Rugby: 15th spot likely to draw surprise bids

Hawkes Bay could be an unexpected - if highly unlikely - contender for the 15th spot in the revamped Super rugby competition.

The Melbourne A-League soccer franchise has also emerged as a surprise bidder to run the new team.

Sanzar this week called for tenders for the 15th franchise in the expanded competition from 2011. Its only parameters were geographical location and time zone, with the new team to be based in an Australian conference.

Most assume Melbourne, hardly a rugby bastion but a thriving city with a massive sports fan base, will get the franchise, but that has apparently not stopped Hawkes Bay from considering a bid.

Hawkes Bay Rugby Football Union board member Kevin Atkinson told the Hawke's Bay Today newspaper yesterday the union would put its hand up.

The rejuvenated rugby province has established its credentials in the Air New Zealand Cup and supplied recent All Blacks in Bryn Evans and Hika Elliot as well as a core of Super 14 players.

But it seems unlikely the bid will go far. New Zealand's depth has been stretched in recent years to the point many believe the country can barely sustain five competitive teams, let alone six.

Any Hawkes Bay bid is unlikely to mean much for the Highlanders, whose place in the competition is safe for the time being.

More interesting is the possibility of a battle between Victorian rugby and soccer for a Super 15 team based in Melbourne.

The Australian Rugby Union has confirmed that the Victorian Rugby Union and a second party have registered their interest in hosting the franchise. The Australian newspaper yesterday claimed it was likely the second group was the Melbourne Victory soccer team.

It might seem a little far-fetched but there are comparable situations in Europe, where many soccer and league or rugby teams share ownership and venues. The A-League runs in summer, so it would only briefly coincide with the start of the Super 15.

Bids must be lodged by July 22, after which the national rugby unions will decide which bids should make full applications to Sanzar on September 18. The winning bid will be announced on October 31.

Other Australian bids from Gold Coast and western Sydney are also expected, while South Africa's Southern Kings could also be keen. The Samoan Rugby Union, has ruled out any interest.

- OTAGO DAILY TIMES