18 teams, four conferences — Super Rugby 2016 expansion plans unveiled

PLANS for an expanded Super Rugby competition have been rolled out while Australian rugby chiefs were still locked in a meeting discussing its merits.

Bill Pulver was meeting with Australian Super Rugby franchises and the Rugby Union Player

PLANS for an expanded Super Rugby competition have been rolled out while Australian rugby chiefs were still locked in a meeting discussing its merits.

In a rude shock to Australia's five provincial bosses, governing body SANZAR is ploughing ahead with an 18-team, four conference model for 2016.

The model for the restructured competition, the details of which were revealed on Wednesday, will be taken to potential broadcasters for key rights negotiations.

Along with the current 15 teams, a sixth South African franchise — the Southern Kings — an Argentine side and an undetermined 18th side will be added to Super Rugby.

SANZAR is putting the 18th team up for tender, with the Australian Rugby Union hoping it is awarded to a big Asian market to increase the broadcast deal.

What do you make of Super Rugby’s proposed new format? Have your say in The Crowd

The Australian franchises and Rugby Union Players Association have been opponents of the four-conference model which will see an additional division in South Africa.

They were meeting with Australian Rugby Union boss Bill Pulver in a regular chief executives meeting when news broke in New Zealand on Thursday afternoon.

Bill Pulver was meeting with Australian Super Rugby franchises and the Rugby Union Players Association on Thursday.

Some officials have claimed Australia would be best served walking away from the current partnership in their own best interests.

But it has earned the strong support of New Zealand who wanted to guard against the extra travel that a simple round-robin Super 16 or 17 competition would deliver.

The five-team Australian and New Zealand conferences play just one of the South African pools in a 15-game competition.

“This is the best option to evolve what is already a fantastic competition and one that continues to deliver for fans, teams, players and sponsors,” said NZRU boss Steve Tew.

“From a player point of view it was important that we managed the travel of the teams.

We needed a platform that ensured our best players could continue to perform at their peak.

“Equally keeping South Africa in the regular competition was an important part of what makes Super Rugby.

“With a later start and one less match for each team in the competition, we believe we have got the balance right.”

The new model will see an increase of 120 regular season matches to 135, while the finals series will be expanded from six teams to eight.

The play-offs — held in a sudden-death format over three weeks — will feature five teams from the Australia and New Zealand conferences and three from the South African-based groups.

All four conference winners will automatically advance to the finals series plus the next three highest-ranked teams in the Australasian group and the next best team from the South African group.

SOUTH AFRICAN CONFERENCES

CONFERENCE 1

RSA team

RSA team

RSA team

Argentina team

CONFERENCE 2

RSA team

RSA team

RSA team

TBA team

AUSTRALASIAN CONFERENCES

NEW ZEALAND CONFERENCE

Highlanders

Blues

Crusaders

Chiefs

Hurricanes

AUSTRALIAN CONFERENCE

Rebels

Reds

Waratahs

Western Force

Brumbies

Wondering how the new #SuperRugby finals will play out from 2016? This should help: pic.twitter.com/l60xHMczoz

— Fox Sports Rugby (@FOXRugbyLive) May 1, 2014