Super 14 faces competition

There is a danger, maybe only a small one, that by 2011 New Zealand rugby will find that its dancing partners of the last 15 years have been lured away by more exotic suitors.

Rugby is in a state of flux, with two potential cross-border competitions awaiting approval. And if the Rainbow Cup (involving provincial teams from South Africa, Ireland, Scotland, Wales and Italy) and the Super 8 (featuring the four Australian provinces plus Fiji, Tonga, Samoa and Japan) get the nod, where will that leave the Super 14?

Still very much alive, says the New Zealand Rugby Union. The Rainbow Cup is pencilled in for September/October 2006 and will involve nine South African provinces, plus four from Ireland, four from Wales, four from Italy and three from Scotland, taking part during a seven-week window.

Details of the Super 8 are limited. There are numerous dates on the table. It's understood one proposal would see it overlap the Super 14 but it's most likely to run from June, allowing Australian teams to honour Super 14 commitments.

Right now NZRU chief executive Chris Moller is pretty relaxed. "The question of the Rainbow Cup was discussed with South Africa while we were doing the broadcast arrangements," he said. "The important point is that South Africa have committed to Sanzar. The Tri Nations and Super 14 will remain their pre-eminent rugby competitions. Against that background we are comfortable with the discussions they are having.

"South Africa have given their commitment that they want to stay with Sanzar. They point to the strength of Southern Hemisphere rugby. The strength of rugby is in the Southern Hemisphere, although obviously it changes from time to time, and they are very keen to make sure they are playing their traditional rivals and the strongest countries."

But a lot could change by 2011, when Super 14 commercial and broadcast arrangements expire. If the Rainbow Cup and/or Super 8 are successful, expansion is conceivable, possibly at the expense of the Sanzar competition. Especially for the Rainbow Cup. There are compelling reasons for the South Africans to ditch their Sanzar partners and throw their lot in with the Celts and Italians.

Commercially Europe is a far more lucrative market in terms of potential broadcast and sponsorship revenue. There's also the geographical proximity and the fact South Africa is in the same time zone as Europe. These are big issues for sponsors, broadcasters and players. On every level it makes more sense for South Africa to align itself with Europe rather than New Zealand and Australia.

Come 2011, it's also debatable whether News Corp, Sanzar's broadcasting partner, will be prepared to pay top dollar for more of the same old, same old. Maybe they will, but New Zealand can't assume this.

The Celts are in need of a more inspiring competition to attractcorporate and broadcast interest. Why try and shoehorn a competition into seven weeks when it could possibly become the main gig? Drop the Celtic League, South African teams come out of the Super 14 and hey presto - by 2011 you have a meaningful, exciting and marketable 24-team, cross-border competition that can be punctuated by the Heineken Cup.

If it happens - which is a serious possibility - New Zealand may have to go knocking on the door of the Super 8. There would be obvious logic in allowing New Zealand's five Super 14 franchises to join the Super 8 to make it Super 13 and run it in the same February-May window as Super 14.

In effect, it would be a simple case of substituting the Pacific Island teams and Japan in for the South African teams.

The NZRU, though, will cross that bridge if it ever comes to it. In the meantime, the most worrying issue for the NZRU is the prospect of Australia receiving IRB money for the Super 8, something Moller says in unjustified and which should go to the smaller nations. There are also concerns that Australia may look to cherry-pick the best Pacific Island players for their own teams.

Such a policy would be considered a tad rich, as Australia is understood to have voted against changing eligibility laws that would have allowed Pacific Island players to play for either Fiji, Samoa or Tonga once they were no longer required by tier one countries such as New Zealand.

Moller said: "We believe it is important the IRB funds national bodies and the national body funds their own teams. Eligibility also has to be carefully considered because one wouldn't want to see this become a channel for Pacific Island players to move into Australianfranchises because that defeats the whole purpose. If, as a consequence, Pacific Islanders end up playing outside their countries, we have achieved nothing."

Moller said if the Super 8 gets approval, the NZRU would beprepared not to contract Pacific Island players who are noteligible for the All Blacks, as long as every other country followed suit.

"If everybody was going to agree, then it would be a fair proposition. We would be happy to consider that, providing all countries are honouring the same obligation."

Hearing Moller use the word 'fair' is slightly worrying. It seems time for the NZRU to be using its elbows and doing what it takes to ensure it's not left out in the cold.

Rainbow Cup

Time: September/October 2006

Teams: South Africa's top nine provinces, Munster, Leinster, Ulster, Connacht (Ireland), Edinburgh, Glasgow, Borders (Scotland), Blues, Ospreys, Dragons, Scarletts (Wales) and four Italian clubs.

Format: Teams to play in four groups of six or three groups of eight in a seven-week bloc. Playoffs to be decided.

Super 8

Time: Numerous dates have been suggested but probably June-September 2006

Teams: Waratahs, Reds, Brumbies, Force, Japan, Samoa, Tonga and Fiji.

Format: To be decided.

- HERALD ON SUNDAY