Zealand, 4 from South Africa, and 3 from Australia.
The tournament will be seeded throughout, according to results from 1996-2014.
A grand final win is a gold medal (worth 3 points), a loss in the final is a silver medal (2 points), and any unsuccessful semifinal appearance is a one-point bronze.
Thus, the seedings are as follows:
1. Crusaders (34 points)
2. Brumbies (16)
3. Bulls (13)
4. Blues (13) (lost tie breaker because Bulls never lost a grand final)
5. Sharks (12)
6. Waratahs (10)
7. Chiefs (9)
8. Hurricanes (7)
9. Reds (6)
10. Stormers (6) (but lost a grand final; whilst Reds never did)
11. Highlanders (5)
12. Lions (2)
Each team will play all the other teams once each season. But the top seed will play all their games at home. The lowest seed will play all games on the road. The second seed will play only one game away (at Christchurch) and so on.
This will save the Lions on Ellis Park maintenance.
At the end of each season, one team will be relegated to the Not So Super Tournament, with the Force, the Rebels, and the Kings. They will play all games in Singapore, during one weekend.
Seedings will continue to dictate home-and-away ratios, as gold, silver, and bronze points are won.
After Super Rugby has been trimmed down to four teams, they will play each other three times each year, with seeding still in place.
This is a surprising development, but the philosophy behind it was explained by new chairman Chuck Darwin: “We want the weak out.”
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.