Super 14 set to embrace six-team final series from next year

A six team finals series this season would've seen the 5th placed Stormers and the 6th placed Blues qualify for the playoffs

In exciting news for Southern Hemisphere Rugby, SANZAR announced yesterday in Perth that a six team playoffs series will be introduced in to the Super 14 next season.

The announcement came at the end of a very productive three days of meeting between the South African, New Zealand and Australian Rugby Unions (SANZAR).

SANZAR officials also suggested the Super Rugby competition will take in new teams in the future, possibly from as early as 2010.

ARU CEO and Managing Director John O’Neill has called the future expansion plans a “Red Letter” day for the future of Southern Hemisphere Rugby.

O’Neill says the three countries are approaching the future with a common purpose.

“There’s a fantastic unity of purpose in terms of the growth prospects for Super Rugby and Tri-Nations”, said O’Neill, “starting with an expanded finals series next year of six teams.”

“(This is)Step 1 in what will be, beyond that, an expanded competition by additional teams” said O’Neill. “So a Red Letter day for SANZAR Rugby and very exciting for the Southern Hemisphere over all.”

NZRU Chief Executive Steve Tew says an expanded finals series shows change is underway.

“We’ve had consistent feedback that (if) you have a 14 team Round Robin you get the top four (and) some very good sides miss out at the crunch time of the season” explained Tew.

“So if we can fit a six team final playoff in next year we think it’s worth doing and a good signal to send that change is underway.”

Tew went on to add that Super Rugby needs to expand to maintain its position as the premier provincial competition in the world.

“It’s time for Super Rugby to take its next step forward”, he said, “it’s got to remain the pre-eminent competition in the world, cross-border provincial competition, and to do that expansion and development is an essential part of it. So 2010 and beyond is a very exciting time.”

To listen to interviews by John O’Neill and Steve Tew from yesterday’s announcement click here