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South Africa's Super Rugby sides set to join Pro14

Expert
6th May, 2018
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The Stormers head to Dunedin to take on the Highlanders. (AAP Image/Craig Golding)
Expert
6th May, 2018
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The Pro 14 is set to grow bigger with reports that three more South African sides will join the competition ahead of the 2020-2021 season.

The competition has traditionally featured clubs from Ireland, Italy, Wales and Scotland, but last year expanded to include two South African teams.

Former Super Rugby franchises the Cheetahs and the Kings joined the competition after Super Rugby was reduced from 18 teams to 15.

The Sharks are the team considered to be the team most likely to move across but the Bulls, Lions and Stormers are all chances to follow.

Reports say that two teams will likely move across before the 2019-20 season before another joins ahead fo 2020-2021.

The South African Rugby Union are said to have gotten a bit sick of the Southern Hemisphere competition and believe their sides are disadvantaged by time zones and conference arrangements.

Only one South African franchise has ever won the Super Rugby championship, compared to all five New Zealand sides and three of Australia’s four.

The move is also seen as a possible fix for the nation’s struggles to prevent their players leaving for European competitions.

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The news comes just shortly after a leaked SANZAAR document suggested the possibility of a USA conference being added to the competition in the future.

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