South Africa’s two clubs that were axed from Super Rugby have been confirmed to participate in an expanded Pro14 competition in Europe.
The Cheetahs and Southern Kings will join the championship, that also includes teams from Wales, Ireland, Scotland and Italy, in time for the 2017-18 season.
The announcement ended weeks of speculation about the future of the two South African clubs, who were culled from the southern hemisphere’s Super Rugby competition in the last month.
“It marks the start of a new adventure for rugby in South Africa with a number of exciting opportunities,” SA Rugby chief executive officer Jurie Roux said in a statement.
The tournament will be split into two conferences of seven.
Each conference will be made up of two Welsh and two Irish teams, with one representative each from Scotland, Italy and South Africa.
The Bloemfontein-based Cheetahs join Irish clubs Connacht and Munster, Welsh sides Cardiff Blues and Ospreys, Glasgow Warriors from Scotland and Italy’s Zebre in Conference A.
The Southern Kings, who are from Port Elizabeth, play in Conference B with Benetton (Italy), Dragons and Scarlets (Wales), Edinburgh (Scotland) and Irish sides Leinster and Ulster.
Each team will play 21 regular season games with three sides from each conference advancing to the end of season knockout stages. The final is on May 28.
The season begins next month and the fixtures will be released next week.
In order to provide travelling teams to South Africa with the best possible preparation, games will be fixed for Saturdays.
This will allow visiting teams to have a seven-day turnaround leading into these fixtures including five days that do not involve any travel.
For teams scheduled to play twice in South Africa, the aim will be for them to play back-to-back games on a single trip.
“It will not be without its challenges in aligning with a competition in a different part of the calendar and in very different playing conditions but it is also a fantastic opportunity for South African rugby to widen our playing horizons,” Roux added.
It’s been speculated that if the Cheetahs and Kings are successful in their transition, South Africa’s four remaining Super Rugby teams might seek to play in European competitions when SANZAAR’s broadcast deal expires in 2020.
Chris
Guest
South Africa Rugby should just move to the Netherlands.
Chris
Guest
Before Super Rugby when did the Currie Cup start and end.
Chris
Guest
Maybe they can join the NRL.
Chris
Guest
SH Rugby is such a basket case at the moment with South African teams playing Europe and Super Rugby whatever number they want playing infront of empty stadiums across the globe in Auckland, Sydney, Cape Town, Tokyo and Buenos Aires.
Bakkies
Guest
Rhys to do that you have to have the money to invest. It wasn't there
Rhys Bosley
Guest
No I get the point Pinetree, I just don't think there was enough between the lower Aussie and Kiwi teams in those days to make the difference that you claim. We are only talking about Reds and Tahs playing two extra games against the Force and Rebels in their respective seasons, it really wasn't a significant factor in their success.
Derm
Roar Guru
South Africa has been a flirtation point for the unions in the Celtic League for nearly a decade seeking to find a comp/Cup that would involve teams.
Old Bugger
Guest
BB Btw, if we assume whole hog that SARU, packs up lock, stock and barrell and moves all teams north, does the 6N become 7N; if not, does Sanzaar still allow the Boks, to participate in the RC and if not, where do the Boks go, to play international rugby?? Will SARU, be looking at having a bet each way, in the participation stakes??
Old Bugger
Guest
BB A farce it may be today but yesterday, it was the most important rugby competition, in SA. Now, with the advent of SA participation up north, the Currie Cup is most probably being relegated to 2nd tier, to allow SA sides to venture north and play. There is and will be a conflict between these competitions and my guess is, the CC will lose out on hosting key rep players, come finals time, when the Pro-14 kicks-off. Nevertheless, the threat of heading north, has always been a Plan B for SA rugby. Apart from a winning sequence around 2007-2009, SA rugby for some reason or other, has failed to kick-on over the past 2 decades of SR and RC championships. Coming a close second, doesn't quite cut the mustard, I s'pose. So, the fact that going north, is now bearing some fruit, shouldn't be seen as a surprise to ARU, NZRU and the remaining Sanzaar participants. It was destined to happen, it is happening and what will remain of SH rugby, will just have to get over it and move on. Could be a case of the British and Irish Lions now becoming the British, Irish and Sth African Lions, by the next NZ tour in 2029. Who knows....??
Pinetree
Guest
Rhys - The point you miss about the S15 format, with 50% of games being derby matches, is the conference that most benefit is the one who has the most weak teams. Your comparison in 2011/2014 with NZ vs Aus teams shows the NZ on average were equal with Aus, but does not show the derby matches comparison. In 2011, the Force (12th), Brumbies (13th) and Rebels (15th) were all below the worst NZ team, 3 Aus teams sitting in the bottom 4 positions on the ladder. This means easy points for the Reds/Tahs, as they play 3 of the bottom 4 teams twice. In 2014, the worst NZ team was the Blues in 10th. The other teams were Crusaders (2nd), Chiefs (5th), Highlanders (6th) and Hurricanes (7th). The Aus teams were Tahs (1st), Brumbies (4th), Force (8th), Reds (13th) and Rebels (15th). When the derby games are increased, the advantage comes to the conference with the greater number of weak teams, as the stronger ones get to play them twice.
Rhys Bosley
Guest
I"m not going to do the exercise for the whole of the history of Super Rugby Taylorman, but I think you will find that 2011 and 2014 aren't really outliers. The vast majority of New Zealand title wins have been by the Crusaders, which probably creates the perception tolhat the comp has been more unbalanced towards NZ than it really is. Pre 2015 World Cup the best Aussie teams genuinely won their finals spots, even the Force and Rebels were getting wins against NZ and in 2014 the Force won more games than the Highlanders, Hurricanes or Chiefs, they only missed out on the finals due to the bonus point system. As you correctly point out the last two years is where Australian teams have dropped their bundle through a combination of poor coaching and the player exodus to Europe impacting more severely on Australia than on NZ.
They get an extra 500 000 pounds plus tracel expenses covered, i suppose money talks
taylorman
Guest
So what did they have to say about this? If anything Super rugby has proved expansion isn't necessarily a good thing, particularly as supply outgrows demand. The crowds for the Kings and Cheetahs matches will be interesting.
taylorman
Guest
True Biltong, the ever expanding obsessi!ion with getting seats filled. Gree!d seems to be a very motivating factor these days. I'm quite amazed at the speed at which this has all happened. Have all the teams bought into playing in SA so easily or is this just forced on them as it was here?
taylorman
Guest
Yes that's something SA is working on. The Boks still represent the times of the pre Mandela days for some so some over the decades it seemed that watching the ABs beat the sporting symbol of the regime of the day still seems to resonate today. I think that's changing and with the change that's going on...the Lions a real good sign of this ... more and more will identify with the team. That's what we really all want, hopefully they're contributing to change just as much as their own popularity.
taylorman
Guest
Yes it's going to be fun isn't it. Bet the players can't wait to start catching planes rather than trains to matches as well. Perhaps you could get your funbus going? You could run a weekly service to and from the matches....just turn right and follow the Nile for a few days?
taylorman
Guest
Yes but even there Rhys you're picking an oz high versus a NZ low, a couple of seasons where the two were similar. Mind you, the last couple of years still really do represent a huge departure from the norm.
The Neutral View From Sweden
Roar Guru
Outstanding comment PA. Thanks for good info and thoughts.
FunBus
Roar Rookie
You're right, Tman. Once again you've lasered in on insurmountable problems. I mean the average temp in Port Elizabeth and Bloemfontein in January is a death inducing 22c. Don't know how they're going to get around the sunburn and hard pitch issues. I suppose they could have evening kick-offs and water the pitch, but I must be missing something. Far better to play in comfortable 42c temps in Japan like the Blues just did.
Rhys Bosley
Guest
Vic, if you read all my posts you will see that I primarily blame the ARU and NZRU for letting the SARU ride roughshod over them. The South Africans will always look after themselves first, they always have and I suppose we can't blame them because it is their job, but it is important that the ARU and NZRU remain cognisant of that fact and hold them to account.